my dog and my residency....

[omgwtfbbq?]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I have a question for pet owners. My dog is 1.5 years old and will be 5 when I start my residency. I'm really concerned, however, about how to work out having a dog in residency. I'm interested in going into some surgical specialty - at this point i'm pretty sure about head/neck - and I don't want to make life miserable for Elliot, my corgi. He's a very sweet boy, and I'm extremely attached to him. I'm having help during my 3rd year from roommates, but i'm not married and so I won't have that kind of help available during residency (not that I can predict, of course, i don't know the future!). Can I get some suggestions from pet owners? Please don't tell me I'd be a terrible personif i keep the dog, as I've seen in the past on some pre-med forums and was told I was a bad person for taking the dog to med school. I'm very much aware of the stresses my being away puts on a pet, and I'm concerned enough to ask for help. I want to start thinking about this now before my residency so i can make preparations well well well in advance, and think about it when I'm not mired down in emotions. My parents have offered to care for him if i have to give him up, but he is the light of my heart, and this would be incredibly difficult to do. I want to make the situation work for both of us.

So, have any of you had dogs in residency and had it work out?
what do you do? can paying the neighbors kid to give your dog walks at the same time every day work? (dog day care at $20 is too expensive..)
what have you done?
would anyone suggest giving elliot to the care of my parents for a certain period of time and then getting him back?
how did you help your dog adjust?

please help me and my sweet boy. I know dogs adjust to other people, but he is my little shadow, and i feel that our separation would be hard on him too, unless necessary. and just to motivate responses, I want to post his picture and also wish him luck, Elliot is going to be going for his therapy dog certification in 2 months! *woof* (Elliot is the little fellow in the middle, the one with his tongue sort of peeking out.. he's a goof and only 6 months in this photo along with some of his cousins.)

Thanks everybody. When people talk about puppy love, they don't tell you about this..... 🙁

 

[njbmd]

Hi there,
I am a General Surgery resident and I have a pair of beagles, Jack and Jill. They have been with me since my first year of medical school when I got them as 6-week-old pups after their Mom died of heartworm disease.

I have a hired dog walker who walks them twice daily when I am on overnight call. On my off call days, I walk them before I leave in the morning and first thing when I get home in the evening. They easily have 12-hour bladders but not too much longer than that.

They are great company for each other and still entertain themselves by watching the chipmunks and birds outside. I placed bird feeder outside my bedroom window so they could watch birds. They are also good watch dogs in that they bark when anyone comes onto my porch except the mailman (they like him).

They sleep with me at night and work out with me too. They steal each others toys and scatter their used bones all over my house. Jill, the female, also loves to roll in dog sh-- when she's in the mood so I can't leave them outside for long. Jack, the male, will awaken me from nightmares. He's such a sensitive dude.

njbmd 😀

 

[tridoc13]

I have two dogs, one 7 y/o, one 5 y/o. They have been with me since before med school and are now with me during residency. It is definitely doable. Dog doors are soooo helpful. In addition, I have found several people at the hospital who are willing to house sit if I need them, and several people in my residency program also have animals and we trade off. It can work, and they can add so much to your life when you're a resident. Not only do they provide some humor/fun/stress release, but they make me get outside and walk/run even on the days that I don't want to, but I'm always glad I did in the end. Don't give up your dog. That's my two cents...

 

[GenSurgChick]

www.petsitters.org
www.petsit.com

You can find an insured and bonded dog walker and/or sitter in your area with their search functions. I have a 5 yo boxer/German shepherd mix and I just started my general surgery residency about 2 weeks ago. So far the dog walker I found through that website has worked out great. There's even a stipulation in the contract that says that if the dog appears ill when she comes to walk her, she takes her to the vet. I can schedule evening or morning visits as well as midday, and weekends/holidays too, so I can have someone come in a couple times a day when I'm on call. I actually went with a locally owned pet sitting/dog walking company, so I have a backup walker if the primary one is sick or out of town. It isn't cheap but it's worth every penny in peace of mind.

I wouldn't give up my dog, and I don't think you're overly selfish for wanting to keep yours. You just have to make time.... even if it's for a half hour walk at 4 am.

 

[omgwtfbbq?]

It's nice to hear the situation working out for other people! But i've noticed, you both have 2 dogs.... should I consider a companion for Elliot that I can train in my 4th year? It seems so overwhelming the idea of 2, but do your dogs really rely on each other a lot for company? are they each other's companions as well as yours? It's something to think about.... and I hadn't thought about other residents having pets and trading responsibilities. I suppose the only real time no one will want to help me with my dog is when he blows coat twice a year. Elliot looks like he's exploding cotton puffs. (Oh, to have a low shedding breed.......)

I have two dogs, one 7 y/o, one 5 y/o. They have been with me since before med school and are now with me during residency. It is definitely doable. Dog doors are soooo helpful. In addition, I have found several people at the hospital who are willing to house sit if I need them, and several people in my residency program also have animals and we trade off. It can work, and they can add so much to your life when you're a resident. Not only do they provide some humor/fun/stress release, but they make me get outside and walk/run even on the days that I don't want to, but I'm always glad I did in the end. Don't give up your dog. That's my two cents...

 

[tridoc13]

I think getting a second dog was the best thing I ever did for my 7 y/o. She was 2 when I brought the puppy home (found it starving to death on the Navajo reservation) and they've been inseparable since. They definitely keep each other company when I'm gone, and I really think it makes a big difference in how happy they are overall. Neither of them have been the least bit destructive, which can be a big issue with dogs that are left alone too long without exercise. I really think it helped a lot. The key is to find a dog that gets along well with the one you have. I lucked out in that they loved each other right away. I can't imagine not having both of them now, although at the time I got the pup I thought it would be a bit overwhelming. Ended up being absolutely great for all of us (except the cat..). 😉

 

[drbon]

you should definitely get another dog before you start residency....dogs need companions, especially when you're not home for extended hours every day....my husband and i got our cat a kitten-friend when we started clinical rotations and he's wayyyy less neurotic now. it was the best thing we ever did