Single people with dogs in residency?

[prettypod]

I have been waiting for school to be over before I get some dogs, and I just realized that I might have to pull some pretty crazy hours in residency too. Talk about ruining my life plan, LOL. Are there any single residents out there that have dogs and how do you handle it? I heard greyhounds sleep like 18 hours a day, so are there any other breeds that can be left alone for long periods of time?

Happy New Year! Cheers!

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[Feli]

If you are single living alone, I think a cat, birds, or fish might be a better option. Most breeds of medium or large adult dogs can go 12+ hours without using the bathroom, but that's even pushing it sometimes... and the reasoning for getting a pet probably shouldn't be to do the bare minimum that it needs. Most dogs that end up getting surrendered to shelters come from single people living alone... a roommate, spouse, etc is just invaluable when you get stuck at work/school, wake up late and don't have time to walk it, etc.

THis thread might also be helpful...
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=433887

 

[phillypd]

i think getting a dog at this time is really a disadvantage to the pet... I got a dog a year ago and i can say that dogs are like kids... they need attention, want to play, need to go out to get fresh air, etc. Don't get a dog.......really. wait until you have more time on your hands......although some dogs can hold their bladder, it's really not fair to the dog that you put him in a situation where he has to constantly hold his bladder for a entire day. I think if you don't have the time than don't be selfish and make a poor dog suffer cause you have to work. Fish, cats, and Wii system are all great things to have that you can be bothered with when ever you feel like it....

 

[GetnMyFtNtheDor]

I suggest a guinea pig. I had one as a kid. They're cheap ($10 a peice), They love to interact so you can buy more than one, they don't mind being left alone if you have a few in the same cage, and they love being experimented on.jk. In all seriousness, feed them twice a day, change the water bottle, and clean the cage every other day. Very low maintenance