Our Imports
The Tibetan Mastiff gene pool around the world is not
large but here in Australia imports are essential aspects
of ensuring the continuing well being of the breed.
Importing dogs is extremely expensive, time consuming
and heart wrenching.
Michael and I wanted to give something to this breed;
we all do, and so we chose to import.
Luckily we were overseas when we were trying to secure
our next puppy. Part of our decision to leave Lebanon was
the kind of life, risks and veterinary care we could give
our dogs there versus what we felt they deserved. So before
getting our new puppy we moved.
Well
that puppy turned into 2 puppies! …. Somehow!
We were very lucky to be able to bring our pups up, with
Bear’s help of course, in relative safety, with wonderful
veterinary care, excellent food and opportunities for socialisation.
When you live in Australia and want to import into Australia
you have to be without your pup until he or she is roughly
10 or 11 months. Luckily we were living overseas which
meant we shared their puppy-hood with them which of course
was simply a joy!
When we decided we wanted to return home we faced the
fact that Australia is extremely hard to import dogs into.
The vaccinations, checks, blood tests and paperwork were
expensive, especially as we were based on the border or
Switzerland and France right near Geneva.
6
months later we were able to leave for Australia but the
dogs had to fly Geneva – London – Singapore – Sydney.
To Michael and I this was unacceptable. Okay so we both
had to do this – we could not make their trip longer
than it absolutely had to be.
So my beautiful husband organised a courier to take them
to Frankfurt where they could fly directly from there to
Singapore and then Sydney. He made sure they did not arrive
in often hot locations during the warm parts of the day.
He spent countless hours on the phone to Swiss and German
authorities and the State Vets from each country. To their
knowledge this had not been done before and we needed clearance
not only from Switzerland but done all over again in Germany.
Two tags, two lots of zip locks and two loads of paperwork.
Then of course we were made aware that no planes leaving
from Frankfurt would take three Giant Crates. They would
take two and one Extra Large Crates but the 15 cm difference
meant our dogs could not fly together.
This
meant the ‘pups’ (weighing about 50 kilos,
Panda a little over and Goldie a little under) had to stay
overnight in Frankfurt being looked after by lovely people
who we phoned every two hours!!
In readiness for their flights they were crate trained
everyday and for varying periods, they were given as many
opportunities for confidence building and socialisation
as we could offer them. Michael even took a day off work
so that we could sedate them during the day to see if they
would cope with the affects and time how long they would
be ‘out’ for! We wanted to do this on a weekday
so, if need be our normal vet would be available.
In the end we could not do this because after we found
out about the flight options we opted for via Frankfurt
and if a plane can’t fit in three Giant sized crated
then our car sure wouldn’t AND the Swiss Government
Vet had to personally lock them in!
Dogs can’t fly if they look groggy or unwell so
unless you are there to administer the sedative it’s
a no go. Also you don’t want your dogs coming round
and not remembering how they got to be inside a plane and
given the time it takes to get to Aus – well we decided
against it!
The wait to hear they had gotten to Australia was AWFUL
but they arrived unscathed and visiting them in quarantine
was both wonderful and heart breaking.
Our dogs, because of course Goldie came into season, were
in not allowed to be together, they were lonely, bored,
scared and I had to leave them after every visit with our
youngest at the time: Panda howling his heart out. Luckily
though near the end of quarantine and, after a bath for
Goldie and some measures to cover her 'was in season' scent,
Panda could in the exercise area with her and it was almost
like old times!
We waited until Michael flew in from overseas to give
Goldie her birthday teddy because the day of her 1st birthday
I was not allowed to visit as that day was completely booked
out in advance (but please don't tell Goldie - she now
thinks her birthday is much later in December!!)
But it all worked out and I am sure this experience is
harder on the puppy parents than the dogs themselves!
We are proud of our imports. We waited a long time for
them; we built a strong relationship with the breeders
of our dogs and trust them.
We picked out Panda and Goldie and have to thank their
breeders for everything they did for us.
Not that it matters but Panda and Indi have a Multi European
Country and Junior World Winner as their father and a World
Winner for a Grand dad. I am in love with about all of
their ancestors and feel proud that these two come from
truly inspiring dogs.
Junior World Winner Cambu Sundari |
World Winner Drakyi Senge Sundari |
Our Goldie Girl too has a World Champion for a dad. He
and his father are also Multi European Country Champions
and have reputations as being stunning examples of the
breed.
World Winner Mimayin Strazce z Tibetu |
Multi Champion Falco Strazce z Tibetu |
From our research and efforts we are simply very very
lucky to have these imports here as part of our family
and kennel.
