Housing on arrival
 

Hi all

I am new to this forum so I guess a polite introduction is called for.

My wife and I and our 3 kids are looking to emigrate to Calgary hopefully this time next year. We applied in June last year and, like lots of others, are waiting to hear from CHC for medicals.

We have heard that many Calgarians rent out their basements to newly arrived families. Has anyone tried this and, if so, would you recommend it over simply renting an entire house ?

Thanks in advance for any replies

Re: Housing on arrival
 

It'd have to be some basement for five people, even short term.

Re: Housing on arrival
 

I appreciate that - In all honestly we didn't think it would be sufficient for us - but thought we would take advice before ruling it out.

On the size issue - I forgot to mention the 2 rottweilers we will be taking with us !! :eek: :cool:

Re: Housing on arrival
 

Ha! You need an 'ouse. You need a big 'ouse.

Here, not Calgary but probably similar, it's common to rent the basement to one person or a couple, not usually more. My daughter's landlady has reversed the norm, she lives in the basement and rents the rest of the house. Why anyone would choose to live under students is a mystery to me.

Re: Housing on arrival
 

There are also not VERY many places take dogs, especially big ones!! :scared:

We are wondering if we can persuade ppl that our border collie is a "small" dog, tho she is kinda medium-sized really! :p

It also depends whether you are wanting unfurnished or furnished, whcih are even rarer. This seems to be the situation in Calgary right now as far as we can see.......... unless anyone out there knows different??? !! :D

Re: Housing on arrival
 

Do be quite honest you dogs are going to be a real problem if you want to find furnished accomodation. We were very very very lucky to find somewhere (and it is really nice) willing to us with our German Shepherds. It had almost reached the point where the whole move was off because we would not have come here without them.

In general the owners of private accomodation that is rented out are worried about the damage that even the best behaved of pooches will do. More and more homes appear to have hardwood floors and this really does not mix with dogs. You don't want to even think about how much it would cost for you to replace it.

On a more positive note, the local papers have had a number of adverts in them recently for unfurnished apartments that allow pets. "Pets Allowed" in bold type in these ads, so there is some hope. Whn it gets closer to your move I'm sure that we could dig out some contact phone numbers for you.

Re: Housing on arrival
 

I'll take your border collie in my place...but you probably don't want to live there for long, 1bed+den in Eau Claire. You'd also have to, get this, carry her through common areas according to the corporation bylaws :scared:

When we were looking here many places said "Dogs Welcome" but in the small print they had a height stipulation. I forget what it was, but when we measured our retriever it was about half his height. So cat-sized really!

Re: Housing on arrival
 

We have hardwood floors and, until now, I've thought them ideal for the dog. (picture of dog and floor attached). You can't really tile all the floors in this climate so what would be better ?

Re: Housing on arrival
 

That's an adorable mobile hearthrug you have there, dbd.

Re: Housing on arrival
 

Biiink,

Thanks, the dog might fit but I doubt if the rest of us could!! :D


dbd,

I also reckoned wood floors and dogs were a good idea, except my doggie sometimes has trouble getting to the door in time to bite the postie as her paws slip!! :D
It makes it really easy to clean up after mucky paws, and you can just sweep up the loose doghairs.....We only have laminate, but surely the hardwood is at least scratch-resistant??? :eek:

Re: Housing on arrival
 

Thanks. He's a little hot and hasn't moved since June.

Re: Housing on arrival
 

Sometimes there's scrambling involved in the dog getting started, especially if he's under the bed, it's loud but he hasn't scratched the floor yet. The floor is old, certainly from the fifties or earlier but not too banged up and I'm sure it's suffered worse than dogs. Hardwood is very practical and, if you want warmth, you can throw rugs over it.

Re: Housing on arrival
 

He looks really cute. Can I borrow him? I'm suffering from dog withdrawal symptoms until the family arrive.

I think that the problems with hardwood vary from dog to dog. We have a good friend who is carpenter who laid the best quality hardwood that he could get. After five years of two very lively huskies running around, it is very marked. He has an older property, so in some ways I think that it gives the floor a bit of matching character, but I could see this not going down that well with modern decors.

I wouldn't bet on the tiling? The place where I'm living has approx. 4000 ft2 of floor space and I reckon that at least 2000 ft2 has been tiled. Nice and cool for Summer.

Re: Housing on arrival
 

Nice and cool in winter too, no doubt. I like tile in the south-west (the US SW, not Dorset !) but it's a bit of a problem in that everything that gets dropped shatters ; we'd need a lot of glasses and mugs. That said, we don't really have "decor", we just have comfortable space, a few more scratches and dents really don't notice.

Attached pictures should help you get over missing the dogs, this is what you're not dealing with; mud and vet bills.

Re: Housing on arrival
 

That second picture gave me a bit of a shock! That is his leg, isn't it?

I like the first one. I recognise that "wot? now what have I done wrong?" look from my own canine dork.

Re: Housing on arrival
 

Ah, the dreaded collar. Does more damage to decor than claws could ever do to wood flooring. When I redocrated our house prior to putting it on the market, I'm sure that I spent more time applying polyfiller that actually painting.

Don't mention vet bills. Bl&*dy UK vet had the cheek to bill us a small fortune when his incompetance misdiagnosed our beloved black and gold Shepherd such that he died the week before I came over here. Even with pet insurance the excess was painful. Do you have any idea of pet insurance costs here? Are there age restrictions for taking it out?

Re: Housing on arrival
 

Er, yes, that's the leg. Are you interested in pictures of other, ahem, bits ?

Re: Housing on arrival
 

It seems to me that the plan advertised at the vet's would have run us about $25/month. Here's a plan which claims no age restriction :

http://www.petcareinsurance.com/can/...asp?ID=0002836

We didn't take any out, some costs to date, from memory :

broken leg $800
nut removal $300
worm/flea/tick prescription $100/year
medical for doggie day care (God help us) $50

Re: Housing on arrival
 

Ouch, poor dog. We did this to our White Shepherd in the hope that it might also cure a few dominance issues. Turned him into a sex craved pervert :confused:

Re: Housing on arrival
 

Another bill, can't remember how much, was for microchipping. That makes me wonder, is there a worldwide chip database ? If a dog (or cat or child) was chipped in the UK, is a new chip needed here ?

Re: Housing on arrival
 

Er, no.

Do you actually have "other" pictures?

Re: Housing on arrival
 

Yes. Before and after.

Re: Housing on arrival
 

The nut job? :eek:

Re: Housing on arrival
 

The dog has to be well relaxed before one can take that sort of picture.

Re: Housing on arrival
 

At least we're missing the "during".

Odd that; my schnauzer (whatever) is also a wino.

Re: Housing on arrival
 

The cat... while incubating the rice, performs an eerie mind meld with Mr Coffee.

Re: Housing on arrival
 

I have a picture, not digital alas, of a cat with eyes like that. We drove it from San Diego to Detroit, it sat on the dash all the way, mellowed by an hourly super toke.

Re: Housing on arrival
 

Nice contact lenses.

Re: Housing on arrival
 

Gorgeous dog dbd! :)

What breed is it? A Labradoodle?

Re: Housing on arrival
 

Offer for dog friendly condo in Calgary formally withdrawn (for anyone scanning the archives) - someone just signed a lease for a year today! Wahoo, I can buy a sofa without waiting for the tax refund now.

:cool:

But free ticket for anyone willing to bring my dog from Edinburgh (well, departing Glasgow actually) to Winnipeg before the end of Sept.

Re: Housing on arrival
 

A golden doodle, Woodstock, half poodle, half golden retriever. More sensible picture attached.

Re: Housing on arrival
 

The other cat... also possessed.

Re: Housing on arrival
 

And recently fed, by the look of the top-left corner. What is that?

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A 5 dollar piece of fun-fur with pom-pom googly eyes. It's been there, untouched, for about three years. I think that makes it a cat toy.

Re: Housing on arrival
 

a) I suspect the cat doesn't like it much
b) sack your cleaner

Re: Housing on arrival
 

Shame that - my son is flying from Cardiff to TO end of September...

Re: Housing on arrival
 

What costs more - the vet bills or the LCBO habit?

Re: Housing on arrival
 

my god, she must be deaf and have no sense of smell ;)

Re: Housing on arrival
 

We certainly spend more at the LCBO than at the vet and more even than that at the pub, but it's not all for the dog; he's only allowed water at the pub.

Re: Housing on arrival
 

or a big time smoker. The neighbourhood does have an awful lot of left over hippies.