So you know where I'm coming from, I'm a final year veterinary student.

Let me start with saying you've taken a good step as a future pet owner to legitimately seek advice as opposed to just DOING IT and dealing with the consequences later. As a member of the animal industry, THANK YOU!!!



Honestly, with all you have told me right here, I'm already going to recommend you do not get a dog. You won't be home frequently, you'll be leaving for long periods of time on a predictably regular basis and you haven't had a pet before. This is a set up for a LOT of problems if you aren't totally prepared to get the perfect dog for you and work with these problems.



There are ways to work around this. For one, I would not keep any large dog. For one, most apartment complexes do not allow them. For another they are more expensive to maintain, require more exercise/space, and are harder to find care for when you are away (and more difficult to take with you). Unless you are working with a boarded nutritionist, do not ever feed your dog a diet consisting wholly of meat or vegetables, or even any homemade diet. You should feed your dog a balanced dog kibble or wet food that is properly formulated for a dog. Look on the label and it should say something to the effect of either "This dog has been formulated according to X-Organization's determination of nutritional needs for maintenance" or "This dog has been through AAFCO feeding trials for the above". If you aren't sure, stick with Purina or Hills brands. They are more expensive than some other companies, but I guarantee you your dog will get a balanced diet.


In general, I recommend you look at getting a small, low-maintenance pet like a caged small mammal for a cat for this first pet away from home. Rats are an excellent pet (I have one myself). They are small and easily maintained, easy to learn to care for properly, cheap, and fun pets to have. They are interactive and, in some instances, Cuddly. My rat licks people like a dog! Cats are much also cheaper, easier to maintain, don't ask for you to be home that much, and easier to find care for when you are away.

If you have your heart set on a dog, This is what I recommend:
1) Get a small dog. You are more likely to find housing, your care costs will be less (not just food. veterinary care will also be less to an extent), and it will be easier for you to give the dog the exercise it will need. You also may be able to bring a very small dog on a plane with you, and they're easier to car trip with as well.

2) Get a self-sufficient adult dog. An adult dog is already easier than a puppy. A dog that is less attention-needy will be more comfortble being left at home all day. this dog may not be as "cuddly" or "loyal" seeming. But you have to think about the dog too.

3) Make your dog your priority. This is the equivalent of a child here, when it comes to their level of dependence. This animal WILL NEED YOU to survive. If you aren't sure you can take care of it, if you are worried about housing, if you will choose housing over your pet, if you can't afford proper care, DO NOT GET THE DOG. it is not fair to anyone involved.

4) Take a hard look at your finances. I mean it. Dogs are expensive. They cost THOUSANDS of dollars over a dog's lifetime to feed and maintain. MORESO if you're paying for dog-sitters. Dogs need more than just cheap food and love. They need routine heartworm and parasite prevention. They need to be spayed/neutered if they are not already. They need routine vaccinations. They need to be licensed. Can you afford to care for your pet if it becomes ill? A veterinary bill can easily rack up into the thousands, as there's little to no insurance agencies to help an owner pay for things. Fluids are expensive, so are catheters, time and medications. If your dog gets hit by a car, do you have the money to fix it, or the compassion to put it down? If your dog develops Addison's Disease, can you fid the money for it to be on life-long medication? It's not that much (for that disease) but all these things add up. If you aren't willing to find the money to pay for these things, please think twice. It is not fair to your animal or your veterinarian to adopt an animal you simply cannot afford.

EDIT: I just wanted to add that boarding your animal is doubly expensive because there are also a variety of extra vaccinations your dog should have to return healthy from boarding facilities.



As I've said, in your situation, I sincerely believe it is best to hold off on owning a dog at this time. If your heart is set on it, you've already made a good start in finding the information you need. Do your research. Find the answers to your questions regarding your local area. Find housing FIRST. Find a veterinarian in your area FIRST. It may even be a good idea to talk to them about their fees (express to them WHY you're doing this, btw. Otherwise they'll assume you're trying to shop around and that gets irritating). LISTEN to the staff at the adoption center. Their goal is to find good homes for the animals. if they call thing sinto question, think seriously about those questions. Above all, make sure you adopt a dog that is good for your situation, and that will be happy.

Please let me know if you have any more questions I can answer for you. You've been given a lot of good advice, so you may not have one