DH been offered a 6-month contract in Australia - should we go? (We have a dog!)

[Cactuscacti]

DH and I can’t decide whether or not he should take this contract. We have a puppy.

Ordinarily, we would - I’m freelance and our children are young enough for this to be a fun adventure.

But we have a puppy! I looked it up, and he’d have to spend 10 days in quarantine. But is that - plus the flights - too traumatic for such a short amount of time? We’d definitely come back to the UK after 6 months.

[Hoppinggreen]

For 6 months I would suggest he goes alone and then organise a puppy sitter for a months holiday or so

[Cactuscacti]

We’d either all go together or not at all - DH doesn’t want to be away from us all for that long!

But yes, really wondering if it’s too much for the puppy!

[LightandShadows]

Any family members the dog could stay with?

[AvocadosBeforeMortgages]

I'd either be looking at a family member looking after the dog, or not going at all.

[Costacoffeeplease]

Too much to fly a puppy there and back in 6 months. I wouldn’t be going if it were me

[NumberblockNo1]

Id def send him and then just go bisit for a few weeks. I wouldnt disrupt kids lives for 6 months.

[PinkCrayon]

But would your kids still have their school place for when you get back?

[Cordial11]

Hey! I live in AUS... where is the job?

Take the puppy if there’s chance you might not come back, you could fall in love with the lifestyle

[redchocolatebutton]

tbh I would take the dog out of the consideration. it's too important a decision.

[PinkCrayon]

Oh and you were to go I would take the puppy.

[CarolDanvers]

There's no way I would not go. What an opportunity. Take the dog.

[which1]

I was going to say definitely go. Then I remembered the spiders

So DON'T

[ShirleyPhallus]

I’ll have your puppy. See, easy!

[Cordial11]

@which1 in a year I’ve only seen one huntsmen

[BiteyShark]

If you go and take the puppy then you need to be prepared for them to have some behavioural issues to contend with.

I say that because our dog was away from us at the vets for several days when he was a young dog and it changed his behaviour so I can imagine the stress of travelling twice long haul etc in 6 months at such a young age leaving an impression on them.

If I emigrated I would take my dog, no question about it, but for 6 months then I would be looking for someone to have them temporarily at home.

[fivedogstofeed]

I know a retired couple who go to family in Australia for a few months every winter. They pay a dog sitter to keep their dogs for that time. It's probably fairly expensive and could take a while to find the right person, but IMO would be less traumatic than a flight and quarantine.

[ConFusion360]

The first week I was there, I saw two nasty spiders, three snakes and somebody got eaten by a shark.

[ColdRainAgain]

Just cost up the price of taking the puppy before you committ to that plan. It can be eye-warteringly expensive.

[Cordial11]

@ConFusion360 omg where were you! Maybe the spiders just don’t like the smell of us (yay) haha

[which1]

Cordial

Quite genuinely that is the one reason I couldn't holiday in or live in Oz. Not that Oz has ever invited me over

They terrify me. Even UK ones which are non lethal, once they are past say 3cm or 4cm.

In the autumn, or as I call it, 'spider season' I have to check a room all around walls &ceilings before going in it.
Live alone so it's worse!

[Maneandfeathers]

I wouldn’t inflict the flight on any dog for that short a time. It’s incredibly stressful for them and dogs do die in transit.

Do you have any family who could keep the dog?

[Aquamarine1029]

If this position would be good for your husband's career, I would have him go and in the middle go visit with the children for several weeks. Six months would fly by.

[Honeyroar]

Personally I think it's much too far to take a dog for only six months. It would be a definite no for us. You might be able to find a foster for the puppy, but this is really the age when they're getting to know you and become trained. I think if you go, either with the dog or leaving it behind, really you're letting it down.

[Span1elsRock]

I treat my dogs as I treat my kids.

Wouldn't leave either for 6 months.

[limpingparrot]

If you’re planning on renting your house out, how about a live in dog sitter ? We used a website and found a nice Australian couple to stay with our neurotic cat for a few weeks while on holiday. I know people look for longer house sits, we had a few young couples interested who were house sitting longer term to save a deposit. It just cost 80£ to be a member of the website.