Need Advice! Very Hard Decision to make

[93kathy10]

I'm a lot older than you and have had many dogs over the years - loved them all dearly so I can understand your relunctance to leave him. It looks like you'll be home from M - Th for 6 hours - even if you are studying or sleeping, you are with him and he's soaking up that love and companionship. You have a little more time on Sat and Sun and Fri you have lots of time with him. As long as he is not home alone, confined to a crate while you are gone, I think that having someone else at home sometimes (your roomate or boyfriend) would keep him happy. As long as they are nice to him, he won't spend the whole time longing for you. Dog just don't have a sense of time like we do. When you leave he isn't sure whether you've been gone a half hour or 12 hours! And don't worry - his first and strongest bond will always be with you.
Kathy

[marcerella02]

Originally Posted by 93kathy10

I'm a lot older than you and have had many dogs over the years - loved them all dearly so I can understand your relunctance to leave him. It looks like you'll be home from M - Th for 6 hours - even if you are studying or sleeping, you are with him and he's soaking up that love and companionship. You have a little more time on Sat and Sun and Fri you have lots of time with him. As long as he is not home alone, confined to a crate while you are gone, I think that having someone else at home sometimes (your roomate or boyfriend) would keep him happy. As long as they are nice to him, he won't spend the whole time longing for you. Dog just don't have a sense of time like we do. When you leave he isn't sure whether you've been gone a half hour or 12 hours! And don't worry - his first and strongest bond will always be with you.
Kathy

i couldn't agree more... as long as someone at some point during the day can maybe bring him out for an hour or play with him... and he has the abliity to roam and isnt' in a crate... has pee pads... i think it will be much better than you imagine

[doortego]

Is there any possibility that your boyfriend could postpone getting another dog at the moment so he will have more time and energy to help you with yours? I'm afraid that adding a new dog to the mix with all the other changes going on in your lives right now would just be another problem. Two are a lot more trouble than one, especially if you will be dealing with the potty training issue.

[mistyinca]

Originally Posted by Buddah<3r

I am so stressed out and sad. I'm not sure what I should do I think only you guys will understand and help me make the right decision.

I recently got accepted to Le Cordon Bleu School in Pasadena. I am so excited and really ready and happy to make a career change into something I love; however since I have no parental or otherwise support thru this I am going to have to go to school full time and work as well to support myself. I know it is going to be tuff and I am ready for it, but I am worried about my baby Buddah.

I want to keep him. I love him and he is my baby, but I am worried that I am being selfish and will not be able to provide for him like I know I should.

My schedule is going to be as follows

MON-THURS:
Wakeup/Get ready:4:30am-5:30
School: 6am-11-am
Travel: 11:30am-1:00pm
Work: 1pm-9pm
Travel: 9pm-10pm
Homework 10:30pm-12:30

Friday:
Wakeup/Get Ready:4:30am-5:30am
School: 6am-11am
Homework: 2hrs
Rest of the day off

SAT and SUN:
Wakeup/Get ready: 6:30-7:30
Travel: 7:30am-9:00am
Work:9:00am-7:00pm
Travel: 7:00pm-8:30pm
Homework: 2hrs
( I will have 1 weekend off a month)

This is going to be my schedule for at least until January. In January I will most likely get a job closer to school, but for money reasons I cannot leave my company until year end. Even when I get a job closer to work it is only going to cut down travel time, but I will still be working many hours.

I will am going to be living with roomates or my boyfriend, but I cannot really rely on them to give buddah love and attention. He is my dog!

Do you all think it would be better for him to go to a new home? It will break my heart, but I also dont want to neglect him.

Please help, I am crying while typing this and just dont know what to do.

I don't know what to tell you about your schedule. I got accepted into the same school several years ago, and I elected not to go because of the schedule and the drive! It's an awesome school though.

[Buddah<3r]

Thanks everyone for your help.

I suppose with letting someone take him for a while I'm not as worried about getting him back as I am about his well being. Being torn away from his new family and coming back with me.

I know my boyfriend will help if we live together and he wouldnt be getting a new pup right away probably not for 6-8 months, but the roomate situation is difficult because it would be people I dont know and will have to talk into letting me have him in the house in the first place. I think it would be difficult to ask a complete stranger to take care of my baby.

I think things are going to work out though. My bf has been hinting that we could possibly compromise on the city we live in half way between and make it work. It means a lot longer of a drive for me to and from school, but I can keep Buddah and be with me love!

Please everyone keep their fingers crossed that this works out !!

[yorkiegirl83]

I'm so hoping you two are able to move in together and that you can keep your little guy <3

Sounds like things are looking up!

[JRo]

Buddah<3r, I am facing a similar situation myself so I can understand your mixed emotions and certainly your feeling of guilt! I myself just got into grad school for a change of career (education to social work) and can't afford not to work even though I do have my husband's income to help out; but, we have a mortgage and lots of monthly bills. I will be working 20 hours, interning 16 hours and going to school full-time (5 classes) but my schedule will be a little more flexible in that I work and live in the same town and my internship is 30 minutes away tops...school is an hour away though. I will have weekends off unless I realize we can't swing the bills without getting another job (which will probably be true within the first two months!) I've been considering hiring a dog walker or sending Tucker to doggie day care for my exceptionally long days. Like others have said, fellow YTers will probably be more than willing to help through stopping by to check in on Buddah or fostering or some other great idea I haven't thought of!

I hope you can figure something out that will work for you and for Buddah. Good luck with everything. It's gonna be two years from hell but well worth it in the end (if we stay positive, we can get each other through it! )

[crb]

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything works out with you and your boyfriend moving in together so that you may be able to keep your precious Budda with you.