I'm now 16 almost 17 and am really thinking about getting another one (Sheltie in fact as that was what my last dogs were.) My mom (parents divorced) says she is thinking about it. This summer I can devote almost 100% of my time to a dog training it and being active with it. I'm an avid outdoors person so being active is not a problem at all. I have a part time job working about three hours three to four days a week so whenever I would be away it would be for short amounts of time. My mom is also willing to help out here and there with training and letting it out to go to the bathroom.
There's only one problem and that's me going to college in a little over a year. My plan would be to let my mom take care of it for the first year (I plan to go to college locally and would be able to come home during the weekends every once in a while.) After the first year I would move into my own house with some friends most likely and could take the dog back. I am very knowledgable about the care of dogs but I'm really torn as what to do. I'm sure most of you will say that I should wait until after college and I partially agree but I just don't know. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
P.S. sorry for the length.
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You sound like you're going to be a really sensitive and caring dog owner. You also sound like someone who benefits a lot from the companionship and loyalty, and dogs are great for that. However, the relationship does go both ways. It's not really fair to get a dog when you know for a fact that you're not going to be able to take care of her soon and will be leaving her in the care of your mother, who sounds like she will be a great caregiver, but who doesn't seem as enthusiastic about this as you. If you're not going to have the dog for the school year, is it really fair to give the dog one summer of undivided attention and then leave him or her alone for so long? Also, what if the house situation fell through (lots and lots of things change during college, including people and friendships) and you still couldn't take care of the dog during the school year? What's wrong with waiting until next summer when you'll probably have the same amount of time as this summer, and will have a better idea of whether or not the housing situation will work out?
It's also more likely in this situation that the sheltie would bond to your mother more than to you. She'll grow up as a puppy with your mother in that house, and then you'll be taking her away from that and expecting her to socialize with a bunch of people in a house. Shelties are known for being wary or even timid, and they're not good at learning to socialize if they don't learn it early on.
Just some thoughts. I LOVE SHELTIES, and I wish you all the best when you get one!
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- I do think that you should either wait until you are done with college or just have it be your mothers dog and visit like you will visit her.
Good luck! - Do you HAVE to live on-campus your freshman year? If you're really REALLY serious about getting a dog, go to a community college your first 2 years so you can live at home. Or look for other housing with your friend(s) during that time. I know how you feel, I've always had a dog my whole life, but I once had to go a year without. It's a real downer :(
- If your mom doesn't have a problem with it I don't see why not. But I feel like over time the dog would become more of your moms dog and your relationship with dog would not be as strong and you would feel hurt and left out and the relationship wouldn't be like your other dogs. So maybe it's a good idea to wait a while
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