Dogs are humans’ best friends and I always dreamt of owning one, especially a french bulldog. So when my boyfriend and I decided to move together, we also planned to get our first dog together. We were aware that Korea is not the dog-friendliest country and knew it would be hard to find the right place to get a dog. So let me take you on the journey of how we found Gremlin.
When getting a dog, there is always the question if you should adopt or buy your furry friend. I always wanted to have a French Bulldog, but I knew it would be hard to find one to adopt. Also, my boyfriend and I never raised a dog.
We were a bit scared, that if we take a dog from the shelter, we could not provide everything a dog from a shelter would need to recover from their trauma. For those who do not know, shelters in Korea can have very harsh conditions. Many do not treat dogs ethically, and they end up with a lot of emotional issues. In addition, there are very few training schools where we could learn how to care for a dog with special needs.
In the end, we decided to let fate decide. We looked at both, shelters and shops. The only thing we knew for sure, was that we wanted a french bulldog.
First, I just want to say that this is just about my personal experience and it can be different for other people. However, I was surprised at how hard it was to get specific information about the dogs at both shelters and shops. Overall, the staff were quite unfriendly and not willing to help make sure dogs got matched to the right home.
The first place we looked for a dog was at pet shops. However, I didn’t want to support a puppy factory. However, I got the feeling that all of the shops we visited or called were getting their puppies from puppy mills and were not interested in breeding dogs ethically.
Every time we checked their homepage and asked about a dog, it was already gone. Mostly, they told us to tell them the color we wanted and that they would find one if we paid a deposit to be on the waitlist.
I was really shocked about the whole process and how unfriendly most of them were. It felt like they didn’t even want to sell us a dog. Some of them didn’t even bother to continue to talk to us after we began asking questions about the dog’s personality traits. To be honest, there was no shop I felt comfortable with. I would never call or go back to any of them again.
After being disappointed multiple times at shops and having no luck at shelters either, we almost wanted to give up. For me, it was important, that if I buy a dog, I want it to be from a certified breeder that knows the breed and actually cares for the animals.
I didn’t want to support someone who was just in it for the money and didn’t treat them well. So when my boyfriend found a breeder, I was skeptical at the beginning. However, after long talks and seeing how much the breeders cared about what kind of people we were, we decided to go and see the dogs ourselves.
We went to the french bulldog breeder, Welcome Dog. While talking to the owners, I realized that this was the right place to find a pet.
They kept the puppies with their mom, let them run around, and gave them basic training. It felt nothing like the shops we went to before. It was more like visiting friends and getting to know their dogs.
We talked for a long time about how they raised the dogs and also got tips on how best to care for a french bulldog. They brought up things like breed mannerisms, health concerns, and the individual personalities of the dogs – exactly as they should.
It was an easy decision for us to adopt from Welcome Dog and we haven’t regretted it since. They are certified breeders, and we also got a certificate from the Korean Kennel Federation for our dog. Even after getting the dog, they stayed in contact with us, even until the present day. If we want, we can also bring Gremlin to them when we go on vacation, or we can also just visit them for fun, so he can visit his family and play with them.
For more information on Welcome Dog, Click Here.
Finding a dog in Korea was not the easiest mission. While finding the right dog to call family is hard everywhere, I was really disappointed with the service pet shops we interacted with provided.
However, in the end, I am really glad it went like this. All of the disappointments led us toward Gremlin, so I would go through it again in a heartbeat. I am happy that my boyfriend didn’t give up and that we just stayed patient until we found the right people to buy from. I wouldn’t have felt comfortable buying from a shop, where we weren’t provided with the necessary information. If you are also looking for an ethical place to get a dog from in Korea, I highly recommend going with Welcome Dog. Or, perhaps, find a similar ethical breeder.
For more information on adopting a pet in Korea, Click Here for a comprehensive article!
