Pros and Cons of Having a Dog In College

There is nobody more deserving of our love and care that kind, loyal and friendly dogs. If they happen to be our pets – we’re blessed with the best buddies that have ever walked on this Earth.

The feeling of seeing your pup after a long working day is something that can not be put into words, they make us feel important and loved no matter how stressed or depressed we are.

They are special creatures that would fight tooth and nail for us in case of trouble, literally. If all people were like dogs, this world would arguably be a better place!

Looking Out For Our Canine Friends

Any good dog owner would like to always be close to his pet, the bond between the human and a dog is tight and separation even for a day provides a lot of bad energy for both sides.

But what if we could stay in touch with our pups?

Would it be a good practice or your friend would just feel out of place in certain locations?

It’s important to understand what kind of dog you own and take into account the habits and temperament of various breeds. Some of them can be scared of people and loud noises. Putting those noble animals in such environment could make them feel anxious.

Campus Hounds

As you’re looking to find out about the positives and negatives that come with taking care of your pet in college, we need to go through every little aspect and weigh in on a very tough question –

“is it worth taking a dog to college?”

When making this decision, you should think both about yourself, other students and the animal. Would it be fair to take the dog with you or leave it at home? After all, it’s hard to take care of oneself in college, let alone a canine mammal.

You are lucky if you even have a choice, as a lot of dorms prohibit students from having pets. If the dorm policy is tolerant, you have to think about the matter a lot more.

1) Size does matter, as having a big pup is a no-no for the dorm society that is packed like a can of sardines already. The situation is slightly different if you rent an apartment that will have more space and fewer people in it. Talking to your landlord in advance about the fate of your best friend is recommended. You don’t want to be thrown out of the door for a little surprise your doggo left in the owner’s boot.

2) Consider the expenses that will follow you through your entire course, as being on a budget is a credo of every authentic student. Would you have the time and the money to take care of your pet, feed it, walk it and give it proper medical care when needed? Don’t forget about yourself, as you need to have some free time too to be a successful student.

3) The opinion of your peers may change very quickly if the dog acts inadequately at some stage. You can’t control it all the time. Loud barking, generous excrements and even biting could easily outweigh the cute eyes and a wet nose. It’s also possible that your pet will exacerbate someone’s allergy, think about pupils who might be scared of dogs.

Also, try to fit in a circle that won’t abuse the hound.

For and Against

If the field is clear and there are no problems in regard to conditions of caretaking, there’s still a lot of things to consider. We can totally understand why you would want to spend all of your free college time with a pet, not all of us are good at talking to people.

A freshmen year will bring you a lot of homesickness. Having a part of your home with you in the unknown territories will make you feel warmer inside. Adapting to the new place and new rules is never easy, but when you have someone who followed in your footsteps for their entire life, then it’s not all that bad.

If for some reason you fail to make friends in college, you will never feel isolated thanks to your doggo who will wake you up with licks to the face or feet every single morning, bring you sleepers and force you to get a dose of Vitamin D early in the morning. The dog will keep you responsible. It might even give you a classic “dog ate my homework” excuse option if you would risk using that one in college!

But it’s not all about you, dear friend, and thinking everything through is your duty.

Is it fair to your pet, to other people, to the parents that pay for your student loan?

While taking care of the dog, you will have much less time to study and be an active member of your community. You can miss out on interactions with colleagues, but you don’t want to put your credits in danger. If you sacrifice your studying hours, you will quickly fall behind and get lost in the course, as even the pet free scholars are dealing with that.

Being a good student and a great pet owner at once is a huge challenge. It could overwhelm you with time and leave you exhausted. Dogs are thinking with their heart, so putting them in a wild atmosphere of hyperactive teens could confuse them quite a bit, if not get them extra aggravated and aggressive. Dogs need a lot of freedom, and being boxed in for hours in a small container is not a fun time for them.

Final Words

All your actions have consequences. Pets teach you responsibility, and deciding whether to take them with you to college or not is just an initial dilemma. We just gave you different points of view, but the final decision and dog’s life is on you.