Dog + big law Forum

[Linen Walnut]

Can people who work in big law weigh in? I will be the only one taking care of the dog. I will live ten minutes from the office.

[Desert Fox]

Terrible for you and the dog, and bordering on dog abuse.* Even on a good day, you are gone for probably 9 hours. On a bad day? 18-20 hours isn't uncommon. I just got done with a 36 hour day. You'd at a minimum have to get a noon time dog walker and then an evening one.

Get a cat.

*And im not the sort of person to claim animal abuse. They are animals, I even think hitting them is fine. But leaving them home all day and night is abusive.

[k5220]

Not in biglaw, but get a second dog if you do this.

[TLSModBot]

Get a cat.

Word - If you're alone, don't get a dog. If you've got a SO who can help and has a better schedule (i.e. NOT a lawyer) - consider it. Everyone I know practicing and not living with a SO has cats or nothing.

Dogs need to go to the bathroom - 10 hours away is the absolute limit, and that's pretty bad. Ideally no more than 8 hours, which is impossible in pretty much every practice area. Or hire a dog-walker, but why would you get a dog just to hire someone else to spend time with it?

[071816]

Not in biglaw, but get a second dog if you do this.

Just get 12 dogs. Problem solved.

[hiima3L]

Will your dog be stuck inside all day or do you have a yard or something?

Can you afford a regular dog walker?

[Linen Walnut]

Will your dog be stuck inside all day or do you have a yard or something?

Can you afford a regular dog walker?

Would do a mix of daycare, dog walker, or coming home for lunch.

[MarkfromWI]

Will your dog be stuck inside all day or do you have a yard or something?

Can you afford a regular dog walker?

Would do a mix of daycare, dog walker, or coming home for lunch.

Just don't do it man. Dogs need interaction and companionship; they're not independent creatures. Getting a dog just to make it sit alone in an apartment all day is pretty much the equivalent of sending your dog to prison. No joke. For the dog's sake, don't do it.

If you need some sort of companionship, a cat is the way to go.

[runinthefront]

Will your dog be stuck inside all day or do you have a yard or something?

Can you afford a regular dog walker?

Would do a mix of daycare, dog walker, or coming home for lunch.

Just don't do it man. Dogs need interaction and companionship; they're not independent creatures. Getting a dog just to make it sit alone in an apartment all day is pretty much the equivalent of sending your dog to prison. No joke. For the dog's sake, don't do it.

If you need some sort of companionship, a cat is the way to go.

[sd5289]

Coming from a house with two Gov't attorneys (one currently and one about to be after graduation and the bar), so our schedules are not as crazy as our friends in BigLaw, a cat is the credited response. Plus there's the added bonus of a 4am wakeup when the cat decides to use your head as its pillow.

[hiima3L]

Will your dog be stuck inside all day or do you have a yard or something?

Can you afford a regular dog walker?

Would do a mix of daycare, dog walker, or coming home for lunch.

Just don't do it man. Dogs need interaction and companionship; they're not independent creatures. Getting a dog just to make it sit alone in an apartment all day is pretty much the equivalent of sending your dog to prison. No joke. For the dog's sake, don't do it.

If you need some sort of companionship, a cat is the way to go.

Eh, it depends entirely on the dog. I have one who doesn't care about sitting around all day. I'll come home and he'll sit there in his bed staring at me.

But TCR is to get 2 dogs.

[lawschoolftw]

Yeah, cat is the way to go. My fiancee and I both work long hours and we got a cat and are in love with him. We're both dog people, too, but it's too hard/expensive to take care of a dog when you're in the office ~12 hours/day.

[Emma.]

This is why you shouldn't get a dog:

http://www.top-law-schools.com/forums/v ... 3&t=244529

Don't fool yourself into thinking you'll be able to go home during lunch, or that you'll know in advance which days you are going to get slammed with work.

[exitoptions]

The only person I know who has a dog in big law (and is the sole caretaker) takes the dog to "doggie-daycare" every single day. Costs about $1000 a month, and I think the person is completely out of their mind. Seems to work though.

[IsThisForReal]

That's insane. I would make friends with some neighbors that have kids, offer to pay the kids a small sum per day to take the dog out when they get home from school or as needed when I texted them/their parents.

[071816]

That's insane. I would make friends with some neighbors that have kids, offer to pay the kids a small sum per day to take the dog out when they get home from school or as needed when I texted them/their parents.

Yea. I don't see any way that this could go wrong...

[IsThisForReal]

That's insane. I would make friends with some neighbors that have kids, offer to pay the kids a small sum per day to take the dog out when they get home from school or as needed when I texted them/their parents.

Yea. I don't see any way that this could go wrong...

Which part are you thinking would make it fail?

Obvs you have to find trustworthy people, but if I were a parent I would love it if someone gave my kid an opportunity like that. Lets them earn a little spending $$ and have some responsibilities. Growing up I got $5/day for feeding my neighbors animals every time they went on vacay.

[071816]

That's insane. I would make friends with some neighbors that have kids, offer to pay the kids a small sum per day to take the dog out when they get home from school or as needed when I texted them/their parents.

Yea. I don't see any way that this could go wrong...

Which part are you thinking would make it fail?

Obvs you have to find trustworthy people, but if I were a parent I would love it if someone gave my kid an opportunity like that. Lets them earn a little spending $$ and have some responsibilities. Growing up I got $5/day for feeding my neighbors animals every time they went on vacay.

befriending kids is rapey, the dog could bite the kid, the kid could lose the dog or injure it, child labor, the kid's parents might be shitheads, you'd have to worry about texting the parents/kid all the time, what if they don't respond or can't do it?, the kid might leave the door unlocked, the kid might set you up for a home invasion, what would the kid do with your keys?, the list goes on and on

[IsThisForReal]

befriending kids is rapey, the dog could bite the kid, the kid could lose the dog or injure it, child labor, the kid's parents might be shitheads, you'd have to worry about texting the parents/kid all the time, what if they don't respond or can't do it?, the kid might leave the door unlocked, the kid might set you up for a home invasion, what would the kid do with your keys?, the list goes on and on

None of this is a problem if you get to know people first. I also think you are underestimating a 12 yr olds ability to be a decent human.

[rpupkin]

befriending kids is rapey, the dog could bite the kid, the kid could lose the dog or injure it, child labor, the kid's parents might be shitheads, you'd have to worry about texting the parents/kid all the time, what if they don't respond or can't do it?, the kid might leave the door unlocked, the kid might set you up for a home invasion, what would the kid do with your keys?, the list goes on and on

None of this is a problem if you get to know people first. I also think you are underestimating a 12 yr olds ability to be a decent human.

I'm afraid that life has some unpleasant surprises in store for you.

I will say, though, that chimp's "befriending kids is rapey" remark was over the line.

[A. Nony Mouse]

That's insane. I would make friends with some neighbors that have kids, offer to pay the kids a small sum per day to take the dog out when they get home from school or as needed when I texted them/their parents.

This doesn't really sound like a NYC (or even most other major metros) option.

[MarkfromWI]

befriending kids is rapey, the dog could bite the kid, the kid could lose the dog or injure it, child labor, the kid's parents might be shitheads, you'd have to worry about texting the parents/kid all the time, what if they don't respond or can't do it?, the kid might leave the door unlocked, the kid might set you up for a home invasion, what would the kid do with your keys?, the list goes on and on

None of this is a problem if you get to know people first. I also think you are underestimating a 12 yr olds ability to be a decent human.

I think you're overestimating their ability to be a decent human.

I'm afraid that life has some unpleasant surprises in store for you.

[sd5289]

^ Bottom line: do not take on a pet that you cannot be 100% responsible for in case all of your "back up" options fail at a particular point. For most lawyers, this means no dogs unless you have an SO / family member / roommate who can reliably take care of the pet for you.

Again, this is why a cat is often TCR. Dogs require a lot more attention and focus than cats do.

[071816]

befriending kids is rapey, the dog could bite the kid, the kid could lose the dog or injure it, child labor, the kid's parents might be shitheads, you'd have to worry about texting the parents/kid all the time, what if they don't respond or can't do it?, the kid might leave the door unlocked, the kid might set you up for a home invasion, what would the kid do with your keys?, the list goes on and on

None of this is a problem if you get to know people first. I also think you are underestimating a 12 yr olds ability to be a decent human.

12 year olds are scum.