Mia is a 1 year old female Terrier Cross. She is fostered in Norwich Norfolk. Mia and her mum and siblings were abandoned on the street in Romania.
They are all now in the UK looking for new homes. Mia is a sweet and friendly little girl who mixes well with other dogs and would be fine with children aged five plus.
Mia has never been on a lead or for walks before coming into our care so will need to gain experience in this area. When you adopt a Safe Rescue dog, you MUST use a slip lead.
This will keep your dog safe: your new dog will be nervous and will not trust you, and you will not know which situations might upset your dog.
If your dog panics, then a slip lead is the only way to prevent your dog from escaping (many dogs can escape from a collar and/or harness).
It will take AT LEAST 3-6 months for your dog to settle in and for you to know your dog fully (longer for nervous dogs). The slip lead must ALWAYS be used during this settling-in period.
Even after your dog is settled, it is safest to use the slip lead in situations where your dog may become scared (e.g. visiting new places, around unfamiliar people, at the vet), and in situations where unexpected triggers might happen (e.g. around bonfire night).
Nervous dogs may always need to wear a slip-lead as a backup safety measure. The slip lead is a safety device and must NEVER be used as a training tool. Using the lead to apply pressure to the dog’s neck is damaging.
If your dog pulls on the lead, then we can advise you on training methods that avoid harm.
Once your dog is settled, you may want to consider using a harness (together with the slip lead) if your dog is comfortable with being handled when it is fitted.
Most harnesses are not escape-proof, but harnesses with a strap behind the ribcage (e.g. Ruffwear Webmaster or Perfect Fit Harnesses) are safer.
Retractable/extendable leads must never be used on our dogs. Adopted dogs must be collected from the rescue and transported straight home in a crate.
