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Where in Hong Kong would my German Shepherd be happy living?

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  1. #1

    Where in Hong Kong would my German Shepherd be happy living?

    Hi all,

    We are planning to move to HK end of this year and have decided to bring our white GSD with us. Of course, any tips about relocating a 35 kg dog on plane would be helpful. Is it stressful for the dog, how long do you have to wait before you can collect him when you land, should you travel with your dog or let him come after you have settled. What would work better with least aggravation to the dog.

    Secondly, we need to consider an area which will work for all of us, somewhere which connects to MTR/KCR for schools and reconnecting with the hustle and bustle of HK and obviously, roof or outdoor space for the dog to roam. As we will both be looking for employment once we get there, we do want to stick with a modest rental spend to begin with and ideally a place that is furnished. Any advice on location and how we go about finding something that works for all of us. Most pictures of flat we see are empty, is it possible to get furnished property in HK?

    Thirdly, we are looking to rent our place in UK for the duration we are in HK and initially we were considering a home exchange but I am not exactly sure how it works and where do we begin. I was thinking of advertising in the classified post to see what response I get in terms of renting an overseas property. Once again, any suggestions would be welcomed. How do we find like minded people who want to try out UK life?

    Last edited by London2012; 08-06-2018 at 09:41 AM.

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Feb 2011
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    Hong Kong
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    6,317

    Furnished
    Away from the noise
    Close to MTR
    Accepts dogs
    Low budget

    Have you mistaken Hong Kong for another place?

    You are a property agents worst nightmare. You're in for a huge surprise. You can't leave your dog on the rooftop, the sun is killer here.

    If you want advice from others you'll need to indicate how much you'd like to spend and how many people in the home and where working. No one can guess these things.

    Life here is about convenience.

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  3. #3

    Join Date
    Jan 2018
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    Dog friendly and budget friendly: South Lantau, Outlying Islands, Sai Kung, Discovery Bay. None near MTR but all have other viable transport networks (ferry, bus, etc.). Furnished with pets maybe less likely but cheap furniture (people getting rid of used furniture, Ikea) is readily available.

    I used to have a 600 square foot garden and my cats had a pet door for in/out. On Peng Chau a lot of people walk with their dogs not on a leash and similarly in other kind of remote areas so the dog can run around and have some fun.

    I guess I am used to long commutes in the US as nothing seems all that far or remote to me. Any commute under 1 hour works for me so a ferry ride plus walk to the office doesn't bother me. However, it bothers a lot of people so you have to decide for yourself.

    It does seem there are pet-walking services so if you live somewhere that is more high-rise than green, that's an option for your dog during the day. In more remote areas, some people find local helpers willing to walk dogs.

    Airline travel is stressful but they recover. Try to take overnight flight and arrive in the morning so not sitting out on the runway/baggage cart in the full sun/heat of the day.

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  4. #4

    Join Date
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    consider places rural house in Kam Sheung, expect rent around HK$16k for 700 sq ft, kam sheung rd is only 12 mins from east tst, plenty of greenery here, however, few expats live here, you can even buy a car and park here at a inexpensive rent around HK$800 per month, some rural houses only 15 minutes walk from the station, double check with land lord whether they allow dogs

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  5. #5

    Join Date
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    We brought our 35 kg Gordon Setter over 8 years ago. We have a village house flat with rooftop, and live 2 minutes walk from an extensive series of hill trails that provides as much exercise as he needs / wants. He has access to the rooftop in an emergency, but he gets enough exercise and outings that he rarely needs to use it. He likes wandering up there in winter, but summer is too hot for him. Our biggest issue is keeping him cool, so it costs more for aircon. Our rent is reasonable and we have an 8 minute walk to the MTR, or a 3 min walk to a bus stop.

    As for the plane-trip, there is little choice in how this happens. You have to have a specific sized crate, and the dog appears at the cargo section fairly rapidly after the flight.

    For least aggravation after the flight it would be better to already have a flat rented and set up. I can't imagine landing, collecting dog and moving into a serviced-apartment - if that is even possible with a large dog. When we did it, my husband came out first for a few months, already had a flat rented and had sorted bare necessities of furniture (most of it we bought second-hand from leaving expats). I put the dog on a flight, then my daughter and I took a separate flight the next day. My husband was able to collect the dog (in a van) and settle him in before we arrived.

    I think your biggest problem is the idea of renting furnished with a large dog who will be on his own for much of the day.


  6. #6

    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by kimwy66:

    I think your biggest problem is the idea of renting furnished with a large dog who will be on his own for much of the day.
    I think their biggest problem is that neither of them have a job secured in Hong Kong......I'd be more worried about their visa status unless they have RTL/ROA/PR

    Also there aren't many landlords who will rent to tenants that cant show proof of employment.
    Last edited by Trebor; 08-06-2018 at 10:17 AM.

  7. #7

    Thank you. That is really useful. Which area do you live? Did you give your dog any sedatives or anything that helped him stay calm. Our dog is very sensitive and I am not sure how he will cope with a 12 hour caged journey. Does anyone check on these animals during the flight?


  8. #8

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    Bringing a sensitive dog out whilst looking for a flat in an unfamiliar environment that is fundamentally not dog-friendly sounds iffy- I'd echo whoever else it was who suggested leaving the dog in the UK until you've established somewhere to live.

    What's your budget? What is 'modest'?

    You asked about furnished places. Every place I've seen that was "furnished" under, say 25K, was done with furniture that was so bad that I would have preferred empty and then sparsely kitted out with cheap Ikea furniture. Ikea has a very cheap installation service here, workmen can put together big bits of furniture within a handful of minutes and be out of the flat very quicky.

    The idea of "furnished" in London can be okay. Furnished in HK is pretty terrible.

    Last edited by jgl; 08-06-2018 at 10:36 AM.
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  9. #9

    Is this near Kam Tin? And the train ride is 12 mins you meant?

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  10. #10

    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by London2012:
    Is this near Kam Tin? And the train ride is 12 mins you meant?
    yes, near Kam Tim, from the train station, sorry, typo, it's 21 mins ( not 12) to east tsim sha tsui mtr, you can check on the mtr web site

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