[corgi_lover]

So I am almost through my freshman year at college and am planning out my second. I already have planned to get an apartment that allows dogs as I am sure I NEED a dog in my life. I had to leave my 2 corgis at home this year but I can't figure out what to do next year. There are a few options:

--bring them both down
--the issue with this is as I was the youngest kid my parents would be left as empty nesters with no kids or dogs. And with both my parents working full time they wont have time to get a puppy

--split them up
--Trevor is more my dog than Abby and if I had to choose he would come down with me. My mom loves Abby and she would be happy with this. However We got the pups together when they were little and they grew up together. We feel like it would be traumatic for them to split them up now as they will be almost 5.

--Get a new dog
--This could work in two ways. Get a puppy or dog at the beginning of the summer and I could train it and either A) bring the new puppy down to school with me next year or B) leave it home with the parents. this seems like the most direct answer but that another dog that we will have to pay expenses for....UGHHH anyway any advice would be appreciated Thanks

 

[Sloth]

Ugh, I don't envy you. I personally waited until graduating college and getting a job before getting a dog, and the wait was NOT fun.

Sounds like you should decide which would be less traumatic: separating your parents from the dogs, or separating the dogs from each other. I would think your parents could understand the situation better than the dogs could, and if they choose to get another dog to alleviate the empty nest syndrome, they can do so.

If you bring both dogs down with you, or get a new dog, would you have the time and money to care for them?

I personally would volunteer at the animal shelter instead, at least until your life situation gets more stable. Especially if you plan to go all 4 years of college...you never know what'll happen down the road, and it's hard to get financially stable when you're in college...

 

[Nil]

I spent my freshman and sophomore year without my dog. I brought her up for my junior/senior/super senior year.

If you find a place that allows dogs and is affordable, I would bring one to stay for a semester as a test drive. See if you really have the time to balance school and dog ownership. Do you really have the time to train, exercise, and be there for your dog while juggling school? Also, as you get older and start taking your upper division classes, they get harder and longer and require more time (in general). I went from 3 hour labs to now having 3 classes that all have 6 hour labs. That's a lot of time of being in class, much less studying outside of class.

Will you be roommates with someone? How will they treat the dog? Will they have pets of their own?

I don't think a puppy would be good. Landlords don' generally like the thought of a puppy (my mom is a landlord who generally doesn't allow dogs, which, after seeing the damage I understand). Puppies mean accidents, chewing, damage, the chance they will be a nuisance, etc. Bringing both would be sketchy. Most landlords won't allow more than one dog. I'd keep it simple. Show the landlord that you are responsible with 1 dog and then maybe try to see if you can bring the other.

I personally would volunteer at the animal shelter instead, at least until your life situation gets more stable. Especially if you plan to go all 4 years of college...you never know what'll happen down the road, and it's hard to get financially stable when you're in college...

This too. Unless you have the money or your parents are willing to help with expenses, it may be hard paying your bills along with the extra cost of dog care. Not only that but in California the cost of tuition has been increasing nearly every semester.

 

[corgi_lover]

My parents are willing to pay for the dogs as long as I pay the $25-50 a month. At this point I am not worried about hours (for next year) as I already have my schedual. And I have talked to the landlord of the place I am looking at living. I understand what you are saying though. I will have a roommate who is excited to have a dog but I wouldnt trust her taking care of my dogs, but she is willing to let them out when she is home (and in the morning as she is part of AF ROTC and is up at the crack of dawn) and feed them if she needs to, which will be nice.

 

[Nil]

It is definitely nice to have help, no doubt. If you think you can handle it then I would say, go for it. If worse comes to worse then they could always go back with your parents. Another consideration is, you don't really have the freedom other friends may have. When people ask me if I want to hang out all day and go to a party, I can't. I have to walk, feed, and spend time playing with my dog.

You are going to be turning 21 (I am assuming, idk for sure or anything) and going and getting drunk at parties and staying at a friend's house isn't really an option. Having a dog definitely limits what you can do in some ways, but if you enjoy your dogs and having them would make you happier, then go for it. I still go to parties and go out with friends, but not nearly the same amount as my other friends, but I am ok with that too.

 

[hanksimon]

When I went to college, I left my 7 yo dog with my parents. I didn't take him with me, because I didn't want to disrupt everyone's life and not be able to improve things for my dog. When I graduated, I decided to get a puppy rather than uproot an 11 yo dog. It was a very hard decision because I went through obedience trials with him, and I took him on weekend hikes before I went to college. ... but he had adapted to me being gone.