Learning from Romanian rescue dogs - insights from a registered Galen Myotherapist

I am Michele Kent a Registered Galen Myotherapist, not a behaviourist, having gained my understanding and experience by working closely with Freedom Angels Romania, a rescue charity who do incredible work. Also, I have rescue dogs, all with their own issues, my two Romanians Nellie and Lyra have taught me so much, helping me understand these dogs and the complex issues that they must overcome to live with us happily.

3 yr old Lyra (adopted at 8 months old) and 5 yr old Nellie (adopted at 4 months old)

Having researched the history of Romanian street dogs, the trauma they have endured and how they perceive the world has really helped me gain a clearer understanding of these dogs along with my Galen Myotherapy training. I can understand the effects physiologically and how this can affect them behaviourally. This has been a great tool in helping these dogs live alongside us in our homes.

Street /feral dogs are free spirits, independent thinkers with enhanced survival skills, heightened senses and quick reactions making decisions for themselves. They have continuous free choice, ability to roam at a pace and length they choose, often in a pack and freedom to dig, play, sniff, and rest when they want. All these factors contribute to providing them with both mental and physical stimulation. Of course, this brings many dangers such as fights over food and territories, lack of shelter, traffic, human and environmental threat however, all of which they are familiar with. Once captured they will miss having the freedom, with choices, think independently, possibly miss siblings or extended family with which they may roam.

10 yr old Lambi, adopted at 18 months old

Often the shelters/kennels are overcrowded, unclean and open to the harsh environment, they will lack regular exercise, inconsistent access to food causing fights between dogs resulting in injuries. Poor nutrition and lack of regular exercise can lead to muscle loss and weakened joints; they may also have old injuries left untreated. All of which could lead to soft tissue damage, pain, and restriction in one area leading to compensatory changes elsewhere in the body.

Stress hormones like cortisol and chronic inflammation will have a significant impact on fascia and muscles causing it to become restricted, leading to pain, decreased mobility, range of motion and postural changes. Which could impact behaviours such as fear/anxiety or even aggression. These issues can also present as excessive grooming, vocalisation, decrease in exercise and socialisation. Which can be seen in Romanian rescues.

Adoptees often assume young puppies are less likely to have issues; however, the female dogs experiences during pregnancy will also have an impact on their unborn puppies, her stress levels and nutrition health will affect the unborn puppies development. For example, fear and stress can affect cortisol levels. Cortisol can cross from the mother to the puppies via the placenta, affecting their stress response system, high cortisol levels can compromise growth, immune and neural development in turn affecting their behaviours. 

With all of these possible issues they are then usually caught by a catchpole, hence their neck sensitivity. They are transported in crates of up to 30 other dogs at a time across Europe for about 72 hours before finally being put into a large shelter we all call home. They are suddenly expected to live alongside humans they don’t know or understand, a different culture and language and without even understanding their own species.

Our houses have a new set of barriers and rules which these dogs cannot understand. They are expected to wee and eat when told, wear a collar or lead, walk long distances at a pace they are not used to and told not to dig holes whenever they please. Although they now have regular food, water, warmth, comfort, and shelter along with no fear of fights or dangers this is all alien to them. Not used to our lifestyle, living in a home with strange smells noises and rules is frightening for them, they then have to encounter the environmental changes our homes and lives bring, such as slippery flooring, stairs, furniture, and cars. Often these dogs have arrived under nourished, underweight with underdeveloped muscles which may be weak causing strain to joints that are susceptible to injury. They may have old injuries that can cause compensatory issues and postural issues that can add to their anxiety.

7 year old Willow, who we adopted at 12 weeks old

Initially to get them used to seeing touch as a positive, I advise adoptees to simply lay hands on them slowly and only after they have had a chance to decompress and are feeling braver in their new homes, building  slowly from as little as sitting with hand nearby to one back of a finger just touching to a back of hand to just laying hands on helping build trust, moving on to passive touch then basic effleurage- so rewarding for the adoptee and helps build a trusting relationship.   

Galen Myotherapy treatments to rescue dogs local to me and for my own Romanian rescues have been extremely beneficial helping to ease stress allowing them to relax, enabling me to assess and treat fascial tension improving muscular and joint health. Also, it has helped with assessing any potential issues they may have.  Once they are used to the treatment, they are very receptive to it, often telling me what requires treatment, especially my own, often presenting me with a limb or body part that needs some treatment.

In conclusion: these dogs in many cases may not have survived if they had stayed in Romania, leading safer lives in our homes but it is important to understand their history, what they have been through, allowing them to have choice and freedom to make decisions for themselves and important for us adapt and learn from them and to let them just be the dog they are.

You can read more about Michele on our Team page

REFERENCES

Hekman, J. (2014) How Can a Mother’s Stress Influence Unborn Puppies? Available at: https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/puppies/puppy-health/how-a-mothers-stress-can-influence-unborn-puppies/ (Accessed: 02 February 2025). 

Mills, D.S., Coutts, F.M. and McPeake, K.J., 2024. Behavior Problems Associated with Pain and Paresthesia. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice, 54(1), pp.55-69.

Slater, A.M., Barclay, S., Granfar, R. and Pratt, R.L., 2024. Fascia as a regulatory system in health and disease. Frontiers in Neurology, 15, p.1458385.

Tozzi, P., 2014. Does fascia hold memories?. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 18(2), pp.259-265.

Walsh, S., 2024. AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR IN DOGS. Veterinary Ireland Journal, 14(4).