Seb1, I understand how you feel, but many Qatari people have dogs and often the big problem is that people are afraid more than offended by dogs.
I brought my dog 3 years ago and, on balance am glad I did. It would have been hard for me to leave him. Both Vets have a good selection of food and accessories and have Western vets. There is also a huge network of animal lovers, keep in touch with people such as Xena and others from QAWS. Xena has helped me many, many times with dog queries! Xena, you're a star!