Me and Japanese hubby, no kids. We have settled into an apartment that allows pets and are thinking about getting a small to medium sized dog from a shelter or 保健所.
The only criteria that I have is that it be a short hair breed and reasonably healthy. We are ready to take on behavioral issues. My husband has experience with dogs since he grew up with two. I had cats growing up but family and friends had dogs which I took care of from time to time.
We just want to use our space and situation to help (especially older) dogs spend their remaining time in a loving, caring and spacious environment. Not saying that all shelters in Japan suck.
Do you have any information, warnings or tips you can share with us on this?
9 comments
You both sound responsible and like you’ll be great owners. A good place I used was Anella @dogrescue_anella! Alot of the doggies are older as they are saved from breeders and 保健所.
They do great health checks and behavioral stuff and always neuter!
Feed them good quality dog food, don’t give them people food snacks, keep them vaccinated, and get pet insurance.
I think you and your husband will be very wonderful owners. I think the dog would be happy to be welcomed into your home.
There is a website where you can see a list of pets housed in public health centers in Japan (in Japanese only…)
[https://pochi-tama.or.jp/center/](https://pochi-tama.or.jp/center/)
They will be killed when the deadline comes, so if there is a child near your area who could be welcomed, please help them.
Wishing you and your new family lots of happiness.
I have 3 dogs (40kg, 25kg, 9kg) here.
Here’s a list of considerations:
-Having a dog here is often more of a luxury so things are priced like a luxury. Pet food, grooming, raincoats for rainy season, pet hotels/pet sitters are more expensive here. Make sure you are prepared for those costs in your budget.
-Get pet insurance. It’s not going to cover things like vaccinations but if your dog has an emergency, it’s really useful. I personally use ipet but there are others that are popular too.
-There are a lot of people here who do not train their dogs well. If you take your dog to dog parks or areas with many dogs, be careful.
-Find a vet you can trust. And don’t be afraid to go to another vet for second opinions.
-Some adoption places will be very strict about adoption criteria. They may want to see your lease to see that dogs are allowed, they might want to know your family’s schedule, they might want to see your house, etc. They may reject you if they believe you are out of the house too much, etc.
-There are private adoptions and rescue adoptions on places like pet home and jmty. We got one of our dogs from a private adoption (kind of a pet hoarding situation). We got him for the cost of gas from Shizuoka to Aichi and back.
A final consideration would just be about your time. Dogs are kind of like babies. You will need to consider them before you make plans. Especially if you choose an older dog or a dog with behavioral issues. When I want to go out, I need to take into consideration my dog’s schedule and things before I go out.
I love my dogs and I’m so glad I have them but it can be a lot of work.
I hope you find the perfect dog for you!
Just to confirm, the landlord said it was fine, or the listing only mentions ペット相談?
Others have come up with good points already, so a few small things.
Getting a big or even a medium sized dog on a train or a rental car isn’t realistic per rules. If you don’t have your own car but want to travel with your dog, I suggest getting a smaller breed.
Vets can get super busy especially in residential areas, so be prepared. The place I take my dog to sometimes requires a one hour wait.
Asphalt in the summer is torture for dogs. Night time or early morning walks is the way to go.
Other than the mandatory annual rabies vaccine, there are other vaccines that you may want your dog to get. A lot of dog hotels and dog grooming services require those vaccines. Vets should be more knowledgable about this topic.
Make sure you have someone dependable to pet-sit, or it might be the end of vacationing, or traveling overseas. Not so sure about the quality of kennels in Japan, not that they’re ideal anywhere.
Two questions:
1. How is your Japanese?
2. Is your husband the breadwinner and required to be in an office all day?
I ask because, unless you’re lucky enough to have an English-speaking vet nearby, all vet services will be in Japanese. If your Japanese isn’t up to the task, then it means hubby will need to handle all things pet-related. If hubby works from the office, then that means things like the following:
* He may not get off from work early enough to take the dog to the vet before they close on weekdays
* He may be too tired to take the dog to the vet on weekends
* He won’t be available to take the dog to the vet if there’s a situation that needs emergency treatment
* He may need to take time off from work for any city office related registration and paperwork
The most important thing about having a dog is time. You didn’t mention anything about this. Do you and your husband work full-time jobs away from home? If yes, then you should probably reconsider.
As others mentioned, you’ll have to think of it sort of like a baby. You’ll need to plan around it, and every day you will need to walk the dog at least twice, ideally 3-4 times if possible. You’ll need to spend time with it even when you’re tired and, depending on the dog, give it enough mental stimulus through training or games. More energetic dogs will need a space like a field to run and play every now and then.
You mentioned getting an older dog, some of the things above might not be necessary, but time is still the most important factor in having a pet. Dogs value time with their owners more than anything else.