Behavioral traits of rescue dogs from Southern and Eastern Europe rehomed to Germany

Abstract

Over the past twenty years, dogs from Southern and Eastern Europe have been increasingly frequently rehomed to Germany and other Western European countries by animal welfare organizations. The aim of this study was to assess behavior and temperament of these dogs using the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ©) and to compare them with dogs from Western Europe. The study shows that foreign rescue dogs can be suitable pets and owners are often satisfied with their behavior. They show differences in all behavior scores. The greatest difference was found for ‘excitability’, which was lower in the non-Western European dogs. They also showed significantly higher scores for ‘non-social fear’ and ‘stranger-directed fear’, with Eastern European dogs scoring higher than Southern European dogs. Due to the study’s limitations (e.g. different median age, limited information on the dog’s origin in the native group, owner-derived behavioral information) the comparison is impaired and further investigation is required. While Southern dogs are more prone to chasing, Eastern European dogs display more ‘stranger-directed aggression’. Dogs that grew up in shelters are more trainable than stray dogs, but also have higher ‘stranger-directed fear’. Dogs that were less than one year old at the time of transport scored higher in ‘trainability’. Overall, the number of dogs with severe behavioral disorders was 6.7% for anxiety, 2.1% for aggression and 3.4% for abnormal repetitive behaviors. These dogs are considered to be enormously welfare compromised. In conclusion, dogs from Southern and Eastern Europe can be rehomed as pets if carefully selected and prepared.