Abstract Dogs are a good model for the biomedical research especially because of similarities in pathogenesis between dogs and humans. The legislation regarding animal experimentation offers the possibility to provide a new home for individuals that previously were involved in protocols. Rehoming appears to be a good solution to reconcile the necessity to practise animal research with our sense of morality and our quest of animal well-being. Nevertheless not all dogs are concerned, and secondly we must consider if rehoming is the better solution for the animal. Indeed, dogs are purposively bred for research and then are housed in social groups with little interactions with humans. What happens if we decide to change their physical and social environment and ask them to adapt? Thanks to the collaboration of the technical staff, the researchers, the associations of animal defence and some behavior specialists, it is possible in France, to rehome some dogs, taking into consideration their history and their individualities. Indeed, naïve individuals have to learn new situations such as how to behave when facing another dog or how to interact with humans. The adopting family has also some expectations about the dog such as learning ability, obedience ability and the expectation that the dog will not be frightened of everything. Understanding these concerns can help improve the probability of success.