How do people keep dogs?

In My Humble Opinion
21

As said - it depends. Puppies and much older dogs need to go out more frequently. A well-trained dog in good health can go for probably a day - it gets fed/walked/etc in the morning, then again in the evening. That’s not ideal, though - dogs are very social creatures.

My dog currently is old and suffers from arthritis. If she had her way she’d spend her day lying on her little doggy bed snoozing*. But the vet said that’s not really good; it means her muscles stiffen up more and probably makes the arthritis worse. So every two or three hours during the day she needs to be coaxed outside, even if it’s just for a short stroll around the back yard.

*Well, if she really had her way she’d probably be on the sofa, because she loves that sofa.

22

When I travel, I board my dog at the vet. It’s about $15 a day. If you can’t afford that, you can’t afford a dog. If you can’t afford surprise medical costs, you can’t afford a dog. If you can’t afford to build a fence, etc. I make the necessary sacrifices because I love my dog, but if I couldn’t afford to, then I couldn’t have a dog.

Oh, and it’s pretty crappy to get a dog and then leave home and stick your parents with it. They’ve been waiting all this time for you to leave so they can go enjoy their twilight years, they don’t want a dog. It’s like when a little kid swears he’ll feed it and take care of it, and who does? Mom. A dog is a really big responsibility, and they live a lot longer than you think they do. My dog is 15. I have had him longer than I haven’t had him. When I got him, I was in high school. Now I’m 27 and I have a mortgage. Where will you be when you’re 27? Does a dog fit into it?

23

I have two small dogs that are left alone during the day while I work and the children are at school. They have a doggie door to go in and out and have the run of the place. I think I would feel worse if they did not have each other to keep them occupied and less lonely. I know a lot of people crate train their animals and leave them crated during the day but I always felt that was a bit cruel and would prefer to just make the home safe for them to roam about and close the doors to limit access to the rooms I would prefer they not enter.

When I travel either my teenage son takes care of them or I have a pet sitter for about 20 dollars per day come in, feed them, give them some attention, play some ball etc.

That being said, being a responsible dog owner isn’t cheap. As someone above mentioned, heartworm medication runs about $300 per year. They need shots and vet visits which run upwards of $150 and this is all if they remain healthy. My baby Affenpincher got ill during the dog food catastrophe and it cost me over $600 to pull him through his crisis. Worth every penny but you need to have many pennies put aside for such emergencies.

Good for you for volunteering and you are warm hearted to take such an interest in these animals. You’re better off waiting until you are ready to make a life long commitment (his life, not yours) to your pet before you adopt one.

24

$15 is the absolute lowest you will pay to board your dog. And if you like the dog, that’s probably not a place you want to board him. When we go away for a week, we pay someone to stay at the house. It’s marginally more expensive than boarding him, but he likes it a lot more. It will add $100-$250 onto the cost of any vacation.

Then, it’s $20 a day to get him walked any time we go away.

We do do a lot of “quid pro quo” with other dog people but that’s got its own set of hassles, including having an extra dog a lot of the time.

Dog vet bills will run a couple hundred per year. And that’s not figuring in when your dog swallows something sharp, blows a knee out, gets spleen cancer, gets arthritis, cuts his pads, inexplicably stops eating, etc. Any one of which, he will do.

If you’re lucky, you only need to walk him twice a day. More likely, three times – every day. Morning, afternoon, and night. In heat, in freezing cold, in rain, in snow. You can’t skip one. You can’t skip his walk like you can skip your breakfast unless you want to come home to poop in the house.

But, if you’re leaving for college, your parents need to be psyched for a dog. Having a dog when you go to college is practically impossible.

But whatever. I love having a dog. It’s fun having him in the house. We like walking him. He gives us a reason to be outside for an hour a day, a reason to meet other people. Some of our best friends are people we’ve met through the dog park.

25

Unless they have friends or family willing to dogsit, of course they do.

If their “owner” goes to college and leaves them behind, then the dog has a new “owner”: the person who has daily responsibility for the dog. It sounds very much to me like YOU want a dog but your parents do not, but you will be sticking them with a dog.

Very. Dogs are generally not allowed to live on campus unless they are service dogs. They are not allowed to attend classes or enter buildings (and in many cases, ride public transportation) unless they are service dogs. Even if they are allowed in the public common areas outside, they almost certainly will have to be leashed. They cannot be teathered and left outside while you go in for class.

Depends on the place and the dog. It is harder to get a “pet friendly” apartment than it is a “no pets” apartment, and it is harder to find an apartment that allows big dogs than it is one that allows small dogs, even where dogs are allowed. There is frequently an additional deposit and a cleaning fee required if you keep a pet in an apartment.

I have two cocker spaniels. I walk them morning and evening and they stay in the kitchen (with food, water, beds, and toys) while I’m at work. I try to take them with me when I’m not at work, but that’s problematic in the summer because it’s too hot to leave them in the car or to walk them far.

They are both on heartworm preventer and tick/flea preventer, so routine meds probably cost me $800 per year. They go through 20 lbs. of dog food every three weeks or so, so food costs me about 350 per year. They go to the groomer about once every six weeks (they are mostly indoor dogs, and I'm pretty fastidious), so that costs me about 600 a year. When I travel, which I do with some frequency, they stay at the vet at $18 per day per dog. Call that . . . oh, say, $700 per year, which is probably low.

This doesn’t include routine yearly vet vists and vaccines, or miscellany like treats and toys. It also doesn’t include damage from when they were puppies (destroyed shoes, repeated carpet cleanings) or my time doing everything from training them to picking up their dog shit out of the yard.

Dogs are completely wonderful, no question. As a single woman, my dogs are my daily companions and I love them entirely. But they are a lot of work, a big commitment, and a long-term relationship: When you adopt a dog, IMO you do so for the long haul of 10 to 15 years or more. I don’t believe it’s fair of you to make that commitment at a time when you personally will not be able to uphold it, or at least not easily, and I don’t believe it’s fair of you to make that commitment on behalf of your parents, or to pressure them into making it if they othewise would not.

I also think it’s extremely short-sighted for you to be considering significantly changing your educational plans in order to accmmodate a pet, be it to go to a local school as opposed to a more distant better school, or even to deprive yourself of the experience of campus life your first year just so you can keep a dog.

Since you asked, that’s MHO.

26

IMHO, I don’t think the time is right for you to get a dog. If your parents decide they want a dog, that would be excellent but you are not in the right place in your life to make a 15 year commitment to a dog. Instead, you can continue to work at with the humane society and get some of those dogs more adoptable. Your work there is very valuable and you wouldn’t have as much time for it if you had a dog at home to care for.

Boarding dogs is cheap here and it still runs $10 a day–and you certainly get what you pay for. I refuse to board my dogs anywhere locally. We have four dogs, three cats and fish. We have my daughter house sit on the rare occasion that we both go out of town. Mostly mr.stretch stays home when I travel for work and I stay home when he goes camping or whatnot.

Dogs are social animals and they need their pack to be around a good part of the day. There is nothing lonelier than a single dog left in his house/yard all the time with no interaction from his family. You have to commit to spending lots of time with the dog.

Costs are an unpredictable thing. I drop $600 a year on meds for Shane, my old dog, who is 13 and I hope has some years left in her. We spent $300 getting a benign tumor removed from Jake, our oldest Golden. This was the second time we’ve had a tumor removed and she may get another one that will need to be removed. Loki, the middle Golden, has bad hips and a hip replacement may well be in her future to the tune of $3-4k. So far, the youngest Golden, Pi, hasn’t cost us more than the usual vaccinations, vet checks, spay, etc. But she’s a dog…who knows what could happen.

27

Generally I take my dog with me places. However, I have put him in the puppy kenel before for $23 a day, not $15. (Although if you book for more than a week, you get every 7th day free!)

Having a dog is very expensive. If you’re going away to college it’s not really fair to saddle your parents with the dog. Further, if you’re going to be a full time college student you’re going to be very busy. You’re not going to have time to go for the long walks required for a husky type dog.

Unless you’re parents suddenly decide they’re super keen to have this dog, it’s unfair for you to get it.

28

Don’t count on a kennel being as little as $15 a day. My dog currently costs $50 a day to board, and if he gains a couple of pounds, it will be more. You can’t count on having relatives take your dog while on vacation, and some dogs won’t take well to a stranger coming into their house. I know my dog won’t - even though he is very friendly. There are " pet- friendly" hotels, but all of the ones I’ve seen prohibit leaving pets in the room alone

Medical costs might be fairly small- just the required vaccinations, heartworm and flea medicine- or they might be larger. Last month, I had a $400 vet bill- blood test, stool test, a vaccination, anal sac emptying ( which I’m not willing to do myself), flea and tick medicine, a n antihistimine, and antibiotics for the infection caused by scratching the spot where he had an allergic rash.

The way middle class families have a dog is that there really isn’t one owner. Sure, my son asked for a dog, but I wanted one, too. I was therefore willing to take on a commitment that will continue long after my son has gone to college. He wants to go away , it seems that most colleges do require freshman who aren’t local residents to live in dorms, and I can’t imagine how hard it would be to find an both an apartment which allows large dogs and roommates who won’t mind a large dog - so as much as he might want to take the dog, I don’t see it happening.

29

We had 4 dogs until last year*. We don’t go on vacation too much, but when we had four, we’d spend about as much on boarding the dogs/having the petsitter come over as we did on our own vacation.

If you’re look for a place off-campus where you can have a dog, don’t forget to factor in pet fees. Some places charge a non-refundable deposit, and some limit the size or type of pet you can have.

And I’m another person who just spent almost $500 on one of my dogs. He got sick and needed x-rays and blood work and meds. Came out of the blue, too.

Pets are expensive. If you can afford it, they’re worth it, but expect to spend more than you’d think to care for one.
*Our two oldest were put to sleep, one 12 months ago, the other about 5 months ago. :frowning:

30

Yeah, even cats can be expensive - they’re theoretically lower maintenance than dogs, but little Eddles just went to the vet for his poor peeling paw pads, and now he’s on steroids! (We have yet to see if they will Pump… him Up!) So now he needs a pill every day, down from twice a day this week. I have friends who have a dog who has diabetes, so they have to give him a shot every day. Are you prepared to give your dog a shot every day? To come up with new and ingenious ways to give him medicine if he doesn’t fall for that peanut butter trick? Have you ever tried to give a dog eardrops? Trust me, you might get them in the first time, but after that he’s gonna see you coming. Do you want to make your parents give your dog the ear drops?

Go to college, have a great time. Once you’re done and you have a steady job and a stable home, then decide if you want and can afford a dog. Me - when dear Haplo dies, I can’t decide if I’ll get another one. They’re so much more work than the cats. I say that knowing that I’ll probably be here posting a “look at my new awesome dog!” thread the week after we dig a hole to bury Hap, though - you know, it would be really weird not to have a dog, when it’s all said and done. But then, I can afford it and I’m only making the decision for me, not for my folks.

31

My niece did that to her parents, and she was out of college. She was too busy with her job but really wanted a dog. So she begged and whined and cried until her dad bought her the dog for her birthday present, and then she left the dog at her parents’ house while she worked and partied, and visited the dog on weekends sometimes. Now it’s her parents’ dog - thank goodness they actually adored it - and I’m hoping they won’t give him back, as they’ve done all the work.

32

As our family gradually spread apart, my parents started taking the dog on vacation with us. Dad found a coworker who belonged to AAA and used him as a source for motel info; other times we used AAA travel guides.

Then there was the time Dad just drove us straight through. Being cooped up with one of these in the back seat of one of these for ~16 hours was certainly an adventure.

33

You do have to curtail some activities, because you own a dog. You’ll likely do stuff you wouldn’t otherwise too. Everything you get involved with in life, requires changes in your behavior and other activities. It is less of a change getting a dog when you already have constraints, that stop you from just taking off to do what you want.

34

I’d advise you wait until your situation is settled before thinking about getting a dog. Too often dogs end up at shelters because young people really, really, really want a dog, but then life happens and they really, really, really want to go to college or move to a better apartment and the dog ends up the most convenient baggage to chuck. Unless your parents are happy about owning a dog, and you go into it with the understanding that your parents are adopting a dog that you can play with for the next year, then you should really wait.
I wanted a dog, and even more so a very specific dog so much I thought about little else for a very long time. We had a dog at home, but I wanted a dog of my own. I also knew I was going to college and would be living in a revolving series of rentals with changing roommates and that none of that instability would be good for a dog at all. So, I waited. I made contacts in the breed community and spent a lot of time learning about the breed I wanted. I met them at shows and made good friends. When I graduated and made my final big move out of state with my future husband and we moved into the house we would later by… I finally got my dog. In short, I waited five years–in the spectrum of a lifetime, not such a huge deal, and in the end I got the dog I wanted with all my heart and soul and he’s worth every minute of that five years.

If I were you I’d spend the intervening time volunteering at more shelters and handling as many dogs as possible. If you can, hook up with a shelter that allows volunteers to handle and train the dogs. You can work on your handling skills with an endless number of dogs of all personalities and temperaments. Then when your life situation allows it and you find the awesome dog that’s gonna be your sidekick for the next fifteen years, you’ll know that leash-pulling is one behavior that can be fixed in a few minutes.

Honestly, if you fell in love with a couple dogs in such a short period of time, and minor behavioral issues were enough to make the first dog unacceptable, you’re not ready for a dog. A great canine companion doesn’t happen by accident, and you should spend this time learning how to handle dogs. Learn how to train them and get a lot of hands-on experience.

As far as the mechanics of owning a dog, it is expensive and it does take a lot of time. Once you have a dog you’ve always got to consider the dog first for the next ten or fifteen years. It’s a lot to take on, and like I said, good dogs don’t happen by accident. People rave about how wonderful my dog is, and it’s true, he is the greatest :wink: but that’s because we spend an unbelievable amount of time socializing and training him, a process that continues and will continue daily for the rest of his life. And it’s true, he is the greatest, but I just want you to know it’s not just about seeing a cool husky and sticking him in your back yard.

35

I had a dog growing up. Siddhartha wasn’t a family dog, my parents got him for me when I was 12, and he was definitely my dog. My dog to the point where, when we moved as a family, and the rest of the gang was staying in a hotel as the house was being painted and carpeted, I had to stay in the empty house because my dog was starving himself at the boarding facility. I was accepted as a working student at an equestrian program in another state, but I couldn’t take my dog, so I had to turn it down. Sid was my responibility, and one that has to be taken very seriuosly.

StG

36

I have seven dogs, they cost me about $200.00 a month average. We left them in a doggie hotel for seven days and it cost $800.00 +

A dog is not cheap to own and the attention they require is vast. Too many people do not think of the cost or consequences. A dog is a lifetime (theirs) commitment.

We love our dogs, spare no expense.

37

We’ve got two, but my wife works from home, so leaving them is not an issue. We got our pet dog because he was owned by people who ran a pottery painting shop we went to. They left him at home, and he was very unhappy. Since we were looking, they gave him to us to see how it worked - that was 10 years ago. He is miserable by himself.

My daughter worked last summer for a dog walking service, doing twice daily walks and some overnights. She made a lot more than her friends who worked at the mall. It does cost.

Our dogs are cheap when they’re healthy, but when there is an emergency it gets expensive. Our breeder, who was due in about two weeks, started bleeding. We rushed her over to the emergency vet clinic, who put her on ultrasound, then we drove her to Guide Dogs where she was on round the clock watch. She lost 9 of 11 puppies, and she just lost one of the others due to a breathing problem that forced her into an oxygen tent. I hate to think what it cost, but since she’s owned by Guide Dogs, it didn’t cost us anything. (Except worry and sorrow, and seeing that a dog not realizing what is going on is a blessing sometimes.)

So I agree with everyone else - senior year is not a good time to get a dog, unless your parents actually want one.

38

Just out of curiosity, what do they think is wrong with him?

39

*Surely not every family that travels leaves their dog with a day care service which charges $15 per day. *

Nope. It seems to cost a lot more than that; or else you work very hard to find a destination that will allow your dog.

If you can’t–you stay home.

*Dogs survive when their owners go to college. *

You mean animals survive when their owners abandon them? Or do you have a plan to surrender the dog when you go to college?

Speaking of which, how difficult is it to get a dog on campus.

I’ve seen lots of dogs on campus–visiting, or going for walks at UVic, for example.

If you mean, living with you on campus?

That’s too funny. Next question.

*I understand that at many colleges it is mandatory for freshmen to live in a dorm; after that, however, is it difficult to find a place which allows dogs? *

I work in property management. The college-age dog-owner with no previous rental references is not even going to have his/her application likely get near a property manager’s desk to look at, never mind approve.

In other words, very difficult.

Generally, how do people, and dopers in particular, deal with the problems presented?

My husband and I waited 10 years to get a dog. We waited until we had our own place, not renting. We waited until he had his own business, and could take the dog to work with him. Every day. We waited until we knew we really wanted a dog, could afford a dog, and were willing to sacrifice for the sake of providing the dog with a caring home.

You are not in a position to have a dog, and I strongly urge you to not try and convince your family to get a dog. I hope you continue to volunteer with dogs, though, as the shelter can use you much, much more than any individual dog you’d acquire, and then just have to leave with your family.

40

Some sort of allergy. The vet said it was practically impossible to figure out what he was allergic to, but the steroids have really helped a lot. His paws are much better now - there’s still a tiny bit of peeling, I think, but the improvement is drastic. I haven’t seen him chewing on them since we started the steroids either.