Hi Denise,

Thank you so much for saving the calendar, i cant wait to see it, and no doubt Dave gave you the update on Sharna.

Sharna has settled into life over here in Australia and is doing really well.
She is slowly getting use to the heat, and has ice blocks in her water everyday to keep her cool. For a dog who hated water she now welcomes a cold hose down and just sits there and enjoys it.
She handled the flight really well and was not too stressed over it.
I could not believe that it only cost $28 a year over here to register your dog.
After a vet check, and micro-chipping she is in 100% good health.
Her weight is still 34 kg and she has developed muscle tone through chasing the flies. That is a daily ritual for her for about an hour, and she loves the room in the backyard that she has, but wont share it with the birds (they get chased too).
I am still keeping up the training, and i have improved heaps, so yea your training me up to get Sharna to respect me and listen to me has worked. She is such a different dog.
We are currently slowly introducing her to being around small children in short spurts, and she is slowly getting use to them without taking their food off them or taking off with their ball, and knocking them over.

Well it has been a year since we got our Sharna, and it has been one amazing journey with her.
She was very much underweight as you can remember and no muscle tone, couldn't get on with other dogs or cats, and sometimes testing us.
Now she can walk down the street without lunging at another dog, if she See's a cat she ignores it, and she is now fit and healthy and at the correct weight. The only time she barks is when some arrives, or if someone is walking pass with their dog.
Well Denise, on that note i would like to wish you and your family a Very Merry Christmas.
And for all those wonderful people who have put in so much time to fostering dogs, caring for them and to those who have given forever homes to the lucky rescued, Merry Christmas to you all.

Kind regards
Jan Stace
Sharna's Mum.

Hi Jan, I was thrilled to have Dave visit yesterday, gosh he looks so more relaxed than when you left. The stress of the redtape and Sharna going to Oz obviously was responsible for that. So happy it was finally sorted out albeit at the 11th hour. It is frustrating that so many phone calls were required and particualarly as no one seemed to know what was what. Anyway that is over, Dave says you are enjoying life in Brisbane and Sharna is blooming.

A very Merry Christmas to you both, enjoy being with your family and big Christmas hugs to Sharna

Hi Dog Lover,

Hope you don't mind me using this site Denise, but it seems we will soon be heading over the ditch ourselves and taking our 2 furry friends with as. We wont be going until June next year but would appreciate any advice on how to go about moving dogs overseas etc. We are only going for 2 years as that is the length of my posting and then we will be brought home - I couldnt stand to leave them behind though!

Thanks for any advice =)

No problem at all Furfriend. Good for you for making enquires early.

What I can tell you is that you need to have your dog fully vaccinated. Have proof that they have never left the country before - NZKC registration, vaccination record will give that info as pups are usually vaccianted before 8 weeks and as you can't fly pups under 8 weeks it is obvious they haven't been out of NZ by way of vaccination date. A good airtransporter is a must to ensure dog is suitably housed in the appropriate size travel crate. Australia has no quarantine - you will need heartworm prevention though as that is something we are extremely fortunate not to have but does occur in Australia.

Hi furfriend, if you give DogTainers a ring and ask for Haley, she is very imformative, helpful and will guide you on what you exactly require for MAFF, crates, and flights.

With Sharna being a rescue dog, the vet was not prepared to sign her papers, unless i could prove she was born in NZ and had never left the country. I couldnt prove this so rang Denise . Denise rang the vet assistant and told her what Denise has told you, but this didnt help. So in the end Sharna had to have a blood test and when the results came through clear of any disease her papers were signed off.
If you have paper work , it is much less stressful.

As for heartworm, in NZ Sharna was given a tablet, but go a vet and have your dogs injected for heartworm, it is a stronger dose, and you only need to do it once a year.

Start the paper work early in case there is any hipcup and this gives you time to sort it out.

Hope this helps

Cheers

Thanks for your help - I will definately get onto it in the New Year. Our GSD is 4 years and the Border Collie is 2 so hopefully there will no problems with them travelling and with the paperwork etc.