Pom: Not only a brand of fruit drink

[dytabytes]

I'm thinking of getting a dog. Thing is, I don't know if this is a good life decision at this point, so I'm turning to you guys, flist, because you're generally more intelligent than I am about things like this.

Comments

[pockythoughts]

I effing LOVE Poms. *_* They are super cute, and super sweet, but they also tend to have a lot of energy and are attention whores. I imagine this might get old at times when you are, say, in the middle of final exam hell.

Overall, though, I think getting a pet is a great idea, and a fantastic way to keep yourself sane during school! Even when things are at their craziest, you should still be able to provide it basic care and that'll even force you to take a break when you need one. Vet visits are actually only a very small part of pet ownership So long as yours is a healthy fuzzbutt, it should only need to go in for a checkup and shots annually. Puppies need to go in a bit more often for vaccines. And emergencies...well, those are inconvenient and stressful, dental school or no dental school.

So yeah, TL;DR, a resounding "You can do it!" But if you're really that concerned about taking care of a dog, have you considered a kitty? They provide the companionship but are a little more self-sufficient than dogs.

[dytabytes]

Possibly... I'm going to try to hit up the shelters and see if there are any dogs that they know are more sedate. I also have the ability to ignore/work around a great many things if I need to in the name of studying, so hopefully attention-whoring won't be an issue c:

The emergency thing is the one thing that I can't really figure out. I really don't want to ever have to deal with it, but if I have to, I have no idea what I'd do. Theoretically, it'd be the same as dealing with personal illness, I guess: get off to a doctor, fix it asap and move on.

The one issue I have with cats is that cats climb and they have claws. I wouldn't want to de-claw a cat, but I also have a lot of open shelving for my clothing, and I don't relish the thought of having cat hair/maulings going on all through my stuff...

[pockythoughts]

Shelter adoption equals very yes!

And yeah, that's about the approach to take. A pet emergency is like a people emergency. Finding a vet with extended hours or knowing where an emergency vet is in your area may prevent some panic in the long run.

^^a Yes. Cats climb. Cats like to be in things. I don't think your clothes would be mauled, but they would be climbed on, furred on, and possibly knocked on the floor.

[dytabytes]

I think it's the best idea all around, especially since I don't want a puppy at this point in time...

But yeah, I think that is going on my To-Do list if I get a pet :D

XDD Definitely sticking with the dog idea, then. Cats are for later when I can invest in real furniture, rather than racks and plastic shelving from Walmart.

[bwhahahabeck]

POM POMS

[dytabytes]

YES :D

[dytabytes]

Oh, I've had fish and hamsters before. The problem is that I'm a physical contact junkie. A dog or a particularly friendly cat would fill that need, but a fish would not :

[akoya]

"I'm a physical contact junkie"

Toast I fear if we ever met we would never stop hugging.
Also, YOU ARE SO TOTES DICK GRAYSON.

[dytabytes]

H-how am I at all similar to the bendy member of the Batfam O_O

[iambickilometer]

Are you in a permanent living situation? Because you might want to consider if you would be able to keep a dog. A lot of places don't allow pets. Also, traveling with pets is a hassle, and if you don't then you'll have to get someone to take care of the dog for you. And they're expensive. Food, vet visits, paraphenalia, etc. And they need a lot of attention, not just the hour for walks.

[dytabytes]

Nrr, these are all true points.

My living situation isn't permanent, but it's stable enough that I don't think I need to worry about a dog creating limitations (I know my apartment allows it). I'm not planning on travel for a while, because the next four years of my life involve school. Endless stretches of school.

The main issue I have is that yes, I don't know how much time a dog will need and how much I can give. The hour is a guideline for 'yes I can do walkies', but outside of that, the question is sort of 'how much more time is required that can't be spent multitasking', I guess.

[akoya]

Deadpool splits and organizes his arguments? I THOUGHT THAT WAS AN ENGINEERING THING.

When it comes to pets, I tend to say 'No' because I always hear horror stories about animals. Like them getting hurt or crapping all over the place. But on the other hand I don't want you getting lonely! *hugs*

Some other things to consider: allergies, diet for the pets and how expensive is it, pens, accessories, litter boxes....

>_>.....

[dytabytes]

Yeah, he's a fan of numbered lists c:

The getting hurt thing is one of the fears I have. Bathroom issues, I don't think are as much of a problem because I'm going to try and get a dog rather than a puppy, from a reputable adoption agency/shelter.

Allergies are something I haven't thought of... I don't have them now, but if I develop them, that'd be a problem. Expense, though, is not as much of an issue. I'm already so in debt from school that a thousand dollars or so is not going to make a difference. /sad but true

Also: I'd worry about breaking a teacup pig XD

[akoya]

Ah. Potty trained is good. As for the getting hurt I think if you're careful there won't be any disasters. I know this one friend had a super friendly (i.e. energetic) greyhound that would eat his comics and run around all time. But one time it's tail got stuck in a door and got chopped off. But I think poms are much more subdued and you may avoid these problems.