Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

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

86 replies

Cactuscacti · 12/10/2019 09:23

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.

OP posts:
Hoppinggreen · 12/10/2019 09:25

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

Original poster
Cactuscacti · 12/10/2019 09:38

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!

OP posts:
LightandShadows · 12/10/2019 09:41

Any family members the dog could stay with?

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 12/10/2019 09:44

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

Costacoffeeplease · 12/10/2019 09:59

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

NumberblockNo1 · 12/10/2019 10:01

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

PinkCrayon · 12/10/2019 10:02

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

Cordial11 · 12/10/2019 10:05

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 Grin

redchocolatebutton · 12/10/2019 10:07

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

PinkCrayon · 12/10/2019 10:14

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

CarolDanvers · 12/10/2019 10:16

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

which1 · 12/10/2019 10:19

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

So DON'T

ShirleyPhallus · 12/10/2019 10:23

I’ll have your puppy. See, easy!

Cordial11 · 12/10/2019 10:33

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

BiteyShark · 12/10/2019 11:05

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 · 12/10/2019 11:27

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 · 12/10/2019 11:30

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

ColdRainAgain · 12/10/2019 11:36

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

Cordial11 · 12/10/2019 12:30

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

which1 · 12/10/2019 13:08

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 Grin

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 · 12/10/2019 19:19

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 · 12/10/2019 19:22

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 · 12/10/2019 19:28

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 · 12/10/2019 19:31

I treat my dogs as I treat my kids.

Wouldn't leave either for 6 months.

limpingparrot · 12/10/2019 19:36

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.