In May of 2016, my boyfriend and I brought home our furry best friend (#AdoptDontShop).
My parents, to say the least, were very unenthused with my choice. Their main concern was the time commitment my puppy, Chance, would take up during the upcoming fall semester. Having a puppy can be extremely fun and exciting, but with it comes great responsibility. Puppies take time to train, exercise and care for. Here’s what it’s really like to have a dog in college:
Cost
If you decide to get a dog, I highly suggest adopting from a local shelter. Chance was adopted from The Fairfax County Animal Shelter in Northern Virginia. Not only was the cost of adoption substantially lower than buying from a breeder, the shelter sends you home with everything you need to get started. I was able to grab a whole bag of dog food, bowls, a dog bed, two full boxes of dog bones and so many toys we’re still drowning in. Volunteers and community members donate toys to the shelter and make sure that new parents are well taken care of for the first few months. But, eventually, you WILL run out. The main costs of having a dog in college are as follows:
Pet Rent: $20-$30 per month depending on your housing choice
Food: $25-$50 per month. This depends on the size of your dog and the brand of food you choose to buy. I recommend IAMS. There are always coupons online, or if you join the rewards program at Petco or PetSmart, you receive $5 every few weeks. Use this to pay for food and treats!
Dog Bones/Treats/Toys: on average $20 per month. If you have an aggressive chewer like I do, this may be higher. I recommend investing in tough toys from the KONG brand at Walmart or a local pet store.
Other (includes vet bills, registration, and money put aside for any damage that the dog may cause to your belongings or someone else’s): $50-$100 per month. This money is on reserve. I’ve never had to spend it yet, but just in case there is an emergency, I always like to have something to take care of Chance.
Exercise
Dogs need a ton of attention. We spend about three hours per day outside actively exercising Chance and another 2 hours inside playing with dog toys.
Here’s a snapshot of our weekly routine with Chance.
Morning: Take your dog on a 35-45 minute walk before leaving. This leaves your dog tired while you’re away so they sleep instead of turning to chewing to pass the time. Trust me, if you get lazy and just take them out to go to the bathroom, you WILL come home to torn apart textbooks and holes in the wall—speaking from experience here! It is so important to exercise your dog early in the morning so they spend the rest of the day tired at home.
While you’re away: This is the best time to leave your dog with some stimulating toys. I suggest a puzzle toy or a KONG toy, both which can be found at Walmart/Amazon/the local pet store. This will keep them busy for the time you’re away. Feed your dog his/her breakfast through these puzzle toys to offer rewards throughout the day. You can also play a scavenger hunt game with them while you’re away. Hide small dog treats in curious places around your house so that your dog can find them.
Afternoon: Having a dog comes with sacrifices. This means you can’t be gone for six hours at a time in class or hanging out with friends on the Quad. Schedule your classes so you have a few hours to go home and take your dog out again. Chance sees either Kyle or I halfway through the day, so he doesn’t have to be home alone for more than 3-4 hours. Yes, this may seem like overkill, but when you’re raising a puppy, they can’t be left alone for much longer. They need to be taken to the bathroom multiple times a day, and loneliness turns into destructive behavior.
Evening: This is the longest time we spend outside. We get home around 4 p.m. and take Chance for an hour to an hour and a half walk immediately. This not only exercises your dog, but provides you with exercise as well. When we get back from the walk, Chance always wants to play fetch. We purchase KONG squeaky, tennis balls for this part of our play time. These are the most durable for our aggressive chewer. Fetch lasts between 30 and 40 minutes. You’ll tell when your dog has had enough. In Chance’s case, it’ll look like this:
While you study: Feed your dog his/her dinner through the puzzle toy again. This will keep them occupied for at least an hour while you can get some work done. When this fails, fill a KONG with some peanut butter or dog treats. This ensures your dog doesn’t whine while you’re busy studying. If you’ve given them enough exercise, they should be too tired to bother you and fall asleep.
Weekends: We spend a lot more time outside on days we don’t have classes. Harrisonburg has a huge dog park behind Lowes where 10-20 dogs can be found playing during the day. We spend about an hour there.
Having a dog can be difficult and frustrating at times, but it can be extremely rewarding. Waking up to a dog asleep at your side is the best feeling, and coming home to a wet nose and slobbery kisses is hard to beat.
Before you adopt a dog, make sure you have room in your schedule. The worst thing you can do is adopt a dog and find out too late that it’s not for you. If you have a busy schedule, ask your roommates if they would be willing to walk your dog once or twice while you’re away. Think about spring break and other trips that you regularly take throughout the year. You’ll have to find pet care during those times. This is another cost that you may not have thought about. Research local dog boarding or ask a neighbor if they would be willing to take care of your dog if you plan to travel. And, most importantly, make sure your parents give you permission. Although you’ll be at school for most of the time with your dog, for holidays and vacations you’ll most likely be staying with them. It’s important to make sure they welcome your new friend.
Having a dog can be more than just fun; it can be beneficial to your health. There are numerous articles that say dogs can help reduce stress and promote a healthy lifestyle.
At times having a dog can be difficult, but with a face like this, I’ll gladly wake up 40 minutes early to go for a walk.