The Bau House

Here are the questions:

I noticed you used Bau House to board your own dog, can you give me any info on the place  and the location as this is the only problem we have now, finding somewhere safe and clean for our dog when on vacation etc..  Do they accommodate larger breeds?

and...

My husband and I are living down in Mokpo with our dog, a 50 lb lab mix, and we know that at some point we will need to put her in a kennel whilst we take home leave. I am interested to see that you did this with your dog whilst you were in the US, presumably for a long time (i.e. more than 2 weeks). Overall, would you say your dog had a good experience at Bau House - clean facilities, concerned, alert, caring staff, etc? Our dog is like our child, so we want the best care for her if we are away - would you recommend Bau House?

As you may or may not know, while in the United States for the entire month of December, my wife and I opted not to take our 10-month old lab-mix back with us. Being the amazing dog owners that we are, finding a great place to board our dog was the most important detail that had to be ironed-out. We checked around and looked for sitters on numerous sites (including Animal Rescue Korea), but honestly, all the  takers were greedy assholes. I'm talking like over 800,000 won for a month.

Finally, a friend told us about The Bau House (바우하우스) and we couldn't have been more lucky. It's technically called a 'dog cafe' (poorly chosen considering the consumption of dog meat in Korea), but I'd refer to it as a cafe with dogs. NPR has the a good write-up/interview on it that covers the basics.  There's also a bunch of reviews on Google if you're curious.

First of all, Bau House is located in Hongdae between Hapjeong (합정역) and Sangsu stations (상수역). Naver didn't have a good map, so I made my own. It's not good either.

                                                            South Korea Seoul Mapo-gu Seogyo-dong 405-13 (서울특별시 마포구 서교동 405-13‎)

The environment is good and the overall vibe is really fun. It's a great place to drop your dog off if you're going to dinner in the area or on vacation. There are about twenty or so "Bau House" dogs and the rest are "hotel dogs". The dogs are amazingly friendly and social for such a busy place. Your dog should be the same.

If you're bringing your dog for the day, the cost depends on the size. The price for a small dog (and they eyeball your dog to determine how it's classified) is 12,000 per day; 15,000 for a mid-sized dog and 20,000 for a big dog, but that's not set in stone until they quote the price.

If you are planning a weekend trip, you'll need to call them (they don't speak English well) and arrange a time to drop him off. If you're going away for a week or longer, they're going to want to do an interview-of-sort where they ask you to leave the dog behind for an hour or so to see how he/she interacts with the other dogs. If you'll be leaving your dog for over a month, you get a 20% discount. Not bad.

Do they accommodate larger breeds?

Yes. They have some huge breeds there. As long as your dog is friendly with their dogs and people (their customers), you'll have no problems.

Overall, would you say your dog had a good experience at Bau House - clean facilities, concerned, alert, caring staff, etc?

My dog had a great experience there.  We could contact the staff at any time and they would happily give us an update. On top of that, they even took semi-professional pictures of him and posted them online for us.

One might imagine that a place with so many dogs would be full of piss and shit. Nope. They have tons of staff on hand cleaning pee and poop around the clock. There are two cages, but your dog will not have to stay in them unless he/she has issues eating, drinking or sleeping. My dog was roaming wild the whole time and getting tons of attention and treats from patrons and staff.

Would you recommend Bau House?

In a second. It's easily better than all your other options and my wife and I were so pleased that we're planning on bringing him back for an evening romp or a short weekend so he can socialize with people and, of course, his furry friends. 

Everyone should check this place out. 

Big Dogs and Little Cities

Here's the shortened question:

My boyfriend and I wish to relocate to Korea next summer for a year, probably in August but I will be visiting in May. However, we have that large dog obstacle - only for us, we have two. Our dogs are Kooley and Nahla. One is a purebred Siberian Husky (a rescue) and the other is a Husky/Yellow Lab mix. They weigh 50-60 lbs each.

 I am writing you for advice, any creative ideas you might have, etc. about bringing these guys with me to Korea. To be honest, at this point I am almost to the point of desperation because after reading a lot of stuff online it is totally discouraging. Your podcast about big dogs and bringing them to Korea is literally one of the only things that has given me hope.

What I was thinking about was working with a realtor to find us a place that allowed 2 larger dogs. Honestly, this is my only last idea on what to do . . . Another thought I had was to maybe find an expat that was leaving Korea that already had two larger dogs and a place we could take over . . .

Big dog questions never seem to end. The general idea that most expats give is that Korea is an awful place for big dogs because 1) some Koreans react poorly to any dog that doesn't look like it should be punted and 2) the fact that nearly all Koreans have dogs that I will at some point punt. That's partly true and normally I would just refer you to my other posts and podcast on big dogs in Korea, but it occurred to me that many of the problems facing expats with big dogs could be avoided if the expats themselves were a little more flexible.

I'm not suggesting that the questioner is being inflexible. In fact, it's just the opposite which is why I'll suggest moving to a small, rural city or bridged island. In the city, you're going to face extreme reactions to your dog. Just last night, my wife and I were walking my 10 month-old lab mix (who is about 30lbs tops) and the reactions certainly ran the gamut. Some were happy to see him, others stopped and walked the other direction and one even commented that "That dog looks like trouble." I'm used to it though and totally settled in Gangnam. I have no choice, but potential teachers do have a choice.

From my experience, older men and most older women seem to be a little more accustomed to big dogs. We could chalk that up to history or hometowns, but it's safe to assume the older the people, the better the reaction. Moving to a smaller town or island will not only give your dog more space, it will ensure you that all the obnoxious early twenty-somethings-in-their-UGG-boots-pathetically-trying-to-look-cute-by-acting-terrified-of-an-obviously-safe-and-domesticated-dog will certainly be lower in numbers. After all, they have to study in Seoul.

If you're coming with your boyfriend, make sure that your place is big enough for both of you. There are plenty of "couples positions" posted on Dave's and other sites, so you should be able to find a gig that offers a decently sized apartment.

My advice is to find some rural gigs (they can pay quite well), ignore the negative expat buzz and keep looking. I think if you involve a realtor, you're going to end up being charged for something you shouldn't be. There isn't a pet deposit in most apartments. You've just gotta pay if your dogs destroy it. Your potential school will be the one that makes the final call on your dogs. Be upfront with them and if they accept, then you're gold. If not, move onto to the next listing.

You've got plenty of time.

Will a school hire me if I am bringing my pet(s) with me?

Here's the question:

I'm wanting to bring my 9 year old dog (50 lbs, she could pass for 40 lbs) *and* my 3 year old cat. I read this article, and I wanted to know if you had any experience with ESL teachers who want to bring pets, and what institutions they could apply to where they would accept pets in their apartment. Both my pets live with me in an efficiency while I work full time, and they are pretty well-behaved. Do you know anything about this in regards to getting a job as an ESL teacher?

First of all, I'd suggest looking at my dog posts for a quick background on bringing pets to Korea. That should cover most of the technical details. The bigger question here is whether or not schools want to allow a teacher with two adult pets move into a district-owned or school apartment that they own or are going to put key-money down for. The obvious advice would be telling your employer as soon as possible about you bringing your pets. This could be very easy, so start there.

Most teaching contracts contain a clause which allows the school to deduct around 50,000 won from your first six paychecks as a protection from unpaid bills or damages done to the apartment when a teacher/tenet leaves. Of course, if you're current with all of your utility bills and don't trash the place, you'll get your contractual deposit back when you've finished up. I mention this clause because it could just as well be viewed as a pet-deposit. Same idea, right? My wife and I adopted a puppy (Labrador-retriever) and we had no problems bringing him into the apartment. I've also had a lot of friends who adopted pets over the years and we all heard the same thing from the landlord/school: Make sure they don't distrupt the neighbors.

Your cat will be a non-issue and while a 50lb dog is no big deal for those of us from the West, in Korea your dog might be viewed as a towering monster by some. Check out my post and podcast on big dogs in Korea. This is relevant because when you tell your school or landlord that you have a big dog that will be living with you, they will be confused and a little concerned. In Korea, mainly toy dogs are viewed as pets, whereas large dogs are relegated to farms or raised for meat. This doesn't mean that you will be forbidden from keeping your dog in the apartment, it's just that you might have to make your case for her. I'd start by telling them what you told me and see what happens.

I don't think that the institution matters that much. I guess the only problem that could arise is that if you were to teach adults or at some public schools, it might be a few days before you get an apartment and the motels that you'd be put up in would not be thrilled about housing two pets during that time period. With that in mind, a kids hagwon might be the most painless option for you. You could look into boarding them for a few days when you first arrive, but time might not permit you to find a good one.

So yeah, you should be open as possible with your potential employers and see what happens. It might not be a problem at all.

Buying a Jindo

Here's the question:

My husband and I would really like to buy a Jindo puppy, but I've heard that it is illegal to export a Jindo, and I don't want to purchase any dog that I can't take home with me when the time comes. Do you know if we would be allowed to take it with us? Also, I would like to get the dog from somewhere reputable (no puppy mills) and was wondering if you knew the best place to start looking?

Before we go any further on this one, please make sure that you have the space for a Jindo. They grow really fast and while they don't get that tall, they are thick, muscular dogs. They need space and, in most cases, are not great in apartments. You should also check out a non-Korean resource on their personality, needs and other traits. I say that because Korean sites on Jindo's typically gloat about how smart AND KOREAN the dogs are. That's fine, but flag waving shouldn't interfere with dog descriptions.

You should read my post on big dogs in Korea as well as listen to my Big Dogs podcast and considering that the Jindo is a Korean dog, the public reaction to them is a lot more fearful than one would expect.

Taking a Jindo out of the country can be a problem as they are a Korean National Treasure (no. 53) and International Treasure (no. 334). Koreans don't want their pups to leave the nation and recently, they are even barring them from leaving Jindo Island (the dogs' home island and namesake).

If you find a Jindo and want to buy it, make sure you get its papers. As with any purebred, they should come with papers, yet many Jindo breeders (especially mainland breeders) don't provide papers. This can be a blessing and a curse. If your Jindo is a purebred and comes with papers, all you will need to do is bribe a vet to change its "official breed" from purebred, to mix breed. Some will do it for free, but most of the time slipping fifty bucks to them should do the trick. If they don't come with papers, then you might be paying full price (on top of bribe money) for a mutt that looks like a Jindo as a puppy. Careful.

I have written a few posts on dogs in Korea (here and here), so if you follow those links you should be able to track down some pups or other links.

Any Jindo owners in Korea or abroad have anything to add?

Reactions to Big Dogs in South Korea

Here's the paraphrased question:

I would like to move to [Seoul] South Korea in the fall, and I would need to bring my dog with me, as I do not know anyone who can watch her for a year and I am not going to leave her with a stranger. She is a 50 pound mutt (I understand that larger dogs and mutts are not viewed as positively in Korea), though I think she could pass for some sort of imaginary pure breed based on her look. She lives with me in a small apartment now in a city and she is not a barker or high-strung. Is this just a horrible idea (in your opinion)? I have attempted to research this and received mixed feedback from others. Some of the feedback has been quite negative. Would I be setting me and my doggie up for disaster if we moved to Seoul, or are some people just over exaggerating? What could I reasonably expect? Will people be yelling at me multiple times every day when I am out with the dog, or is it not as common an occurrence (a few times a week)?

As you know, the Internet is THE place for people to vent and unleash whatever tirade they choose without having to own up or defend anything. That's why we love it, but you really shouldn't listen to what you read on anonymous forums. Most of the time, they'll be severely biased and, in the case of Korea, they'll almost be exclusively biased. Even in the case of big dogs, you're certain to find a handful of expats using a simple question like "Where can I buy a big dog?" as a chance to rail into Koreans for their preference for toy dogs, dog meat, xenophobia and a laundry list of other typical expat complaints. Rob has a good write-up about why expats in Korea complain so much. Make sure you check that out.

I would never be able to suggest that someone should separate from their dog. No way! That would be a horrible experience with both of you being miserable. Bring your dog. You'll be much happier as both of you would be adjusting together. However, you and your dog must be ready for a few changes.

Korea, and especially Seoul, is a tight, cramped place with high population density and overly crowded streets. If you're in a location with a lot of foot traffic, walking your dog is going to be an interesting experience. To truly understand public perception of dogs, we must first look at what Koreans view as pets. Koreans are not that pet-friendly to start with. Some of them have hamsters, fish or cats, but it is not a majority. Not even close. As for dogs, any non-toy dog is essentially not a pet. Rather, they are animals that live on the farm or in the country side. You will see a few here and there, but the idea is that big dogs are not cute or stuffed animal-like, so why have them? With apartments the size they are and easy access to outdoors areas limited, having a big dog in Seoul is overwhelmingly uncommon. I say that, but it doesn't mean you and your dog will be screamed at or chastised. Let me offer this story.

I have a puppy. He's a brown jindo-lab mutt that looks totally harmless and acts just as any other puppy would. He's curious, chases birds in the park, eats shoes and wants to play with everyone. When I take him out to go to the bathroom and am patiently waiting for him to squeeze out a few drops or drop a nice one, many people walk by -young women, old men, students, you name it and they pass by without so much as a glance. I have even had a few kids at the park run so fast when seeing my PUPPY that you would think a wolf was chasing them. Most of the time, the initial reaction is to fear it. That's right. My little three month old puppy strikes fear in the heart of some Koreans. But why? Well, since Koreans only have toy dogs, they only know how those breeds react to humans. A big dog is viewed just the same as a small unknown breed: with suspicion. Sure, a bigger one might scare them a little more, but it has more to do with unpredictability rather than size. Fear of the unknown, right?

When I walk my dog, most people look at him with interest, but they always keep a safe distance. Rarely will I have people walk up and pet him. This, however, is more of a blessing than you might think. If your dog was being pet by every person, she would start becoming more irritable on the walks, get less exercise and, of course, you would hate walking her because it would take much longer than usual.

I don't think you have decided on where in Seoul to live yet, but staying away from busy areas (Gangnam, Apgujeong, Jungno, Hongdae, Itaewon) might be a wise decision. Furthermore, heading to an area with easy-access to mountains, water or a park would enhance you and your dog's enjoyment while here. I'd be happy to recommend where some good, more natural locations are if you would like. Let me know.

To wrap it up, bring your dog. Both of you would be miserable without the other, so there's no reason to even consider that. Koreans might do a double-take and will even take a few steps out of the way to avoid crossing paths with you two, but there will be no screaming. Keep him on a leash and as long as he's not barking, destroying your apartment or biting the people he does happen to encounter, then you two will have a great time in Korea.

Here's a podcast on the subject.

If anybody has any questions, just send me an email at asktheexpat@yahoo.com or leave a comment.

Things to Consider When Buying a Dog in South Korea

Here's the question:

I'm kind of confused. So what is the best way to buy a puppy that's healthy, and more. I really want a healthy puppy that loves me and I want to love him/her. I really don't want to always take it to the vet, like you did. I'm so sorry to hear that, though...
Please... Help me!
P.S. I'm going to buy a puppy in Korea when I move there...

I talked about this before and that post should cover most of it.

I'd like to add a couple more things though. Adopting a dog (or pet) in Korea is not the same as in the West. Many of the dogs that are sold in vets, legit pet stores and animal hospitals are small, toy dogs that a vast majority of expats might not be interested in. I certainly wasn't and have actually been shocked by the responses that I get in public when I am walking my mutt.

Mutts or "똥개" (dong-gae: "shit dog") are not viewed in a positive light in Korea. Just like with cars and clothes, Koreans treasure "quality" (mostly because of perception) and a mutt equates more to a used car or second-hand clothes rather than a good, presentable dog. In most cases, your average Korean will buy a small, white pure-bred toy dog. Of course, they love their dog just as much as I love mine, but the point is that thousands and thousands of mutts are born each year and sometimes finding a home for them is difficult.

Let me offer this quick story. My wife and I were walking our dog last week and a motorcycle delivery guy drove past us, slowed down and pointed at our dog saying, "That dog...is...a mutt." Apparently, the shock of seeing a mutt being cared for was so much that he felt like he had to slow down and make a comment. This type of exchange has happened several times in the two months that I've had my puppy and it's a testament to how mutts are viewed.

That said, when a vet or animal hospital is housing a non-pure-bred, they typically try to make them as desirable as possible, so they can get rid of them. (Regardless of taste, no one wants to put a dog to sleep.) So often times, these pups will be sold at a very low price or even given away WITH its shots already underway. You can get a great puppy.

Another thing to consider when getting a dog in Korea is your living space. My wife and I have a lot of space. Our dog is not living in one room, nor is he confined to a concrete jungle when we take him on a walk. Way too many well-intentioned expats buy a puppy here for one reason or another and end of condemning their new pet to tiny quarters with limited face-time. Make sure you have appropriate housing and space for a dog before starting to look.

The last thing I'd like to mention is illnesses. Unlike the West, Korea still has problems with serious puppy diseases and viruses. Parvo virus is rampant in Korea and distemper is still causing serious problems. If you do buy a young puppy, make sure they have started their shots, but more importantly, don't take your puppy outside or around other dogs until they have finished their fourth round of shots. Some vets will tell you to wait until all five rounds have been administered and they're not being overly paranoid. I know it's tempting to take your new puppy to the park to chase butterflies, but play it safe.

It's great that your getting a dog once you arrive it Korea. As long as you plan on keeping it when you leave Korea; have enough space and time for it; buy a mutt (your choice); get all of its shots on-time and are prepared to keep it indoors for a couple months while it's building up its immune system, then I suggest heading over to Animal Rescue Korea to take a look at the dogs they have up for adoption.

Here's a podcast on the subject.

If anybody has any questions, just send me an email at asktheexpat@yahoo.com or leave a comment.

Adopting a Pet in Korea

Here's the question:

Hey.
I'm just curious,
What sort of pets are available in Korea? I tried to look online, but can't really find much, other that the typical mad person over people eating dog.

I want to start this question with a minor rant. Bringing an animal into your house or family is a wonderful thing and I would always encourage it if you have enough time to properly care for the animal. Many people come to Korea and decide that they want to adopt a pet. The rub is that after their contract or time in Korea has come to an end, they often post messages like this one.

Does anybody want my cute cat?. She loves to cuddle and she needs a new home.
Why? I'm too busy to give her the attention she deserves... Every time I come home she begs for love, and it breaks my heart! Lucy's a sweet, fluffy, white cat who deserves a better home than the one I'm giving her. She loves to cuddle, and will sleep with you every night (if you let her!). She will sometimes join you while you watch tv or use the computer. She's very low-maintenance; just keep her fed and her potty clean and shes good!

If you're interested, please call or text me at 010-****-****. She and all of her her toys, litterbox, and food are all free to a good home!

-OR-

I'm giving away my lovely cat: Mr. Mew. He's loveable and an amazing friend.
Why? I'm leaving to go home for June, so Mr. Mew needs a new friend in Korea for end of May. He's really great.

Maybe they found their pet on the streets, adopted it from a shelter or purchased it from a pet store, but one thing is clear: They had no intention of keeping their pets forever. Chances are that they were lonely and wanted something to keep them company, but now that it's time to leave, they need to pawn it off. That is not fair to the animal or to anyone else. So, if you're going to get a pet, please think it through and make sure you're ready for the full commitment.

Now, if you are interested in adding an animal to your life, there are several options for you in Korea. I usually like to point people to Animal Rescue Korea. They do not actually have a shelter, but rather they collect adoption-related information from all over the country and compile it on their website. Instead of listing each resource, I'll just link the ARK page here and the forum page here.

Your other option is buying an animal from a pet store. There is a street in Chungmuro simply called Pet Street. They mostly have dogs, but there are a few cats spread throughout the area. To get there, just go out either exit 3 or 4 at Chungmuro Station. This recommendation comes with a heavy warning though. The animals are from puppy mills which of course attract the ire of many advocacy groups because of the horrible conditions in which the animals are kept. I purchased a puppy from Chungmuro before. It did not turn out well. Here's my story.

The final option is adopting one from the streets. The best way to do this is just as you would at home. Take the dog in; bring it to one of the dozens of local vets and put up "Found" signs.

The bottom line is that if you're going to get an animal in Korea, please make sure you take it with you when you leave. The pounds in Korea only keep the animals for 10 days before euthanizing them. So, be smart and follow the steps if you are serious about adopting.

*** Update 4/28/09 ***

Brian wrote a nice piece in the Joongang Ilbo and on his blog. There's also a facebook group called "I adopted a homeless animal in Korea and lived to tell the tale."

If anybody has any questions, just send me an email at asktheexpat@yahoo.com or leave a comment.