Foster home or kennels?

The decision to adopt a dog from overseas kennels or a foster home is a personal choice. As a general guideline, here are some aspects you may want to consider.

Adopting a dog who has been in foster

A dog living in a foster home may have had more opportunities to experience everyday family life. If they have spent time in foster care following their transport to the UK, their foster carer may be able to tell you how they have been behaving indoors, around other animals, whether they settle at night or have spent time alone.

This information can be particularly helpful when trying to understand whether a dog might be suited to your home and lifestyle.

But it is worth remembering that not all foster homes provide the same experiences.

A dog living with several other dogs in a quiet rural home may have very little experience of busy roads, unfamiliar people or walking through an urban environment. Equally, a dog who appears confident alongside familiar dogs may feel quite differently when they are the only dog in a new home.

It is also worth asking how long the dog has been in foster care. A dog who arrived a few days ago may still be settling, and their foster carer may not yet have seen how they respond to different situations.

Some rescue groups will only re-home dogs who have already spent time in a foster home in the UK. If this is your preference, it is worth taking the time to find a rescue who works in this way. They may even be able to put you in touch with the foster family directly. This is a good way of gathering more information about your dog in that particular home environment.

Adopting a dog directly from kennels

Kennel and shelter environments can vary enormously.

Depending on the rescue set up and kennel environment, your dog may have had regular opportunities to spend time with people, go for walks and interact with other dogs.

Others may have spent most of their time in an enclosure, with limited experience of the world beyond those four walls.

This does not necessarily mean a dog will not adapt successfully to life within a home, and the shelter environment can influence each dog's behaviour differently.

A dog may appear quiet and withdrawn in a busy pound, yet grow in confidence once the environment changes. Equally, a dog who barks, jumps or struggles to settle, may be responding to the noise and frustration caused by the space they live in.

This doesn't mean that observations made by the rescue team aren't valuable. Staff and volunteers who know the dogs well can provide important information about their personalities, relationships and behaviour. And as with the entire adoption process, the most important element is honesty from the rescue team and openness on your part to work with the dog you have in front of you.