Get a pug! My partner and I love our pug, Grimly, more than we will probably love our "real" children someday--after all, Grimly will stay small and cute forever.
I can't even imagine not having him in my life. Seriously though, it would be really hard to raise a dog alone in school, especially if you get a puppy. Having a dog is great, but you will need help--either from a roomate, partner, friends, or people you hire. It is definitely possible, but a lot more work than something like a cat or a fish (I'd put it somewhere between a hamster and a newborn
). I would wait a few months, get settled in school and your routine, and then decide if you feel you have the time and money to devote to a dog. Don't overlook the money part, either--our dog cost us >$2500 due to unexpected medical bills in his first year (and so his vet could install another hot tob in her private jet, apparently--vet bills are exorbitantly expensive, I could get my own medical care for substantially cheaper). Best case scenario, even if your dog is healthy and stays out of trouble, you should still expect to pay between $500-1000 in its first year for food, supplies, toys, routine vet care, etc (and that's aside from the cost of the dog, even humane societies have fees). But I look at Grimly's face, and I know he's been worth every penny, destroyed sock, and unreturned pet deposit
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