Importing into the UK

edited July 2012 in Bills, Laws, etc.
Hello Everybody!

Just joined a few days ago and a few may already know that I am very keen on getting myself a Shikoku to join my little family.

I have been talking to a few breeders and came across one European kennel who mentioned the difficulty of getting a puppy exported to the UK. They said that after the puppy has been born, it would take about 9 months for them to do the extensive testing etc to get the puppy over - i.e. it would be 9/10 months old by the time it gets to the UK... Does this sound right to you guys? I'm just curious as if that's the case then this effectively makes the wait for me quite longer.

So just wondering if anybody had experience of importing a puppy to the UK recently? Does it really take that long to get it over? I mean I spoke to another Breeder in North America who didn't seem to mention anything like this and said next year July/August was a realistic timeframe to get the puppy over...?

If anybody could shed (no pun) some light on this I'd be very grateful!

Thanks everyone.

Joey
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Comments

  • edited July 2012
    @joeyxoto

    9 months is a very long time to send a puppy to their new home... The pups most important socialization window would have closed by then. In North America puppies are usually sent to their new homes as early as 8 weeks of age. I don't know what the breeder's regulations would be to wait that long, maybe it has to do with their country or the UK. What "extensive testing" did they tell you they had to do? A pup could gets all their shots as early as 14 weeks of age. Getting a puppy at the right age is super important! 8 weeks is perfect. Strive to get one at that age.

    To send a pup to the UK would be around $659, if the breeder sends them with Continental airlines.
    https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/travel/animals/PetSafeRates19JUNE2012_without_Europe_Israel_India.pdf
  • From what I've heard, the UK has had some weird rules about dog importation. But, supposedly there has been a recent rule change, that the European breeder may not be fully aware of.
  • Thank you both for your response.

    I wasn't really told what needs to be done but they said the UK has stringent regulations. However I can't find any information on the net; all I have seemed to come across is this publication:

    http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/pb13582-bringing-pets-to-uk-120229.pdf

    I assume the breeder will take care of all the things stated in the form above?

    When speaking to the North American breeder they were aware of recent changes made to exporting a puppy and didn't mention anything about it taking so long. I suppose if they are ok with it then it's fine: I just preffered the European breeder as it would only take me an hour to go over to the country and see the pups so it was just super conveniant for me.

    If anybody has any other information about UK law, I would be super grateful to hear it. I see there is a number on the publication, I might give that a ring and see what they tell me!

    Thanks guys!
  • All solved! Spoke to DEFRA directly and they told me that the rules changed in January 2012 as stated on this form.

    The guy on the phone told me that a puppy needs to be at least 3 months old before coming into the UK now as apparently the rabies vaccination does not have effect till the puppy is at least 3 months of age :) @Hinata23 , so is 14 weeks still good for me to get the pup? He said 3 months so I could hopefully get it by the time it's 12 or 13 weeks. :)
  • @joeyxoto The socialization window can be pretty important, especially for Nihon Ken since they're primitive dogs, and a lot of breeders have strong feelings on when the best time to take a puppy home is. My husband's aunt, for example, is adamant that the best time to take a dog home is at exactly 52 days or something like that. If I'm remembering correctly, we were told that the first 12 weeks are crucial for the puppy to bond with its new family and develop positive habits, so we got our Kai pup at 8 weeks. There's a lot of info if you google "dog socialization window," and different people say different things. From our experience getting a 1.5-year-old Shikoku (ChoCho), though, it really hit home just how critical proper socialization can be for a Nihon Ken. 3 months is young enough, it's probably okay (?), but I would defer to any of the breeders on the forum when it comes to something like this. You might want to try talking to @brada1878. He's extremely knowledgable on all things related to the Nihon Ken and can probably help you out way more than me.
  • edited July 2012
    "apparently the rabies vaccination does not have effect till the puppy is at least 3 months of age"

    To clarify, rabies vaccination is not administered until a puppy is 3 months of age. It takes 30 days to take effect.

    In the US, all dogs over 3 months must have a rabies vaccine to be imported, and it must have been administered 30 days prior to the flight. Thus, it can be difficult or impossible to import a dog between 12 and 16 weeks of age to the US. If the puppy is not yet old enough for rabies vaccine, it may fly without one and be quarantined with the new owner until it is old enough to receive the vaccine plus 30 days. I try to get my puppies over here under 12 weeks old.

    However, it sounds like there is no exception in the UK to allow a puppy to be imported without a rabies vaccine if it is too young. You should double check if they have a rule about when the pup can fly after it receives the vaccine, eg. if you need to wait a certain number of days for it to be in effect before the flight.
  • joey you can't get a puppy imported til its 15 weeks. the rabies vac can't be administered til 12 weeks and you have 21 days to wait til after this before it can be fetched into the UK. I've been helping a friend deal with a french breeder on her new JAI import and spoke to a number of people regarding this.
  • edited July 2012
    hmm I brought my pup from korea to here when she was 11 weeks old without rabbie shot.
  • Hi everyone thanks for the responses.

    Yes after doing a little research Iv also found that it is 21 days after the 3 months (12 weeks)..

    Anybody have an idea of how big the pup would be by this point? Also, (Brad if you can help much appreciated), should I take any precautions to ensure a healthy bond with the pup if its already almost 4 months old?

    @timkim Was this into the UK? Can I ask when it was you did this?

    Joey
  • No, he brought his puppy to USA, @joeyxoto.
  • edited July 2012
    Ah I see! Darn UK and their policies.

    Does anybody know how big the Shikoku would have gotten at 4 months? When do they get to full size?

    I ask because as much as I know owning a dog is more than just enjoying the cute puppy stage, I do still want to enjoy the cute puppy stage and watch them as they grow. Owning a dog is a new experience for me so I would have liked owning the pup from the youngest age.

    Joey
  • wow, the UK really is strict. It's the reason why we ruled out flying to Austria via England. Is there any way you could spend time with the pup, maybe take a family vacation there and bring the pup back home with you when it is allowed to enter the country? Just a suggestion :)
  • edited July 2012
    @joeyxoto Our Kai puppy Goro grew like a weed between his 2 month and 3 month of age. He grew doubled his weight and size. And by 3.5 months he had finished his puppy classes. At 4 months he has good habits set which have an affect on his personality. To us months 2-3 were the most important. They're the ones we saw the most change.

    What have the Shikoku US breeders told you about it? Akita and Shikoku are very different. Akita might do just fine after being imported at a later age. I'm not sure how a Shikoku pup would turn out if brought into a family past their prime socialization window. I know that Shigeru didn't want to import a Shikoku pup back in February because of it.

    Brad is going through some tough times at the moment... He might not respond immediately.
  • edited July 2012
    Sorry... This is a pretty sticky situation... Shikoku pups are difficult to deal with. Adding 2 months to its age can complicate things.

    I would meet one first before deciding anything. Meeting the pup's potential parents and breeder could help
  • Something you may want to also research is importing directly from Japan, being that it's considered a rabies-free country the rules may apply differently. Though there may be a big difference in cost since it is farther away.

    Since you were also showing some interest in the shiba in your intro thread, you shouldn't rule them out. From what I've heard, there are shibas locally bred in the UK. You won't have to deal with any importing hassles, thus saving a good deal of money and still getting to "enjoy" the puppy-phase. Even though people say they are not a good first time dog, the same could apply with a shikoku, but basically that's to deter people who are impulse buying or expecting them to be what they are not. You are taking the time to research and learn, even considering importing a dog, so truthfully I think you would be capable of preparing yourself for either breed.


  • edited July 2012
    Totally agree with @Calia! You should definitely check out both breeds in person. Both should be researched carefully. She has both a shiba and a shikoku (our shikoku's sister for that matter!), so she knows what it's all about.

  • Thanks for all the replies.

    I feel a little deflated now :( Really have my heart set for a Shikoku. I will need to do the research and have a discussion with the breeders to establish whether its a good idea or not.

    Would anyone have good alternative recommendations to the Shikoku? I do like the Shiba however not sure if the temperment would work with our house life and environment. I wanted the shikoku as they are very loyal and obedient.

    Hope you guys can help.

    Thanks everyone.

    Joey
  • edited July 2012
    @joeyxoto I would recommend the Kai Ken, but early socialization is even more important with them. Because Japanese breeds are so primitive, this will be the case with almost all of them.

    I know how you feel. I had 3 years of ups and downs until we finally got our dogs in March and April of this year. Don't be discouraged! Maybe the law will change in the future.
  • @joeyxoto - Don't feel discouraged, we are all here to help you. If you are set on getting a shikoku, then continue at research about importation guidelines and info on the breed. I do have to say that since the shikoku isn't as refined as the shiba that they can in fact be more work.

    But in general, what are the characteristics that you are looking for in a dog? What type of lifestyle will it be living in and what are the most important qualities that that dog should have?
  • Thanks for the positive words everyone. I appreciate it a lot and appreciate the help!!!

    Will 4 month Shikoku really ne that troublesome for me or can it happen? I no a Shikoku has come to the UK but no idea by whom and how it turned out for them.

    In terms or character, we want a smart, intelligent dog, and are really set on the nordic breeds/japanese breeds due their incredible look. We want a dog that can be affectionate, playful but also indepdent.

    The Shiba was my first choice before learning about the Shikoku. I want my dog to be happy to see me when I come home, and walk to me if I call them. Loyal and obedient are the main things really. What I love about the Shikoku are there loyalness to their masters, there look, there intelligence.

    I dont mimd if the dog is hard work, any dog will be as I dont have experience. What makes me nervous about the Shiba is that they have a tendency to be stubborn and non responsive to their owner.. unless im wrong?

    Would akitas, malamutes and huskies be too much work for me?

    Basically I have a 6 bedroom home and a medium sized fenced yard. My plan is to convert my side garage room (about 8 by 10 feet) into a room for the dog to sleep in.

    I work 9-5 so would be using a dog minder for a.few hours a day then commiting my evenings to the dog.

    Any suggestions based on that?


  • edited July 2012
    ChoCho is not the super happy-go-lucky type of dog. When I return home from being out she runs/walks to me, sniffs a bit, and walks away. Not sure how everyone else's Shikoku are...

    She's very reserved and calm, but sometimes very "stubborn and non responsive" (independent breeds are often like that)... Yes she's very easy to train and very smart, but she's also smart enough to decide she doesn't want to "come", "sit", "drop it" or "leave it" whenever she wants. Sometimes when I give her a command she just looks at me and sighs.... I'm not kidding. Intelligence backfires in this case hahahahaha

    Most dogs can be very loyal and obedient to their owners. It really up to the owners to dedicate time and develop the relationship. This is not unique to spitz breeds.

    @Calia has a malamute, if I'm correct, she could probably give you some info on them.

    Huskies are very popular in the States and they seem to be super friendly (where as most Shikoku Ken tend to be shy and aloof... preferring to be left alone).
  • both my Akita and Japanese Akita Inu would cope well with your planned set up joey. i'm not saying that either breed would suit you but maybe if you meet some dogs in the flesh you may find that you are taken wit them. my first dog was an akita and we managed fine, although i find the JAI a much easier breed to deal with personally.
  • Just a thought--one non-Japanese dog you might look at is called the Nordic Spitz (or Norrbottenspets). They're basically Sweden's version of the Shiba only more friendly/outgoing. My husband and I were strongly considering getting one of these at one point. People who own them are super enthusiastic, calling them stuff like "the perfect breed," etc. I don't know if there's a breeder in the UK since they're kind of rare, too (they nearly went extinct in the 1940s), but they might not be as sensitive as Nihon Ken to proper socialization within that 3-month window.
  • Well, what I can give you is my experience with my 3 pups, which are a shiba, a siberian husky, and a shikoku. To let you know, for the most part spitz breeds have pretty bad recall, so even with extensive training and work your dog may still ignore you when you call.

    Tetsu, my shiba boy can be quite aloof with strangers but is incredibly affectionate with those he knows. When I come home from work, he always greets me with much excitement. He snuggles at times but also enjoys his alone time, sometimes being found in places I would have never thought he'd sleep in. Each shiba has their own unique way of showing affection so long as you know what to look for. He doesn't get along with every dog he sees, but those he knows he loves, and being small allows for me to easily remove me from a situation. He was fairly easy to train using positive reinforcement, very quick to learn new things, though he can also be easily distracted or at times prefer to do something else. He can be nervous at times, often he is pretty sensitive to sounds which prevents me from using a clicker around him. When he's done with training practice, he walks away and finds something else to do. He does really enjoy playing tug with me, and prefers one on one time instead of group activities.

    Tikaani, my siberian husky boy, is a moosh. He is very good with strange people and dogs, which seems to be common for the breed since their initial job required them to be working in close proximity with other dogs as well as handled by strangers. He can have a lot of energy at times, especially if not given enough exercise, and will often run around the living room to burn it off. With reward based training, he learns quickly but not as quickly as the other two, and the biggest difficulty is weaning him off the treats. Some huskies are hard headed, but I believe that it is all dependent on the kind of training used (what dog wouldn't work for something they love). He isn't too much of a snuggler, but he does enjoy interaction with us and the other dogs. He's also a creature of habit, sometimes "yelling" at me when his meals aren't presented on time. It is generally preferred that this breed live with a canine companion if not given enough attention from their human family. They can be destructive when bored, so it is best to crate them when not supervised.

    Miyu, my shikoku girl, sometimes feels like a mix of the other two breeds (shiba and husky). She doesn't care for strangers, sometimes to the point of barking, and really doesn't like dogs that she doesn't know, but she is very friendly and affectionate to those she does know. She is incredibly rude, often getting into faces and never knowing when to stop. I find that she is pretty stupid when it comes to reading other dogs, often ignoring calming/stress signals. She can be pretty barky, especially when frustrated or bored, and sometimes she just growls for the heck of it. Unless crated, she doesn't like to hold still and will constantly look for something to do or someone to annoy. She is very persistent when she wants something, almost never stopping until she either gets it. She is very quick to learn and willing to work for treats, sometimes picking up things from the other dogs. She's not much of a cuddler, but she enjoys being petted and will sometimes smack me with her paw when I stop.

    Anyways, I hope this helps.
  • edited July 2012
    Wow... Miyu sounds about as different from ChoCho as I could imagine. It's hard to believe they're sisters :) Love how diverse litters can be!
  • edited July 2012
    I personally feel that Akitas are easier than Huskies or Shibas, but I admit to never having owned either of the latter; it's all based on hearsay. It seems to me that the medium sized Nihon Ken are easier than Akitas, however. (Again, having never owned them.)
  • Everyone thanks for all the detailed responses, it’s really helpful to see your input.

    I have spoken to 2 different breeders who have not really shown any concern about the Shikoku coming over at 4 months. So not sure what to make of it just yet :S

    @Hinata23 So you’re saying that whichever breed I get, can be trained into decent levels of obedience and good behaviour? Even if I go with a Shiba who are notorious for being “difficult to train and highly aloof and stubborn” (according to most websites lol – though I completely understand this can deter impulse buys as another member just mentioned). If that’s the case I guess I would be fine with a Shiba too 
    The Nordic Spitz is an amazing looking dog too but I am having quite a lot of difficulty finding a breeder close to me, or one at all! Haha.

    I am also now interested to hear a little more about the Husky and Akita options. After doing a little research I think the Husky would actually be a great choice for my household.

    @Venus So you have a American Akita and a Japanese Akita? Are there many differences there? So my 9-5 day, with the use of a dog minder in between, in the 10 x 8 foot room (actually it’s about 13 x 9 I checked again to be sure haha) for his ‘bedroom’/’playroom’/happy room would be decent for the Akita? Two members have told me the Akita are easier than the Shikoku/Shiba; what are others thoughts on this?
    I would like an Akita but fear that in its alone time it may become frustrated which I don’t want.

    @Calia Thank you for highlighting your experience with your dogs. Gives me a great perspective on things. I have to say your Shikoku sounds different to the generic temperament that I have seemed to hear of on the net; but I guess that goes to show that all dogs are very different, even from the same breed  Your Shiba actually sounds great!
    I would like to ask, based on my circumstances (9-5 job), would a Husky be ok to live with us? Or may he become bored and destructive? I will get a dog minder for midday of course, walk him every morning and most likely go for a 30 min jog in the evenings (I love my evening jogs), but if I don’t jog we would go for a walk again, so he’d have about 3 walks a day, play time too in the garden. But there would be that long morning and afternoon period where he’s by himself.

    Also, are Akita’s and Huskies ok off leash? Or not really….?

    @Poeticdragon How is your experience with your Akita? In terms of exercise, environment etc.

    Thank you everybody, really appreciate all your help for getting my new family member.

    Joey
  • edited July 2012
    *quick note*

    I suppose I woud like to know; with an alaskan malamute, or siberian husky, would they be ok to keep crated whilst at work for long periods? Can I let the husky or siberian roam the house when its a little older and not worry about it taking a chunk out of my bed :) ?

    Note, that I won't just have a crate for the dog, but an entire room, with a crate inside. The room will be his/hers to enjoy, sleep in, eat in and play in. Then when I can let the dog roam the house I would like to let them enjoy the space.

    I know I can do this with a shiba without too much trouble :) (I think).

    Really appreciate everybodies patience with me. Thanks again.
  • joey they are completely different personalities, Athena our JAI is much more needy than our Akita girl, she would require someone to come take her out and spend a little time with her if i worked all day she would not cope without a sitter. she is very affectionate and loves snuggling and been close to the family. she is also the one that can be let off lead and as been a pleasure to take to training. she adores people and other dogs and is just a super sweet girl. looks wise they are different as well. she is smaller and more athletic looking than Venus as well as having different eye shape, ear placement and coat texture as well. of course there are other differences but i could go on for hours telling you them all. i just find them a much more appealing dog in general compared to the American.
    Venus is a totally different compared to her sister. she is what can only be called lazy, quite happy to lay down and sleep for the entire day. she wouldn't even require a sitter in fact she would be most put out if her day time nap was disturbed. she likes her own company we get snuggles when she wants them and not when we want them and is much more independent than Athena. she doesn't like other dogs and has no recall at all. off lead isn't an opinion with her but she adores kids and as a super temperament with people. Although i do have to say while i adore her she will be my last Akita.
    every breed as its good and bad points, and its great to see someone taking time to find the right breed for them, if only everyone did the same.
    if your ever in the Yorkshire area and want to see them so you can meet both breeds in the flesh then let me know we are more than happy to have visitors. another option is discovery dogs which is at Earls Court in November. its a kennel Club run event and pretty much every breed that's recognized here in the uk is available to meet.
  • edited July 2012
    @joeyxoto The point I trying to make was that according to your reasons for not getting a Shiba (stubborn and non responsive) could most definitely be applied to the Shikoku Ken as well, and your reasons for wanting a Shikoku (loyal and obedient) could be applied to dozens of different breeds. Sure, some breeders tend to be more attached to their owners than others, but most dogs are very happy to always be around you and make you happy. Your relationship with your dog really just depends on you and how much time you dedicate to them and their training.

    What you're looking for in a dog can be found in so many different breeds that are not Spitz... You shouldn't limit your research to Spitz breeds because of their "wild" and "wolf" look.

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