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my boyfriend of 2 years a I are both going away to college very soon. We will be living together in an apartment. we arn't going to the same college but we are in boston and you can imagine the closeness of different colleges to each other, so we are both very close by to our schools. both of us have always wanted to own a dog, but for reasons beyond out control both of our families have always been apposed. his mother is allergic, and my sister is deathly afraid.
im wondering about this. we both hope to spend our lives together, and i want to adopt a dog soon, but is college a good time to. i REALLy want to. but the thing is, its not like adopting one while having a roommate. this dog would be equally his and mine. and if a split happens, wouldnt that be a problem, would we have enough time between the two of us to care for a dog and school and keep our relationship alive?
advice? comments?
No no no no no no no!
Go to college as unencumbered as possible. There is way too much going on and things available to get involved with (including travel). Don't do anything to tie yourself down like that.
I don't think it's a good idea....College requires a lot of time and you'll both be extremely busy. Puppies/dogs require a large amount of attention and a consistency of routine which is difficult to accomplish in college. Wait until your life has settled down some. Good luck and have fun/work hard in college!
ETA - that's right - the $$$..how will you pay for an illness? That gets very expensive very quickly. What will you do on vacations? Where will he go if your families are allergic or don't want a dog in their homes?
I agree with all of the above. A dog needs training and lots of attention. Let alone, having to be let out every few hrs. to potty. Whose going to do all that? College is time consuming between studies and socializing...a very bad idea at this point in your lives.
$ is also a large factor. Food and vet bills can add up quickly.
Absolutely not, who's going to pay for checkups etc - dogs need a ton of attention and with your college schedule and likely your work schedule (am assuming both of you will be getting p/t jobs to help out w/ expenses), it's just not a good idea - wait til you've graduated, both have steady jobs and are in a good financial situation. If you really want to help a needy dog, volunteer at your local shelter, they can always use help w/ walking them, caring for them, socializing them etc. I just dont see adopting one any time soon as being fair to the dog - or yourselves, think of the 'big picture'.
Absolutely not. College is like a beginning career where your hours are unpredictable. Dogs are like small children and you need to be dedicated to their care. You can't do that when you are carrying a full college load plus possibly working. What happens when the dog is sick? What about spring break and you want to spend it with your friends? Getting a dog at this time in your life is selfish. Wait until you are settled with a career. If you really need to have a dog, volunteer at the shelters in the area. They would love to have your help and you will still be able to be around dogs when your schedule permits.
but later in life, whats the difference going to be
(this isnt meant to be like, contradicting you guys, i genuinely want to know)
like, between working, and potentially children, isnt there alot of time consuming responsibility there as well?
It just wouldn't be fair to the dog. The two of you will be studying as well. A dog is just like a child. (Only better to me). Soon as the two of you have graduated ...then think about it.
There will ALWAYS be a dog available to adopt...always.
Good Luck.
Since you have not been to college, you have no idea what you are in for. The same can be said for people who have children when they are not emotionally and financially ready. Just because you can do something doesn't mean that you should. Give yourself some time. I had a college roommate who insisted on getting a dog because we rented a house for the summer. While we all helped to take care of it, she was not in a position to really do well by the dog. Let the experience on this board help you.
Later in life you will hopefully have the reliable income to pay for vet visits as well as a consistent schedule and housing. Now, it may be that you don't have the time for a dog then either - no guarantee there - but you at least will have some idea of what your life will look like from month to month, year to year.
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