Korean Job Discussion Forums

[ForeverWanderlust]

Anyone ever get a small dog in Korea or know someone that has?

Would love to get a small dog but not sure how practical it would be.....

[Modernist]

Oh, you mean from those horrible, prison-like pet shops that mar every decent-sized city?

I cared for a cute little dog before I came to Korea. She was a Bichon-Shih Tzu mix so she would have a lot in common with almost all of the 'little dogs' you see here. She was ~10 lbs fully grown, could sleep a LOT, hardly ever barked, was a picky eater, and was very affectionate. Although she could be lazy, she LOVED to walk and chase balls at the park. Understand that little dogs often have a LOT of energy and they need good long walks and regular playing or they will get bored and destructive.

I would NOT recommend getting a dog like this if you have the life of most teachers here. First of all comes the going out issue. My dog needed to be taken out 3 times a day and she would be suffering if 2 of those times were more than 8 hours apart. She almost never made a mess, because she was good, but dogs that size just can't make it through long stretches alone without going out. So unless you have a split-shift hagwon job, you'll need someone to walk the dog, or find a daycare somewhere that will take them [don't know if these exist in Korea].

There are significant additional costs besides the probably 500-750K or so the pet store will want for a cute puppy. The dog will need vet checkups so you have to find an English-speaking vet. You'll need to be able to figure out what kind of food they need and will eat, in Korean, and where to get it. Most little dogs like mine require regular grooming, about once a month, and the groomer will have to either speak English or you Korean to tell them what to do.

Bottom line is it's a bad idea. I miss my dog but I couldn't take care of her here and it isn't fair to have them if you can't give them what they need.

[NYC_Gal 2.0]

I got mine from the local vet's office. My other pet had to be put down after an unsuccessful cancer surgery, and, after having played with the puppy in the pen all week, the nurse told me that the owner wouldn't be coming back (she'd originally told me that he was being babysat while the owner was on holiday for a month.) I took the 3-month old puppy home. He's pretty small (mini pin/chihuahua mix.) I'd probably have wanted a larger dog, but we had already bonded and I couldn't let him be sent to a shelter. He's pretty darn cute, and, between my husband and myself, we spend a lot of time with him.

It's up to you. Go to a shelter and rescue a little guy or gal. Even if you aren't home as much as you'd like, the pooch will have a much better life than caged in in a shelter.

[ForeverWanderlust]

I love dogs and i feel it would make my time in Korea ALOT more enjoyable.

Due to the size of the apartment I would certainly have to have small dog.

[ktkates87]

My husband and I brought our dog over with us. He's a pug x jack russel so a medium dog in Korea. We debated it alot before we came over (and actually waited til we arrived, paying a pantload to send him via cargo), but he has made our life here SO much more enjoyable.

Everyone in our building loves him. The koreans in our building are always playing with him, wanting to take his picture and i actually had a grown man put my dog's entire ear in his mouth and pretend to chew on it recently. I would say that the neighborhood is great for him too, we have tons of parks and there are so many places to walk him. Some people will talk about how its really hard to have a dog because all Koreans hate dogs, but this has not been the case at all in our neighborhood.

Vets are way cheaper in Korea. We have only had to make a few visits but it has always been really reasonable and lot cheaper than back home. The food is more expensive but its not a huge deal and its easy to find whatever kind you need and if you cant afford the food you shouldnt have a dog.

He is able to hold it for a really long time (quite a bit longer than 8 hours) not that we do that to him on a regular basis or anything. I would say the only way he limits our freedom is on weekends when we want to go away. However we've found a place near us in Ilsan, a dog kindergarten, where we can send him for 15,000 per night which is quite feasable and they are really great with him there.

In my opinion, I feel like there are a lot of people on daves and other ESL forums that nay-say the whole dog thing without ever actually owning one here. We are hoping to come back to Korea for a second year after we visit home and travel for a few months. There is no way I would be returning without having my dog come with me.

Bottom line, make sure it's okay with your school and even more importantly your building. If you're already here and think you can manage having a dog, then do it. PLEASE make sure you know that you are going to be able to take him home with you. Lots of people end up abandoning their dog before going home and it's really sad. If you get a dog, check out www.animalrescuekorea.org and the korea pet sitting group on facebook. I would also add that you should consider adopting a dog, rather than buying one of the puppy-mill types that other posters mentioned. It would be significantly cheaper, and there are always some really nice dogs available on animal rescue's website.

[Dazed and Confused]

In '97 I brought my dog with me and got another one along the way. The old boy died about 2 years ago so I'm down to one again. I loved having my dog and finding dog sitters has been easy. I've only had problems once when I came home to a very dirty house. My dog is trained to pee on pads or the bathroom floor. No messes ever!

[trying2getthere]

My husband and I brought our two 6-lb yorkies with us from the states. I certainly agree that, if you are a dog or pet person, having your pet with you in Korea will make your time here more enjoyable. Especially if you are moving here by yourself.

Our little guys are peepad trained and never have a problem "holding" it. Although it's a little more work for us to keep our place tidy, I would feel terrible if I knew they were at home waiting to take a walk and do their business. I highly recommend pad training.

As far as what Koreans think of our dogs, they are really small, but we still get mixed reactions. Some people (especially young people) love them and want to pet them and talk to them. Others are terrified of them, which is pretty funny.

I agree with the other poster about buying one at a pet store, though. Korean-raised pet store dogs generally aren't in the best health. Plus, there are TONS of dogs in shelters that need good homes, or even from other ESL teachers who are going home and can't take their adopted dog with them, etc.

Hope you get a dog and love him/her. Best of luck in Korea!

[eamo]

Westerners and Koreans have different ideas of what a 'small dog' is. We have a miniature schnauzer, about 11kg, and many Koreans seem terrified of him like he's a rottweiler or something.

It's pretty crazy. I've had a middle-aged woman cower in terror, yelling for fear, in a shop doorway because I'm walking past with my mini schnauzer. And he's never aggressive. Very friendly dog.

About 10 of my neighbors in my building won't get in the elevator with me if I have my dog. It's nuts.

[rainism]

[Jack_Sarang]

[Died By Bear]

Don't get a small dog. Get a Great Pyrenees. You will have the girls all over you day and night. GPs are the world's cutest big dog. You'll have to fight them off with a stick because a lot of people love pure white fluffy dogs in Korea. I think it's all because of a TV drama, but anyway - You take some time out of the day and take the dog to a local park and run with him... the rewards make it worth the effort.