Hey,
I'm considering buying a golden retriever. Is it possible to be able to take care of a dog like that in an ortho residency? I wouldn't want to treat the dog poorly b/c I'm in the hospital all day, but obviously I won't sacrifice my training just to have a dog.
What are your thoughts? Any residents out there able to take care of dog? If so, what dogs are the best given a residents lifestyle?
I'm not a resident, but I still think I can help answer this question. I'm in my second year of med school and have 2 dogs, Jack Russel mix and a Boxer. I think one of the most important things people forget about having a dog is that it IS a dog; they need structured exercise, discipline, play time, etc. So understand that it is best for any dog to have its body and brain trained every day. You'll soon learn that a tired dog is a good dog. So if you are stuck in the hospital all day, you should at least have someone else, friend or dogwalker, come by and take your dog for a walk every day. Think about it, it isn't really fair to be crammed up all day just b/c you're someones pet. A friend of mine has a Goldie, really good dog, not really sure about their energy level.
Another factor to consider is whether or not you get a puppy. If you are planning on getting it when you start residency, I would say that a puppy should be out of the question. It is seriously like having a child. I had to get up in the middle of the night to take them to the bathroom, go to puppy class to socialize and train, etc. Puppies need a lot of attention and if you are doing this on your own, it's going to be difficult and probably expensive. A good option would be to rescue a dog that is already house/crate trained. We rescued both of our dogs and they are awesome.
A benefit for me is that I am married and have another person around to help out with the boys, even though I am the one that typically takes care of everything. If you are in this alone, realize that you should see about dog walkers or friends to help out when you are in the hospital before getting the dog! If you have someone else to help out, it would make things a lot easier.
I'm all for having dogs, my boys are awesome and provide some much needed comic relief from school. But I am also a big proponent of letting a dog be a dog. People that treat there dogs like people somehow miss that the dog is unhappy. It's really important for the dog to have exercise, for the same reasons it is important for humans. Don't get a dog just b/c you want one, make sure you are being fair to them. Hope everything works out!
