Dogs in residency

[Yui]

Hello! I'm currently a MS1 trying to plan for a future dog. I'm trying to decide whether I can get a puppy while in Med school, and it's actually come down to whether I'll be able to handle it in residency. I've already got a plan in place during med school years so I know I can give my puppy the time and attention it needs. I'm hoping to get it at the beginning of MS3 (my research year so I'll have lots of time and I have roommates to help), so it'll be 2 by the time residency starts. My question is, will it be feasible to have a 2 yo dog in residency? The problem is I don't know what my situation will be then--I don't know what specialty, I don't know what city, I don't know whether I'll have a spouse or if I'll be living with other people. With so much unknown, I have to decide whether to get the dog now, because I certainly don't want to wait till I know to get a puppy (I think it'll be too close to residency years by then and it's not fair to get a puppy with residency right around the corner). Any advice? I really want a fluffy companion to come home to everyday, but I also want to make sure it has a good home and not be neglected. Is it feasible in residency, and should I get the puppy now?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[wholeheartedly]

Not in residency, but do have a dog with a pretty crazy schedule commuting for almost full time grad school and working full time.

So just some things to factor in: specialty is going to make a big difference in your schedule and whether or not this is a viable option, dogs have different personalities and needs as far as attention and activity levels go, you'll probably have to move for residency and a lot of rental places that will even take dogs have weight and breed restrictions that can make finding a place a where you both can live can be a real nightmare. You arent going to know if your new location will have things like doggy daycare or dog walkers willing to come in at nightnwhen you're on for 24 hours straight. Plus dogs have unexpected, sometimes pretty hefty costs. I budgeted for mine but still wound up with 2 grand in vet bills beyond routine care due to an infection he got and also an eye surgery he needed. How will you manage medical issues with a resident schedule?

So, I tend to be of the opinion that its only a good idea if you have a guaranteed person to share the responsibility with. I already have mine, so I'm making it work, but definitely dealing with some guilt issues even though he gets quite a bit of attention and interaction at doggy daycare.

 

[justdoit31]

I will be taking my 2 dogs with me to residency. It is a decent chunk of my budget to pay for dog walking but worth it to me. During my residency interviews I talked with several residents with dogs who said its doable. I plan to use a dog walker when I'm gone more than 12 hours and then for shorter days do a couple times a week. It helps that both of my dogs are small (under 15lbs) so don't need tons of exercise and meets just about any apartment requirement. I've seen places with caps on weight from 25-50lbs. Also there are several aggressive breeds that most places prohibit so consider checking that out. I have a feeling it could be tough sometimes but the happiness my dogs bring me is beyond the trouble they cause.

 

[shopsteward]

Having a dog is wonderful. But the rescue I adopted my dog from recommends that a dog is not left home alone for more than four hours. That takes a lot of flexibility and freedom out of your life. For someone who goes out to work and has no one at home while they do it it means a lot of very expensive dog walkers. Dogs also love routine, so if you are working shifts that will not be ideal either. If you are working odd hours, will you be living somewhere it is safe to walk the dog at the times you will be available to do so?

Could you get a doggy fix through other means? Find a neighbour who needs help with dog walking? Help out at a shelter? It's not the same as your own dog, I know.

 

[peppy]

Having a dog is wonderful. But the rescue I adopted my dog from recommends that a dog is not left home alone for more than four hours. That takes a lot of flexibility and freedom out of your life

Sometimes rescues become a bit overzealous in wanting "The Perfect Home" for their animals instead of a "Pretty Good" home. Four hours would probably be necessary for a puppy with a tiny bladder or an elderly dog that has trouble holding its urine, but I would say not essential for a healthy adult dog. My dog doesn't seem to be harmed by the fact that we regularly leave her home alone for 8-10 hours at a time. We give her lots of attention and playtime when we are home.

 

[peppy]

I really want a fluffy companion to come home to everyday, but I also want to make sure it has a good home and not be neglected. Is it feasible in residency, and should I get the puppy now?

Myself, I adopted cats during med school because cats are so much easier to deal with during medical school/internship (if you give them a bunch of food, water, and clean litter right before you go, no worries about leaving cats alone for a few days at a time, which made things like traveling for interviews far easier).
However, I do think a dog is a viable option IF you are willing to make the dog a priority: budgeting money for things like a dog walker/daycare/boarding, considering the dog in your housing choice, etc.

I would agree with the advice that you'll have more options for housing later if you stick to a small breed that doesn't have a reputation for being "scary" (the way a pitbull, rottie, etc. does).
Are you totally set on getting a puppy? It might not be a bad idea to consider waiting until you know what you're going to do for residency and then adopting a young adult dog (like 1-2 years old). Puppies require a lot more attention and training than adult dogs do. With an adult dog, you can also get a better idea of its personality, and a laidback, mellow adult would probably cope better with being left alone for long periods than a hyper one would.

 

[dpmd]

We got a puppy while I was a resident, but I also had a spouse to share the work. We eventually got one of her littermates so the nice thing is that now if we go away for a while they have someone to play with. I think one would get so lonely any time you leave. At the beginning, my husband was working nights, so I was the one who had to deal with small puppy bladders and not wanting to be alone at night. There were more than a few sleepless nights where I had to go work afterward. Things got better once they were older, but there have been times that if my husband wasn't available to take care of things it would be disaster. Just getting their regular vet visits done can be difficult depending on work schedule and the hours they are available. I am thankful my girls won't gorge themselves if I leave food out as it has made it possible for us to be away for up to a couple of days without them being harmed (but we have a large yard they can play in and they have access to the garage for shade or warmth depending on the season (which in california is never really that cold, but can be pretty hot). Not all dogs are like that though, so if you are on for an extended shift you will have to figure out how to get them food. Cats are infinitely easier to take care of even with crazy schedules (we also have two of those so they play together too), and if you have more than one litter box you can make up for not scooping or emptying the litter box very frequently. Plus it would probably also increase the options you have for where to live since not every place is dog friendly (and even if they aren't pet friendly you could probably hide the fact you have a cat and get away with it).

 

[IlDestriero]

Unless you're married, it's a horrible idea to have a dog while you are a resident. And I'm a huge dog lover. You really won't have time to give it proper attention, and paying for a dog walker to come twice a day every time you're late or on call isn't the answer.
Most residencies will have you working long hours, and you'll have at least another hour of study and reading as well.
It's not fair to the dog. You know it's not.
If you must have something, get a cat. They're pretty self sufficient and seem to like being very independent. They probably won't mind being alone most of the time.

 

[gutonc]

I barely managed to make sure my cat got fed while I was a resident. A dog would have been dead or "lost" in a couple of months.