Getting a puppy in Med School

[osumc2014]

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is it a good idea? I know theres some mixed reviews, I'm seriously considering it and I want to know if anyone has done this and how it went?

 

[sidalexis]

is it a good idea? I know theres some mixed reviews, I'm seriously considering it and I want to know if anyone has done this and how it went?

Are you going to be living alone? If so, I wouldn't suggest it. I wanted one, but I figured I would be gone too many hours of the day and dogs need more attention. My suggestion...get a cat.

 

[Mattabet]

My suggestion...get a cat.

The total cost of ownership of a cat is too high. My suggestion, get a computer.

New Pet

It won't love you as much, but it generates about the same amount of heat.

 

[osumc2014]

Are you going to be living alone? If so, I wouldn't suggest it. I wanted one, but I figured I would be gone too many hours of the day and dogs need more attention. My suggestion...get a cat.

No i would have a roomie earning his masters.

 

[FuturaDocta]

Well, you may want to get two of them since you may not be there to play with them all the time. I personally think dogs are great to have especially when you stress out over college. They can really ease your worries 😉.

Will you have a backyard or will you have to take them outside every time they need to do their business?

 

[bunnity]

This thread might interest you - it was about vet school but should be pretty relevant:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=619305&highlight=time+care+dog

My advice is that if you want a dog, adopt one that is a few years old, so that it will be house-trained and not quite as frantically energetic as a puppy. There are plenty of 1-2 year old dogs in shelters that will still have a long life with you but aren't as high maintenance as puppies. Petfinder.com is a great site (and has baby puppies too if you're set on that🙂).

ETA: Also, if you'd like to do a "test drive" before making that big commitment, you could foster a puppy or two from a local shelter. Often puppies need to be in foster homes until they are old enough to be spayed/neutered, or have to finish out a course of medication before adoption, etc. That way you could have a puppy for a few weeks and that might give you some idea of how feasible it would be for you. And of course if you fell in love with that puppy you could adopt it then.

 

[osumc2014]

This thread might interest you - it was about vet school but should be pretty relevant:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=619305&highlight=time+care+dog

My advice is that if you want a dog, adopt one that is a few years old, so that it will be house-trained and not quite as frantically energetic as a puppy. There are plenty of 1-2 year old dogs in shelters that will still have a long life with you but aren't as high maintenance as puppies. Petfinder.com is a great site (and has baby puppies too if you're set on that🙂).

ETA: Also, if you'd like to do a "test drive" before making that big commitment, you could foster a puppy or two from a local shelter. Often puppies need to be in foster homes until they are old enough to be spayed/neutered, or have to finish out a course of medication before adoption, etc. That way you could have a puppy for a few weeks and that might give you some idea of how feasible it would be for you. And of course if you fell in love with that puppy you could adopt it then.

Hmm thanks! never heard of the foster idea, but sounds very good

 

[Rach83]

Hmm thanks! never heard of the foster idea, but sounds very good

Yeah a lot of shelters and breed specific rescues take applications for foster homes. If you have your heart set on a specific breed, there are tons of pure breed rescues that you could help out. I'd recommend fostering retired racing greyhounds. They are the most chill breed and will sleep on the couch until it's time for a walk.😍

 

[NoMoreAMCAS]

What kind of puppy you looking at getting?

 

[Dulcina]

i have a dog (3 yrs old), and while I'm sure she'll take extra work, i'm so happy i'll have her in med school =)

 

[searun]

is it a good idea? I know theres some mixed reviews, I'm seriously considering it and I want to know if anyone has done this and how it went?

Frankly, it is a bad idea. It you care about the dog, it is a bad idea. You will be too busy, especially third year, to provide the attention that a dog needs. Get some fish or a canary. I am an animal lover, thumbs down on the dog at this point in your life. Sure, you might feel better, but the dog gets screwed. So, hopefully, you are not one of those, "yeah, but it is all about me," kind of guys.

People that have kids and animals but don't have time to take care of them, and pawn them off on someone else, well, what can I say.

 

[wakegirl]

I have a two year old cocker spaniel and have worried about how I will deal with the stress of being away from her during med school. However, perhaps I am one of those selfish people, but I can't imagine not coming home to her waggy tailed, smiling face everyday.

Dogs = good stress relief. It's hard not to feel better about my day when I see her. And compared to most dogs in a shelter--she lives a very decent life (even if a large part of her day is in her crate).

So its a tough decision--but I don't think I will ever live without a dog for the rest of my life. Such an animal lover...😍

 

[MossPoh]

If you already have one then obviously you aren't going to get rid of it, but i can't honestly recommend getting a dog as a single person in medical school. It is doable the first 2 years if you study at home. The second half, not so much. I think it is just flat out cruel to the animal to trap it inside, so if you do then you'll have to front extra money for a place with a yard too.

 

[Helen Wheels]

I wouldn't recommend a puppy to a busy person. Puppies need a lot of training and your chances of housebreaking the pup successfully aren't very good if you are gone all day. I also recommend an older dog from the shelter. Many of them are already housebroken which is a huge plus. I have a Cattle Dog mix that I adopted from the shelter 7 months ago. She was already housebroken and knew some basic commands. Still, it is going to be a challenge from the 3rd year of med school on out taking care of her. I will probably have to hire a pet sitter to come in and take care of her when I am not home for long periods.

 

[NoMoreAMCAS]

Keep in mind that shelter dogs are usually ugly, they were given up for a reason. Get you a thoroughbred from a puppy store.

 

[bunnity]

NoMoreAMCAS, hopefully you are joking, but if you aren't...

First, there are plenty of very cute dogs in shelters. Second, I've seen plenty of intake forms and people do not give up their dogs because of how the dogs look. Reasons I've seen include losing a house and having to move to a pet-free apartment, an elderly owner dying, allergies to the pet, a change in lifestyle that no longer leaves time for the pet, and lack of dedication to proper training leading to behavior problems.

Third, dogs in pet stores are often not purebred (and rather are "hybrid" designer dogs that do not represent a real breed) and even if they are, they are the product of irresponsible backyard breeding. A responsible breeder will rigorously screen potential buyers, perform genetic testing, require that the pet is spayed or neutered upon purchase, and have a contact stating that the animal can be returned to the breeder at any time if necessary. Pet stores do not provide any of these measures and are notorious for selling sick and poorly bred stock. There are certain circumstances where a pure breed is preferable (like if the dog will be used for work and must be very robustly bred) but this type of dog will not be found in a pet store - this is where the responsible breeder comes in.

Fourth, there is a huge overpopulation of domestic dogs and cats leaving many shelters with no choice but to euthanize many of the animals coming in. This problem will not go away if people continue to purchase at pet stores, which funnels more animals into the system (and into shelters, eventually).

And on a completely practical level, you can spend $75 at a shelter and get a dog that is up to date with vaccines, spayed/neutered, and screened for behavioral problems. Or, you can go to a pet store and pay $2000 for a dog with none of those things. Better to save the money, if you have it, for an emergency vet fund (people also surrender animals to shelters when they cannot afford proper medical care for them).

Anyway, OP it sounds like you're doing the right thing by thinking things through and not being impulsive! I am glad you like the foster idea - I have fostered a couple dogs and several rabbits and found it very rewarding, and nice to not be making that lifetime commitment when the next few years are so up in the air.

 

[NoMoreAMCAS]

NoMoreAMCAS, hopefully you are joking, but if you aren't...

First, there are plenty of very cute dogs in shelters. Second, I've seen plenty of intake forms and people do not give up their dogs because of how the dogs look.

Lol, thanks for the heads up.

 

[SirGecko]

I know that it is tempting to go out and get a puppy, particularly if you've lived on campus and couldn't get a dog before. But you should really consider what your habits will be in school and how much time you will be able to spend with the dog.

I wouldn't recommend picking up a new puppy until you are sure that you would be able to give it enough attention.

 

[Helen Wheels]

Keep in mind that shelter dogs are usually ugly, they were given up for a reason. Get you a thoroughbred from a puppy store.

Seriously, I volunteer at a shelter. Most of the dogs are not ugly. Most of them were surrendered because people did not seriously consider the work involved owning a dog. The average age of a shelter dog is 9 months (when the puppy cuteness has worn off and people realize how much work it is). By the way about 25% of shelter dogs are purebreds.

Here is my dog from the shelter. Do you think she is ugly? 😉

 

[lrkoehle]

I just bought a puppy yesterday, and I already have another one. Since I am married the responsibility does not fall back on my exclusively. My wife is going into a much less demanding field than I am, so she is happy to take extra care of the dogs. Thus, for me having two dogs works out great, but I tend to agree with the comments other people are making. If you are single, having a dog is going to be very hard especially during 3rd and 4th year. At the same time, dogs are great companions and a wonderful way of taking your mind off of school. I would suggest you do one of those mail-order-brides (or grooms for the ladies), and THEN get a dog. That is probably the best solution.

 

[Omni]

Honestly, I was thinking about getting a puma cub. But looking at how expensive it is to own one (licenses and costs), maintain it (food, cage, medical) and how much time you have to put into it (almost full time) I think it'd be best that I wait until after med school. RIght now, I have no time nor the money to take care of one.

 

[JJMrK]

Unless you live in a house with a yard, don't get a dog bigger than 25 pounds. That's just mean.

 

[jwrigh69]

Honestly, I was thinking about getting a puma cub. But looking at how expensive it is to own one (licenses and costs), maintain it (food, cage, medical) and how much time you have to put into it (almost full time) I think it'd be best that I wait until after med school. RIght now, I have no time nor the money to take care of one.

LOL

 

[FuturaDocta]

Honestly, I was thinking about getting a puma cub. But looking at how expensive it is to own one (licenses and costs), maintain it (food, cage, medical) and how much time you have to put into it (almost full time) I think it'd be best that I wait until after med school. RIght now, I have no time nor the money to take care of one.

HA-HA.

I especially love it when they mistaken your leg for a snack.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SmCmnDqdfI[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Omni]

lol, they're beautiful animals. A lot more tameable than a tiger, haha.
And in my opinion, it beats having a dog any day.