Anyone have a dog and in grad school?

[environmentisnothippy]

I got a dog as soon as I moved to the city where I'd be in grad school, and got my first apartment.  I adopted him at 1 and 1/2 years old from the SPCA.  Luckily he was potty trained then, and he was fine just roaming in my tiny studio apartment.  Balancing him and everything else was definitely harder than I thought, as was my budget.  He is 2 years old now, and obedience trained, and I think we have the balancing part down a lot better than I did.  I don't regret getting him, even though it is definitely a lot more challenging than I expected.  Still, I worry that, with my thesis just now starting, I will have less time for him than I did, even though I will be quitting my part time job for my thesis (and stipend!).  Anyone else have pets (particularly dogs) and how are you balancing your time?  Do you regret getting a dog?

[Lisa44201]

Two dogs and two kids. It takes conscious effort. I find that they (collectively) force me to take a break from my schoolwork, which is necessary in the long run for mental health, not getting burned out on grad school, etc. 

[nugget]

If you live very close to campus, I think it would be fairly manageable to have a dog (as long as it fits into the budget). You could give the dog a walk before heading out to school and during your lunch break (which is also a good way to reduce stress, so it benefits both dog and owner). 

 

If you have a social dog, he or she might get lonely spending so much time alone. But certain breeds are more independent and some dogs enjoy spending part of the day alone, so it all comes down to the pet you get.  

 

It would probably be comfortable for small dog to live in a bachelor apartment, but not so much for a big breed. 

 

That being said, I would LOVE to get a golden retriever or a labrador. The extra work would definitely be worth it since I love dogs so much and the benefits would far outweigh the costs. But there is no way I could afford to rent out a place for the next couple of years that's big enough for a dog to run around in and play. So I will have to settle with occassional walks to the dog park and perhaps I will do a bit of dog walking on the side while I'm in school. 

Edited August 28, 2013 by jenste

[ZombieWife]

Have a dog, cat, husband and 6-year-old.  You will find time.    Your life cannot be spent 100% in the books and writing.  Come up for air!