Having a dog while in medical school?

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Preintel

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I will be starting medical school in a month and was wondering if is a good idea to get a dog. I have to consider the implications of taking care of the dog including emotionally being there for it especially since it will probably be alone in the apartment when I attend class. I would like a Labrador since it will mentally make me stronger to know someone depends on me to succeed (psychological motivation) as well as the emotional love when I am not doing so great.

So please tell me what you guys think, notably those who have had a dog during medical school and your experience.

Also would it be a better idea to get a cat instead, let me know what you think. =)

If I get a cat I want a toyger: http://stephhicks68.hubpages.com/hub/Toygers-Domestic-Tiger-Cats

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Do not get a dog. For the sake of the dog, just don't. Labradors are an active breed that require lots of love and affection. While probably one of the easiest to train and most human compatible breeds ever conceived, they require a tremendous amount of active and engaged training. Without proper training, they can turn destructive and mischievous. Well, they'll be mischievous even with proper training, so good luck.

Dogs like labs live for their human caretakers. Every breath they take is for your affection and attention. An 8-week old puppy will require near constant interaction for the first 4-6 months of its life. If you don't have a yard, they'll require lengthy walks at least twice daily. Additionally, depending on the breeder, you're looking at a 60-100 lb dog with fairly great variability. Breed standard for weight is mid-60's to mid-80s, but "mega" labs can easily break the 100 lb mark. They are prone to hip dysplasia and certain tumors, so you'll need to start planning for $5-15k in surgeries around the eight year mark, maybe sooner depending on their parent's history and genetics. You might want to speak with SDN's veterinary counterparts about things like OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) ratings. Also, puppies in general can have significant separation anxiety. You're looking at an animal that will need to bet let out every 2-3 hours for the first several weeks of its life. The foundations of training occur in this early stage and inappropriate or inattentive training can lead to behavioral issues or anxiety-related problems.

A rescue dog that is of age (1 year or older) may be a slightly different story, but the routine interaction doesn't change. Additionally, in a cruel twist of fate, their average life span is about 10-12 years, so even a lab puppy will only know a busy you for the majority of its adult life. By the time you'll have finished residency, the dog will have only known a disengaged and busy medical student/intern/resident. Wait until you're a dermatologist, buy a house with a big yard, and give that lab a great life. Oh, and get a pool. They love water.

If you decide you MUST adopt, know that labradors have been blessed with the title of America's dog and have the largest registration of any AKC breed. There are many "lab rescues" that actively try to keep them out of kill shelters and put them in good, loving homes. Look for a shelter with a good reputation, do some serious introspection on your future time commitments, and only adopt if you mean for this new friend to be a forever dog.
 
A buddy of mine from ugrad got 2 (that's right, 2!) puppies between M1 and M2 year. He (and they) did just fine. I honestly thought he was crazy when he told me he bought two puppies, but actually with good time management you can make it work. It probably didn't hurt that he bought them at the beginning of summer so they were puppies when he had the most free time.
 
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What do you guys think of buying a cat? I want a Belgian cat.
 
What do you guys think of buying a cat? I want a Belgian cat.

Definitely get a cat. A cat will adopt your personality. If you are calm, quiet, and independent, that's what kind of cat you'll eventually have. If you are a psycho, you'll eventually have one of those crazy insane cats people are afraid of.

If you have a strict schedule, your cat will adopt her own strict schedule. My cat wakes up, plays, takes a crap, eats her food, bathes herself and passes out. They need affection, too, but its only in the form of them getting to chill in the same room as you and getting petted and brushed every now and then. A cat may jump up on your desk and lay right on top of your book. Definitely adopt/rescue a cat. Be careful with full breeds, they have full breed issues just like full breed dogs.

I wouldn't get a dog as any type of full time student. It's unhealthy for the dog.
 
I think this thread should require pics:

cat_and_dog01.jpg


I agree with shibby1111. Dogs require a lot of affection, and its just not right to get a puppy if you think you'll be too busy to provide it. Cats are a little easier in that they are more independent and don't need as much constant contact.
 
I have 3 dogs. A boxer, an aussie shepherd, and dalmatian. Not even once was caring for them an issue. Thus far (M4 here) med school has been drastically easier than the job I worked for many years before med school in terms of time commitment.

If you have own a house, or rent a big apt, (esp with a yard) you will be fine.
 
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It's not impossible but a lot of work. Keep in mind any medium to big sized dog needs 2 1 hour walks per day if you're planning on raising it appropriately.
 
It's not impossible but a lot of work. Keep in mind any medium to big sized dog needs 2 1 hour walks per day if you're planning on raising it appropriately.

I think this is the main thing. Its doable, but be sure you are prepared to take care of it well. Having pets at my school is a particular issue, because the majority of nearby housing is essentially not pet friendly. On top of that having an apt, which many students tend to share with other med students (hostel like conditions), is not really conducive to taking care of a dog.

Maybe if you are in a school near the house you already own, or have a spouse/family, this is less of an issue, but if its just you, in an apartment (or even worse a single room), where your dog will have to sit for 10-14 hours a day while you are in class or studying early in its life (assuming you buy it as a puppy when you enter medical school), that just doesn't seem right to me. Obviously if you have a house, this is much less of an issue.

Personally, if I were set on getting a dog for med school, I would look into rescuing a middle-aged or older dog that wouldn't mind sitting around in smaller spaces as much as a puppy or young dog. That way, you'd be giving a dog that doesn't have much prospects a home, while at the same time not neglecting it like a younger dog that just needs more.
 
Its doable and not that hard, you just need to prioritize your time. I have 2 dogs, 2 cats, and a fiance, and between the two of us going to school full time all the animals are happy, healthy, and well cared for. I do mornings, breakfast, potty, short walk; we both do early evenings dinner/park, and she does bed time.

Like Willen said, I felt like I had plenty of time as animals are a priority to me.
 
I have two dogs. But it made it significantly easier because my wife could take care of them occasionally during the day.

i think it would be less of an issue if you can live really close to campus (like across the street). also, instead of a puppy, maybe look at an older dog that can already hold its bladder. rescue dogs are the jam!!!
 
I'm in the it's generally not a good idea category. I say this as someone planning to apply to med school next year and who's currently working full-time in one city and commuting to grad school almost full-time in another city 85 miles away. I have a 3 year old rescue I got when he was 3 months old and just adopted another 3 1/2 month old puppy. But I own my own house with a huge fenced backyard and make enough money to pay for things like vet bills and doggy daycare.

The first thing people talk about is the time commitment of med school and the dog being lonely etc. Those aren't the only issues though.

You also have vaccinations, vet bills, pet supplies, dog walker or daycare fees, and other stuff to consider as well. My older dog checked out great at the vet, was active and playful, but he got giardia really bad and needed two rounds of treatment plus probiotics, plus special expensive food after that, then he developed a limp so we needed orthopedic xrays to make sure he didn't have early onset hip dysplasia, was fine but xrays are expensive. Then he had an eyelid deformity that started bothering him quite a bit and it was either meds for life which didn't seem to help that much or surgery. So after all was said and done that first year was about $2700 in big expenses. Not counting other stuff. That might not be typical, but given experiences of my friends with dogs it's not atypical either.

Having a dog is expensive without major issues. You have routine vet exams, vaccinations, heartworm preventative/frontline, food, toys, more toys when bored lonely dog destroys first set of toys, crate, dog bed, treats, etc.

Having a dog, especially a larger breed or anything bigger than 30-50 lbs will make finding housing problematic. A lot of rentals have no pet policies or weight/breed restrictions. So that can really limit your options.

You also can't just look at medical school and having a dog, but also residency when you are a lot busier with a more erratic schedule.


Why did I get another dog then? Well, my older dog seemed kinda lonely with just the two of us, despite doggy daycare twice a week and I figured a companion would be good for him while I'm in med school. But I'm fully prepared to deal with extra costs and difficulty finding housing as well. By the time I'd hit residency, the dogs will be 8 and 10 years old.

tl;dr There are a lot of other issues besides leaving a dog home alone a lot, so unless you have someone to share the burden with like a sig other, get a cat.
 
I will be starting medical school in a month and was wondering if is a good idea to get a dog. I have to consider the implications of taking care of the dog including emotionally being there for it especially since it will probably be alone in the apartment when I attend class. I would like a Labrador since it will mentally make me stronger to know someone depends on me to succeed (psychological motivation) as well as the emotional love when I am not doing so great.

So please tell me what you guys think, notably those who have had a dog during medical school and your experience.

Also would it be a better idea to get a cat instead, let me know what you think. =)

If I get a cat I want a toyger: http://stephhicks68.hubpages.com/hub/Toygers-Domestic-Tiger-Cats

Pets tend to be very helpful when dealing with stress. Seeing them smile at you and waggle their tails make days like this::mad: go to :love: when they start licking you and cuddle in your lap.
 
dont get the dog. selfish reason if you just want one to comfort you and its not fair on the dog
 
It's gonna depend on the age of the dog you want. Labs are quite active so unless you've had one for a couple years or so thats already trained, it will drain you. I'm all in favor of having a dog in med school, it sure does take a lot from your mind. But you're the only person who really knows if you can handle it or not.
 
If you get a bad score on an exam, you can always kick the dog to make you feel better.
 
Definitely not easy to take care of a dog properly since med students have erratic schedules. I had to leave my dog with my bf the first two years and with my parents while studying for board exams. Not my preference but it was more stable for him this way. Dogs without structure develop all kinds of neurotic tendencies. They become the dogs ur neighbors hate and u wish for Cesar Milan to come help.
 
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