Ex BBC man reveals traumatised Romanian rescue dog has finally settled (2024)

FAQs

Ex BBC man reveals traumatised Romanian rescue dog has finally settled? ›

'How nice you allow a little neck tickle': Ex BBC reporter reveals his joy after the dog he rescued from Romania - who was so traumatised she hid behind the sofa for weeks - is finally bonding with his family.

The problem has arisen as a result of systematization, a policy imposed during the Communist regime that ruled Romania for decades. Systematization forced people to move into apartment blocks and abandon their dogs.

Patience and time is the key to these dogs. Some will fit in straight away, as if they have always been with you, but others will take longer, and others longer still, maybe even six months, it just depends what has happened in their past.

Though there is an element of truth in this it is a key understanding that Romanian puppies come with their own quirks, such as hyperactivity, lack of focus, high sensitivity to change and a potential for reactivity which must be curbed with positive training and consistency in routine, and will need the same patient, ...

Sophie from Romania follows the journey of her adoption – from her battles with anxiety, to the joys of play and her first foray outside – as Roryand Diane work with expert dog trainer Si to win Sophie's trust, and navigate Rory's Parkinson's diagnosis.

Dogs on the street are often abused, hit by cars (sometimes even deliberately), poisoned or shot. Romania is also a very religious country, and many people do not believe in spaying or neutering the dogs as it is “against God's will”.

India has the largest street dog population on earth, with about 62 million stray dogs, and the largest number of rabies deaths in the world.

Those dogs who do live a normal healthy life have been known to live up to 14 years.

Don't force your dog.

Forcing your dog to face their fear and deal with it will most likely backfire and cause your dog to become even more scared of their fear and you too. Dogs can easily turn to aggression to make the fearful thing go away and may redirect that aggression onto you.

What is the story of Sophie the dog? ›

Since the day Sophie's mother adopted the little puppy, Sophie had taken care of it. She bathed it, fed it with care, went out on a walk with it, and she even had taken it to the vet, twice. Hence, her parents were happy with her and they knew that little Sophie was capable to take responsibility for a pet.

HRH Princess Sophie is the fourth daughter of King Michael I of Romania. She was born in Tatoï, Athens, Greece, on the 29th October 1957, sharing the date of birth with her great grandmother Queen Marie, who was also born on a 29^th October.

Her father worked as a labourer and mother was a home maker. Her brother was an apprentice and the youngest was a mischievous boy. The house she lived in was small and cramped. Her father seemed like an ill-natured man who had no patience for Sophie's imagination and fantasies.

Romania's stray dog problem is highly complex and became much worse in the 1970s, when the country-wide move towards urbanisation resulted in many people moving into small apartments and no longer being able to keep their pet dogs.

Ear tags are used in Romania to show who is neutered.

There is growing concern around this disease because of the large number of dogs imported from some countries, especially Romania (and other Eastern European countries), where it is known that Brucella Canis is prevalent.

Dog ownership is high in the region, and a lack of understanding of dog behaviour and their needs has encouraged poor responsible dog ownership and maltreatment, leading to pet and litter abandonment, which adds to street dog numbers and further escalates intake at already overcrowded shelters.