Dog?

[pmdc222]

Hey everyone,

I'm an entering 2007 med student and I've wanted a dog for a long time. Is it possible to have a dog while in medical school? More specifically, is it possible when you don't have another person at home during the day?

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[Sartre79]

Hey everyone,

I'm an entering 2007 med student and I've wanted a dog for a long time. Is it possible to have a dog while in medical school? More specifically, is it possible when you don't have another person at home during the day?

As the proud owner of 2 dogs (a golden and a Choc Lab), I would really recommend against it. I will be starting this fall as well, but I also have a wife who shares the responsibility with me (actually takes more than her fair share). If you leave or go somewhere, it really becomes a hassle to find someone to watch the pet and costs money to board them (currently costs us 20 a day when we travel). There are also vet bills to consider. I would estimate that a yearly check up to get shots, worming, so on etc. alone costs 250 in the burbs of Minneapolis (vet costs vary from region to region). This is assuming you have a dog with no problems. My golden has severe allergies and literally bites her own hair off/gets skin infections/etc. The initial visit to get her an allergy test and serum for immunotherapy cost $800. Serum costs 180 every 6 months. Anti-biotics and steroids cost 50 minimum a piece as well. Then there is dog food and toys, which can vary from breed to breed. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my dogs but they are the equivalent to a furry child (obviously not as much work as a child, but is a responsibility nonetheless), and have needs that you have to attend to. Consider the lifestyle you will lead as a med student and then ask if it's fair to the dog.

 

[DrMidlife]

Having a great dog is awesome.

That said, if you haven't had one before, this is not the best time to get one. Not all dogs are great dogs. Don't get a dog if any of the following over the next 8 years would make you get rid of the dog (not fair to the dog!):

1. Can't find dog-friendly housing (your residency may be elsewhere)
2. Can't spend $1500 for an emergency vet visit
3. Can't stand cleaning up poop
4. Can't control barking and the neighbors are complaining
5. Boyfriend/girlfriend doesn't like dogs
6. Can't provide a consistent food/exercise routine
7. No time for obedience classes
8. You have to live alone AND you can't be home predictably
9. Turns out you're allergic

Seriously, it's about the same as having a kid. If you can't take it as seriously as having a kid, then the dog will end up in a shelter. Avoid that.

Best of luck to you.

 

[omgwtfbbq?]

I appreciate the concerns of the above poster. Especially when you first get a dog, it's helpful to have... well... help. I got my puppy the year before med school when i was in a graduate creative writing program, and found that my boyfriend's help with the dog was invaluable, especially since I had a thing for writing in the evening at borders. But then I realized that my penchant for Borders was kind of ridiculous with a living critter at home, so I went home. Now i study from home, write from home, go home before going out at night (if i get to ever go out!) to let out the dog , take him on a walk.


People tried to dissuade me from taking him to med school with me, but he's come. I don't find walking him a chore, or playing with him a chore. he's the best company, always happy to see me, and a lovely little soul. He's also quiet when I study and not a constant barker. ADDITIONALLY I go to med school just 5 hours from home, so if i have to, I can take the dog home. Not convenient, we're talking if i'm going away for a while. As for vet bills, yeah, they happen. He had stomach trouble for a while, but now he's fine and its not too costly.

But they are like having a kid. My suggestion would be that if you're willing to spend time walking in the morning, evening and playing a bit you're fine. Most people with dogs have full time jobs. In this way they're not at all like kids. You can't leave a baby alone all day. You can leave your dog.

So how to do it? DON'T GET A PUPPY!!! DON'T GET A PUPPY!!! THAT takes up the time. Get a year old at least, housetrained rescue with a quiet personality and you'll be fine. Good luck.

 

[pmdc222]

Thanks for your comments everyone. They are very much appreciated. I always had dogs growing up as my parents are quite the animal lovers. My mother currently has a lab that she trained as a therapy dog and takes into nursing homes. Since I have been living in my own apartment, however, I have always missed and wanted the company of a dog! I have previously worked as a paramedic full time (24 hour shifts) so it has not even been an option.

My apartment allows animals and I was thinking along the lines of a smaller dog (ie pug), but I wasn't sure if a day away at school was still too long to leave them alone. How late are people usually at school? I have a roommate who claims that she would help out and a boyfriend who is enthusiastic about the idea and sharing responsibilities, but I don't want to count on this every day.

Obviously, I would wait a little while to get used to the med school thing and get a feel for my schedule but I'm just curious what other people think!

 

[BusterDO]

I was in the same situation last year. On the one hand, I am married and my wife all for getting a dog too, but on the other hand, I do the majority of the work. If you do get a puppy, i recommend waiting till it is warmer outside; I had to get up in the middle of the night to let him do his business in the winter time. I was concerned about the time left in the crate as well, but I always come home for lunch, so for a day where i'm at school all day, they at least had one break. Our schedule isn't usually all day every day, so there are some days where I get to spend a lot of time with them and there are other days where i just keep them up later at night to burn off some energy. I also don't study at school, if I was out of the house until midnight every night, it wouldn't be fair to the dogs. By the way, we got our first dog right after school started, and our second dog this spring; boxer and blue tick mix.

I agree with the financial concerns, but you're going to have to make sacrifices eventually; it's just a responsibility you are going to have to face, but I personally feel that it has been worth it. We also signed up for dog classes, so we would spend an hour once a week with a group of people that weren't affiliated with med school, which was a nice break. i think my boys help keep me sane!

As for going away, boarding does cost, but more than likely you're going to meet people that aren't leaving when you are, and would love to take in a little dog for a short time. We have personally done it for friends of ours; at one time we had 4 dogs in our house...that was a little much.

I really like having dogs during school. They usually just sleep at my feet when i'm studying; I love them to death, they are great study partners.

 

[mudphudwannabe]

We just got a dog last weekend after I took Step 1. If you get a dog, make sure it's a time when you don't have to be away for long periods of time, like before you start med school or during a break rather than during med school. It can be a difficult adjustment at first, and even dogs that seem calm can become destructive with such big changes in their lives. Unless you know your roommate really well, I wouldn't count on her to take care of the dog. It will get old fast. After all, it's not her dog, and she shouldn't have to deal with the problems of owning a dog. I wouldn't even consider getting a puppy if you're living in an apartment...you don't want to deal with house training, chewing, etc when a substantial security deposit is on the line, and they just require so much time and attention, it wouldn't be fair to the puppy.

How much time you spend at school is kind of an individual thing and depends on your school -- during first year there were some late days with anatomy lab, but on days we didn't have lab I skipped class a lot. Second year there were a lot more days when we had lecture only in the morning, and occasionally small groups in the afternoon -- we were usually done by 3:30. There was always the option to watch lectures online, but small groups were required. However, if you plan on studying at school, you could be there all hours. It just depends on your style. I preferred to study (or..not study..) at home. It really depends on the dog if it's too long to leave them at home or not. Our 6 year old hound mix freaks out when we are gone for any length of time -- it may just be a problem that will go away once she adjusts to the new environment, but I honestly would not know how we would handle it if my husband weren't home all day (he works from home).

Anyway, as I'm sure you're aware, it's a big responsibility. Remember that even with a calm, well trained dog, problems arise. Will you be ready to deal with dog puke on the carpet at 7am when you're trying to rush out the door for class? I would wait until you're a little more settled into the routine of med school and then re-evaluate how you think a dog would fit into your life.

 

[pillowhead]

Thanks for your comments everyone. They are very much appreciated. I always had dogs growing up as my parents are quite the animal lovers. My mother currently has a lab that she trained as a therapy dog and takes into nursing homes. Since I have been living in my own apartment, however, I have always missed and wanted the company of a dog! I have previously worked as a paramedic full time (24 hour shifts) so it has not even been an option.

Remember that in 3rd and 4th year, you will be working 24+ shifts on a fairly regular basis. once you're in residency, you will be working 24+ shifts on a very regular basis. Therefore, having a dog as a single person, while not totally impossible if you live by yourself, is extremely difficult, expensive, and leads you to rely A LOT on the kindness of friends and neighbors to help walk the dog. Quite frankly, I think it's really unfair to the dog (and my husband and I had a dog in med school so I know what it's like.) Really, while the first two years would be easy, it would be almost impossible after that to do by yourself.

 

[pmdc222]

Thanks everyone for your advice. I will definitely take it to heart - the last thing I want to do is not give a dog the attention that it deserves!