Getting a Dog in Medical School Part I
How to Select the Ideal Dog for a Medical Student
Getting a pet for emotional support is such a common strategy for improving one’s mental health. In fact, 74% of pet owners believe having a pet improves their mental health. This article is about selecting a dog in medical school, and it can be easily applied to anyone who leads a busy lifestyle.
I got a Bichon Frise from a breeder in Virginia when I was a rising second year medical student. It was the best worst decision of my life. Getting sleep and having a social life that summer, and many occasions thereafter, was just not possible. However, to this day, my stress levels definitely decrease at the sight of my little guy, Ollie. He is now 6 years old, and I have made it through medical school with him. Maybe even because of him!
So you may be wondering, how did I go about choosing which dog to get? The stakes are higher for medical students as you don’t have a lot of time for much else. So I will cut right to the chase here.
- Skip getting a puppy.
- Get a dog who is already house-trained
- A loner dog is what you need
- Correction: A loner, QUIET dog is what you need
I feel like these three things will keep you from making the mistakes I did. I am sure it’s not what you wanted to read though, so I will explain more about it.
Benefits of Getting a Dog
Before you decide on whether or not to get a dog and what type of dog to get, let me give you some quick facts about how you benefit from owning a dog.
- Stress Reduction Statistics:
- Having a dog can reduce stress levels. Penn State University’s Stress Relief Debrief notes that interacting with a dog can instantly lower cortisol levels. There is also date supporting increased oxytocin associated with pet ownership. Both of which would increase emotional-well-being.
- Physical Activity and Exercise:
- While we all strive to get our weekly requirement of 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise, having a dog ensures we are active. Dogs need regular walks, so you are more likely to get out there with that additional motivation. Reducing your sedentary behavior is an added benefit of dog ownership.
- Improved Social Interaction:
- Dogs enhance social interactions and community engagement, fostering connections with fellow students or neighbors. When I first got my dog, Ollie, I met so many people on our walks and trips to the dog park. So if you are feeling lonely, know that having a dog can help with that too!
So now that you are leaning towards getting a dog for all those lovely benefits, let’s make sure you get the right dog for you! Here are my suggestions.
Skip Getting a Puppy
The day I met Ollie!
I know. Puppies are super freaking cute. When I saw Ollie for the first time, he was only 2lbs and absolutely adorable. He looked like a freaking stuffed animal! I spoil him with lots of snacks to this day because I remember just how small he was as a puppy.
But I digress. As much as I will cherish the memories I have of Ollie as a little pupper-nut, it was just not a smart decision on my part.
I had just finished first year, which was an exhausting year of basic sciences. At Duke, it’s two years of basic sciences in one, so I was beyond through with learning and had a massive amount of sleep debt to catch up on that summer. I had 0 dog-owning experience prior to this, so I did not know that puppies do not have a sense of bedtime the way babies don’t either. When they are up (no matter the time), they want to play. They get scared at night, so forget about sleeping. And crate-training is a nightmare.
I Repeat, DO NOT Get a Puppy!
For those of you who are a novice to dog training, crate-training is when you leave your puppy in what is basically their bed for extended periods of time. The idea is they get comfortable in the crate so that you can keep them safe, avoid potty training accidents, and sleep in your own bed at night without them waking you up. Well, Ollie was definitely not having anything to do with his crate at night. I tried to leave him there, but the howling broke my heart. To this day, he sleeps in bed with me. I get worse sleep than I did before I got him.
Also, getting a puppy means you need to do basic training, get them vaccinated, and spayed/neutered. All these things takes a lot of money. I don’t know about you, but I definitely had to get creative about where I was going to take him to get these things done and not break the bank. I was living off of loans as is, so getting an expensive dog, when I could have gotten a rescue at the shelter…but I can explain my reasoning behind that at another time.
One last thing that people often overlook is socialization. Once vaccinated, puppies need to socialize with other animals and people. They need to see different places and hear all the everyday noises of living in a city. My fiancé’s dog, Mal, was a rescue. By the time he adopted Mal, the poor dog was already afraid of so many things. For example, we can’t walk past a skateboard park without the sounds freaking him out for 30 minutes or more. Walk ruined. It’s sad to see that. So it’s essential that you have time to help your dog feel confident in the world.
Get a Dog Who is Already Housetrained
A Bichon Frise is notoriously difficult to housetrain. I didn’t fully appreciate that before I got Ollie. My dog walker – Yes, I needed to have a dog walker. Ca-ching! – had a toy poodle who would go on walks with Ollie. Her toy poodle was potty trained in 2 weeks. When I found that out, my mouth dropped. I was so jealous. It took me way, way, way more than 2 weeks. I am too embarrassed to even tell you the real length of time. But that leads me to my recommendation here that you should get a dog who is already housetrained.
Admittedly, this is difficult to do if you are dead-set on ignoring my first piece of advice. The last thing you need is to spend all day training your dog to stop urinating and defecating on your carpet. I had to keep Ollie in his crate all day except for play time and eating. Take him out almost every hour to ensure he can handle his business in the appropriate location: outside. And still, there were accidents! I know I was making rookie mistakes, but scrubbing urine out of carpet gets old real quick. Believe me.
What I am saying is you should likely adopt an adult dog from a rescue shelter. Make sure you discuss with the volunteers there that you have to get a dog who is already trained to use the restroom outside. I know it’s not the same as having a cute puppy, but your back, knees, and nostrils will thank you.
What You Need is a Loner Dog
I got a dog whose breed is known for being super social. If I’m not mistaken, Bichon Frises used to be circus performers. And they certainly have won their fair share of dog shows. Ollie took to people, dogs, and cats so quickly. He loves meeting everybody, and I love that about him. I never have to worry about him getting uncomfortable in pretty much any social situation. However, there is a downside to that.
What I didn’t realize is that social dogs NEED to have companions. They cannot be left home alone for long periods of time. And in fact, they would prefer that they are never left alone at all. I never knew that dogs can have such incredible separation anxiety. It’s heartbreaking to see Ollie so upset whenever I leave him. That’s why I wish I would have considered the 12, sometimes 16, hours a day that I would not be there for him. When I realized this, I knew I needed to spend money on day care for him at least once a week. (Do you hear that? Nothing? Well, that’s the sound my coin purse makes when I give it a little shake.)
The good news is there are plenty of dog breeds that are super agreeable to alone time. And no matter the breed, some dogs have independent personalities that helps them withstand being separated from their best bud. It’s a matter of choosing the right dog.
Correction: A loner, QUIET dog is what you need
Dogs can talk a lot! Ollie is so freaking talkative. I recognize that it’s my fault for not training him to have an inside voice; however, this dog also just has a lot to say. And it makes it difficult for me when I want to study or watch TV or do anything that doesn’t involve him.
To be fair, he is really quiet throughout the day in comparison to the evening. I think it’s because he is used to me coming home then and expects me to play with him. Fair enough. However, as you know, a medical student works from morning to night. Coming home at night, doesn’t mean you are done studying for the day. It means you are just getting started. So do yourself a favor, and find a dog who does not bark as much. Also, your neighbors will thank you for it.
In Summary
Please remember that it takes an enormous time commitment and it’s a long-term responsibility to own a pet. On top of that, you will likely need to consider your finances as taking care of another being is not cheap. So think it over, and then think it over again. And then check out part 2 for the numbers behind owning a dog.
Have a good journey!
