Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
placeholder article
placeholder article

The Best and Worst Dog Breeds for College Students

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCD chapter.

Having a dog in college can be a lot of fun, but not all breeds are suited for a college lifestyle. Here are the breeds you should consider and the breeds you should avoid.

The Best

English bulldogs usually don’t like exercising. If it was up to them, they would sleep and eat all day. Obviously, you will need to take them out as often as possible, but don’t feel pressured to do so if you have a long night of studying ahead of you. Another plus is they don’t need to be brushed very often.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are sweet, loving, and tire out easily. Their favorite activity is sniffing around outside.

Greyhounds are extremely calm and hate roughhousing. You won’t have to worry about your things getting destroyed!

Papillons are great for students who live in apartments. They only weigh about ten pounds, which means they are small enough to exercise indoors. They are also very friendly to everyone, including other dogs. They do shed, so be sure to brush them regularly.

Irish Wolfhounds are perfect for big dog lovers and students who live in houses. Despite their size, they are actually very gentle and friendly. They love to cuddle, so you can invite them to jump up in bed with you.

Clumber Spaniels are ideal for students who don’t have a lot of time to go out. Their favorite activity is lounging around the house. Of course, exercise is still important, so remember to take them on a walk at least once a day.

Borzois are intelligent, well-mannered, and best of all, quiet. You’ll barely hear a peep out of this breed, which means you don’t have to worry about your neighbors complaining. Daily trips to the park are highly recommended. These guys love to run!

The Worst 

Weimaraners are too energetic for busy college students to handle. Many suffer from separation anxiety, which means they need to be with somebody at all times. They are also very difficult to housetrain.

Rottweilers can be gentle, but with the wrong owner they can be truly terrifying. If you’re not willing to take charge, they’ll happily do it for you. They growl, they snarl, and they may even bite. Nearly all apartment complexes forbid Rottweilers.

Chow-chows look like soft, cuddly teddy bears, but they certainly don’t act like them. Typically they are stubborn, aggressive, and like to be left alone. Also, they require a lot of training.

Beagles are known for their loud, relentless barking. You’ll probably get a lot of complaints from your neighbors.

Dalmatians need crazy amounts of exercise. If they are stuck indoors all day, they become very destructive. 

Megan Taylor Hartenstein is an English major and Women's Studies minor at the University of California, Davis. Give her something to write with, and she'll create a masterpiece. While she loves journalism and writing short stories, her dream is to become a television or film writer. Megan is a proud feminist, and loves to incorporate feminist principles in everything she writes.       
This is the UCD Contributor page from University of California, Davis!