Just a thought, but you may want to google the website, maybe establish contact with Ursula. From visiting her home and seeing her degrees on the wall. Her training was extensive. But, oh what she can do with these animals. In 2 days my pup was so trained, I couldn't believe it. He now knows dance routines, how to unzip his carrier and jump into it. He can be running full board and all she has to do is call his name once....and he stops what he's doing and comes immediately to her.

Good luck to you. Your plans sound exciting and rewarding. I am the mom of a college student, and I have had her dog ever since she left home. I knew when she got Moka that she was going away to college the following year and Moka would be staying with me, so it is not like she dumped her dog on me or anything like that. In fact, I love that she has Moka to come home to for short breaks away from school and Moka has been a blessing in helping to cope with her leaving home, like a pice of her is still there. She always includes Moka in her plans after college too, she just assumes responsibility of her, but little does she know, Moka is not going anywhere but right here with me! :D

You bring up a big point I never thought about until reading your post. My post was based on Kaji, and my roomies dog Danger. Both were definitely out of the puppy stage, Kaji was one and Danger was 4 or 5 (shelter dog), so neither needed the constant attention a little puppy did. They both needed training, and the odd hours of college life allowed for training, but it wouldn't allow for a puppy. I could be wrong as I haven't experienced raising a pup. And for that person that said class schedule was flexible, I WISH! After all my core curriculum was finished, and all I had were major requirements the flexibility part went out the window. My schedule was basically take what I can get when I can get it. It works for low maintenance dogs like Kaji and Danger, who were content with lots of short walks, and long hours of sitting by my side as I researched whatever or studied; but a puppy who is hyper, active, and needing constant attention, college life is probably not a good idea.

I'd like to see those statistics, too. Getting a puppy while you are in college is a (hopefully) 15 year commitment to the dog. Those 15 years will probably be the most unsettled of your life. When you graduate, jobs may require long hours or long commutes. Most likely you will rent for awhile and it can be difficult to find pet friendly rentals in many areas. Even when you do, they have a limit on the # of pets allowed, usually one or two.

Flash forward a few years and you may want to get married and have children. DH may not like dogs or come with a dog who may not be good around smaller dogs. Many pets are given up when babies are on the way or later on due to children's allergies.

Also remember that as your dog ages, the vets bills will increase. If you are paying off college loans, perhaps a mortgage on a house, trying to pay for a wedding or daycare, a $1000 vet bill for tests and treatment may be difficult to handle.

Unless you have a crystal ball, it is not possible to make a 15 year commitment to a pet when you are a college student.

I guess by "flexible schedule" I meant that that college classes don't usually involve being away from home a rigid 8-5 schedule every day, like a full-time job or even going to high school from 8-3. Maybe I just got lucky, but I usually had class only a couple of hours per day and could be home the rest of the day. Especially my last semester, when I had classes only on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10-2 or so. For me, it was a pretty flexible schedule for taking care of a dog.

I also think it's great that you are already planning for this, and that you already own your pup so you won't be trying to deal with the stress of housebreaking and training a new puppy along with the stress of school.

Can do!
 

I'm a 5th year senior in college. I never lived in a dorm, I've always had my own place (with the exception of my sophmore year where I lived with my parents) so I could have had a dog at any time. I did work full time so I always felt it was unfair for me to have a dog until closer to graduation time. Some semesters are crazy ( like when I've taken 18-22 credits & worked full time) some semesters are a breeze. I don't think that, with the exception of Freshman year they are any harder or easier as a rule of thumb. It's all up to you when you structure your classes. Taking summer classes helps so you have more time during the rest of the year. I'm pretty sure that if you're committed to bringing your furbaby along, you can make it work. It's a huge responsibility but it can be done. Just make sure your parents are ok with you living off campus! I'm sure you wouldn't want to miss 3 years of fun with your baby. Great looking ahead tho! Good luck! :animal-pa

Again already have my pup ;) (a year old in September)
Just planning ahead. . .


Thank-you!
And yes Cody will be well into adulthood by the time I decide whether or not he stays in FL or comes with me to college.

I made a 15 year commitment without a crystal ball and will fulfill that commitment. It IS possible. But I think it takes a certain person to do it. Jackson & I have a tremendous bond that could never be broken. That can even be shown through my posts here at YT, my YouTube videos alone. While I agree that most (probably over 90%) of college students shouldn't get a dog, I don't think it's fair to say 'it's not possible' because that's simply NOT true.

I am also not a naive young person who went into this foolishly, think he's my best friend now but once life gets in the way, I'll bring him off to a shelter. I would jump off a bridge or slit my wrists before bringing him to any type of shelter, or rescue. He truly IS my best friend and will be with me wherever my life takes me. I actually would love to be a dog trainer one day. While I may be in the minority of college students capable of taking care of a dog, it's simply not fair to make such a blanket statement because every person is different and is ready for different things in their life at different times.

I dogsit a 17 year old mutt who has been with his owner since college, his owner is now a successful business man with a wife and 2 young children, the dog is still very happy, content and loved. On the flip side, my uncle got a Siberian Husky in college and that was probably the dumbest thing he could have done. He was a huge partyer, traveled a lot, barely home, so the dog was often home alone, not fair at ALL to the dog. When she turned 10, she moved in with my aunt Diana who gave her the best last 4 years of life a dog could ask for, so she stayed in the family and ultimately was happy, but a guy like my uncle should not have owned a dog.

Ultimately, you must know what you are in for when getting a pet, no matter what age you are. My life completely changed when Jackson came into my life; I can no longer just sleep at my friends house if it gets too late, or go out of town on a whim, or be gone longer than 6-8 hours (he's usually only left 4 hours). In community college, I only go Tuesdays and Thursdays now and my weekends are spent at the dog park. I love every minute of it and wouldn't trade it for the world. Is my life going to change in the next 15 years? Absolutely. Will Jackson still be a part of it? No questions, yes.

With all due respect, you've only had Jackson a short time. You will not know if you are able to to fulfill the 15 year commitment for another 13 years.

That was my point. I doubt any college student gets a puppy with the intention of giving it up, but those post college years are a blank slate with lots of unknowns.

We can just agree to disagree on this one. :) Unless I die or become gravely ill, Jackson will be with me for the rest of his life. You don't know me enough as a person to state that. I'll talk to you in 13 years I guess. If anything were to happen to me, I've got about 10 relatives that would take him in a heartbeat (and we have discussed this). He is a member of this family and always will be.

I will agree that most ppl don't go into getting a dog with the intention of giving it up, but most college students also don't put as much time, effort, money, love and training into a dog as I do. I just didn't like you stating so factually claiming it's an impossible feat when it is indeed very possible to own a dog and be in school. I would advise anyone though to REALLY think about what they are doing before deciding on a dog. 99% of people I know, that are in school, could not handle it.

Many people have children, not purposely, while young and make it through school being a single mother raising a child. It happens. You do what you have to do and maybe the beginning was tough, but the outcome in the long run is worth it. You may have some rough times, a few years where you are finding your way, or working more, but is it worth it to give up a dog just because you are having one tough year, when there could be 10 or more great years with that dog? You get through it together.

I am in collage now going on 3 years i got Gatsby the end of my first semester when i moved out of my parents house. It was hard but we managed it fine I used to bring him to school with me because i could not leave him home and the staff on campus grew to love him. i have always had my own place except right now when im borrowing a home from a close family friend and my best friend in the world lives in the lower level i took a class as a STNA and got a part-time job in a nursing home
i lived off of that and some (very few) student loans.
then i got custody of my brother and sister and i still live off about the same amount (a few more hours at work ,a few more loans) it helps that i no longer have to pay rent

My first post was speaking about college students in general. Of course not everyone who gets a puppy in college has to give them up. I was just agreeing with Cindy who wondered about statistics.

Hopefully you will never have to give Jackson up. My point was that life after college is a big unknown so a college student would have to be able to look into the future to be certain that her after college life could include pets.

The only way to know if you have fulfilled a commitment is at the end, not the beginning. That is not a criticism of you or anyone else, just a fact.

Hopefully you can come back to YT in 13 years and tell me "I told you so!" :D

Oh, I agree, the statistics are probably staggering when it comes to dogs & college students. Statistics are pretty sad when it comes to dogs in general. :( Isn\'t it something like 50% of dogs don\'t live the rest of their lives with their original owner? I know only 15% of dogs that enter shelters are actually reunited with their owners. Cindy probably knows better than I do, since she\'s involved in rescue. I totally get and understand your point, but there\'s always someone out there to prove the statistics wrong! :p I just never like to say \'never\' ya know?