Do you know the saying that a dog is a man’s best friend? Well, this is considered true by millions of people across the globe. A lot of young students grow up with their favorite pet dog around them and are considered best mates. So, it comes as no surprise that when these students attend college, they persist in taking their dogs with them. Let’s see How Do College Students Deal With Dogs?
This article will aim at giving you an answer on how you can be best prepared if you want to take your dog to college with you. Even though you’ll have limited space and insufficient funds as a college student at times, you just must make do with what you have available.
How do college students deal with dogs
Before you prepare to pack your bags and take your dog with you, students first complete several items on a checklist so that they are better prepared for the worst-case scenarios. The checklist is as follows:
- Are pets allowed in the accommodation?
This is going to be the first item on the checklist. Making sure that your place of stay allows any pets will keep you from worrying about where your dog is going to live. Therefore, students make sure that this step is complete.
- Type of dog
Secondly, students need to make sure that the type of breed their dog is. It will depend a lot on living conditions. For example, students wouldn’t think of taking their pet Husky along with them to college as there certainly won’t be enough space for it in a studio or shared apartment. So, they make sure that their dog is small enough to take with them.
- Living conditions and affordability
Even though your student housing would allow you to keep a pet dog and you have sufficient space for the dog, you need to make sure that you have enough money every month to pay for your dog’s monthly expenses. Especially if you’re a student on a tight monthly budget, having a dog to take care of can be a distraction from your studies. Students figure all of this out before they can get their buddy on campus
- Do you have the time as a student to have a pet dog?
A lot of new students don’t realize how much time they’ll have while they’re at college. You can have a fully occupied day filled with lectures and seminars. Where would this leave your dog? As you can tell, you must construct a timetable that allows enough time for you to play with and take care of your dog.
On the other hand, most of the time, when students are off to college, they decide it would be a good idea to adopt a pet dog. Although you may have sufficient resources to take care of your pet, once you must leave your student accommodation, it may become an issue for you to take your dog home if you haven’t told your family yet. This leads to the situation of where your pet dog is going to live for the summer while you’re at home.
students carefully consider the scenarios and have their back up plans ready. often, they take their dogs along with them everywhere except classes and other places where they’re not allowed. The dog also becomes a part of the student’s life so most activities, at least in the room and off-campus are done together with the dog to spend quality time.
Below are a few ways on how students deal with dogs at college:
Have a plan ready– Students are fully prepared to be a dog owner whilst at college, so they have a less stressful time having dogs there. They ensure to have essentials, such as play toys and toiletries for the dog that will make things easier
Balancing Studies and routine – Being able to create a daily routine for you and your dog is essential for having a peaceful and fun bond. This could involve your dog’s feeding or showering times, as well as going out for a walk. Students prepare a routine so they can allot time for other college activities like studies, activities and so on.
Caring and connecting– Students take dogs with them by choice. They care and connect for and with their dogs respectively. Moreover, they find a friend and support system in their dog. Students also take good physical and mental care of their dog, and have a memorable life as a student.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are many ways that students enjoy and grow with dogs. Dogs turn out to be a great companion for college students. Students have all the necessary plans for their dog and have no worries about living with your pet at college.
FAQs:
- Can a pet dog limit a student’s social life?
Certainly, a pet dog can limit your social life. As you’ll spend more time playing with and taking care of your dog, your friends will be hanging out at parties or social events without you. It depends on the type of person you are and how important having a social life at college is to you.
- What are the alternatives to owning a dog in college?
If you find that it won’t be reasonable for you to own a dog at college even though you would like to, there are other alternatives that you may wish to consider. For example, you can volunteer to work at a dog rescue or animal shelter, where you can treat and play with the dogs there. You could also work at a pet store or visit pet-friendly cafes or hand-out spots that have a lot of cute animals there. The choices for you as a college student are endless. You just have to decide on what the best option is for you and build your life with your dog around that.