chichihuahua

My dog just turned 5 so not too old. Am leaning towards option 1 as it's already been arranged and seems like the most social option for my dog out of the two. The second option is more for myself.... so I know for certain he is safe and fine! But am thinking he will probably have more fun in scenario 1. Okay, thanks guys!

Hi all, Just a quick one. I am going away for two nights, leaving Friday afternoon and returning Sunday noon. So basically away for Friday night and Sat night. I'm just trying to work out the best option for my dog. 1) Initially was going to leave him with a friend who has another dog and a very secure house. I've already taken him over to her place and introduced him to her dog and they have gotten along perfectly fine, had a great play etc. So that would be okay, but I'm still concerned about a few things. Aside to that one visit, he hasn't been there before so would be largely unfamiliar with her house etc. Leaving him for two nights I am concerned he will be stressed and nervous. Also worried about him peeing and pooing everywhere... he is toilet trained but their house is large, and he's not used to their dog door. The pros of having him stay at hers is so that he has a dog friend to play with 2) My other option is to leave him at home and get a friend to come over instead. My thought is that since I am leaving Fri noon, I will walk him nice and proper before I go, and then have someone come to feed him again in the evening, play and maybe walk him again. And then Sat feed and walk him, and I'll be back on Sunday. Potentially they will stay over both nights.... but if they didn't, would that be a problem do you think?? What is my best option?? I also have to add that he is an indoor dog, and at my house he has a dog door and access to outside for toileting.

My dog is a chihuahua cross, he gets cold easily and therefore is an inside dog. We do have a dog door so he can come and go as he pleases into a small section of the backyard to sun himself and do his businesses, but he prefers to be inside even when we're not home. I walk him every day without fail - if I miss a day I feel terribly guilty about it. Thankfully he's small so 30 - 45mins once a day is sufficient. If it's raining he refuses to go move so I'm let off the hook for that one.

Thanks for the response everyone. The job prospect is in New York, which is definitely a very far cry from Melbourne suburbia. I'm not sure how my dog will fare in such a big city and as much as I want to take him with me, I don't really know if I'll be there one year, two years, three years... etc etc. I could possibly even come back to Australia after a few years there and as someone already mentioned, as I understand it, it's easy to take dogs out of Australia but very difficult to bring them back in. Going to the US, my dog won't have to be quarantined but coming back in he would have to stay locked up for a month or more and that's something that I really just can't do to him. I guess my future plans are so up in the air at the moment - if I were 100% certain that I would never return I would definitely take him with me, however at the moment I just don't know I currently already live with my parents so leaving him with them is completely fine. He won't really have to get used to a new environment aside from the fact that I will no longer be there. I'm just really worried about how he'd go. I feel like no one will ever look after him and love him the way I do, you know? I doubt my parents will remember to walk him everyday, give him bones, spend time with him as much I as do. At the same time... I do think it's crazy to pass up something like this because it could benefit me a great deal in the future. I guess I could find another job in Australia, however, I've always wanted to go to NYC to work and in my industry, having experience there is a huge advantage when it comes to getting future jobs. I don't want to be harsh but I just think that the bottom line is, my dog will eventually pass on in the next 10 years or so. I will still have to continue making a life for myself. I don't want to live in regret about this but at the same time, I just feel so horrible - like I'm becoming one of those pet deserters that I can't stand. EDIT* He is quite young, only just turned 3 a few months ago. He also has some behavioral "issues" regarding other dogs hence why the added anxiety I feel. It's nothing serious as he's only 3kgs, but he tends to show fear aggression at large dogs so I can't let him off lead ever. I manage it fine but I know that my parents will not put in as much effort and I do and I'm also worried about perhaps something terrible happening if I'm not there to supervise.

If you were suddenly offered a fantastic job opportunity overseas, would you take it? I'm struggling with a huge decision at the moment. At the end of this year I will have graduated university. I have already been offered a great position that would really kick start my career but it would mean I will have to relocate overseas for one - two years, maybe indefinitely. I'm really torn at the moment. I have a dog that I absolutely adore and part of me feels that I just can't leave him, but the other part of me wonders if I'm making a potentially stupid mistake if I choose not to go. My parents are able to look after him if I go so it's not like I'll have to dump him somewhere horrible or rehome him, but still I feel horrendous at the thought of leaving him behind. Taking him with me is out of the question as a) he is too anxious to fly and b) I'm uncertain how long I'd have to go for and if I'd return back. I don't want to subject him to long quarantine stays. I'm sure my parents will look after him fine but still, he has been raised by myself since he was a puppy so he is definitely "my" dog. I feel really heartless at the thought of "dumping" him but at the moment it really feels like it's torn between staying with him or doing something that I want to do for my life. I know everyone who frequents these boards adores their pets as I do, but what about a huge decision like this, that could affect your entire life? Would you still choose your dogs over your career? Can anyone give me some advice as to how to tackle such a decision? EDIT** I just want to add that I am definitely not one of those people who think nothing of rehoming pets etc. I never thought I would come to a point where I would be making a similar decision and I feel absolutely horrible about the whole thing so please, no flames about me being a bad owner! I have not come to a conclusion yet as to what to do and am only looking for your opinions and advice from anyone who has been through a similar situation.

Thanks for the replies everyone. My vet isn't pressuring me to get the vaccinations, but he is sort of adamant that I'm not doing the "right" thing. My dog is currently three years old - last year I had decided not to do a yearly vacc but after speaking to my vet, I become really doubtful of my decision and ended up getting the shot anyway. THIS year I am determined not to get it done! But I find it hard to stick with it when a vet - someone who's been schooled and more experienced then me - disagrees with my idea. I want to do the best thing for my dog and it really puts me in doubt. That's why I kind of want to find a vet that actually supports the 3 year vacc regime, it will make me feel much better about my decision! My vet just keeps telling me that parvo and KC are very, VERY important. Frankly my dog isn't ever boarded but I do take him down to the local park and he sniffs poo etc. I don't know - at this stage I'm still very confused. I just don't want my dog to get sick or suffer because of some stupid decision I made which goes AGAINST the recommendations of a trained professional.

My local vet that I've always used up to this point is very against the idea of 3-year vaccinations and insists that I give my dog annual shots. I asked about titre testing but he told me it wasn't comprehensive and didn't test for distemper and that they did not do them. I'm willing to drive to another vet that is open to the idea of non-yearly vaccinations. Really would like someone who is a little more flexible and more helpful, and also more knowledgeable regarding titre testing. I'm located in eastern suburbs of Melbourne (around Westfield Doncaster). Thanks in advance for any help you can swing my way!

It's not just because I'm frightened that my dog might get killed, it's more that when pretty much every dog we encounter is bigger and towers over him, it's hardly ever a good experience for him. Most of the time when we take our walks we come across friendly larger breeds who might just want to say hi but he gets scared anyway. I generally avoid and cross the road. When you're only 3kgs big and there's a lab's head that's as big as you are, trying to get a sniff of you it's very daunting. My dog never reacts well, he always pulls his head away and tries to get away from them which is quite hard as he's normally on lead and the other dogs tend to just move and still follow him. The only way my dog ever feels comfortable with a larger breed is in a more non-confrontational situation, where he gets time to slowly sniff/ get to know the other dog. Once that's done then he's fine, but on walks when two strange dogs meet face-to-face, it's extremely difficult. So really, bottom line is that I think SWF owners have a catch-22 sort of thing. Their dogs normally experience a bad encounter with a larger breed which results in them prone to acting aggressive back out of fear. And socialization is great in theory but under the normal, everyday settings extremely difficult to conduct since a) random owners on the street will not be overly willing to give you 15 mins of their time and b) your dog is already stressed/fearful. Hence why I'm guessing most SWF owners just avoid and their dog's issues are never really corrected. I'm guilty of doing that. I don't have $200 to pay for a behaviorist to come every week. I try and manage the best way that I can but I'm also aware that while I'm keeping my dog safe, it's not necessarily helping him in the long run. I think generally everyone (especially big breed owners) assumes that owners of SWFs who have "small dog syndrome" don't care, or they're just "bad owners". I don't think this is true. It's just unbelievable tricky to socialize a dog that's so small, the fear is ingrained with practically every single dog you may encounter. Many owners like myself probably just feel a bit helpless.

My 3kg dog has many behavioral issues, most of them resulting from being constantly rushed and bowled over by larger dogs. It's a constant work of process. As a result of all these negative experiences, he is immensely frightened of strange big breeds and will bark at or be very defensive out of fear. Instead of enjoying our walks together, I have to be constantly on alert and I can only take him to the dog park when it's empty during the afternoon. It's not easy. So for every one of you big dog owners on here who have complained about SWF - just remember the shoe also fits on the other foot. And also remember that a lot of the problems a SWF might have, in terms of barking at bigger breeds etc, probably are a result of being rushed by them in the past. There's been numerous instances in the past where I've walked past a house ON LEAD and had a huge boisterous lab run out suddenly and start crowding my dog. And also, because he's only 3kgs, even the regular maltese type breeds are larger then him. I don't care what anyone else says, it is much more easier for a smaller dog to have a terrifying experience with dogs rushing up to them then a larger breed. Hence why most small dogs seem to have common issues. I also think it's easier to socialize a large breed then a small breed. My dog is fine with similar sizes to himself but like I said, he is very nervous around strange big dogs and probably like the majority of other SWF owners, I avoid the situation which doesn't help his socialization. It's HARD to socialize a dog - it's not like I can just approach random people on the street and ask them to have their dog in a sit position while I spend 15 minutes working on my own. And when I see a big breed coming towards us in the street on lead, I will cross the road because frankly, I don't want to take the chance that something would happen and my dog might get hurt. I've had too many terrible experiences in the past. These sorts of issues and fears are something that big breed owners generally don't have to worry about.

koalathebear, Excellent post. I agree with your points. I too find that people often tend to make direct comparisons between animal treatment in Australia to places like China and fail to take into account that there is a lack of legislation and education about the issue on a state level. Things are not going to change without changes first on a government level so I think it's unfair for others to always waggle the finger and take a superior, moral western stance. I think we're all lucky to live in a country like Australia where animal rights and legislation in the meat industry is standard and the norm. We grow up being used to this and sometimes forget that not every other country has similar laws in place. China has a long way to go in terms of both human and animal rights but from what I can see, it has come a long way since it's closed, communist days. I didn't want to mention this at first but the reason why I jump up at these kinds of threads is because I am from a Chinese background so generalized statements affect me personally. It's like reading/watching stereotyped ideals of yourself and thinking, "but hey, I'm not like that at all!". I personally find it offensive and I am tired of constantly having to defend myself against people who I don't really believe have a full understanding of the issue to begin with. I was brought up here so I have adopted all sorts of western beliefs and cultural habits but even my extended family still in China don't eat dog. In fact, none of my mother's friends or other chinese people that I know eat dog meat. It's NOT the norm. And if anyone actually has ever been to a major city of China, they will find that the people there tend to be quite caring towards animals and pets in general. Shanghai has an insane amount of dog-owners nowadays. Of course, I don't mean that just because more people are owning dogs it means that there are not problems but I have noticed a significant change in people's attitude towards pets in general. Of course, none of this is ever mentioned so other people (like many on this thread who have never even visited China) have misinformed, one-sided information and are more akin to label chinese people in general as being this way or that.

No worries! It's hard on the internet when you read certain things. I'm happy to disagree :D

I know you're entitled to your opinion, but in no way did I apply my comment to the entire nation as you put it. Where did I say all Chinese people are barbaric FULL STOP. Their culture and everything else they do? And no I wouldnt find it offensive if all Aussies were called uncivilized and bogan. Frankly, I wouldn't care at all. One doesn't need to travel to "understand" what happens. FYI I have a Chinese friend who now lives in Australia after immigrating about 4yrs ago. Okay, look, I'm sure you probably didn't MEAN it in a derogatory manner but this is the internet so when it's written like that then it really does read in an unflattering light. I think it would have been better if you'd wrote: "the way chinese people treat animals is barbaric", which is more to do with the issue on hand. I just read: "the chinese and their barbaric ways." and it made my blood boil. The two are kind of different statements and say different things. And yes, it really was FULL STOP because that was the entire sentence and as such, is a great big generalization towards the entire culture and people. You don't need to travel to understand what happens. But if you're going to say a culture is barbaric - which itself is a harsh word - then you should probably have more then just hearsay and internet readings to back yourself up. And for the record, "barbaric" = primitive savagery less sophisticated then advanced civilization. I find that offensive FULL STOP and I would never say *insert race* is barbaric. I might not condone their actions but I would never say something like: "Australian are barbaric". It's negative negative negative. You're implying that their culture is beneath yours, that they're unrefined and uneducated. I'm not sure what your chinese friend has to do with this or why you're even telling me that you have a chinese friend, but I'm sure if you went up to him/her and said exactly that statement: "the chinese have barbaric ways", I highly doubt their reaction would be happiness and puppies.

This is exactly what you wrote: "... the Chinese and their barbarian ways". How is that not offensive? What if someone said "The Australians and their uncivilized, bogan ways" and in such a manner to apply it to our entire nation? Would you find that offensive? You are generalizing the entire race to be 'barbaric', furthermore you made a statement that Chinese people were barbaric FULL STOP. Not their actions towards dogs or treatment of animals, but apparently their culture and everything else they do. Would you say that a chinese person born in Australia, who lives in Australia is therefore also, "barbaric" based only on their ethnic heritage? No? Well then why would you make such a sweeping generalization with your comments? Quite frankly, if you haven't even traveled or have any first hand experiences with the culture how can you even sprout such a strong statement like this? Who are you to say that the Chinese people are "barbaric", what are you basing it on - just from random things you read off the internet? And regarding the second quote, about animals ending up on a "Chinaman's plate", that wasn't directed to you but to some other clueless person. Is "Chinese" too hard to spell, hence the need to call everyone "Chinaman"?? Do you not know how offensive that term is, especially given the historical connotations of the word? Do you walk around calling Indian people "Curries" and aboriginals "Abos"?? Yes, you can be against eating dog, many people on this thread have voiced how against it they are but do it in a manner that isn't offensive and racist. :D I'm against the animal cruelty that goes on in places like China and other Asian countries but I certainly know better then to make offensive remarks against the entire race. Again, let me voice my disgust and dislike for these kinds of threads because they always seem to bring forth the ignorance, bigotry and prejudice from people.

Can we keep the racist remarks to a minimum? God I absolutely hate these kind of posts, it always turns into some sort of culture/ethnicity-bashing. "Chinese and their barbarian ways"?? And "Chinaman's plate"?? Why didn't you just go "ching chong chang", maybe make some slitty eye gesture with your fingers. Wow. Speechless. EDIT** I also wonder how many people on this thread have actually been to China or know anything more than just random facts they've read through the internet. Some of the generalizations made on here really have me scratching my head. Yes, dogs are sometimes eaten, however mainly this occurs in the rural areas considered to be "countryside". The main cities like Shanghai, Beijing or Hong Kong, it's quite rare to encounter dog on the menu. China is a huge place, there are plenty of smaller regions or areas that are less affulent and "civilized" than the larger cities. It's not really comparable to Australia where we all share the same culture and moral ideas, in China it's much more segregated depending on where you live and the city people tend to look down on the country folks and their "ways". I'm not saying that China is perfect. It's definitely not and has a long way to go but please keep in mind that China was a closed country for decades and has only started becoming more open in western trade/society in recent years.

Okay, so if I went for the C3 and then I added kennel cough vacc on top of it, it would be sufficient? And then I would just vaccinate for kennel cough every year until it's time to do the C3 thing again. According to the vet, the C3 has a diffferent "stain" to the C5 but I'm not sure if that means it'll be more potent or whatever, to make it okay for 3 years. My vet is definitely against the whole "skip a year vaccination" argument but he seemed okay with the idea of doing it every three years if I went for the C3 option. I'm not sure why? By the sounds of it, it's exactly the same thing minus the kennel cough component. Am leaning towards maybe doing titre testing. I asked the vet at the checkup today and his response was: "yes, you can test for antibodies but it's not very economical. It's much cheaper to just do vaccinations". So I'm worried the amount is upwards of $300 or more.