Who here has a dog while in med school?

[urbanclassic]

Hi, I'm considering getting a lab soon (I definitely don't want a cat, and would really prefer not to have a small dog), and want to know who here has a dog, and what is your experience? Are you single? What is you med school schedule like? I've never owned a dog before or any pet besides birds, I'm single, my school has half days, and I usually study at home... I figured I'd be able to take care of dog, as I study at home and my school has half days for class... but I'd like to hear for some people who already have dogs.

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[SpecterGT260]

You either need a yard or the ability to paper train as your clinical years will not be half day. Also, get 2 so they can entertain each other. The work is similar to having one with less of your crap getting destroyed by boredom.

And smaller dogs are better as they require less work. A lab will need daily walks. 2 little terriers can wear themselves out after a few laps around the coffee table.

Not giving the dog the things it needs in terms of attention stimulation and exercise is just begging for shredded couch cushions and barking leading to annoying the neighbors.

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[HatWobble]

Don't do it. Wait until you have a big yard, and have others in your household (i.e. a significant other) to help you take care of it. Otherwise you're just asking for pain. And, it's not fair to the animal to keep it locked up the house by itself-- like Specter said, you'll drive it nuts.

 

[Cali2]

As someone else who would love to have a dog, I understand the temptation. But don't do it - it's not fair to the dog.

While your schedule may work now with 1/2 days, your clinical years will be very full time, with a schedule that is not within your control. Plus, residency will likely have even longer hours in an uncertain location - perhaps you will be in a city where a yard is not an option. Remember, this dog will be around for 10+ years, not just your MS1/MS2 years.

 

[wholeheartedly]

Third the don't do it. As others have said, your schedule won't be half days during 3-4 yr. Plus your dog will still be with you in residency as well. I work at a teaching hospital and our employee classifieds have a lot of dogs for giveaway and the reasons are usually "don't have time to spend with him like he deserves" and "needs more space to run" and lastly "moving can't take him with me"

I have a dog, and work and go to grad school part-time. It gets tricky, even though he goes to doggy daycare twice a week, which is a godsend. I have the advantage of having a house with a huge backyard as well.

Other things to to think of, buying a dog might not be expensive but owning one and paying for vet bills, etc can add up. Dog food for a large dog can add up if you want to feed it something decent. My dog needed surgery on his eye at 9 months old. Then he got giardia and we had trouble getting rid of it, that was pricey and now he has to eat special food that's on the spendy side. I spent almost 2 grand on him in vet bills in the first year I owned him and that was being pretty conservative in the options I chose. I'm not alone in this either quite a few of my friends and colleagues with pets have gotten hit with pretty steep vet bills at one time or another. Plus try telling your clerkship director/team you were late because your dog was having medical issues.

Housing is another big issue. Big dogs need room to run and it can be very hard to find housing that will let you have a dog over 50 lbs in a lot of places. Mine is 80 lbs and I'm running into issues about what I'm going to do when I start medical school and have to sell my house and move.

If you don't have a permanent partner in your life to help you take care of it, I wouldn't do it. You can volunteer at an animal shelter, dog-sit for other people, be a dog walker, and stuff like that to get your doggy time without the responsibility and being unfair to a dog.

 

[PTPoeny]

My husband and I got a dog the summer between first and second year. It has worked great for us, but it would be impossible without someone helping. Second year he (the dog) sat with me while studying and watching lectures and it was great. Third and fourth years haven't been impossible, and I think he doesn't mind overnight call because I am home the whole next day. However, he has not been a fan of away rotations...

A couple of notes, you do need a low energy/ low exercise requirement dog. This does not correlate with size. Many Jack Russels and hunting spaniels are little dogs that are bred to run all day long. Greyhounds and danes are huge dogs that like to be lazy. And every dog is an individual, so you can make some guesses based on breed, but there will be exceptions to every breed generalization.

I have rotated through one place where almost all the residents have dogs, even the single residents. However, this is a residency where they are very close and take care of each others dogs when each person is on call or just having a late night. The problem with medical school is that you will be on a different service each month and it is really hard to coordinate things with friends and you can't count on not being on call on the same night and most places you get your schedule on the first day of each rotation so you can't plan ahead at all. In contrast the residents know that at most two second years will be on call on a given night and tend to know their schedule several months in advance.

My advice would be wait and see what your residency is like and get a dog then. And maybe you will have a roomate or a partner who is excited about doing much of the dog care which makes things a lot easier.

 

[oanjiwks]

I got an english bulldog between first and second year. Fat, lazy, and sleeping when I'm gone, absolutely bonkers when I'm home I wouldn't have gotten her if I didn't have a fiance and a fenced in backyard with a doggy door. My dog is happy, but I've got a really great situation. I'm in my third year and she would be miserable if I didn't have such support. Wait until you wife up (as long as she/he is not in medicine) so that you can share the burden.

 

[Ismet]

Don't do it. It's not fair to the dog, especially if you're completely new to owning a dog. I have a lab at my parents' house, and although it depends on the specific dog's personality, labs are usually very active and loving (need daily walks and lots of attention). I desperately want a dog to come home to, but I don't have the money or time or space to adequately take care of one. Consider when you're in 3rd year and someone needs to let the dog out to pee in the middle of the day, but you're stuck in clinic.

 

[swimbeckers]

I would not recommend it if you don't have someone to help you take care of it. I currently am a 4th year student and have 2 dogs. We got the first one as a puppy during my 3rd year and definitely could not have done it without my boyfriend (especially during overnight call it would have been impossible). We live in an apartment with no yard so we have to be very devoted to 1-2 walks per day, dog parks, and dog beaches to get their energy out (which is HARD when you are exhausted after all day clinicals and just want to sleep!) . We also spend quite a bit of money each month on dog walkers that come 3-4 times per week when we are both working during the day. If you still feel the need to get a dog, consider rescuing one that's a bit older (2+ years). We got our 2nd one about 6 months ago from a rescue. He is about 2 years old and is the most amazing dog. He is so loving and calm and the transition has been very easy. He was fostered with a family for about 4 months when we got him so we knew how much exercise he would need, if he was housetrained, if he chewed, so that has been incredibly easy!

Good luck with your decision. Even though you have time now, make sure you also think about clinical years. YOu will need a lot of extra funds (food, treats, vet, walkers) and a plan for clinical years during overnight call, long days, aways, and interviews.