Getting a pet while in Vet school

[Biomajir]

Anyone else thinking getting a pet when they start vet school? For me it will be the first time in my life I have actually lived on my own with my own stuff (dormitory doesn't count) and so I really want to get a dog, a great dane actually. I was just wondering if this would be unfair to the dog because I would be away most of the day. Anyone have any input?

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[Starwrecker]

I think it would be unfair, but that's not to say it can't be done. I know a large number of people that have dogs in vet school and it seems to work just fine for them. My husband is making me wait until graduation for a dog, so I'm stuck with cats.

Do be careful with a Dane, though. They can get quite attached to their person and are known to have some separation anxiety issues if not brought up/trained/desensitized properly.

With that said...good luck!!!

 

[wi girl]

I'm planning on having my cocker spaniel with me, who is used to being by herself during working hours. She really loves her chew bones! That being said, I wouldn't have a dog that wasn't already used to "business hours". And I'm planning on having my parents/roommates help out when I have really bad weeks for studying (already discussed with them; my parents are calling it joint custody).

I do think that dogs enrich your life though (obviously) and know that there are times at school now that I get a bit sad/depressed because she's not here with me (no dog-friendly places to rent). Best bet would be to get the dog early in the summer/now so that you can house-break, etc (if not adopting) and also acclimate it to a 8-5 schedule.

 

[cwazy cat lady]

I don't think I'd saddle myself with a new dog/puppy when starting vet school. (Actually I know I wouldn't, but that's me...) have you thought about waiting until after your first semester or year? A Great Dane, esp., would be a lot of work and I'd be worried that it could make your studies/schedule a lot more stressful...

If you've waited all your life, what's a half a year or a year more? After all, animals are a commitment for their lives... for a Great Dane, that can be approx. a decade or so... that responsibility is almost scarier than going to vet school.

 

[Starwrecker]

Best bet would be to get the dog early in the summer/now so that you can house-break, etc (if not adopting) and also acclimate it to a 8-5 schedule.

Keep in mind, too, that vet school isn't always 'just' 8-5. Especially if you have to work or decide to volunteer, attend study sessions, etc. I'd sure feel bad for a dog that has to be alone from 7am till whenever you get home at night.

 

[laurafinn]

I wouldn't do it at this point. Wait at least until you've settled into your new place and acclimated to your schedule.

I brought my dog along to school, and he is great, but it would definitely be easier without a dog. Taking care of the dog really affects summer plans, too.

You might consider being a foster home for a local animal shelter. That way, you aren't making a long term commitment. And you're doing a good deed too!

 

[Hobiecat1642]

I agree--that would be stressful on you and the dog, especially since it is not accustomed to being alone. Better to wait until graduation.

 

[Rebeki]

I agree that if you can get a dog over the summer to acclimate it to your anticipated schedule that would be a good idea. Also, fostering for a humane society is a great idea to get you used to having to care for a pet, ie being home at certain times, making time to give it exercise.

My one last bit of advice, that as a fellow lover of great danes, I know may be hard to take....as a renter, it will be MUCH easier if you get a small dog. Landlords are much more willing to take on a 10 lb dog than an 80-100 lb great dane. Also, if you train them to wee-wee pads, it could make your life easier as well. I LOVE my 50 lb terrier mix, however, he is a lot less portable and higher maintenance as far as space and exercise requirements than a little dog would be.

 

[wi girl]

Keep in mind, too, that vet school isn't always 'just' 8-5. Especially if you have to work or decide to volunteer, attend study sessions, etc. I'd sure feel bad for a dog that has to be alone from 7am till whenever you get home at night.

Thanks for that addition -- luckily I've already planned for this, but I know it could be difficult for those who don't have their family nearby.

 

[pressmom]

I'll second a lot of this. There's a saying in vet school, "It's not WHETHER your pets will get neglected but HOW MUCH."

Fortunately, I have two dogs so they keep each other pretty well entertained, but I try to play with them a half hour and take them on a 20 minute walk once a day. (Other walks tend to be, pee, com'on pee NOW.)

One is trained to potty pads, but that's dangerous because it's hard to get them untrained from going in your house, and you may not want them to go in your house later on.

I try to get home and walk them by 3 or 4 but it's hard on the days I have gross anatomy lab or parasitology lab in the afternoons because they tend to last a long time.

If you have your heart set on a dog, try to get an adult that is already housebroken, since with a puppy, you'd have to leave at lunch to walk it and you may miss club meetings and have trouble finding parking when you get back. (I know this is the case at TN.) But some of my classmates did get puppies and made the sacrifice, but I'm glad my dogs are 4 and 5.

 

[Biomajir]

Well, as much as I hate to admit it, I suppose it really would be too much to care care for a dog and go to school. It's hard to see the realistic side of things when it's something you really want lol. I don't want to have a dog that gets ignored all day and it is true that I probably will be gone for more than 8-5 every day. And while I suppose I could get a small dog and train it to potty pads, I really and truly want a dane and a 12 year commitment is alot for a small dog I don't actually want. So I suppose I will wait and see how things go, and maybe in a few years I will be comfortable enough in my schedule and go ahead and get one. Thanks for the advice guys. I will stick to snakes for awhile now, they don't mind if I am gone all day.

 

[VetMed555]

This is not encouraging at all. I would definitely NOT get a dog in vet. school. The problem is, I already have 2 dogs (7 and 9 years old) and 2 cats (2 and 10 years old) that are coming with me to vet. school, so I pretty much HAVE to make time for them, since my husband is not coming to vet school with me. I'm scared. I really hope they won't be much more neglected than they are now when I'm in undergrad.

 

[StealthDog]

I got a dog the summer before vet school started, and while we did have to deal with some separation anxiety issues, she's gotten good at being alone during the day. The U of MN has on-campus kennels for students to keep their dogs in if they know they'll have a long day, which is what I did with my dog most of first year. Now that I live with my boyfriend, things are a little easier and Winnie doesn't have to come to school with me as often.

Having a dog is one of the things that keeps me sane during school and keeps me connected to why I'm putting myself through this in the first place. She forces me to get my nose out of my books and spend some time outside, too. She brings some much-needed balance to my life, and I think I'm a better student for it!

 

[Angie09]

I have 3 dogs, and from what I can tell, they spend their day sleeping on the bed and seem pretty happy about it. Would they rather spend the day going for a long hike in the woods, going to the dog park and playing ball for an hour, working on their vocabulary for half an hour, having me set up agility obstacles in the back yard for them, and then feeding them food I cooked myself? I'm sure they would! However, I don't anticipate ever being a stay-at-home-dog-mom, and even the most basic 9-5 job would preclude me from giving them that kind of lifestyle.

Right now I have a job I love, where I work about 65 hours a week. I walk the dogs for 15 or 20 minutes right before I leave for work, and then for 30-45 minutes when I get home from work, and every weekend I try to take them hiking, or to the beach, or somewhere fun and energy-releasing. When the weather is nice, I try to run each of them for a couple of miles a couple of times a week. Do I think the situation will be different in vet school? To some extent, probably, but not dramatically different. And I'd love to have more time to spend with them, but they are a priority to me, and I hope I'm giving them a decent life, and that they're happy.

Especially if you have roommates, I would think you'd be fine. I absolutely agree with the advice not to get a puppy, but a house-trained (or house-trainable over the summer) adult should be fine, as long as you're willing to make the dog a priority. If you can find a place close to school, even better -- I didn't want to live more than 5-6 blocks away, so that I'm close enough to run home and let them out and play with them at lunch sometimes. There are a lot of evenings when I have to leave work to walk the dogs and then go back, weekends when I can't sleep late because they want to go outside, or nights when I want to go out with friends after work but feel bad about leaving the dogs home alone and so I go home and walk them and play with them instead. I guess it's just a matter of how important it is to you to have a dog -- they make me happier than anything else in the world, so anything I have to give up to take care of them seems minor in comparison. (God that sounds sappy! You should see how cute they are, though)

 

[wi girl]

Having a dog is one of the things that keeps me sane during school and keeps me connected to why I'm putting myself through this in the first place. She forces me to get my nose out of my books and spend some time outside, too. She brings some much-needed balance to my life, and I think I'm a better student for it!

This is exactly why I'm going to have my dog with me ... I need to remember there is a life outside of school.

 

[Quaggi]

I think it's completely realistic to have a dog in vet school. I adopted one of the retired teaching dogs from my school during the first month of first year. Lucky for me he's a total couch potato and is perfectly fine sleeping all day, and does fine by himself. I even had to housebreak him, which was easy too. Almost all of my friends have dogs, it's really not a big deal. also its not like every school has class ever day 8-5, and especially if you like to study at home it's really no problem. just make sure you get a dog that can handle being alone for long periods. it really helps to have them around, it can remind you sometimes of why you're putting yourself through all of this misery!!

 

[Badger Girl]

I'm not in vet school (yet....), but I don't think I could make it without pets! They're at least half the reason why I would be there. Plus, I love coming home to a bunch of pets at the end of a stressful day. It helps to take your mind off things so that you always remember that someone loves you! Of course, there are realistic concerns about leaving pets for long periods of time, but if you do what you can to give them the best care you can give, it seems to work out fine. My friend is a 3rd year vet student and she has 3 dogs....hasn't been a problem for her. She may have picked one or two of them up along the way. I'm sure there will be many along the way that steal my heart.

 

[frightfan]

I agree with badger girl I have a 7 year old apartment sized dog who moved in with me when my mom passed away. It took him awhile to get used to not having people around all the time but I try my hardest to make it up when I have spare time. I also need him for stress relief. If you ar eworried about neglecting a dog get some fish. watching them swim for a bit realy clears my head

 

[RazorDoc2010]

I got a dog in the beginning of July and started in mid-August. It was a little rough, but I cannot imagine doing this without her. I think it all depends on the person. I mean, I am gone for school a lot leaving her at home alone, but I am also off a lot more than I expected and usually have plenty of time to take her out for a walk. Some people have so many other responsibilities I could see where it would not be so great to have to come home and let the dog out, but for me, it's awesome.

 

[reefervet]

I will be bringing at least 2 dogs with me (wherever I go), I don't really have a choice. I've had one of them for 12 years the other for 8. IF I had the choice, I would say get 1 small dog that can travel with you on a plane easily, jump in the car easily, etc... All of my dogs are HUGE, and it makes things much harder. I would hold off on the Great Dane for sure.

I think it's important to have a life outside of vet school and a small dog would be a good way to go.

 

[Etherealsheep]

I'm in the same boat! I'm trying to decide if I want to get a dog this summer before starting vet school. I've got my heart set on a retired racing Greyhound. Haha, I've read they can sleep up to 18 hours per day and they already come crate-trained. Unfortunately in the racing industry, they spend a lot of time in crates and adapt to apartments fairly well. I think I'll be happier with a dog. I've also heard that vet students get their dogs together for some socialization time.

 

[ri23]

I'm in the same boat! I'm trying to decide if I want to get a dog this summer before starting vet school. I've got my heart set on a retired racing Greyhound. Haha, I've read they can sleep up to 18 hours per day and they already come crate-trained. Unfortunately in the racing industry, they spend a lot of time in crates and adapt to apartments fairly well. I think I'll be happier with a dog. I've also heard that vet students get their dogs together for some socialization time.

I don't know where you are planning on going, but OSU works in conjunction with a greyhound organization. They use the dogs for blood donors and therefore all of the dog's food, flea/heartworm medication, vaccines etc. is free. They also waive the adoption fee for students. I would look into seeing if whatever school you go to has a program like that.

 

[Etherealsheep]

I'll be going to Missouri next year. They do have a program like that, but I think there's a waiting list. I kinda want to get a dog this summer so I can train it to be a good citizen before vet school ^_^ I just have to find a dog friendly apartment first.

 

[rosemma]

I was miserable in undergrad without a pet of some sort. I would have felt bad getting a dog because I knew I wanted to go out and have fun with friends, study, and I didn't think my roommates would appreciate it. Instead, I got rats. They were great and good companions, I taught them tricks, and they were actually visibly excited to see me. They obviously weren't a dog, but it was a good compromise. Plus, they only live about 3-4 years so I knew it wasn't a huge commitment. They were great, but after I graduated I did get a dog and I will be taking it to vet school with me. Currently, I work full time, and most days I work 10 hours. So she is used to being home, sleeping, most of the day. Luckily she has been the perfect dog. She was 5 when I got her because I didn't want to deal with having to train a dog. I got her from a rescue that got her from a puppy mill. So, she had some weird quirks at first (she wouldn't walk on grass and she was afraid of EVERYTHING), but overall I think she is just in LOVE with having an owner.

I take her for a 30 minute walk in the morning before work, a walk when I come home from work, and another one right before we go to bed. She hates cold weather so in the winter all she wants to do is walk out the door, pee on the sidewalk, and run back inside. It was nice for me. However, I also didn't have to worry about many vet bills because my dad is a vet.

Ok sorry to make this long but what I am trying to say is YES it does make it harder when you have a dog but I think if you love them then it's worth it. You do have to make sacrifices and find different ways to do things. Also, you have to get the RIGHT dog for you. Do some research. If you are going to be gone most of the day and you live in an apartment I wouldn't get a dog that needs a lot of exercise or will go crazy in such a small space. If you don't have time to train a puppy look into rescuing an older dog. Just know what you are getting into, but you can do it. At least I would think so (I am basing this on what I have experienced with my dog and I am not yet in vet school).

 

[Foofur]

I am in my first year vet school and next semester I am moving into a studio apartment all by my self. I am not allowed dogs so therefore I have decided to adopt two guinea pigs! I have been doing a lot of research on them, and they seem like the perfect pet for me.
Does anyone have any first hand experience with GPs?

I cannot wait until next semester!

 

[Rebeki]

I've got my heart set on a retired racing Greyhound.

I worked with greyhounds and it is true that they are crate trained already, are usually quiet and don't need a ton of exercise - generally very good for apartments and busy people.

However, I'm sure you already know this because it sounds like you've done some research, but the one drawback of greyhounds is that they need to be leash walked or have a 6ft fence. They can basically never be trusted off-leash.

Hope you get a greyhound - They are terrific

 

[NittanyKitty]

I am in my first year vet school and next semester I am moving into a studio apartment all by my self. I am not allowed dogs so therefore I have decided to adopt two guinea pigs! I have been doing a lot of research on them, and they seem like the perfect pet for me.
Does anyone have any first hand experience with GPs?

I cannot wait until next semester!

They are really fun little animals! They have a LOT of personality, generally love people, and are easy to take care of. Ours have always stayed in the kitchen, and whenever the fridge door opens or some plastic wrap is heard they squeal like crazy. They know a treat is probably on the way.

I think they're my favorite "pocket pet". I got my first one when I was six, and from then on we've always had two or three in the house. Pudgie was my first pet that was all my responsibility, so if a six-year-old can keep them happy and healthy, it shows they're pretty resiliant! They're a lot of fun, and they tolerate quite a bit (they don't mind getting squeezed a little by kids). They are definitely a great choice for a pet if you need something caged but want something with a lot of personality.

 

[twelvetigers]

Whenever I happen to get into vet school... haha... I'll already have a corgi and two psychokitties. Everyone is used to Mom and Dad being gone for a lot of the day, so it should work well enough. The real challenge is... not acquiring any MORE pets during vet school... thre are lots of abandoned pets along the way, plus some ickle kittens. Or baby goats! Honestly, I think that baby goats are right up there with kittens and puppies. But, thankfully, I think I can keep myself from brining any goats home.

I can't imagine having a puppy and then trying to house train it with vet school hours... I would definitely see what your schedule is like and make sure you have time to go home and let it out. Otherwise, I can't see it working out well. There's also a risk that it'll eat all your shoes one day.

I think that guinea pigs sound like a great option. They're very cute, they don't really bite, and they go "squeek squeek squeek"! Haha. I have a friend who has rats, and they're actually pretty awesome. This is coming from someone who thought she'd never like rats for pets. Just food for thought.

 

[Steelmagghia]

W The real challenge is... not acquiring any MORE pets during vet school... thre are lots of abandoned pets along the way, plus some ickle kittens. Or baby goats! Honestly, I think that baby goats are right up there with kittens and puppies. But, thankfully, I think I can keep myself from brining any goats home.

Haha! I already have this problem with the vet's office I work at. Personally I think I've done quite well. I only have one pup I saved from the vet's office.

Also, I think the pet deposit on my apartment (when I get one) will probably help me out with the whole self control thing.

 

[winglessflight]

Greyhounds can make great pets, just be careful with two things:

1) most don't know how to go use stairs (at least those that race on the east coast). I worked at a vet that helped out after a CT track closed, and we got about 6 spays and neuters a week throughout the entire summer, and while awesome dogs, none of them knew how to use the stairs. So if you are planning on getting one, you may want to make sure you live in a house or on a lower floor, or get one thats already learned how. They do learn how to use the stairs of course, but there is a learning curve (going up is easier for them to learn than going down).

2) Many cannot be trusted with cats because they were taught to chase small moving objects. Some are advertised as "cat-friendly", but while working at the vets, we had 3 or 4 cat friendly dogs kill the family cats. We also had some that were great with cats, so while its not guaranteed there will be a problem, its definitely something to be aware of.

That being said, its amazing how sweet the dogs were. The ones we saw would come in with whip marks and cigarette burns, some worse than others, yet they would wag their tails and let us do anything to them. Where I work now we have a few clients with retired greyhounds and they make great companions and love to laze around all day.

 

[twelvetigers]

Greyhounds can make great pets, just be careful with two things:

1) most don't know how to go use stairs (at least those that race on the east coast). I worked at a vet that helped out after a CT track closed, and we got about 6 spays and neuters a week throughout the entire summer, and while awesome dogs, none of them knew how to use the stairs. So if you are planning on getting one, you may want to make sure you live in a house or on a lower floor, or get one thats already learned how. They do learn how to use the stairs of course, but there is a learning curve (going up is easier for them to learn than going down).

2) Many cannot be trusted with cats because they were taught to chase small moving objects. Some are advertised as "cat-friendly", but while working at the vets, we had 3 or 4 cat friendly dogs kill the family cats. We also had some that were great with cats, so while its not guaranteed there will be a problem, its definitely something to be aware of.

That being said, its amazing how sweet the dogs were. The ones we saw would come in with whip marks and cigarette burns, some worse than others, yet they would wag their tails and let us do anything to them. Where I work now we have a few clients with retired greyhounds and they make great companions and love to laze around all day.

At OKState, we use greyhounds for blood donors because they are one of the best breeds for that (they are usually universal, and thy have great blood - literally; they can carry lots of oxygen because of their high RBC count). Anyway, we keep them for 3-4 years and then adopt them out in exchange for a new set. I was around when one set was adopted out. I loved all four of them, but because I had the two cats, I just wasn't comfortable with it.

They can have strange phobias as well. Malibu was TERREFIED of loud noises (planes, semi trucks using jake brakes, etc.). He would just put his tail between his legs and shake like a little chihuahua. Jordan, on the other hand, had this weird thing where, if ANY weight was put on her,she would freak out. If you leaned or pushed on her, she'd snap at you... and if a leaf or a bug landed on her backside, she'd start running in circles going, "Aah! Aah! Get it off me! Aah!" Haha.

So, just be sure you really know what you're in for, and do your research on the dog before bringing it home.

 

[winglessflight]

haha, yeah, they definitely can have some strange phobias, and many that i saw were better with women than men. many we saw didn't like the loud noises either, i can't blame them after their background. also, they had awful teeth from the diets they ate, and needed more frequent dentals then some breeds. the ones we saw were about 2-4 years old (again, they were retired early because the track closed), and ALL of them needed a dental when they got their spay/neuter. not that thats something that would detract from getting one, just an interesting observation.

 

[cupcakebandit]

While on the subject of breed specifics, does anyone have any thoughts on Burnese Mountain Dogs?

 

[winglessflight]

While on the subject of breed specifics, does anyone have any thoughts on Burnese Mountain Dogs?

ooo, i love them, but I won't be able to offer as much help as some other people here though. I've met two that stick out to me, one awesome (which is the reason i love them), and one that was awful because the owner didn't feel the need to train it. from what i have seen, they can be great dogs, but like all other big dogs, they require proper training from the beginning or they can be quite hard to handle because of their size, and have quite a bit of energy when they're young. my biggest problem with them is that their life expectancy isn't the best, but again, that isn't unique to the breed specifically, but big dogs in general.

 

[BlistexWorks]

While on the subject of breed specifics, does anyone have any thoughts on Burnese Mountain Dogs?

I love them Bernese Mountain Dogs! Careful, though, as the heritability for quantitative diseases and predispositions to vector-borne diseases is elevated for the breed. Make sure they are on a good flea/tick preventative as these breeds are more subject to Lyme disease than many other breeds. A friend of mine had one that passed away at 3 years of age from the disease, most likely because of a tick vector that had been in contact with infected rats (in a Manhattan apartment). There is limited peer-reviewed, published data on this but it is indeed evident. Also, make sure they don't grow too fast (choose your nutrition carefully) and do not get too much high-impact exercise in their first 2 years (even going up and down stairs every day).

I don't know what you were referring to with your question (I just scrolled down to the last post and saw one of my favorite breeds mentioned) but they are a great breed of dog.

Also...they can be aloof with strangers if not socialized properly. Early exposure to everything is extremely important for them. They are not a loud breed, but when they do bark it is pretty powerful. Now you made me want to get one!!!

 

[laurafinn]

I need to take my own advice. Looks like I'll have a new kitty come Saturday Thankfully I'm done with my farm practical work - so no more extended periods away from home - and the kitty is a senior citizen, well-trained and chill.

 

[Etherealsheep]

Wow! Thanks for all your help with greyhound info! I'm definitely doing my research first. I've been talking to vets and rescue agencies, but it's really great to get an insider's perspective on having one during vet school! Thanks for your help!

 

[Electrophile]

Wow! Thanks for all your help with greyhound info! I'm definitely doing my research first. I've been talking to vets and rescue agencies, but it's really great to get an insider's perspective on having one during vet school! Thanks for your help!

There is a BEAUTIFUL orange brindle blood donor greyhound at Mizzou. He would make a fabulous therapy dog too, friendly and calm. I don't remember what his name is (he wears a collar that says "Grizz," but that's not his name). You'll see them in the fall during dog palpations during anatomy lab. You should get him!

I have four dogs in vet school: two purebred Belgian Malinois, a Malinois/German shepherd mix, and a husky/Rottweiler mix. Malinois are probably about the most hardcore high maintenance breed there is (they're called the Ferrari of working dogs). We do just fine. In fact, I love the days after class I can go out on the trails and walk with them off leash or even better, bike with them off leash. Good stress relief! The thing about vet school is, you'll always make time for what's important to you. That meant first semester not getting to socialize with everyone at lunch cause I had to run home every day to let the puppy (who's now 11 months old) out. But that was priority for me, so I didn't mind. Hope that helps!

 

[reefervet]

Awesome dogs! Please share more details about your schedule and arrangements to keep 4 dogs while in vet school. Do you have a large yard? Where do they stay during the day? Do they all get along together, unsupervised? Thanks!

 

[Etherealsheep]

I've decided to get a greyhound (probably in May). The apartment I'll be living at waived the pet fee (even for a big ole greyhound!), b/c my roommate and I will both be vet students. I think having a roommate will help too. The agency I'll be adopting from fosters all greys before adopting them out. So they know the personalities all of the available hounds well, housetrain, and help them adjust to life outside the races before adopting them out (including stairs). I've already talked to some of the reps, and I trust them to pick out a great dog for my situation, I realize it will be hard in vet school with a dog, but I know I will make time for it. Hehe, I've already started reading "Retired Racing Greyhounds for Dummies."

Goodluck to everyone else deciding whether or not to get a dog/pet.

 

[Kymmy16w]

I want to get a pair of female rats. I used to have rats when I was young. I bet they would make a great pet and wouldn't get too depressed when I'm gone most of the day.

 

[Kara31191]

Gah. Looks like no macaws during vet school! I'm really sad because I literally only have 1 year left with my birds. Senior year of HS; then it's off to college... no birds... vet school... no birds... Maybe I'll get my first cat?

 

[HeartSong]

Ha, my first year I got a 4 day old puppy 6 weeks before finals. Anyone know how much work it is to hand raise a puppy that young? (BTW, they were found dumped on the side of the road.) Yeah, I had to wake up every two hours to feed him and stimulate him to potty. I took him to class with me and my life basically revolved around him with vet school thrown in here and there. I still have him, he's learning to do freestyle and regular obedience. I have two other dogs and this past Christmas I got a 6 month old kitten. I couldn't imagine it any other way.

It can be done. Especially if you live close enough to school to run home during breaks. As for how much mine are neglected? 0% They're spoiled rotten and tell me to go away more often than they tell me I don't spend enough time with them.

 

[PAThbrd]

I just got an 11 week old puppy, who is 13 weeks now Definitely doable!

 

[Steelmagghia]

I admire both of you. Puppies are too much for me with anything else. That's part of why I adopt.
Although, I have done the whole rescue-at-two-weeks-old thing with several kittens (so many strays here). For some reason, kittens don't seem as daunting to me.
But then, I'm allergic to cats, so I always have to find homes for kittens after 4-8 months. Puppies...I get too attached.

 

[PAThbrd]

she was adopted my perfect little long haired purebred GSD that I wanted just dropped out of the sky into the shelter for me saving me from going to a breeder

 

[whitefang2012]

Aww... I have my own GSD - my dad brought him from Russia when he was just a bit less than 2 months old (almost 11 years ago now..) and I love him to bits. He's got a torn ligament in his knee, lupus and lyme though so I'm unsure if the name "Lucky" suits him very well...but that's life!

I'm heavily leaning on getting a young dog this summer for when I move away from home (not puppy but youngish...) and still unsure what I want. Figure I will go to the shelter and decide there. My only fear is that Ill bring the whole shelter home!

 

[PAThbrd]

Why in the world did y'all ever name him Lucky? We all know bad things happen to pets named Lucky!

 

[PAThbrd]

Side note, my vet school friends all wanted me to name the pup Addison (or Addy) so she would be Addison Shepherd (like Grey's) but I was too afraid she'd get Addison's dz.

So her name is Bryce.

 

[whitefang2012]

LoL I named him Lucky because his German breeding papers had some long german name i couldnt make out..but it began with an L and I was 10 and couldnt come up with anything better.