I'm stuck in New Jersey (Xeph)

That stinks! I think you should basically save as much as possible, get the car fixed (or sell it for a different car) and get out of there back to Wisconsin.

I am about 2 hours north of where you are. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help.

What were you planning on doing while Jon goes to OCS, before you knew how much you hated NJ and had this awful situation to live in?

What was going to happen after he entered the military?  Were you going to be married by then and be able to follow him and live on base?  Think about this - if you hate living anywhere but home but you're marrying a future military man... you could very likely end up anywhere around the country, or perhaps the world.

I love Jon to death, waited 6 years for him, but I don't think I'm ok with sacrificing MY life to the military too.  There are a lot of places I just DO NOT want to live.  Wisconsin is home...always has been.  Other places are ok to visit for a few days, but I wouldn't want to live there.

I hate the coast, Florida is far too freaking hot, the constant sun annoys me, I don't want to deal with Hurricanes, and I don't want a military base dictating what breeds of dog or how many I may or may not have if it comes to that (because I know it happens).

s your credit any good that you could get a personal loan from a bank?  Can you take ONLINE classes from the school you went to in WI, so that you don't have to pay the loans back right away?

Cannot take online classes from SNC...they don't offer them and I've already withdrawn anyway.

 Just a few thoughts

  Maybe you could find a professional handler willing to give you a job as a an assitant? Some handlers even have live-in help, especially those who take on a lot of dogs.

 You could take both dogs on trains with you, so that is an option. I know people who took several large dogs to a national across the country from where they live and traveled the whole thing by train.

 Trade or vocational schools may be able to repair your van for a pretty low cost, although it may take awhile. Worth looking into though!

Been looking for a pro handler....so far no luck.  The economy has hit them too, so assistants = no (thus far).  They also tend to want to make my dogs kennel dogs....I'm unhappy enough with them living in a garage, I don't want them in kennel runs with nothing going on.

I've owned two kennel dogs thus far and they are extremely hard to bond with.

Xeph

Been looking for a pro handler....so far no luck.  The economy has hit them too, so assistants = no (thus far).  They also tend to want to make my dogs kennel dogs....I'm unhappy enough with them living in a garage, I don't want them in kennel runs with nothing going on.

I've owned two kennel dogs thus far and they are extremely hard to bond with.

 I'm sure you don't want either but they could probably live with being kennel dogs for awhile, just as well as they can live with not being allowed in the house right now. It isn't the kenneling that makes kennel dogs hard to bond with but the lack of interactions with humans, especially with young dogs raised in a kennel environment. It depends on the dog too, as I brought my GSD boy home at 8 months and despite being raised mostly a kennel dog, he bonded to me right away and was very devoted. I do think a lack of interation with people at key times in a dog's life can sometimes make them a bit "socially retarded" as far as not knowing how to interact with humans.

 I had a Belgian here that I was training for someone. She was sent to a handler as a puppy and finished at around 10 months. The handler basically lived out of her van, where all of the dogs were kept crated for looong periods of time. The only interaction this dog ever got was being taken out to potty and going into the show ring. When I got her, she was super friendly with me, didn't have a problem bonding but had no clue how to interact with people. She frantically jumped and clawed to get attention when I let her out of her crate in the morning. It took her far too long to learn sit, I'm pretty sure because as far as she knew, humans never expected dogs to do anything but stacking and baiting. When I tried to lure her into a sit she'd back up, position herself in a stack and back - she thought she was very good! I really had doubts she would ever get past that stuff but she turned into a nice dog, pretty easy to work with, playful and really interactive/playful. I think had she had early training/interaction though, she'd have been even better. She has gone back to being a mostly kennel dog on and off, sometimes for a moth or two but it doesn't seem to have any negative impact on her at this point.

Oh crud, Xeph, I'm so sorry you're having such a rotten time.  I hear ya about the cost of living here- if my husband hadn't gotten that job at camp all those years ago, we'd probably still be living in upstate NY (not sure that's much better tho).  Now we can't afford to leave.  Seeing how Strauss is a Service Dog, he shouldn't have to stay in the garage.  Yeah, I know, we're talking someone's private house here, so the ADA laws don't apply.  But have you explained just what Strauss' job is?  That he's not "just a dog"? 

I don't know who looked at your van, but here's a list of transmission places in the Frenchtown area  .  Maybe someone else can do better by you. 

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&abauth=2b3e18d5%3Ar6oMtiQ1Cg202_nBymgGHeX01_Y&view=text&hl=en&gl=us&q=transmion+repair-+frenchtown+nj 

(((hugs)))

Jon's parents are basically sick of me being here, I'm leaving on August 27th for WI....Strauss will fly with me.

I currently have no transport for Delphi and am scrambling to get things together.

There are also BAD things happening at my house...bad bad things.

The news I got on the transmission is that no matter what I did, it would cost more to fix it than the car is worth.

Enter freakout #3

Gee Xeph, I'm sorry that this turned out to be such a crap fest for you and I'm sorry that Jon's parents seem  to be making a crummy situation even worse.  Is there anyone that can help with getting Delphi out of there any time soon?  I hope whatever bad things are happening at your house are totally resolved by the time you get back home.  Fingers and paws crossed for you and keep us up on what's happening.

Joyce

Bad just got worse.

Jon's parents are kicking me out....his dad told me I should be ready to leave on Sunday.

Delphi's foster home cannot take her until Wednesday.

I have no money for gas, no money for hotels, and I have to quit my job with A DAY'S NOTICE.  They rented a car to get me out as quickly as possible.

I am beyond screwed.

WTH?

Ok, im gonna ask, where is Jon?

Are they renting a car to get you home?

Seriously Xeph, get on the germanshephard board and ask for a relay to get you home. I am south of you and no help.

Ok, im gonna ask, where is Jon?

Are they renting a car to get you home?

That still does not help me with Delphi...her foster home CAN NOT take her until Wednesday...she has nowhere to stay until then.

 What a sh*tty situation! Why are Jons parents kicking you out?

Could Delphi travel in the car with you?  Or could some group work out a transport?

Joyce

If you've got a rental car can't she ride with you? Or is there no room?

ETA: oops, Joyce posted at the same time I did

What was the original plan of you being in NJ with Jon? Didn't he discuss your being there with his parents? I'd assume they'd have expected you'd need a place to stay as well

The last time I had a rental (actually a loaner) they were pretty uptight about the "no dogs in the car" rule, but honestly in this case I think I'd just agree to anything, say the "hell-o" with it and do whatever I needed to do to get the dog safely home.  A good car wash could get all the hair out in no time.

Joyce