Have a dog while in pharm school?

[Starshipp]

Hello all,

I have been around dogs my entire life and I absolutely adore them. I've recently lost my dog and now I feel incomplete and lonely without him beside me. Lately, I've been debating whether or not to get another dog. I am thinking to get a puppy now so I can potty train it before I go to pharm school. If I get a dog, it would most likely be a small breed (about 6-8 pounds). I will most likely be living alone, and off-campus. I MIGHT have one roommate. I miss the feeling of always having a companion beside me when I sleep at night and I must admit, having a dog is a great way to relieve my stress. However, I am wondering if I will have enough time to take care of it.

So my question is.....
Are there any current pharm students out there with a dog (not a cat, they don't need to be walked) and have experience that you would like to share? Do you feel guilty that you are away from your pet? Also, if you live in a high rise apartment, how do you deal with the potty/poopy situation?

Thanks in advance!!

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[Corpseman]

I have two and many of my classmates do as well. It is fine, just have to make time.

 

[NaOH]

Get a cat that thinks it's a dog.

 

[Guitarmacy]

If I were in your situation, I would get a medium-sized dog that can keep up with me while I run. Then you can run everyday, relieve stress, and both of you can get exercise. The only issue is the dog being home alone for 40 hours a week. A ton of dogs deal with that anyway, but they usually have a yard they can run around in. But if it has a ton of toys and such, it would probably be okay sitting in the apartment all day. But if you plan on studying away from your apartment and working part-time, it wouldn't be fair to the dog so I wouldn't get one.

 

[KasHfg]

Hello all,

I have been around dogs my entire life and I absolutely adore them. I've recently lost my dog and now I feel incomplete and lonely without him beside me. Lately, I've been debating whether or not to get another dog. I am thinking to get a puppy now so I can potty train it before I go to pharm school. If I get a dog, it would most likely be a small breed (about 6-8 pounds). I will most likely be living alone, and off-campus. I MIGHT have one roommate. I miss the feeling of always having a companion beside me when I sleep at night and I must admit, having a dog is a great way to relieve my stress. However, I am wondering if I will have enough time to take care of it.

So my question is.....
Are there any current pharm students out there with a dog (not a cat, they don't need to be walked) and have experience that you would like to share? Do you feel guilty that you are away from your pet? Also, if you live in a high rise apartment, how do you deal with the potty/poopy situation?

Thanks in advance!!

I think you should get a different pet for now. I bird maybe? Dogs do not like to stay home alone for a long time, and you will most likely be out a lot! I would like to have a dog as well, but I will wait until I have a house with a yard.
Alternative... get yourself girlfriend/boyfriend to keep you warm at night

 

[Sugoi Travis]

Get a cat that thinks it's a dog.

Like a Maine Coon?

 

[riggylou]

I have a small dog that I just got last year and I am starting pharm school in the Fall. My dog is crate trained which is a good way to keep them from soiling the house. She was old enough to know not to soil the crate (7 months) but wasn't potty trained when I got her (she was a stray). If you get them from the pet store they are harder to potty train since they have gotten into the habit of going in the confined space already. There are guidelines for the crate size vs the size of dog so they can't soil the corners of it and travel over to the other side and pretend it isn't there. Some crates are adjustable so that you can change the size as they grow. Once you trust them you can get a bigger space...my dog (she's ~10 lbs) hangs out in a ~4 foot x 4 foot open top wire pen while I'm at school or even leave the house for a few minutes. And I have another one for her that she sleeps in at night though she'll usually whine a little bit around 2-3 in the morning and I let her up with me... It's a good routine because or else she'll try to get me to play by pushing toys in my face while I'm trying to fall asleep. She also went through a phase of chewing my bedding.

When she's loose in the house I take her out every 4 hours or so..in the pen she's fine for 8 hours. She was hard to potty train..you just have to take them out consistently, catch them in the act a couple of times, and they finally get it.

Not quite sure what I am going to do when pharmacy school starts as that will be a much longer day especially if I work as an intern. My dog is high energy and I can see her energy get stored up too much if I've been out too long. She normally gets exercise by playing catch but we may need to go on more purposeful walks in the morning and when I get home. I'd like to get a family member to take her out in the day too but I'm not sure how feasible that will be. I got her because someone gave her to me but I'm not sure I would advise going out to buy a dog necessarily. It may make your apartment more expensive if you have to find one that allows dogs or pay a larger deposit. Good luck..!

 

[Starshipp]

I have two and many of my classmates do as well. It is fine, just have to make time.

May I ask if you live in an apartment? A high rise? I grew up always having a big front yard and a big backyard so it was easy to train pups. Where do you dogs do their "business"? I am just thinking whether or not to litterbox train my dog.

 

[joetrisman]

Three dogs walked twice a day, accelerated program, part time job, research position, and volunteering, and grades good enough to get rho chi - it can be done. Don't get three though as it will severely limit your living options when rental shopping.

 

[Starshipp]

Three dogs walked twice a day, accelerated program, part time job, research position, and volunteering, and grades good enough to get rho chi - it can be done. Don't get three though as it will severely limit your living options when rental shopping.

Thanks!!!!

 

[Corpseman]

May I ask if you live in an apartment? A high rise? I grew up always having a big front yard and a big backyard so it was easy to train pups. Where do you dogs do their "business"? I am just thinking whether or not to litterbox train my dog.

I have a house, so it is a little bit easier for me. I also have a wife that can take care of the dogs when I am at school for longer periods.