Getting a puppy in college

brokaw

brokaw

Member
I've raised 2 dogs before and i kinda know what I'm doing. I can afford vet expenses unless it is something crazy. From people with experience: Is it a bad idea to get a dog in my sophmore year of college? I feel like a home cant be a home without a dog running around
 
think most about what the best life for the dog would be. if you have lots of free time and will only be gone for a few hours a day and you're living in your own house off campus then it'd be fine, but it's not fair to the dog to leave it inside most of the day or invite your friends over and get it high while you laugh at it

as you know, puppies are a lot of work, especially if you want the dog to have a good life
 
yea i'll have a house, and my schedule shouldn't be too heavy. the thing I would be most concerned with is leaving him/her while skiing and going to school in the winter. Other than that the dog can pall around with me most places.
 
Don't get a dog until you're settled in after college. Pets take a lot of time. More than you realize until you live on your own.

If you really need a dog around, look into fostering a dog from a shelter.
 
I got a dog my sophomore year, I am now about to graduate. She is like 2 and a half now and I have to say, although I love her very much, it was absolutely the wrong choice. You may want to study abroad, be able to move about, go out with your friends and not come home for days at a time. none of these these things are easily done if you have a dog. Also if you are in a labor intensive major which requires you to be on campus for endless hours, that will be difficult with a dog. Since you are not 21, and don't realize what a draw bars/drinking will be I would hold off.

Now if you have thought about it and truly are sure you want a dog for the next 15 or so years, then yes get one because they bring absolute joy to your life. Make damn sure that you want that and that you are willing to sacrifice some of the stereotypical "college" experiences. But if you have pretty cool roommates then a dog will absolutely be a wonderful time for all of you.
 
don't do it. wait until you're more settled down, sophomore year is pretty hectic figuring out how to live on your own out of the dorms. normally housing situations don't last for too long. I'd wait until junior or senior year when you have a better idea of where you're at and have had some time to adjust to life in the adult world. dogs are a huge commitment and even though you've had them in the past, being totally responsible for one is way different than growing up with one. I worked at a shelter for 4 years and I've seen what happens when college kids get dogs they aren't ready for.
 
^ last two posts probably the best advice

I've had dogs since before I could walk, just got one now that I'm a few years out of college and in the work force and holy fuck they are a lot of work - it's nearly equivalent to having a kid.

Puppy would be even worse because they NEED constant attention and training. I second the idea of getting a dog from a shelter, there are tons of good programs. Look at some of the dogs at luckylabrescue.com - that's where I got my girl and she is amazing

Simply put dogs just don't fit into the college lifestyle, so don't make a stupid choice and ruin a dogs life
 
damn thanks for the advice, i think i'll hold off on getting a dog for a couple more years now. shit though i want one soo bad

 
is there a local shelter you could volunteer at? or for a few bucks on the side you could put an ad on craigslist for being a dog walker or pet sitter
 
Absolutely, you are expected to take care of it. Google fostering dogs in your area and you should get some decent places that will help out with this. Basically, you have a dog for a bit until it gets adopted or they move it or you can't take care of it anymore. They always need more dog fosterers too.
 
You look after it for a stretch of time..pretty much anywhere from a few days to a few months while it's either transitioning to a new home or the rescue place is making room

A lot of the rescue organizations simply don't have the capacity or resources to save and house the amount of dogs that need helping. So they'll save the dog from being euthanized then work with foster homes till the dog gets adopted

Warning: You will get attached if you do this. You will not want to give the dog up and it will break your heart. I think the only way I'd be able to do something like this is if I had 2-3 other dogs and then fostered one
 
This is the absolute best advice in this thread. Think about it really hard, puppies are a ton of work. Its not about what you want, its about what the dog needs.
 
Adopt a dog dude. Don't get a puppy in college.

Grow up and go to a shelter. Its far more appropriate for a sophomore in college than getting a puppy.

 
No, not if he rescues a grown dog from a shelter.

My buddies (who I would become roomates with after they graduated for a bit) adopted an awesome pitbull when they had a house their senior year. It was cool. After college it lived with 3/4 kids when their living situations would change. Nice dog.

Adopt one and you will be doing a good thing and are all good. It will be less work than a puppy and if you aren't a complete asshole you'll be doing a good thing. Puppies are a ton of work and you are getting yourself into something serious. Adopting a dog not quite as much if it gets food and water and gets to go outside you're fine.
 
wrong, think about how badly a dog would make your college life suck.

- decide youre going to crash at someone else's house? cant, gotta feed the dog

- decide to get super high and buzz out for a whole day? cant, gotta get up and walk the dog

- decide on a whim to throw a party? cant, the dog will get out

- want to buy and kill a keg in a weekend? cant, spent my money on dog food

- want a well trained and cooperative dog? dont have one because it got spazzed out by random people yelling and playing with it in weird ways and now it shits on the floor and in your bed

its a bad idea, no matter how cool it seems

 
This is coming from someone who got a dog while in college:

Honestly I don't think most college kids should have dogs. They're a lot more work than most people expect and they're expensive and they really tie you down. Puppies are especially tough, they're so goddamn cute but they're SO much work. I remember feeling like I had a toddler when my dog was a young puppy. It's really different than when you're living at home and your mom does most of the work to take care of it. Plus so many college kids think it's hilarious to get the dog high/drunk...personally I think that's cruel and I hate seeing people do that. I'd freak the fuck out if I saw someone doing that to my dog.

That said, if you're honestly responsible and have thought this through then fine, go for it. There are some college kids who are great pet owners, and I don't mean to say that you won't be one of them. Obviously I know nothing about you. But just from what I've seen, most of the kids I know who got dogs at this point in their lives end up keeping the dog for 6 months or so and then they're over it and find the dog another home.

Just think about it long and hard and do your research on whatever kind of dog you decide you want and be honest with yourself on whether or not you'll be able to care of it properly. I hate seeing people blindly going out and getting some big hyperactive breed that requires a ton of exercise/maintenance when they realistically won't ever have time to do anything with it and then they wonder why the dog is crazy and destructive. Just...know what you're getting yourself into, bottom line. And really, really consider getting something older than a puppy.

Sorry, that got longer and more ranty than I wanted.

 
if you travel at all think about where the dog would stay. My bro got a dog right after colege and he has dumped it on my parents because he doesnt want to be that tied down
 
which, in turn, is exactly what i was saying. if you are reluctant to deal with the dog then the dog has a shitty life because you do the bare minimum of taking care of it
 
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