bringing a dog to law school Forum

[2014entering2014]

I have wanted a dog for literally 4 years, but haven't had a room mate who's cool with it or the space for one (i live in a big city and have the smallest apartment ever created on this planet). I desperately want to get a dog in may, train it all summer, and hopefully by september it would be self sufficient. has anyone here had a dog in law school? is it impossible with the schedule? what are 1L schedules like, mostly?

[OfThriceandTen]

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[2014entering2014]

it's rough and that's why I'm specifically holding off until I'm a 3L and have the time. You ideally need to be near school so you can leave to take it on walks without screwing up your entire day. But at the same time, in my town (quintessential college town) at least it's really hard to find dog-friendly housing, and nearly impossible to do so close to school. What kind of dog? If it's something low energy and low-maintenance then maybe. But if it's like a lab then no.

I really want one of those hybrid 15-20 lb dogs, like a cavapoo (cavalier + poodle)

they're suited to apartment living, but i've heard that all little dogs can get separation anxiety...but so do I without a dog :,(

[notalobbyist]

A dog should not go to law school unless its t-14 OR strong regional w/ scholly, and even still they probably won't get biglaw.

[Carter1901]

A dog should not go to law school unless its t-14 OR strong regional w/ scholly, and even still they probably won't get biglaw.

well played, I enjoyed this.

[encore1101]

Check your inbox, sent you a PM.

[oblitigate]

A dog should not go to law school unless its t-14 OR strong regional w/ scholly, and even still they probably won't get biglaw.

Funniest. Shit. Ever

[emaytch]

I am attending law school next year and currently have a very well-behaved schnoodle (schnauzer/poodle) who I've had for the duration of my senior year of college. He's a great dog, who definitely serves as a stress reliever, but he is still a lot of work. I live in Boston, where we obviously get a lot of snow, so it is often a drag to walk him, especially dueing midterms and finals. Additionally, he is not a puppy, so he did not require additional training. I love having him and likely will be bringing him to law school with us, but I would recommend you take a couple things into consideration-

Age- everyone wants a puppy, but they require training (maybe classes) that you may not have time for
Behavior- it's hard to predict how your dog will behave. I have a very sweet dog, but he barks every time someone walks by the apartment, which is really annoying in the middle of the night
Time- walks, affection, etc. dogs require a lot of love, which is great, but may not be realistic during law school (especially for puppies)
Money- aside from food and toys, you also have to take vet costs and boarding fees
into consideration, especially if you are not planning to travel with him/her over the holidays

If that all seems manageable, go for it!

[JazzieShizzle]

There is so much to consider and as previously mentioned, a lot of unknowns.

I have 2 cocker spaniels. They are 5 years old now, but I've had them since they were just a few months old.
1. It is not easy to potty train puppies. It takes a lot of time and attention. Some breeds train easier than others, and I don't actually remember how long it took for my dogs to be completely housebroken, but I remember it being quite a few months. And also a lot of work. I cannot stress that enough. I'm not even sure I would ever get a puppy again, it was that much work.
2. You never know if your dog is going to chew everything you own. That's bad enough for your stuff, but even worse if it destroys your apartment.
3. Dogs are expensive. Vet fees, vaccinations, medications, food, toys, dog beds, crates/cages, plus the additional amount you will probably have to pay for having a dog in your apartment. Not to mention, it is more difficult to even find an apartment that allows dogs. If you need to go out of town, you might also have to pay to kennel your dog.

In my opinion, getting a puppy is a huge commitment that should not be taken on during law school. On paper is sounds like a good plan that your puppy will be self-sufficient by the time you start school, but there's no guarantee that will actually happen, and I doubt it.

[FluffMonster]

I'm bringing my dog. She's a ~20 pound miniature american eskimo. I've looked at apartments and I don't see it being a problem. A lot of places that allow dogs have weight restrictions, though. Plus you wouldn't want to coop up a big dog in a small apartment.

Eta: not her in the picture, but she looks identical to that.

Oh, also wanted to mention that I did get her as a puppy, but I would NOT recommend it, and three months is not long enough for a dog to leave "puppy-mode".

[JazzieShizzle]

I'm bringing my dog. She's a ~20 pound miniature american eskimo. I've looked at apartments and I don't see it being a problem. A lot of places that allow dogs have weight restrictions, though. Plus you wouldn't want to coop up a big dog in a small apartment.

Eta: not her in the picture, but she looks identical to that.

What weight restrictions have you come across? I've seen mostly 20/25lbs.
I also feel bad for mine because they've lived their whole lives in a house with a big backyard. The transition to an apt will be interesting...

[FluffMonster]

I'm bringing my dog. She's a ~20 pound miniature american eskimo. I've looked at apartments and I don't see it being a problem. A lot of places that allow dogs have weight restrictions, though. Plus you wouldn't want to coop up a big dog in a small apartment.

Eta: not her in the picture, but she looks identical to that.

What weight restrictions have you come across? I've seen mostly 20/25lbs.
I also feel bad for mine because they've lived their whole lives in a house with a big backyard. The transition to an apt will be interesting...

So far I've mostly seen 20/25 pounds, but I think a ~35 pound dog could pass. I mean obviously they don't weigh your dog.

[JazzieShizzle]

I'm bringing my dog. She's a ~20 pound miniature american eskimo. I've looked at apartments and I don't see it being a problem. A lot of places that allow dogs have weight restrictions, though. Plus you wouldn't want to coop up a big dog in a small apartment.

Eta: not her in the picture, but she looks identical to that.

What weight restrictions have you come across? I've seen mostly 20/25lbs.
I also feel bad for mine because they've lived their whole lives in a house with a big backyard. The transition to an apt will be interesting...

So far I've mostly seen 20/25 pounds, but I think a ~35 pound dog could pass. I mean obviously they don't weigh your dog.

Yeah, I'm planning on passing my 35lb dog as 25lbs. Do they ever even see the dog, or they just take your word for it? (Sorry if that's a stupid question- last time I rented was before I had dogs)

[McAvoy]

Get a cat.

[encore1101]

I got a German Shepherd puppy the summer before my 1L. She chewed up my Contracts textbook. My apartment complex has a <25 pound pet policy, but they never said anything about my dog (don't try this; I got lucky that they didn't do anything).

But in New York, if you have your pet around "open and notoriously" for three months, and your landlord does not tell you to get rid of it, then its considered a waiver of any no-pet clause.

[Clearly]

If you don't already have a dog, this is not the time to get one...

[FluffMonster]

What weight restrictions have you come across? I've seen mostly 20/25lbs.
I also feel bad for mine because they've lived their whole lives in a house with a big backyard. The transition to an apt will be interesting...

So far I've mostly seen 20/25 pounds, but I think a ~35 pound dog could pass. I mean obviously they don't weigh your dog.

Yeah, I'm planning on passing my 35lb dog as 25lbs. Do they ever even see the dog, or they just take your word for it? (Sorry if that's a stupid question- last time I rented was before I had dogs)

The apartment I'm in now at college technically required a pet deposit, but we got our dog after moving in, never paid it, and it hasn't been an issue. I think we may have just gotten lucky, though. We rent from an investor and our property is managed by a company not connected to our neighborhood. I think that if you rent from an apartment complex or your landlord/lady is active, then you're definitely going to be liable for the fees and/or pet deposit. My guess would be that they're not going to really care about the size of your dog, so long as its not blatantly over the weight limit, like a lab or something. I also want to add that I'm definitely going to be paying the pet fees at my new apartment, so that my future roommate doesn't have any hassle about it.

[Otunga]

I would say you shouldn't have one OP, especially not a puppy or otherwise extremely young dog. Unless you had a SO that was able to give him/her plenty of attention, it's probably not best for you or the dog. However, perhaps you could adopt a middle-aged/older one that is trained from a shelter. Generally, such dogs should require a lot less attention and be more self-sufficient. But if you really prefer a puppy, then wait it out until 3L as someone suggested.

[spleenworship]

Adult dog or a cat. Training a puppy/young dog in law school is just too much of a pain in the ass.

[Mroberts3]

I got my dog at the beginning of the summer before 1L. I think a dog can be a great way to keep yourself grounded because it forces you to balance your life and keep law school in perspective. Plus, if you didn't know already, dogs are awesome.

The main concern is not the dog per se, but more the living arrangement. Can you find a place that allows pets? Do they have breed/weight restrictions? Does the dog have a yard/potty area? How far from school is your apartment?

I had a 50lb shepherd mix and was able to find another 1L who had a 70lb lab mix. We rented a house with a yard together and put in a doggy door. This way they had bathroom access all day, had company, and there was always a 2nd person around to cover times when you had to be away. By the end of law school they were bestest doggie friends ever.

TL;DR

Do it. Just be ready for a bit of work getting your living situation set up.

[jk148706]

Bringing my dog, a 10-month old vizsla.

[str8yolked]

You guys should look into getting a fake grass/pee pad (sorry don't know the proper name) for your balcony. Can't emphasize enough how grateful I am for training my dog on it, especially when she wants to pee at 5 am...

[FanOfPosner]

/

[midwest17]

As someone who eventually wants dogs, I highly recommend cats for students. They're very self-sufficient, and really only require that you feed them. But if you get them with the right attitudes, they can also be extremely good companions. Our two are great, while also being fine with student schedules. And you'll find a lot more apartments that allow cats than allow dogs (though it can still be somewhat of a challenge.)

[sandwich]

You guys should look into getting a fake grass/pee pad (sorry don't know the proper name) for your balcony. Can't emphasize enough how grateful I am for training my dog on it, especially when she wants to pee at 5 am...

Potty Patch!

--LinkRemoved--

It's funny, I was just about to say how grateful I am for NOT training my dogs on one of these Different strokes, I guess!

But, I was going to bring it up in the context of mentioning that there are other options. This is one of them, a dog door was already mentioned is another, and a lot of companies make these "pads" that make absolutely zero effort to resemble anything in nature. They're just like white paper/cloth squares, but they're disposable and most of them claim to have some scent in them that makes dogs want to eliminate there. But that's another option. There are pros and cons over the potty patch; the potty patch is a one time cost but you have to clean it, but the pads are disposable and a small cost every month, but super easy. They also help for training as well, and are useful to have around while you're potty training anyways.

If I was you, I would think long and hard about whether you want a dog, and if you want one, get one as soon as possible. You'll want as much time as possible to train the dog, to bond, get through the chewing stage if it's a puppy, etc. because you won't have that much time in law school. I'm bringing my two dogs this fall, but I also have a SO to help watch them. It's definitely possible, I have a few buddies in law school who have dogs! You can add me to your list of people to PM if you want to ask dog questions