Rescue Rangers
Rescue Dogs: More Than a Label
Taking on a rescue dog is a noble thing — wanting to give a dog another chance at a better life.
I’m not here to bash rescues or rescue dogs. After all, my own dog Sam came from a rescue. But I don’t use that word anymore. I say she was re-homed.
Why? Because the word rescue comes with emotional baggage. And too often, that baggage gets strapped onto the dog for the rest of their life.
The Weight of “Rescue”
You’ve heard it before. You might have even said it yourself:
“Sorry, they’re a rescue, they don’t like men.”
“They’re nervous — they had a rough past.”
“We don’t know exactly what happened, but we think a man might have mistreated them.”
One I hear constantly: “they must’ve been mistreated by a man in a hat.”
The problem is that we let these stories — often based on little to no actual information — define the dog forever. We create tension in situations, then excuse behaviour instead of dealing with it.
If your dog doesn’t like men in hats — that’s ok, let’s work on it. Let’s build them up so it’s not an issue anymore. What’s unfair is leaving them to struggle, carrying a past they can’t even remember. If you’ve not read my post on teaching dogs to handle pressure, give that a look.
Dogs Live in the Present. We Don’t.
This is where training comes in. It’s usually us — the people — who drag the past into the present.
Dogs don’t sit there replaying old memories like Bruce Wayne in Batman Begins (which if you haven’t seen, this is your call to action). They simply do what works for them in the moment.
If barking makes the uncomfortable thing go away, they’ll learn barking works. Not because they’re “haunted” by the past — but because they just discovered a successful strategy to create space.
That’s why you see behaviours repeat. And yes, it’s common with little dogs because we scoop them up or move them away. Bigger dogs don’t get the same leeway — but at the end of the day, all dogs are the same animal, just dressed a bit differently.
The Rescue System
Now, here’s the awkward part: rescues themselves can make things harder. This isn’t a bash — it’s just an uncomfortable truth.
Many UK rescues have criteria so strict that good, capable homes get turned away. You’ve probably seen it — no full-time workers, no kids, no other pets, garden has to be fortress-like… the list goes on.
In fact, here’s a list I found on one big charity’s website. Five very different breeds, all with different needs — yet the same tick-box criteria appeared for every one:
The Usual Criteria
Must be the only dog in the house
Secure, private garden (6ft fences often non-negotiable)
No kids under 16
Can’t be left alone for more than a couple of hours
Lifelong ongoing training commitment (this one’s fair enough)
Often kept on lead in public, sometimes even muzzled
Calm, quiet homes with “experienced” owners only
Now don’t get me wrong, these aren’t bad things on paper. But when you stack them all together it makes rehoming a dog feel like threading a needle. And worse, some of these “musts” don’t even serve the dog.
That might look like protection, and in some ways it is — making sure not every Tom, Dick and Harry takes a dog to an unsuitable home. But in reality, it often means dogs sit in kennels longer than they should, while families who could give them structure and training are shut out.
A high-drive dog can live happily in a flat if their genetic needs are met outside. A dog permanently on lead isn’t being given a new life — they’re being set up for frustration and more problems. And endless puzzle toys and lickimats? They can be nice, sure, but they’re not enrichment — they’re time-killers. A dog also needs to learn how to switch off, not just be entertained 24/7.
You tell me if that seems fair to the dog.
So what happens then? People look abroad. And that’s easy to understand — I did the same.
The Rise of Foreign Rescues
On the surface, it feels like a win-win: save a dog from the streets, bring them into a loving home.
Again, I’m not here to bash rescues of any sort — but there are some serious considerations with foreign rescues.
The reality can be rough, and not the Disney-like life you might imagine:
Many are street dogs who’ve never lived indoors
They may not naturally trust people
Even puppies born into homes can carry street-dog traits (that’s how survival works — genes pass it on)
They’re used to going days without food, so food training doesn’t always click
Resource guarding is more common
Genetics are a lucky dip — which makes behaviour harder to predict
That’s a lot to take on, especially if all you wanted was a pet you could love. Affection alone isn’t enough for a dog who’s had to survive on their own wits.
So What’s the Answer?
Am I saying don’t rescue? No. Am I saying never go to a breeder? Also no.
I don’t have a problem with people going to breeders — as long as they’re asking the right questions: proper health checks (not just a quick vet once-over), meeting the parents, and speaking to people who’ve had pups from previous litters.
But whether you bring home a puppy from a breeder or a dog from a rescue, the same truth applies: a dog is a dog. The label rescue shouldn’t dictate their whole life. They should be trained to benefit the rest of it.
Be honest with yourself and line up trainers before you get your dog. Ask questions, get advice, figure out who you want to work with. Start training right away — don’t wait three months to see what problems surface.
Setting the standard from day one is the best thing you can do for any dog. I’m not saying rule with an iron fist or play “pack leader” games — that’s nonsense. But equally, don’t just let the dog waltz in and do whatever it likes.
If you want more on that, check out my post on Freedom.
Rescue Dogs Aren’t Made of Glass
Yes, sometimes you’ll need to adjust your approach. That’s fine. That’s the beauty of balanced training — you’ve got more than one way to teach, to build confidence, to get progress.
Because here’s the bottom line: with good training, a rescue dog can just be… a dog.
When we drop the baggage, stop shielding them from the world, and focus on foundations that actually benefit the dog, we see less reactivity, less nervousness, less anxiety — and more confidence.
Rescue dogs aren’t fragile ornaments to be kept in bubble wrap. They’re dogs. Treat them as such, train them as such, and you’ll give them the best chance at a life of freedom, fulfilment, and proper happiness with their new family..