Dog during medical school

[vhawk]

Ok, so can anyone give me advice as to what type of large dogs are okay/better off in smaller spaces? I know that most large dogs need room, but are there any you can suggest that would do fine in an apartment in DC? I really love BIG dogs(<60 lbs, prefereably 85-100 lbs) and was just wondering if anyone had any experience?

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[MTGV]

If you're looking for one, there's an organization in So. California that rescues pugs and finds homes for them. Last time I went to Petco, there were like 20 pugs in cages outside waiting for their dream families to come by. I see you're in North Carolina.... that's far away, but if you're looking for a pal for life it might be worth checking out. You might also get one that's past the puppy stage. Although it's a great time, also seems like 5 times the work of having an older dog.

Go to petfinder.com - you can search by breed/color/age etc. Sorted by proximity to your zip code.

 

[Ylime]

Ok, so can anyone give me advice as to what type of large dogs are okay/better off in smaller spaces? I know that most large dogs need room, but are there any you can suggest that would do fine in an apartment in DC? I really love BIG dogs(<60 lbs, prefereably 85-100 lbs) and was just wondering if anyone had any experience?

Greyhounds are good apartment dogs. You can adopt a retired racer and save a life. They make really good pets, too. They are big lap dogs.

 

[lightnk102]

ther'es all these great posts, but no one's addressed what they plan to do with their dog after MS2.

what do people do with their dogs when you're doing third year rotations and are barely ever home?

 

[redruby]

ther'es all these great posts, but no one's addressed what they plan to do with their dog after MS2.

what do people do with their dogs when you're doing third year rotations and are barely ever home?

Make my parents take her!! Ha Ha. No, that's a really good point.

 

[lightnk102]

Make my parents take her!! Ha Ha. No, that's a really good point.

I've been seriously considering adopting an older dog when i start medical school. i'm planning on living close enough to school that i can come home for lunch and dinner and such. the only thing stopping me from rescueing a beagle or basset hound (my two dogs of choice) is the thought of third year rotations. i don't want to make an irresponsible decision and adopt a dog without looking further than the immediate joys of having a dog for first and second year of school. i feel like adopting an animal is a responsibility and a commitment, and I'm not ready to commit to a dog if I feel like I can't take proper care of it. It hardly seems fair.

What are some possibilities for MS3 and your dog? I know you can hire a dogwalker, but that doesn't seem like an adequate substitute for one-on-one time with your dog. .....Or is it? A year seems like a long time to not really be around. I know that animals tend to be wonderfully patient, do you think a year is okay?

Perhaps I'm reading too much into this. Or maybe I have an overblown sense of guilt (comes from being Catholic), but I've never had my own dog before (though I helped my friend raise her dog when she got one), and I want to make sure I do it right if I decide to get one.

 

[Mistress S]

ther'es all these great posts, but no one's addressed what they plan to do with their dog after MS2.

what do people do with their dogs when you're doing third year rotations and are barely ever home?

This is a good point--I think this is where having roomates/partners to help care for the dog is important. I am counting on my BF to help out, we share responsibility for our "son" now and he'll probably have to take on some extra duties come third year. For those who are planning to live alone and don't have family nearby to help out, a doggy day care or dog walking service would probably be useful. It is relatively inexpensive to have a dog walking service send someone out once a day to take your dog out and feed it, and if the pet is going to be alone for 8+ hours kind of a necessity. Doggy day care is available in most cities and is a great, but more expensive, option.

 

[lulubean]

you can also find out which neighbors also have dogs and take dog walking shifts. you can walk yours and your neighbor's dog in the morning and he/she can walk them in the evening. its a win-win situation if you can find someone to work that scenario out with. also great for socializing your pup with other dogs. (also good for emergencies, if something were to happen, your neighbor will make sure your dog gets out.)