# Pets



## DanWatson3 (Sep 12, 2013)

Evening everyone,

My wife and I poked our heads into a pet store this afternoon whilst out. She is now nagging me to buy one of these teacup chihuahua dogs, the guy in the store said it would cost me 10000AED......for a dog! 

Can anyone tell me whether this is the standard price for one of these little things over here? Is there a better place to go and as we are new to Dubai are there any rules and regulations we need to be aware of to keep a pet.

Thank you for any advice you can give

Dan


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## xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxStewartC (Mar 3, 2012)

Poor little dog was probably raised in a cruel puppy mill. There are lots of lovely dogs and cats that need to be adopted here. There's nothing more rewarding than looking after a rescued pet.


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

Hi

Firstly as someone who is involved with animal welfare in Egypt can I say please under no circumstances ever buy a pet from a shop as they are puppy farmed.
There are plenty of rescue organisations in Dubai who would love to have one of their animals adopted. 
Planning ahead is a must.. it takes about 4 months to get any animal ready to go back to the UK. .


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## saraswat (Apr 28, 2012)

Have a look at this thread:

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sandpit/138689-urgent-plea-foster-homes.html

While it says foster homes, the organizations it mentions are open to adoption ...


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## mehranR (Jul 27, 2013)

The teacup price is usually twice to three times the regular breed. I agree and disagree with above posters. Adoption should be your first choice, but if your wife loves the breed you should buy what she likes. The worst thing that can happen is to have an unhappy wife and a puppy with severe psychological problems.


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## DanWatson3 (Sep 12, 2013)

saraswat said:


> Have a look at this thread:
> 
> http://www.expatforum.com/expats/sandpit/138689-urgent-plea-foster-homes.html
> 
> While it says foster homes, the organizations it mentions are open to adoption ...


Thanks Saraswat, 

As you may be able to tell we are both pretty new to Dubai, so I wasn't aware of the rescue centres. I will look into that option too.


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## DanWatson3 (Sep 12, 2013)

mehranR said:


> The teacup price is usually twice to three times the regular breed. I agree and disagree with above posters. Adoption should be your first choice, but if your wife loves the breed you should buy what she likes. The worst thing that can happen is to have an unhappy wife and a puppy with severe psychological problems.


Catch 22. I'd be more than happy with a rescue dog, preferably one without behavioural issues, whilst the wife would like a dog, but, would love a teacup. Will certainly look visiting a rescue centre though.

Thanks for all the advice

Dan


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## vantage (May 10, 2012)

Pet shops selling dogs and cats stopped decades ago in most countries. Don't do it.

And a mini-chihuahua is not a dog, it's a snack!


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## NjxNA (Jan 13, 2013)

DanWatson3 said:


> Evening everyone,
> 
> ...*She is now nagging me to buy one of these teacup chihuahua dogs* ...


Dump her 
Seriously, already buying a dog from a store it's a no-no, but 10k for one of those "things"...


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## IzzyBella (Mar 11, 2013)

A lot of the rescue organisations get pure breeds too (there are a LOT of Chihuahuas - for some reason). 

We have a medium cross because we prefer bigger dogs and I believe that cross breeds fewer genetical problems. Our dog is a rescue from a really awful background of being used as bait for dog fighting whilst she was a puppy. She's even lost a sibling from the "fun" game of 'Throw the brick at the puppy head' by local children. Funnily enough, she ADORES children. She loves humans more than other dogs, though she loves other salukis. The only "psychological problems" (as mentioned by someone ignorant about rescue dogs) is that she often feels the need to protect us from other dogs in stressful (to her) situations. She used to be nervous around guests but now we've made her associate the doorbell with someone letting themselves into the flat and she was all over our guests tonight with kisses and a waggy tail.

Do you think that a healthy well-adapted adopted dog has more or less "psychological problems" than a dog bred in a puppy mill and then stuck in a small cage in a pet store all its life? Just food for thought.


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## mehranR (Jul 27, 2013)

IzzyBella said:


> ........The only "psychological problems" (as mentioned by someone ignorant about rescue dogs) is that she often feels the need to protect us from other dogs in stressful (to her) situations.


Why would you call it being ignorant???? Telling someone that Some rescue dog has severe psychological problem is being ignorant to a rescued dog? I have rescued more than 5 dogs and three cats and now you want to call me ignorant? I am just telling him what he might face if things don't go the way they thought it should.


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## IzzyBella (Mar 11, 2013)

mehranR said:


> Why would you call it being ignorant???? Telling someone that Some rescue dog has severe psychological problem is being ignorant to a rescued dog? I have rescued more than 5 dogs and three cats and now you want to call me ignorant? I am just telling him what he might face if things don't go the way they thought it should.


You implied ALL rescue dogs have psychological problems. You should be more specific rather than scaremongering. 

I admire your plight for rescuing 8 animals - why would you put someone off it with a careless comment?


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## mehranR (Jul 27, 2013)

IzzyBella said:


> You implied ALL rescue dogs have psychological problems. You should be more specific rather than scaremongering. I admire your plight for rescuing 8 animals - why would you put someone off it with a careless comment?


I never said ALL have problems. Infact I said his first choice should be adoption. And I merely stated a scenario where wife may not like the dog and puppy having severe psychological issues. Then That puppy's life is doomed.


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## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

There's NUMEROUS rescue centers in the UAE and even vets will have/know of animals for adoption. I've lived here for many years and just took in my third rescue last year. He is the most amazing dog, in personality and looks (not that I am biased of course haha!). We did have a few issues to begin with, but they were soon ironed out with a little patience and from the dog I picked up last September with no hair, who didn't know how to eat dog food and was petrified of men, my boy now has a coat that needs grooming almost once a month (people stop on the street to ask us what breed he is - he kind of looks like a miniature Dulux dog), he chows down on his food and can't wait for dinner time (he's the only dog I've ever had who actually crunches his biscuits as opposed to vacuuming them!) and he is the happiest, most well adjusted chappie, who loves cuddles and just being around people. I think, of all my rescues, this boy has been the most rewarding to see the way he has changed. Please, please, please try to rescue first rather than filling the pockets of these b*rstards who run these dreadful mills.


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

Most "pedigree" dogs in the UAE come from battery farms in the Ukraine. Most don't survive the journey to the UAE, this is what increases the price of the ones (un)fortunate to live.

Please don't support this trade. 

I rescued an abandoned chiwawa, that was healthy and full of life doubt it would've had any abandonment issues. Speak to the rescue groups, there will probably be a waiting list but take the effort to be part of the solution rather than the problem.


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## DanWatson3 (Sep 12, 2013)

Thank you for the feedback everyone, much appreciated. We will be registering with the rescue centres next weekend and hopefully have a new member of the family pretty soon.


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## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

DanWatson3 said:


> Thank you for the feedback everyone, much appreciated. We will be registering with the rescue centres next weekend and hopefully have a new member of the family pretty soon.


Fantastic!


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## IzzyBella (Mar 11, 2013)

DanWatson3 said:


> Thank you for the feedback everyone, much appreciated. We will be registering with the rescue centres next weekend and hopefully have a new member of the family pretty soon.


Yay! Fantastic news. We're picking up a foster dog right now from Abu Dhabi Animal Action. 

Hopefully this temporary member of the family will have a better time


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