Chow Friendly/Unfriendly Areas to Live

Yvonne · Post by **Yvonne** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 6:58 pm

This may turn into a post like RedAngie's on Oklahoma that took the conversation in all kind of directions, but that's okay.

Does anyone have any advice, based on personal experience, on areas that are good to move to with a chow? Or not good to move to with a chow?

I may have to relocate in the next year or two. I would probably rent (at least for a while) in the area that I move to. We would want to live in town as opposed to a rural area. A small town would be okay, but I want to be within city limits.

One requirement for our new location that is not negotiable is that it has to be a good place for Brandon, also. He is always in the house unless he is outside with me. Neighbors, for the most part, wouldn't even know he was around since he has always been, and would continue to be, a house dog. But I don't want an area where we go into the vet's office and they make nasty remarks about him when we walk in the door. He is a welcome member of the town we currently live in - I can't imagine it being otherwise. But from some of your posts, I sense it isn't like that everywhere.

I'm not going to move right away, but there's no point in even doing a job search in a location that isn't right for the furkid. Because there's no way I'm going without him. Simply not an option.

Post by **jerryo** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 7:37 pm

Depends on what you like, of course, but I moved from San Jose to Trinity, TX last year and have never been as happy in my life. As for Chow friendly, Benny runs loose most of the time on as much land as he wants. All the neighbors know each others dogs and look out for them. The dogs get along and visit and play with each other with no problem. The houses, even those on the golf course are under $200k and the three bedroom fixer next door to me is listed at $39k. Homeowners fee is $26 and Country Club is $47 which includes three rounds of golf per month. Gated community with almost live guard.

The vet staff is very good and even stops to check on your dog if they see you out. The vet tech drove her golf cart over in the middle of a game to ask about Benny's hotspots when she saw us walking past.

The downside is that it's a small town with little industry and very few jobs. Short commute is Huntsville. It is a small city with Sam Houston State University and a major prison system. Department of Corrections always has lots of jobs of every type.

ciaobella · Post by **ciaobella** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 9:59 pm

I think Nashville is pretty chow friendly... I run into people all the time who have/had chows or chow mixes. Of course, there are some people with preconceived notions about chows, but there are stupid people everywhere. I mostly get positive remarks about Sophie, and she has a vet who has no bigoted views about the breed... she's always happy to see him, and never holds a grudge, even when he has to draw blood, or get her temperature taken.

My apt complex just changed ownership, and the manager told me they're supposed to get a note from the vet of new chows coming in attesting to their chow's sound temperment, "unless, it's a mix (wink)". 'Nuff said.
We are inside city limits, but there are some places where you can go off leash (on the down low), and plenty of beautiful countryside even inside the city:

Nashville is pretty cosmopolitan (not as much of the country music corniness as you would think), and has just about any type of music and nightlife that you could imagine. We have a symphony and art museums... I think it's a great city, I love it here. Crime rate is not nearly as bad as most. There's a lot of printing industry and auto plants in the area and around, hospitals, state government jobs... what kind of work are you looking for?

Judy Fox · Post by **Judy Fox** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 1:08 am

Beautiful picture of Sophie.

Post by **Auddymay** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 1:21 am

I haven't run into much chow discrimination here, but who knows how it would be even 50 miles away! No anti-chow laws. Homeowner's insurance (AAA) never asked if I even had a pet. I agree, Sophie is Chowmerica's Top Model!

SWANCIN · Post by **SWANCIN** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 7:43 am

jerryo wrote:Depends on what you like, of course, but I moved from San Jose to Trinity, TX last year and have never been as happy in my life. As for Chow friendly, Benny runs loose most of the time on as much land as he wants. All the neighbors know each others dogs and look out for them. The dogs get along and visit and play with each other with no problem. The houses, even those on the golf course are under $200k and the three bedroom fixer next door to me is listed at $39k. Homeowners fee is $26 and Country Club is $47 which includes three rounds of golf per month. Gated community with almost live guard.

The vet staff is very good and even stops to check on your dog if they see you out. The vet tech drove her golf cart over in the middle of a game to ask about Benny's hotspots when she saw us walking past.
.

Gosh, Jerry - and you left SAN JOSE for that?? Ha ha!
-Cindy and Kodi (drowning in house debt in San Jose)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 7:45 am

North Eastern Pennsylvania IS NOT the place to be if you have Chows.

It's not very people friendly (if you come from outside the area) either. Very provincial and behind-the-times.

I go home to NJ to have fun.
I'm sure many of you have seen/heard/read about the mayor of Hazleton (the largest town in the area) who passed an anti-illegal alien ordinance and has created so much controversy. He's now being sued for this, by the way. Hazleton is ten miles from me.
Very strange area. Would not recommend it, ever, to anyone.

Does anyone get the feeling that I don't like it here?

Tovya · Post by **Tovya** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 7:53 am

That was me, of course. I always forget that we don't have to log in to post here!

Post by **jerryo** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 8:20 am

Yes, SWANCIN it is hard to believe I would leave the Valley of the Half-Million Dollar Crackerbox for something like this. I must have been drunk at the time. Actually I was playing on EBay one night and bought a building lot here in Westwod Shores as a joke. I was sure it could not be real. It was at the end of a cul-de-sac, had greenbelt on one side, the 15th fairway one lot away and a lake one lot the other way. I won it for $256, so I knew it had to be bogus. I was totally surprised several months later when I came to see it. I ended up buying the next lot for expansion, and then bought my current house to live in while I build on the lots.

I still think of the 101/280 when I'm setting in heavy downtown traffic here. That means being the third car at the traffic light. Check out Westwood Shores on the web, and come on down.

Post by **Zhuyos mom** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 9:55 am

SWANCIN wrote:
jerryo wrote: ...The houses, even those on the golf course are under $200k and the three bedroom fixer next door to me is listed at $39k. Homeowners fee is $26 and Country Club is $47 which includes three rounds of golf per month. Gated community with almost live guard.
Gosh, Jerry - and you left SAN JOSE for that?? Ha ha!
-Cindy and Kodi (drowning in house debt in San Jose)

Jerryo - Are you kidding us?! Want some new neighbors from your old digs? If you spot me $39K for the fixer-upper, Cindy and I can certainly fix it up real good! Benny and Lady will have Kodi, Zhu and PB to hang around with and "break deer with".

Jeff&Peks · Post by **Jeff&Peks** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 11:12 am

Sure Lou, Let me know when you would give up the area you live in, Ocean, Mountains and trees, Miles and miles of beach and dog walks, peaceful with a slight ocean breeze for a $39,000 fixer upper in Texas. I will call the state nut hospital so they can catch you before you cross the CA border.

pannw1267 · Post by **pannw1267** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 12:24 pm

Interesting thread

We'll be heading to Myrtle Beach to visit my daughter next month. Looking to eventually relocate between NC and FL. Not retiring yet, (wish we could.) We're planning on checking on what's available around the NC & SC borders this trip. Keep your chow friendly relocation advice coming.

Post by **jerryo** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 12:29 pm

No problem Lou. Come on down.

Gary who owns the fixer will probably carry the paper on it. He had it as a rental for over ten years and wants out. The trees are across the road,except for some sixty-foot pines on the property and a few oaks mixed with the pines on the lot between the two houses. The beach at Galveston is as quick to get too as Santa Cruz was from San Jose and it goes for several hundred miles to Brownsville/Matamoros, then on into Mexico. And you don't need a wetsuit to go in the water.

Benny and Lady, along with Sugar the Lab, Fancy the Pekineese and George the Cockapoo would love to add your gang to their pack.

Take a look at the fixer on Westwoodshoresre.com or HAR.com (that's the Houston Real Estate Board site, so they have info on lots of areas.)

As for the state nut hospital, I wouldn't worry too much. "In an insane world, a sane man will appear insane."

Jeff&Peks · Post by **Jeff&Peks** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 12:40 pm

Think thats supposed to be Sane not insane but I was talking to Lou not worring about the insane world.

Post by **jerryo** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 1:26 pm

Having lived in both LA and the Bay Area for most of the last 30+ years, I feel qualified to agree with the sage who observed that "California is like a bowl of Granola. What's not fruits and nuts is mostly flakes." Looking back after having finally left the "Left Coast" is a beautiful view.

Post by **Zhuyos mom** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 2:03 pm

jerryo wrote: ... "California is like a bowl of Granola. What's not fruits and nuts is mostly flakes." ...

ahem, ahem? Take it back or I will buy the property next door to you!

Post by **jerryo** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 2:32 pm

No problem. Texas was originally settled by malcontents from all over the world. The Mexican central government wanted to have someone the Commanches could kill instead of them, so they brought them in from Europe and the US. People in trouble, financially and otherwise, in the US just scrawled "GTT" for "gone to Texas" on their door and took off. The Mexican Government started the stream of immigrants,but when they tried to shut it off, it became a flood of illegals who took over, and started their own country. Does any of that sound familiar?

By the way, I didn't make the Granola analogy. I just agree with it.

threedogjeep · Post by **threedogjeep** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 4:37 pm

Magda's mom! Tovya? You are in NE PA???? I am around Quakertown/pottstown area. Perkiomenville. I think NE PA is pretty ....welll...not exactly unfriendly, but people sure don't try to get to know you. They nod and smile and go on their way. I'm from KY and we ALWAYS had people over all the time...new friends old friends....lots of socializing. Not here. I have to go back to KY regularly for a "friend fix." Three dogs in the jeep for a road trip!

Tovya · Post by **Tovya** » Mon Aug 21, 2006 5:01 am

SR. Can I call you that? Quakertown is another world compared to my immediate area.
I'm in southern Luzerne County....coal cracker country. Although parts are gorgeous (Monroe County for example) this area is filled with strip mining holes and culm banks (slate piles from the mines). The locals are horrible litter bugs. People throw huge bags of household garbage along the sides of the roads as though it was a normal thing to do! I'm not surprised that the people here are so unfriendly and depressed. I would be depressed too if I had spent my entire life here. Who could be happy for long in such dirty surroundings?