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February 02, 2012
Dog Daze in College Students
The worst part about leaving home for any student isn’t leaving behind friends, your hometown, home-cooked food, or even your parents (sorry mom and dad); it’s leaving behind your dog. That’s why it’s so popular for college students to adopt a pooch to keep at school. While there are many advantages to owning a puppy while still in college, there are many disadvantages as well. Not all canines are cut out for a college lifestyle. Advantages: 1. Best Friend – The addition of a dog to your abode in College Station is the addition of an automatic new best friend. You will have someone to greet you when you come home late from Northgate alone, someone to snuggle with, and someone to run with. 2. Security – A dog can be a great security system. Barking can alert you to danger, especially if you live alone. They may even attack or repel an intruder! Disadvantages: 1. Money – This is very important. Dogs cost a lot of money. If you purchase a puppy from the Puppy Store or a groomer, you could be looking at several hundred to over a thousand dollars to be able to take the animal home. If you adopt from a shelter, you will probably shell out about $125. However, there are also vet bills for spaying/neutering and shots in addition to any illness the puppy may already need treatment for. You will also want to buy food, treats, toys, a bed, water and food dishes, a leash, a collar, a crate, and any number of other dog-related comfort items. Every year, you will need to pay for an annual check up and maybe a pet deposit. You will have to regularly purchase food as well along with grooming fees if your animal requires grooming. 2. Time – As college students, we already have precious little time for anything but studies, our chapter, and partying. A dog demands a lot of time. Be prepared to spend hours a week training your new friend and cleaning up after them. Also set aside time to let them exercise. Dogs have a lot of energy that needs to be released. Going on walks, runs, or to the dog park are an important part of dog ownership. Your dog may also beg for attention while you’re trying to cram for an exam, or rip up expensive things in your house. 3. Comfort of the animal – You must consider whether the quality of life that you could provide a dog is fair to the animal. If you do not have time, space, or money to adequately provide for your puppy, then it’s not right to adopt. If your building doesn’t allow pets and you think you can sneak them in anyway, consider what would happen if the landlord finds out about your pooch and gives you an ultimatum. If you live in a fraternity house, it may be alright to keep a dog, but someone must take ultimate responsibility for the animal and keep it healthy. I was once at a party where all they had in the poor dog’s water bowl was dehydrating beer! Personally, I enjoy living with a dog while pursuing my degree. But I also have the ideal situation for it. My housemate and AXO sister, Alex, volunteered at the Brazos Animal Shelter last year. She was responsible for caring for the animals that were brought in, treating them when necessary, and also, euthanizing them when necessary. She had to euthanize hundreds of unwanted or ill animals during her one-year tenure as a veterinary volunteer because people would drop off their dogs after they realized they couldn’t actually care for them. There are also an uncountable number of animals running loose in the BCS area that were brought in off the streets. Daisy Mae was one of those dogs brought in off the streets. She is half Border Collie, and half mutt. She is the cuddliest, most tolerant dog I have ever encountered and she is extremely intelligent and well-behaved. Alex cared for Daisy at the shelter and tried to get her adopted out so she wouldn’t be put down, but nobody wanted her. The day that Alex was supposed to put Daisy Mae down, she decided to take her home instead and I gained a new housemate. The situation in our house is ideal for Daisy Mae because out of the four people living here, we all have different schedules and there is almost always someone home to spend time with her. Although we consider Daisy to be jointly owned by all occupants of our home, she ultimately belongs to Alex. Daisy runs with all of us, we all let her out to go potty, and we all play fetch with her in our yard. Every person that lives with her approved of the adoption beforehand and helps care for her. Between the four of us, we can give Daisy more than enough attention and time. Now, if there had been even one housemate who didn’t want an animal, or if we were all gone at the same time, or ignored Daisy because we do not technically own her, things would be very different. Dogs are high maintenance pets that require a lot of money, time, and attention. Be sure that you are fully informed and ready to take on the responsibility before committing to a new addition. Adopting an animal is not a decision to be taken lightly!
Michelle is a junior studying management information systems. You may contact her at michellesh@tamu.edu.
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