What Would You Do? Job Overseas Vs Dogs

[chichihuahua]

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.

Edited October 10, 2010 by chichihuahua

[Elsha_UK_AU]

I moved to England when I was 23 and left behind a dog...however he was not mine....he was our family pet and that tore me up enough. He was my late Mothers dog and she had died a year before I moved....my Dad was very attached to the dog so I could not even consider taking him with me. He was a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel so no way would I have wanted to put him through quarantine. I can really imagine the anguish you are going through right now, I purposely did not get a dog whilst living in the UK because I did not want to have to quarantine them when moving back to Australia. I now have my 2 CKCS and we recently went to the UK for 3 weeks and I could not stop thinking about them and worrying the entire time.

That being said, if this job is going to kick start your career and you are not likely to get an opportunity that allows you to stay in Australia, then maybe you need to consider the fact that your Dog will be cared for by your parents. Maybe you could give it a go and see how you get on? Either way, not an easy decision to make. My heart does go out to you. {hugs}

[mita]

I think you're the very opposite of a bad pet owner. Your little dog has been fortunate to be so lovingly raised & cared for.

First, take the deepest breath (because this will be hard to do) and just look at the overseas job as if you had no other worry except to get a grip on whether it, in itself, is a good career move for you. Both in the short-term & the long-term.

Second, is that the only job, at the moment, that you're looking into? Is there any likelihood of another Australia-based job that you'd also like to look into? For comparison purposes alone.

If your questioning, like this, leads you to the belief that the overseas job is the best career move, can you get your little dog gradually used to staying over with your parents? So that it's not a huge shock for him when you leave. He'll still be an important member of your family, just as your parents are. And you'll be kept 'in touch' with his doings & welfare by your parents.

That doesn't mean it would be easy for you. You're so right, most of us dog-lovers on DOL dread being parted from our pets. The one bright thing...should you decide the job is right for you...is that you'll still have a strong connection with your boy.

Quite a few adult children of our friends, have careers that have taken them overseas, for varying periods of time. From a few months, to a couple of years...to probably permanently. And I've noticed all sorts of emotionally challenging situations turn up. Like, when they marry & have children over there....& the grandparents are far away in Australia. They have to figure out all sorts of adjustments.

Huge hugs to you, whatever decision you come to. I can totally understand what it'd be like for you.

Edited October 10, 2010 by mita

[lanabanana]

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.

I was in this same position 18 months ago.

I took the job and brang the dogs with me.

[dandybrush]

if this job is a career maker maybe its in your best interest if you take it, however i have heard that getting a dog out of the country is alot easier than bringing the dog back in, so i would be inclined to leave the pup at home, safe with your family and then maybe a year or 2 down the track if you think you are going to be staying overseas maybe look at bringing the pup then just an idea'

a very tough decision for you

[raz]

Grab it by the teeth and run - and take your pooch with you. It's no biggy and plenty of anxious dogs fly. My sis relocated a few times and took her dog and he was the biggest woose in the world. Gomez on this forum has a very well travelled dog as well.

If you cant take him, well your parents are there to look after him so it's not as if you're just giving him the flick. Sounds like a great opportunity so best of luck.

[mrs tornsocks]

It's a quandry for sure.

However, I say go overseas. The life and work experience you will gain will be with you forever. And if your parents are able to look after the dog, you know he will be in the very best of care.

[CrazyCat]

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 moved to the US a year ago under similar circumstances career-wise and I had the same fears about bringing my cat with me. For me, it was never an issue of whether I would stay or go (I was always going to go), but more about whether I would leave the cat with my parents or bring her with me. This is a cat who was so scared of the carrier she would pee and howl the entire time she was in there. I thought there was no way she would handle a 24+ hour flight, let alone 30 days quarantine in Australia if/when I come back. After much anxiety, though, I decided I wanted her with me and she would be happier with me than with anyone else. To cut a long story short, we did some crate desensitization, she made the trip and although I'm sure she hated every second of it, she was perfectly fine and I'm very happy she's here. As raz said, plenty of anxious animals fly, your dog would probably cope better than you expect. Just something to think about....

[t-time]

As long as your dog can stay with your parents and they care for him with as much enthusiasm as you do - I would leave him here until you decide if he would be better off with you in another country.

It's a really exciting time of your life but moving you AND your dog is a big step.

Do you know where you will be living when you get there?

Will it be suitable for the lifestyle your dog is accustomed to? (ie. home with garden here to a small flat in a concrete jungle there?)

This is a career opportunity so I would expect you would have long hours to prove yourself - who will care for your dog while you are work?

What if you are offered further overseas employment - perhaps somewhere different?

Will you simply be too exhausted to provide your dog with the same care you give him when in Australia?

Which country are you going to? Quarantine periods are very different when leaving Australia and then getting back in can be another story....

What age is your dog? And expected lifespan of his breed? I know that may seem like a callous question but putting a 6 yr old dog through quarantine is fine if he's only half way through his life but a large breed with a shorter life expectancy - well he might be a *very* old dog in 2 yrs time when you will have to put him through the whole process again??

Tell you what I'd do - explore similar opportunities here in Australia 'cos I'm sucker like everyone else and I wouldn't want to leave my dog!

IF the position OS is just too fabulous to pass up - go over, set yourself up and give it 3 months to settle in and THEN make the decision about your dog.

[bullyfan]

As long as your dog can stay with your parents and they care for him with as much enthusiasm as you do - I would leave him here until you decide if he would be better off with you in another country.

It's a really exciting time of your life but moving you AND your dog is a big step.

Do you know where you will be living when you get there?

Will it be suitable for the lifestyle your dog is accustomed to? (ie. home with garden here to a small flat in a concrete jungle there?)

This is a career opportunity so I would expect you would have long hours to prove yourself - who will care for your dog while you are work?

What if you are offered further overseas employment - perhaps somewhere different?

Will you simply be too exhausted to provide your dog with the same care you give him when in Australia?

Which country are you going to? Quarantine periods are very different when leaving Australia and then getting back in can be another story....

What age is your dog? And expected lifespan of his breed? I know that may seem like a callous question but putting a 6 yr old dog through quarantine is fine if he's only half way through his life but a large breed with a shorter life expectancy - well he might be a *very* old dog in 2 yrs time when you will have to put him through the whole process again??

Tell you what I'd do - explore similar opportunities here in Australia 'cos I'm sucker like everyone else and I wouldn't want to leave my dog!

IF the position OS is just too fabulous to pass up - go over, set yourself up and give it 3 months to settle in and THEN make the decision about your dog.

Everything in a nutshell T-Time. Take the job first, settle yourself AND then if you want your four legged friend, get your parents to help you send them over. You might move over, hate the job and be home before your dog is out of quarantine!! Enjoy your adventure!!

[Monah]

I'd go (if I were young and the opportunity arose)

Your parents can care for your dog and I guess your dog knows them?

Or if the job permits (ie. not a job where you have to be away a lot), you can certainly take the dog with you. Quarrantine may be non existent if you are able tto have the dog under a quarrantine qualified vet for the 6 months previous to moving etc. so your dog could get off the plane with you

Or you could see how you go over there for several months and decide to bring the dog over or if the dog is doing fine and happy, leave it with parents.

We have taken on several older dogs, none of us like to hear it, but they cope very welll without 'us'(owners) if they go to a good home I think we need them and miss them more than they do us!!

You :D could start leaving him at mum and dads for overnight then longer periods if you need reassurance. Keep in mind that it may take him a week or two to adjust

I have our daughter's BC often, he 'looks' for her for a day or two, then settles as though he has lived here all his life. OF course he is excited etc. to see her and her partner when they pick him up, but when I visit them he tries to get in the car and come with me He's 9 so 'set' in his ways, but still copes very very well. They were OS for 2 years, working after uni in 'career' type jobs too, and when they returned he just slotted back into living with them. Mind you, they are off again next year........and believe me, he IS their baby..

I think you are a wonderful wonderful owner, sometimes these things are a once in a lifetime thing, life's so short, your lovely dog will be fine.xxxxxx

[SparkyTansy]

I think you'd need to look at your lifestyle when you move and what sort of hours you would be doing... would it be work hard play hard? I sthat soemthing you want, first of all? if there is a chance you think you might take your dog, what are the quarantine requirements of the country you are moving to, what is the length of the trip? Are you willing to spend some time working with your dog to get rid of some anxiety about flying?

My sister moved to Singapore for coming up two years... she left her full coated Old English Sheepdog here with my mum. It's a big ask, leaving a fully coated dog for her to look after, but Singapore isn't a good place for an OES - too humid... and she didn't want to rehome him as she had waited a long time for him, so she asked mum and mum took him on. Now my sister is moving from Singapore to Jersey (Channel Islands) for 5 more years, but this time she is taking Charlie with her. We have just begun the process of preparations for sending him over.

[Loving my Oldies]

Grab it by the teeth and run - and take your pooch with you. It's no biggy and plenty of anxious dogs fly. My sis relocated a few times and took her dog and he was the biggest woose in the world. Gomez on this forum has a very well travelled dog as well.

If you cant take him, well your parents are there to look after him so it's not as if you're just giving him the flick. Sounds like a great opportunity so best of luck.

I'm with Raz here.

However, prepare for each eventuality:

1. For leaving him with your parents: spend plenty of time with him there and leave him overnight and longer as the time for you to leave gets closer.

2. Start getting him used to a crate.

Frankly, I think you'd be nuts to pass up on the job (although t-time has a good suggestion :D ), but in the meantime practice 1 and 2 with your dog.

[OSoSwift]

I would take the job and go and get settled in as T-Time suggested. At least that way you will be armed with a good knowledge of your job, life and timetable before you bring your dog over. IT may turn out he is better staying with your parents.

Oh and you are a good owner because if you weren't then your dog would not entre into the equation.

[B-Q]

I don't think I could move overseas anyway, I couldn't imagine leaving Australia.

It's not like your dumping him, he sounds like he'll be happy here and you can always move over, see how it would work and bring him over afterwrds.

I left Buster for 3 months last year when I went up north, eventually I went down to NSW and got mum to send him down to meet me as he was getting restless without me at home. I remember picking him up off the plane. I walked up to the crate he was in and started calling him, first he turned around and looked at me like "ahh.. just another stranger" and a second later I saw something click and the tail started going a million miles an hour. lol

Edited October 11, 2010 by busterlove

[chichihuahua]

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.

Edited October 11, 2010 by chichihuahua

[lanabanana]

I brang my dogs INTO Australia and it wasn't hard at all. They just had a couple of blood tests. In saying that, I did only come from NZ where we don't have rabies or anything so that is probably why. I dont know if it's the same here but if you take a dog out of NZ, if you bring it back within 2 years it's even easier.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do, just make sure its the right choice for you whichever way you go and that you wont regret your decision whichever way you go.

Personally, I would take the job AND the dogs but that's me, and difference is, I would be dragging a man and kid with me too so what's a couple of dogs on top LOL

Good luck!

[_PL_]

I lived in the US mid-west without my dog for just under a year and hated it. But she was old, not a candidate for travel and happier with my Mum who was very keen to see me go for a while. I still wish travelling with pets was easier.

New York is an amazing place though. I've never seen so many pampered dogs out for a walk. It appeared to be a very dog friendly city.

[Tapferhund]

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.

I think you are a very caring and responsible owner and seeing as you have caring parents who will look after the dog......then I would say you should go. Its not as if its forever...its only for a couple of years and don't forget you can always come home for a visit during holiday times.

[ozjen]

If you take emotions out of the equation, your dog may be around for 15+ years while the move may set you up for the rest of your life which will be many times the life of your dog. I don't envy you the decision your faced with as I don't know that I could overcome the emotional side of things to think logically but the fact that your furkid will be in good hands with your parents and you will be able to know how he is getting on may help you decide. Good luck whatever you decide.