Any U-grad freshmen with dogs?

[cliffdiver]

From what I've noticed, there are very few grad students with dogs. And even less undergrad students that own dogs.

Basically I just want to know the experience you had with keeping a dog your first years of college.

Did the negatives (care, costs) outweigh the positives?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[RogueUnicorn]

most schools have rules prohibiting dogs/cats in dorms

 

[cfx]

Be very careful if you're seriously thinking about getting a dog. Yes, they're cute and fun, but they're also a huge responsibility and they demand a lot of attention that many undergrads simply don't have the time to give. It's really not fair to the dog to lock them in a tiny apartment, alone, for 10+ hours a day.

One of my roommates had a dog, and he was NEVER home, so if it wasn't for me, the dog would have been alone and miserable from 9AM to 10PM. Then, when he graduated, he gave the dog to the pound. It was unbelievably sad, after the dog had spent years getting attached to him.

My point is, PLEASE, before you rush out and get a pet, make sure you have the time and resources to dedicate to it, and that you're realistic about what it takes.

 

[FutureBlondeMD]

I have two dogs, and i'm a sophomore in college. I also have my own place though, so that helps.

 

[gettheleadout]

Be very careful if you're seriously thinking about getting a dog. Yes, they're cute and fun, but they're also a huge responsibility and they demand a lot of attention that many undergrads simply don't have the time to give. It's really not fair to the dog to lock them in a tiny apartment, alone, for 10+ hours a day.

One of my roommates had a dog, and he was NEVER home, so if it wasn't for me, the dog would have been alone and miserable from 9AM to 10PM. Then, when he graduated, he gave the dog to the pound. It was unbelievably sad, after the dog had spent years getting attached to him.

My point is, PLEASE, before you rush out and get a pet, make sure you have the time and resources to dedicate to it, and that you're realistic about what it takes.

I second all of this. Animals have feelings too

 

[cliffdiver]

I'm only taking 9 credit hours this semester, but will take more next semester. If I got a dog now, I would be gone 2 hours a day tops until January.
I'm hoping that by next semester, the dog will be able to cope with my daily absence of 4-6 hours.

I realize the responsibility. I was just looking for peoples experiences with keeping them while trying to maintain pre-med requirements.

 

[CougarMD]

I'm only taking 9 credit hours this semester, but will take more next semester. If I got a dog now, I would be gone 2 hours a day tops until January.
I'm hoping that by next semester, the dog will be able to cope with my daily absence of 4-6 hours.

I realize the responsibility. I was just looking for peoples experiences with keeping them while trying to maintain pre-med requirements.

Whenever my friends say they want a dog, I tell them that they need to want a dog every day for a year before they should get one. Which means, if they have ever gotten drunk and passed out at a friend's house and not been willing to find a safe way home to take their dog out.....they have just violated the year

For most dogs, until they are at least 8 months old, they won't be able to cope with much more than a 2-4 hour absence at a time.

A lot of it is also being dedicated to coming home every night, waking up to exercise them every morning (and evening, most likely, for a puppy) and really knowing that it is like having a kid. A tired dog is a good dog.

Also, size does not matter; a small dog is NOT less work. In fact, having had large and small dogs, the large dogs become less work as they get older whereas the small dogs are a ton of work almost always.

Look into breeds so that you have a general sense of trends in breeds, and that way even when you (hopefully) adopt, and it is a mutt, you will sort of know what to expect.

For instance, Weimeraners have serious separation anxiety issues. Always. They don't like to be left. They will take down a door when they are pissed. Great Danes don't like to be left outside. As long as they're inside on the couch they are fine. A lot of small breeds bark incessantly unless you train them well.

Also, think about what kind of life you want long term, and be willing to train your dog to have that life. If you don't train your dog, people can't come over to your house. if you don't train your dog, they can't come with you to an outdoor eating place. If you don't train your dog, they may be aggressive toward other dogs.

Training takes time, money, and dedication. Also, be aware that you will lose sleep with a puppy! They will wake you up, you will have to take them out to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night...it is like having a baby. They really physically don't start having the bladder space until they are 4-6 months old.

That being said...I love my dog. She is the second I've had as an adult living alone, and I wouldn't have it any other way. If you have specific questions about day to day what it takes, feel free to PM me.

Dogs are awesome.

 

[ssahjm]

Looking back on my undergrad experience now, I would have been able to have a dog — my schedule would have allowed it. However, from the impressions I've gotten during interviews, it's extremely challenging to have a dog during med school. During the first two years, you will likely be swamped with lectures and lab during the day, and studying in the afternoons/evenings. During your last two years, you will be rotating through different specialities, and each clerkship will have its own schedule. There was another thread about having a dog in med school, and a student said that he had to leave his dog with his parents during the surgical rotation because the hours were so brutal.

So, I guess my point is... if you're interested in medical school, know that for the next several years, your schedule will be at the mercy of other people. Unfortunately, those people won't be taking your canine friend into consideration when they schedule exams and labs and grand rounds.

 

[searun]

From what I've noticed, there are very few grad students with dogs. And even less undergrad students that own dogs.

Basically I just want to know the experience you had with keeping a dog your first years of college.

Did the negatives (care, costs) outweigh the positives?

Look, it is not about you, it is about the dog. It is a living creature and deserves your attention, love, and respect. If you can manage the time and the cost of having a dog, and will love and care for it - then do it.

If and when, you become a med student, a dog will be very inconvenient unless you have a spouse, sibling, or parent, who will give it the attention and love that it deserves. Nothing pisses me off more than an undergrad who gets a dog or cat, and then abandons it in few months or years when it becomes inconvenient. A dog will live 12 to 15 years, are you prepared to be committed for 12 to 15 years, it is a life ...a life that you are morally responsible for, and what are you going to do during your third year of med school or when you are a resident and are working 80-100 hour each week. Dump it off for to be put to death at some overwhelmed animal shelter because your life has become complicated. Figure it out or do not do it.

As I said, it is not about you. So do it right or do not do it.

 

[cfx]

Look, it is not about you, it is about the dog. It is a living creature and deserves your attention, love, and respect. If you can manage the time and the cost of having a dog, and will love and care for it - then do it.

If and when, you become a med student, a dog will be very inconvenient unless you have a spouse, sibling, or parent, who will give it the attention and love that it deserves. Nothing pisses me off more than an undergrad who gets a dog or cat, and then abandons it in few months or years when it becomes inconvenient. A dog will live 12 to 15 years, are you prepared to be committed for 12 to 15 years, it is a life ...a life that you are morally responsible for, and what are you going to do during your third year of med school or when you are a resident and are working 80-100 hour each week. Dump it off for to be put to death at some overwhelmed animal shelter because your life has become complicated. Figure it out or do not do it.

As I said, it is not about you. So do it right or do not do it.

Exactly. A lot of student get dogs as if they're fun toys to keep them company for a couple of years. It's like they don't realize that they will have that dog for a decade or two, and they are not a piece of furniture.

OP, it's really nothing against you or anything you said, I've just seen WAAY too many neglected pets belonging to undergrads. I love dogs, but I would never get one at this stage in my life, and I sure as hell would never have gotten one while in school, no matter how much I enjoy having them around. Also think about where you will be living. If it's not going to be a house, you're asking for trouble. Also think about what you might like to do a few years down the line that owning a pet might be prohibitive of. Do you want to travel? Go backpacking through Europe? Join Peace Corps, Americorps? Anything other than living a very stable and fairly static lifestyle?

 

[cliffdiver]

Thanks CougarMD and others for the reply. It's good to see some people are passionate about dogs. Searun; I think you may be preaching to the choir on this. I've done my homework. Trust me, I'm not some little kid who wants a dog because they are "cute". Regardless, thanks for your input.
I still need some time to weigh this thing out...

Again thanks to all for the advice

 

[PremedGunner]

hey, i dont appreciate you calling my girlfriend a dog. i know shes not the prettiest, but be nice.

 

[agilitydogRN]

I got a dog the summer before freshman year....that was 14 years ago. It has not always been convenient, but I am glad I have her (and more importantly glad I had her through college). I have since added 6 more, 2 horses, and 1 rescue dog. It is a LARGE commitment, but if you really want a dog, it can be done. I am sure that med school will put a bit of a cramp on the amount of time I currently spend with the dogs, but thankfully my boyfriend will pick up some of the slack.

Do your research on breeds, my first dog was a chihuahua that got plenty of exercise running around the house all day and then 1 or 2 walks. My border collies on the other hand will drive me smack crazy if I don't give each them at least 30-45 minutes of heavy exercise per day. Finding a dog that fits your lifestyle will go a long way to alleviate some of the stress. Good luck!!!

 

[MidnightSun32]

Look into breeds so that you have a general sense of trends in breeds, and that way even when you (hopefully) adopt, and it is a mutt, you will sort of know what to expect.

For instance, Weimeraners have serious separation anxiety issues. Always. They don't like to be left. They will take down a door when they are pissed. Great Danes don't like to be left outside. As long as they're inside on the couch they are fine. A lot of small breeds bark incessantly unless you train them well.

Such great advice in your post! I have a Vizsla and he is BEYOND NEEDY... that's just how the breed is. It drives my friends and significant other insane. He sits on my lap while doing homework (he's 50lbs), instigates his own play time, wants to go everywhere with me.... EVERYWHERE whether it's just to check the mail or lay in the bathroom as I take a shower. It's pretty typical behavior for that breed, but many people don't realize it and can't deal with it. He's also so active that a lot of our time is spent playing. Max is a very intelligent dog and needs mental stimulation as well. I am constantly having to come up with new tricks for him to learn, new games, etc. to keep him from getting bored. He's also a good manipulator and some people aren't ready for that.

There always seems to be extra expenses that come up too. I have a separate account that I try and keep around $1000 in just in case Max has a health issue. Two weeks ago he got a bad ear infection and it was $300 for everything (and updating vaccinations). You never know what may come up.... His food is about $45 a bag and I buy him new toys/treats once a week because he goes through them. I buy tougher toys so they sort of last and it's about $20-30 a week.

I would say just think about where you are now and where you will be in the future. You'll always have to make time for your dog, but I've always managed to do it and so have many people. It's easy for me to prioritize my life where I make sure I'm home and many of my decisions revolve around him. I'm glad I have Max, even when he's going insane and using my house as a race track (his hint he wants to go for a long run). No matter how stressful things get sometimes, Max can always cheer me up.

Good luck on your decision, but I think you are probably the only one that'll know if it's worth it for you. Ask your friends and family if they think it's a good idea-- since they know you, they can offer some honest feedback.

 

[KatMan]

Dogs can also get pretty expensive. Aside from vaccinations, neutering/spaying, dog food and toys, health issues often come up unexpectedly and get very costly. I think about every dog that I've had growing up, and every single one of them had/has some problem that required daily medication and sporadic visits to the vet (along with occasional procedures). Do you have the funds for all of this as a freshman?

 

[JoshuaGuit]

Well, we had a dog in our suite until we got threatened with institutional action if we didn't get rid of him. He was really a beautiful dog; Siberian Husky (all white) 12 weeks old.

He actually belonged to a friend of ours in a fraternity who had to leave for a week.

Turns out reslife don't really like dogs, so you might want to factor that in.

The cleaning staff, however, absolutely loved him

I'd suggest that you make sure your roommates/suitemates are capable of taking him out for a walk every once in a while and cleaning up after him if he makes a mess when you're not there. People taking turns walking the dog turned out working really well.

 

[CougarMD]

Such great advice in your post! I have a Vizsla and he is BEYOND NEEDY... that's just how the breed is. It drives my friends and significant other insane. He sits on my lap while doing homework (he's 50lbs), instigates his own play time, wants to go everywhere with me.... EVERYWHERE whether it's just to check the mail or lay in the bathroom as I take a shower. It's pretty typical behavior for that breed, but many people don't realize it and can't deal with it. He's also so active that a lot of our time is spent playing. Max is a very intelligent dog and needs mental stimulation as well. I am constantly having to come up with new tricks for him to learn, new games, etc. to keep him from getting bored. He's also a good manipulator and some people aren't ready for that.

There always seems to be extra expenses that come up too. I have a separate account that I try and keep around $1000 in just in case Max has a health issue. Two weeks ago he got a bad ear infection and it was $300 for everything (and updating vaccinations). You never know what may come up.... His food is about $45 a bag and I buy him new toys/treats once a week because he goes through them. I buy tougher toys so they sort of last and it's about $20-30 a week.

I would say just think about where you are now and where you will be in the future. You'll always have to make time for your dog, but I've always managed to do it and so have many people. It's easy for me to prioritize my life where I make sure I'm home and many of my decisions revolve around him. I'm glad I have Max, even when he's going insane and using my house as a race track (his hint he wants to go for a long run). No matter how stressful things get sometimes, Max can always cheer me up.

Good luck on your decision, but I think you are probably the only that'll know if it's worth it for you. Ask your friends and family if they think it's a good idea-- since they know you, they can offer some honest feedback.

Also great advice in your post I think THIS is the main point; it is always possible to prioritize your life around a dog. Especially if you have the money (my dog goes to doggie daycare either the day of or the day before busy days so that she is either occupied when I am or wiped out so that she can't cause trouble, but doggie daycare is expensive) but only YOU will know if you want to make the sacrifices necessary to make your dog a priority.

The simple truth is that most college age people either have no idea of these sacrifices, or don't want to make them. So that is why people usually have a blanket "No" face on when you bring up getting a dog.

But that doesn't mean that is the right decision for you; you obviously have an idea of the sacrifices or this dialogue wouldn't be happening, you just need to figure out if you're willing to make them.

Right now I am sitting on my bed and my dog is curled up next to me....and if she weren't here, I would be sad

 

[willen101383]

Also great advice in your post I think THIS is the main point; it is always possible to prioritize your life around a dog. Especially if you have the money (my dog goes to doggie daycare either the day of or the day before busy days so that she is either occupied when I am or wiped out so that she can't cause trouble, but doggie daycare is expensive) but only YOU will know if you want to make the sacrifices necessary to make your dog a priority.

The simple truth is that most college age people either have no idea of these sacrifices, or don't want to make them. So that is why people usually have a blanket "No" face on when you bring up getting a dog.

But that doesn't mean that is the right decision for you; you obviously have an idea of the sacrifices or this dialogue wouldn't be happening, you just need to figure out if you're willing to make them.

Right now I am sitting on my bed and my dog is curled up next to me....and if she weren't here, I would be sad

I think a lot of people really blow having a dog out of proportion. Yeah perhaps at first its a new thing you need to get used to...but eventually it just becomes part of your life and you dont recognize this anymore. It becomes an enjoyable burden. I never had a dog as an undergrad, but right after college I got a dog. I have two dogs now and have fostered two and its not a big deal. I am a med student, my fiance works full time, and both my (large) dogs are very well taken care of. Just because you have **** going on doesnt mean you cant have a dog. My dogs do absolutely fine being left alone all day most days. Granted I own a home with a large fenced yard, but that wasnt always the case for me.

I dunno....having a dog isnt as huge of a thing as people make it out to be. Granted if you are an irresponsible undergrad living on campus who cant be bothered to walk your dog 3-4 times a day and make sure it has enough food and water...and take your dog on hikes or to the dog park on the weekend, you probably shouldnt have a dog...but its not really a huge deal IMO.

 

[morning]

I have a couple cats, and they're still a handful, despite requiring much less maintenance than a dog. I think above and beyond the work it takes to keep a pet, the main thing you should remember is that animals come with vet bills, and it might be hard to juggle that with being an undergrad / med student. I do worry sometimes about what I'd do if I had a real emergency with my pets. Squirrel some money away in the bank every month - even $20 helps, but $50 is better - and keep a credit card that is reserved just for an emergency.