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I want a dog.

#21
ryco said:
You may want to check with your local humane society about the possibility of volunteering.
These shelters are usually understaffed and underfunded and a lot of them will let you take the dogs out walking.
This way some dog will get some attention until he is placed and you don't have to worry about leaving your dog confined for hours.

Just a thought.
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This is an excellent suggestion. My brother in law used to do this.

It seems that the small dogs and puppies get all the attention at a shelter, and no one pays any attention to the big dogs. The big dogs are the ones that really need to get out of their cages and play. You could spend a couple of hours at the shelter and take a few big old doggies out for walks.
 
#23
Gard said:
...BEFORE you go one step further toward getting a dog, go directly to your local bookstore and purchase Cesar Millan's first book "The Dog Whisperer". You will find it to be VERY informative and useful in selecting the right dog for your lifestyle, in addition to giving you a solid understanding of what your responsibilities to the dog are.
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Great advice, and great book! I've read it cover to cover, and tend to watch his show whenever I get a chance......actually, it's a show our entire family enjoys.

Good luck in finding your new pooch!
 
#25
jonathan_matos5 said:
no worries about the dog being starved for attention my disabled mother lives with me, so i would be more worried about the dog being spoiled. i would have to walk/run the dog but i have plenty of time to do that when i get home.
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What is your mother's disability? It may be possible to look into a service dog for her that will also double as your "buddy" to an extent. There are excellent resources for finding these dogs, and they are wonderful.

I wish that my step son was able to have a service dog, but his disability (cerebral palsy) has him too disabled to be helped in any way by a dog. :hmm:
 
#26
I'm going to be the first naysayer. Don't get a dog. Being a college student is not a good time for raising a dog. Dog's are a lot more responsibility than you think. You're at time in your life where you move around a lot, pick up and go on trips at the drop of a dime, get drunk and pass out in places other than your apartment occasionally. Enjoy this time. You won't have this freedom for much longer.

Everyone that I know that got a dog during college either dumped the dog on their parents, or gave it away at some point before they were done with college. They liked the idea of having a dog a lot more than the reality. They liked the "ahhhhh's" they got from the chicks. They liked everyone coming up and talking to them when they brought the dog to campus (a bad idea by the way if you are going there to go to class).

Wait until you've settled down and are living a more stable life. The last thing you need right now is more responsibility. Keep your life simple. No dog.
 
#27
Get a chihuahua. They aren't they yappy, hyper, annoying things you see on TV if you train them right. My chihuahua has been the absolute best dog I ever had. I've had a German Shepherd, Australian Shepherd, and a Collie. Chihuahua is the best I've had.
 
#29
Oh wait, I didn't read the part that said you live with your disabled mother. Well, then I would say a dog is cool. Especially since your mom would dig it. Crates work great btw. If I was to do it over, this is how I would do my next dog. Nino, my dog, is pretty much king of the house, and there's no way to get that out of his mind at this point.

Just one thing you need to ask yourself. Do you foresee your living situation changing during your college career? If not, then a dog would be really cool. If you can foresee living separate from your mom, then I would not get a dog.
 
#30
Dogs are a pain in the Arse , a ball & chain, a kid that never grows up, are expensive to keep & vet bills and HAVE TO BE CARED FOR ALWAYS.


Dont do it & get a cat. Cats are easy, you can leave them, not have to walk them.

Why take that on when you don't need to?
 
#32
Greyhounds are a fantastically lazy breed. They work like cheetahs, they lay around all day saving their energy for a run. If you can get them out for 15 minute a day they will sleep on your couch the rest of the time. They are giant cats.

That being said I would still just get a cat...I watched my family dog (10 yo Shepard Lab) for 2 weeks in my apartment. Between the barking when people came into the house, and the bathroom walks it was incredibly exhausting. At home he needs only walk to the back door to go out, at my apt I had to walk him every time, and the place was too small for him to get around without knocking crap over all the time. It didn't help that he was scared of the new surroundings most of the time either.
 
#33
Are cats totally out of the question? I prefer dogs over cats myself but I'm a firm believer that cats do much much better in smaller places than dogs. Plus, they're quieter and you don't have to worry about the constant walks to drop a stool.. If you get a good cat, they're affectionate and would make a great companion to your mom.
 
#35
A dog is a big investment in training. You only get what you put into it. A bored dog is a destructive dog. You can't ever miss taking him out to go potty, or else he will get used to crapping & peeing everywhere.

A cat you just put out a litter box, clean it once a week.

Dogs also can bite/ have aggression issues.

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I drop between $200-$400 just on dog vet maintenance (shots, heartworm & Frontline)a year. Dogs are expensive.

Also pets are not disposable, think long and hard about this.
 
#37
I recently purchased The Perfect Dog dvd and accessories - In the video he recommends crating for housebreaking. Nothing inhumane about it. I have a 55 pound Austrailian Shepard/Collie mix that chills at my apartment. Luckily, her daddy takes her for daily runs so she can stay fit. A tired dog will have less of a chance of getting into bad habits.

Run him/her or use a bike if your dog won't knock you over.


BTW - no corn, wheat, soy, or by products for my dog. I also give her organic flax oil everyday (great for their coats). If you feed your dog byproduct there is no nutritional value due to the heating during production. I would rather give my dog a little bit of good food than a shite load of cheap pedigree - No offense
 
#40
+100 on crates and any professional training you should opt for.

My Shepherd/Chow mix, Ziggy (is a GREAT dog!!!) but had the potential to be a gigantic handful. We got him into training very young and started him off in a create. He LOVES his create and has no problem at night or on the odd day he has to spend in it.

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I had a lab mix for almost 15 years who I did not crate train or get any real training for. She was a VERY loving and sweet dog, but she'd tear up the house - make messes without fail - an utter nightmare - other than the fact that she was so sweet and I loved her tons!

But if I could do it over again with Hershey (the lab mix) she'd have been crate trained and schooled from the git-go!
 

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