dog!

[etown]

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The larger the dog, the longer he can hold his bladder. You can find charts online of the maximum time your dog can reasonably wait to pee based on his weight and age. If you get a small dog, he may never be physically able to hold it more than 5-6 hours.

Not necessarily the case. Anecdotal evidence: my 13 lb maltepoo can go 8-10 hours with ease (sometimes I get home from work and he still doesn't need to use the bathroom). You know, I've seen a couple dogs that are a bit OCD with water though - you put out a bowl, and they HAVE to drink it all immediately. I bet they can't hold it long...

 

[maxlady]

I have two dogs (a boxer 11 and a german shepard 2). I really want to bring them to medical school but I don't know about living arrangements. Does anyone know of dog friendly apartments/houses in the Chicago or Cleveland area? I could leave them with my parents, but I would really like the company.

 

[Ultra7]

If you know it will be difficult to care for him, then you are making the right decision by finding a good family instead of taking him to the shelter. You could put an ad in the paper or make a flier with his picture and post it in different places.

Don't worry- I don't think your decision to give away your dog means you are going to be a terrible doctor! 🙄

I don't think ads in paper or fliers are such a good idea, especially if you live in a city (college town might be different, I don't know). I had a dog I had to relocate (found her in the street, couldn't find a shelter that wouldn't put her down, couldn't keep her), and was warned that unscrupulous people try to find free dogs in the paper/fliers and then use the dogs as practice for training other dogs to fight.

If you can't find a friend or close aquaintance to take your dog, another option might be to surrender him to a shelter or rescue. Some but not all will accept owner surrenders. If he is a purebred or almost purebred, there are breed rescues (look online) for almost every breed. Although of course your dog could still end up in a not-so-good home, the wonderful people who work in shelters and rescues have alot of experience screening potential owners and would probably do a reasonably good job of finding a safe place for your dog.

And by the way for those of you who have adopted cats and dogs from shelters or rescues--you rule!

 

[Ultra7]

clearly she's a horrible person who has no business going into medicine. 🙄

I think "horrible person" might be a bit harsh, but there are SO MANY unwanted dogs in this world, the chance of finding your dog a good new home is unfortunately very low. You should realize that it might take quite a bit of work to find a no-kill shelter or rescue that will accept an owner surrender.
Hundreds (thousands?) of dogs are put down every day. Older dogs are generally harder to find homes for; as you can tell from the previous posts on this thread, most people like puppies!
Joonie's post brings up a good point for us all to think about...
Please, please, please, for those of you considering getting dogs, think of what you will do with the dog not just in medical school, but in residency, and beyond. If you are not married, what will you do if you fall in love with someone who is allergic? (I would personally choose the dog, but that's just me 🙂 ) If you think you might have kids within the next 15 years, choose a dog that is good with kids! Dogs and cats live many years, and they need you for all of them, not just when they are young and it is convenient for you.

 

[GA_MDhopeful]

YEAH, I am crazy/happy/busy and SO not lonely with these monsters. It's been easy, though, really. Dogs are pack animals, and as long as they see you as the top dog, they all fall in line. The girls (labs) are both over 4 years old, so they're slowing down, and they helped the st. bernard figure out the routine.

ingamina...

would you say having two labs was a good idea? my bf and i are thinking about getting another lab to keep our current "son" company. we'll both be in school next year (or working if it doesn't work out), so we thought we'd get a house wherever we end up and, as a result, possibly get another dog. we would get the pup now, of course, to have her as fully-trained as well before next fall. advice? two better than one? or maybe too much to handle?

 

[IAMS]

If you can give both dogs the attention they need through the transitionary puppyhood time (I'd say the first 8 months), it should work out great. Some dogs will regress into puppyhood when they see you doling out attention to a new puppy, or become depressed, or exert dominance over the new puppy. They will grow to be best friends.. It just takes love and patience, and they'll adapt to anything you bring home!

 

[MrBurns10]

A few people mentioned the hassle of trying to find a place for a dog if you go away for a weekend, but couldn't you just take the dog with you? Like if you have a small dog, taking him on a plane wouldn't be too problematic, would it? I've been wanting a dachshund for I don't know how long, but I've been waiting for the right time to get one. and what if you're in a cold weather environment? I know I'd probably be less inclined to take a dog for long walks when it's freezing outside, but that wouldn't exactly be healthy for the dog. Any thoughts?

 

[SuzieQ3417]

and what if you're in a cold weather environment? I know I'd probably be less inclined to take a dog for long walks when it's freezing outside, but that wouldn't exactly be healthy for the dog. Any thoughts?

It really just depends on the breed. Some of the smaller dogs (maltese pops to mind) don't tolerate cold weather very well and can get sick. Larger dogs, particulary those in the sporting group, are really made for the outdoors (hunting and such). I don't think you should leave your dog outside when its cold, but an hour walk shouldn't hurt it. I think you just have to be careful and make sure snow doesn't collect too much in between their paws, because they can get frostbite. We take our dog out in the snow all the time and she absolutely loves it. They're running around so much I don't think they realize how cold it is.

 

[miko2005]

I have a small maltese that I got at 12 weeks old before my 3rd year. Not the best time to get a dog since I always felt guilty about leaving him home alone. First and second year should be better time since you would have much more free time. My dog can easily go 8-10 hrs without needing to potty but he is also trained to go inside on peepee pads which only works if your dog is small (ours is ~7 lbs). He was already potty trained by the breeder!! If you are going to get a dog, either save one from a shelter or get one from a good breeder -- do not buy from a pet store!!!

Also, I frequently fly with my dog because he is small. The airlines charge ~$80 each way but its awfully convenient. There are also lots of hotels that allow pets, so traveling with him is never a problem!! 🙂

And finally, you would not need a yard for a small dog since they don't have as much energy and its easier to find an apartment that allows smaller dog than larger one.

 

[etown]

ingamina...

would you say having two labs was a good idea? my bf and i are thinking about getting another lab to keep our current "son" company. we'll both be in school next year (or working if it doesn't work out), so we thought we'd get a house wherever we end up and, as a result, possibly get another dog. we would get the pup now, of course, to have her as fully-trained as well before next fall. advice? two better than one? or maybe too much to handle?

In my experience (3 labs over the years), labs these days are too hyper to leave to their own devices for 8+ hours indoors for the first few years of their life. If they will be outdoors or have outdoor access during the day, go for it, but if they will be cooped up in a small apartment, I say go for a smaller breed to keep your "son" company. I mean, imagine two of those huge tails knocking things over, the chewing (lab pups are notorious for chewing), the running around the house... Labs do have great dispositions, though, and generally get along well with smaller, less destructive dogs.