Hey Forum,
My first post here, although I've lurked for a while.
I'm hoping to get some thoughts, advice and potentially recommendations from y'all lovely fellow GSD lovers. I'm having a rough time right now working through all of it and emotions are getting involved, ha. :crazy:
Currently live in Maryland got two GSDs who I love very, very much growing up GSDs were my dream dogs and when I finally was able to own some I've continued to fall in love. We adopted both of our dogs.
The first is an almost 10 year old female, black about 80 lbs who we adopted after her original owner passed away about 2 years ago.
Our second one is not quite 1 1/2 male, traditional brown, big teddy bear (about 110-120 lbs) loving boy just starting to come out of the puppy stage. We adopted him about 8 months ago when his original owners life situation changed and they couldn't give him the attention he needed.
My whole family has been blessed by these two dogs and they are very much part of the family my daughters (6 and 5) spend hours with them and they are amazing. Both awesome dogs who I and my kids love very, very much.
Recently got offered an amazing job opportunity that I've accepted that's going to move my family overseas to Abu Dhabi, UAE for a couple of years (the "toe" of the Arabian peninsula). My intentions have always been to bring our dogs with us, growing up I went through some giving up/rehoming situations with dogs and it tore me up and I've never wanted to have to do that again. However...as I've started working through the process of moving them over I seem to be running into roadblocks and difficulties at every turn. I'm hoping maybe some of you have done an international move before with your canine family members and can help me find some perspective in all the craziness right now. Many people who aren't dog lovers/owners just don't understand why I just don't give them up or rehome them and it's tearing me up to consider it.
I've been being quoted prices anywhere from 6-8 thousand dollars to ship our dogs over. Our big boy may need a custom crate (he's about 41 or 42 inches from ear tip to floor). Obviously being the middle east it's hot over there, like really hot sometimes. I'm all messed up right now about what the best thing to do is. I don't want to give them up and firmly believe that rarely is giving up your canine family members the best option...they are a part of us. At the same time so many people think I'm crazy for bringing them...that it would be better to rehome them...I just don't know what to do right now.
Sorry for the really long post...I guess I'm hoping that maybe someone here can tell me I'm not crazy...or maybe I am or...I don't know...
On a more logistical note, if you live on the east coast does anyone have any recommendations for people who build custom crates or extensions for crates for international travel?
Thanks for listening if you read all of this. :help:
My first post here, although I've lurked for a while.
I'm hoping to get some thoughts, advice and potentially recommendations from y'all lovely fellow GSD lovers. I'm having a rough time right now working through all of it and emotions are getting involved, ha. :crazy:
Currently live in Maryland got two GSDs who I love very, very much growing up GSDs were my dream dogs and when I finally was able to own some I've continued to fall in love. We adopted both of our dogs.
The first is an almost 10 year old female, black about 80 lbs who we adopted after her original owner passed away about 2 years ago.
Our second one is not quite 1 1/2 male, traditional brown, big teddy bear (about 110-120 lbs) loving boy just starting to come out of the puppy stage. We adopted him about 8 months ago when his original owners life situation changed and they couldn't give him the attention he needed.
My whole family has been blessed by these two dogs and they are very much part of the family my daughters (6 and 5) spend hours with them and they are amazing. Both awesome dogs who I and my kids love very, very much.
Recently got offered an amazing job opportunity that I've accepted that's going to move my family overseas to Abu Dhabi, UAE for a couple of years (the "toe" of the Arabian peninsula). My intentions have always been to bring our dogs with us, growing up I went through some giving up/rehoming situations with dogs and it tore me up and I've never wanted to have to do that again. However...as I've started working through the process of moving them over I seem to be running into roadblocks and difficulties at every turn. I'm hoping maybe some of you have done an international move before with your canine family members and can help me find some perspective in all the craziness right now. Many people who aren't dog lovers/owners just don't understand why I just don't give them up or rehome them and it's tearing me up to consider it.
I've been being quoted prices anywhere from 6-8 thousand dollars to ship our dogs over. Our big boy may need a custom crate (he's about 41 or 42 inches from ear tip to floor). Obviously being the middle east it's hot over there, like really hot sometimes. I'm all messed up right now about what the best thing to do is. I don't want to give them up and firmly believe that rarely is giving up your canine family members the best option...they are a part of us. At the same time so many people think I'm crazy for bringing them...that it would be better to rehome them...I just don't know what to do right now.
Sorry for the really long post...I guess I'm hoping that maybe someone here can tell me I'm not crazy...or maybe I am or...I don't know...
On a more logistical note, if you live on the east coast does anyone have any recommendations for people who build custom crates or extensions for crates for international travel?
Thanks for listening if you read all of this. :help: