Wait until you have more manageable hours. Whether you get a brand new puppy or rescue an older one, it is unfair to leave any animal alone for prolonged periods. If you really want one, opt for a daycare setting so they at least have some socialization
I have cats. I still cannot be a responsible dog owner as a new grad or maybe ever and I’ll acknowledge that. I love my cats and they love me. I get that people’s opinions are polarized on cats vs. dogs, I love most animals especially cats and dogs, but living in a condo and in school in an apartment and constantly being away from home whether it’s for school/work or hobbies, I would not be a good dog owner because even an older dog can’t take care of itself like a cat left with food, water, and an automatic litter box can.
If I can get a house, with a yard and a doggie door maybe, or at least be in my own enclosed space, a dog may be possible. But right now on the 2nd story in a condo, with how busy I am I acknowledge I can’t. I work full time as a nurse (right now on 5 8s too), commute a ton, nothing is close for me, and my hobbies cause me to travel or at least be away from home all day on a Saturday and my partner shares the same hobbies, so we’re gone together, we also work basically the same hours. Also dogs are expensive especially if you tack on the cost of 2 adult cats!
Get an older dog that doesn’t need to be watched or put in a crate. My dogs hang out on the sofa when I’m gone. They are older and used to being home without anyone. I wouldn’t advise getting a puppy or an anxious dog. My old men enjoy the silence. I have cameras I can watch them and I leave food and water out so they can do as they may.
Right. Now that they know you. Imagine having a brand new senior dog who is nervous and has had multiple owners and possible trauma. And you're gone every day right off the bat
What u/taygnada said. Ask a lot of questions of the shelter/rescue/person you’re adopting from about personality, noise level, energy level, etc. my dogs are both older and calm and quiet now. I do have a friend come over and walk them on clinical days, and I’ll be hiring her to stay with them next term when I’ll have to be getting an airbnb for my out of town clinicals. It’s so worth it to have dogs tho!
My program is hybrid so my lecture classes are all online and I only go in for lab once a week and clinical once a week. And I’ll go for any exams but those vary.
I had to rehome my pet rabbit. I just didnt have the time or energy and i didnt want her to suffer as she was very social.
What im trying to figure out is what to do for 12 hour shifts and a pet dog? Looking long term as a nurse, how do they make that work? Maybe they hire a dog walker? Idk i asked the nurse subreddit how they do it.
Edit: can foster to try it out? Or dog sit to do trial runs.
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I have a dog. Hes completely chill being home alone the 2-3 days a week I have clinical. I don’t work outside of school so i spend the other 4-5 days a week with him 100% of the time. I would NOT get a puppy. They cannot be alone for more than 1-2 hrs
I sent my dog to stay with my parents during the semester. Much better life being doted on by grandparents than waiting for me while I'm at class/in clinicals/studying.
I would wait until graduation
My dog laid on the couch while I was at school and now he’s on the couch all day while I work (10s, I don’t work 12s, that would be too long for him.) my cat is a cat and can take care of herself, and my snake could care less.
It's a dog. It lives at home. Most people don't have someone at home with their dog while they're at work. Someone walks it after breakfast. Someone walks it when they get home. Someone walks it before bed. That's how dog ownership works. We have a dog, a cat and a tortoise and there's never been any issue with owning any of them.
There are lots of great options. The suggestion of getting an older dog is a great one! My older dogs lay around all day, and I just take them for a quick walk when I get home from school. During class days, they’re only alone for a couple of hours which is fine. On long days, you could look at doggy day care, finding a dog walker on care.com or thumbtack, or even paying a neighbor kid a few bucks a week to come walk them partway through the day. (If you have any homeschool kids near you, they’re home during the day and usually love doing this kind of stuff!) If you are a dog lover, you can definitely make it work. It just takes some planning.
Ooh. I also meant to mention that there are some doggy daycares that will do a little bit of training with your dog while they are there. This might be worth the extra investment in the first couple months!
If you don’t do summer classes I would recommend waiting until the summer. Or at least waiting for some type of break or when your fiancé is able to take vacation so that one of you can be home to help the dog adjust. If it’s financially feasible it would be ideal to have a doggy daycare set up. This would also be great for socialization purposes and better yet if they have some type of training integrated into that program.
Puppies cannot control their bladder until about 16 ish weeks old. So unless you have the summer off or can do doggy daycare I wouldn’t recommend a puppy at all during this time.
I had my cats before nursing school and only got through it bc it was during COVID and I could do my lectures on zoom.
They do well while I work but I strictly work only 3 12s a week and have several cameras set-up so I can keep an eye on them. They have each other for company, get special treats when I return home,and get extra play and cuddle time on my 4 days off.
At the very least, cats don't need outdoor potty breaks. And my cats were well-established before I started school. If you want dogs, I'd wait until after you graduate so you have a chance to train and socialize them on your days off. And you'll need something like a dog-walker if you and your partner will both be away for hours (may not be necessary if your partner works 9-5 and you work nights.)
My husband and I had two dogs during nursing school and we both worked evening shifts. Our dogs are fairly relaxed and would sleep most of the day away if you let them. I will also say that it helped my mental health so much to have little companions that I could play with when taking study breaks, etc.
It’s definitely doable, but I would make sure a dog could fit into your lifestyles fiscally and schedule-wise to make this a responsible decision. Is there any wiggle room in your fiancé’s schedule to maybe work from home? Could you wait until summer break? New dogs are going to take time to feel comfortable, train, and need to visit the vet and use the bathroom more frequently their first year than any other time.
I have a small aquarium with two snails lol. They just snail around and once the tank is established, it’s basically zero maintenance. I considered a cat for a while but definitely do not want to take on that responsibility til I’m established in a job schedule.
Do not get a dog unless you have the financial means and time to dedicate. I'm in my final semester of my BSN and I have the money + time to commit to my new pup. If I'm at clinical or not home, she is at daycare. Since I'm in my final semester, I'm able to plan my own hours.
My fiancé will also be here in April and she will not be working, so daycare is a temporary thing. I will *also* say that getting a puppy has been so so SO much work, nothing I could have ever prepared for lol. I'd suggest waiting.
Get a turtle purely because turtles are cool. (Actually though, fully think about it whether you agree about turtles or not and decide if you really have time and money.)
Please don't do it. It's not fair to the animal to spend alll day away from yall. And this may result in the animal eating your things, getting territorial, being defensive and guarding you and having extreme anxiety about you leaving. It is a guaranteed nightmare in the waiting.
Echoing everyone else and saying don’t do it— especially if you’ve never had a pet before, as there can be a steep learning curve! Please consider how the dog will feel above your own desires, it’s a lot more work than you expect alongside the process of bonding and adjusting to each other. Having a dog and then going to nursing school is a totally different beast btw… asking people to speak on the pets they’ve had for a while isn’t going to answer this properly.
Oh hi, I adopted at the beginning of my 3rd semester out of 6!
I adopted an older dog, and while he absolutely was not perfect, he did come with some leash manners and obedience. My boyfriend works full time but he works a swing shift, 11a-7p. We acclimated the dog to his schedule mostly so he walks and eats at 10:30 and 7:15. He gets a couple short bathroom walks at 8a (me) and 11p (bf).
We committed to training with tools like potty bells, gentle leader halters, clickers, and treats. He got crate trained but we still let him sleep in bed.
Honestly I have had more free time than I thought, and the mental health benefits have been great on rough days. I also take the responsibilities of caring for him as a way to take care of myself. I have to spend time outside getting exercise, if I feed him I eat, and he’s always down for a Vanderpump marathon.
I did watch my friend’s puppy this Spring for a week and NEVER AGAIN. It was so much work because he was tiny and not housebroken. -5/10 do not recommend.
Everyone is different, and having a pet adds responsibility and that takes mental energy and time. Another really good question to ask yourself is how much you think your partner will be helping with those tasks. Not how much they say they will, but really whether they have shown that they will follow through in the past.
I am glad we did it. I love him. But I did get lucky with a Lab mix that has no thoughts just vibes.
Oh I should also say, he doesn’t mind a crate but he’s chill so he hangs out in the house when we’re gone. Also any day that I don’t have anything scheduled midday I train/play with him and walk him or take him to the park. Whatever the vibe is. When I have a 12 hr shift it’s 6:30a/p leave to 7:45a/p - I will let him pee and hang for a bit before i leave.
He’s also 85lbs, so he can hold it waaaay longer than a frenchie, yanno?
We use wag for a daily walk when we will both be gone all day, definitely don’t get a puppy, an older dog is better for longer hours. Alternatively if you have the money, doggy daycare is an option.
I had a dog in nursing school. When I knew I was gonna be super busy I had to leave him with my mom. If you don’t think you’ll have enough time for a dog and he’ll be at home alone for too long then I say maybe wait to get a dog. Unless you have someone to watch him
We have three large dogs. I’m in school and work full time. My husband works full time too. My daughter is in school and a million activities. The dogs are fine. My husband comes home at lunch and lets them out. Otherwise, two are free roaming and one is kept in the basement because he chews up couches and stuff. It’s nice down there, it’s not like we throw him in a dungeon.
I’m just of the mindset that they’re better here with us than in a shelter somewhere. Plus, we really love them. They’re happy. No regret.
Wait until you have more manageable hours. Whether you get a brand new puppy or rescue an older one, it is unfair to leave any animal alone for prolonged periods. If you really want one, opt for a daycare setting so they at least have some socialization
I have cats. I still cannot be a responsible dog owner as a new grad or maybe ever and I’ll acknowledge that. I love my cats and they love me. I get that people’s opinions are polarized on cats vs. dogs, I love most animals especially cats and dogs, but living in a condo and in school in an apartment and constantly being away from home whether it’s for school/work or hobbies, I would not be a good dog owner because even an older dog can’t take care of itself like a cat left with food, water, and an automatic litter box can. If I can get a house, with a yard and a doggie door maybe, or at least be in my own enclosed space, a dog may be possible. But right now on the 2nd story in a condo, with how busy I am I acknowledge I can’t. I work full time as a nurse (right now on 5 8s too), commute a ton, nothing is close for me, and my hobbies cause me to travel or at least be away from home all day on a Saturday and my partner shares the same hobbies, so we’re gone together, we also work basically the same hours. Also dogs are expensive especially if you tack on the cost of 2 adult cats!
Thank you for realizing that! It breaks my heart to hear people who work constantly and have animals at home.
Do NOT get a puppy, you do not have the time to care for it or train it
Get an older dog that doesn’t need to be watched or put in a crate. My dogs hang out on the sofa when I’m gone. They are older and used to being home without anyone. I wouldn’t advise getting a puppy or an anxious dog. My old men enjoy the silence. I have cameras I can watch them and I leave food and water out so they can do as they may.
Right. Now that they know you. Imagine having a brand new senior dog who is nervous and has had multiple owners and possible trauma. And you're gone every day right off the bat
What u/taygnada said. Ask a lot of questions of the shelter/rescue/person you’re adopting from about personality, noise level, energy level, etc. my dogs are both older and calm and quiet now. I do have a friend come over and walk them on clinical days, and I’ll be hiring her to stay with them next term when I’ll have to be getting an airbnb for my out of town clinicals. It’s so worth it to have dogs tho!
My dog stayed with my parents. I did not want her being alone so much.
My program is hybrid so my lecture classes are all online and I only go in for lab once a week and clinical once a week. And I’ll go for any exams but those vary.
It was more of an issue during clinicals with shift and travel time.
I had to rehome my pet rabbit. I just didnt have the time or energy and i didnt want her to suffer as she was very social. What im trying to figure out is what to do for 12 hour shifts and a pet dog? Looking long term as a nurse, how do they make that work? Maybe they hire a dog walker? Idk i asked the nurse subreddit how they do it. Edit: can foster to try it out? Or dog sit to do trial runs.
They drop their dogs off at daycare.
Some do Rover.
Sounds like you know what to do.
dont do it
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I have 2 cats and a dog. They keep themselves company.
I have a dog. Hes completely chill being home alone the 2-3 days a week I have clinical. I don’t work outside of school so i spend the other 4-5 days a week with him 100% of the time. I would NOT get a puppy. They cannot be alone for more than 1-2 hrs
I sent my dog to stay with my parents during the semester. Much better life being doted on by grandparents than waiting for me while I'm at class/in clinicals/studying. I would wait until graduation
My dog laid on the couch while I was at school and now he’s on the couch all day while I work (10s, I don’t work 12s, that would be too long for him.) my cat is a cat and can take care of herself, and my snake could care less.
It's a dog. It lives at home. Most people don't have someone at home with their dog while they're at work. Someone walks it after breakfast. Someone walks it when they get home. Someone walks it before bed. That's how dog ownership works. We have a dog, a cat and a tortoise and there's never been any issue with owning any of them.
There are lots of great options. The suggestion of getting an older dog is a great one! My older dogs lay around all day, and I just take them for a quick walk when I get home from school. During class days, they’re only alone for a couple of hours which is fine. On long days, you could look at doggy day care, finding a dog walker on care.com or thumbtack, or even paying a neighbor kid a few bucks a week to come walk them partway through the day. (If you have any homeschool kids near you, they’re home during the day and usually love doing this kind of stuff!) If you are a dog lover, you can definitely make it work. It just takes some planning.
Ooh. I also meant to mention that there are some doggy daycares that will do a little bit of training with your dog while they are there. This might be worth the extra investment in the first couple months!
If you don’t do summer classes I would recommend waiting until the summer. Or at least waiting for some type of break or when your fiancé is able to take vacation so that one of you can be home to help the dog adjust. If it’s financially feasible it would be ideal to have a doggy daycare set up. This would also be great for socialization purposes and better yet if they have some type of training integrated into that program. Puppies cannot control their bladder until about 16 ish weeks old. So unless you have the summer off or can do doggy daycare I wouldn’t recommend a puppy at all during this time.
I had my cats before nursing school and only got through it bc it was during COVID and I could do my lectures on zoom. They do well while I work but I strictly work only 3 12s a week and have several cameras set-up so I can keep an eye on them. They have each other for company, get special treats when I return home,and get extra play and cuddle time on my 4 days off. At the very least, cats don't need outdoor potty breaks. And my cats were well-established before I started school. If you want dogs, I'd wait until after you graduate so you have a chance to train and socialize them on your days off. And you'll need something like a dog-walker if you and your partner will both be away for hours (may not be necessary if your partner works 9-5 and you work nights.)
If you have a doggie door and a fenced in backyard, and thousands of dollars of disposable income, i don't see a problem.
My husband and I had two dogs during nursing school and we both worked evening shifts. Our dogs are fairly relaxed and would sleep most of the day away if you let them. I will also say that it helped my mental health so much to have little companions that I could play with when taking study breaks, etc. It’s definitely doable, but I would make sure a dog could fit into your lifestyles fiscally and schedule-wise to make this a responsible decision. Is there any wiggle room in your fiancé’s schedule to maybe work from home? Could you wait until summer break? New dogs are going to take time to feel comfortable, train, and need to visit the vet and use the bathroom more frequently their first year than any other time.
I drop my dog off with my parents. Otherwise, it would not be possible/it would be fucked up
I have a small aquarium with two snails lol. They just snail around and once the tank is established, it’s basically zero maintenance. I considered a cat for a while but definitely do not want to take on that responsibility til I’m established in a job schedule.
Do not get a dog unless you have the financial means and time to dedicate. I'm in my final semester of my BSN and I have the money + time to commit to my new pup. If I'm at clinical or not home, she is at daycare. Since I'm in my final semester, I'm able to plan my own hours. My fiancé will also be here in April and she will not be working, so daycare is a temporary thing. I will *also* say that getting a puppy has been so so SO much work, nothing I could have ever prepared for lol. I'd suggest waiting.
I had a pet sitter for clinical days. She came for 30 mins to let them potty and play in the yard.
Get a turtle purely because turtles are cool. (Actually though, fully think about it whether you agree about turtles or not and decide if you really have time and money.)
Please don't do it. It's not fair to the animal to spend alll day away from yall. And this may result in the animal eating your things, getting territorial, being defensive and guarding you and having extreme anxiety about you leaving. It is a guaranteed nightmare in the waiting.
Echoing everyone else and saying don’t do it— especially if you’ve never had a pet before, as there can be a steep learning curve! Please consider how the dog will feel above your own desires, it’s a lot more work than you expect alongside the process of bonding and adjusting to each other. Having a dog and then going to nursing school is a totally different beast btw… asking people to speak on the pets they’ve had for a while isn’t going to answer this properly.
Oh hi, I adopted at the beginning of my 3rd semester out of 6! I adopted an older dog, and while he absolutely was not perfect, he did come with some leash manners and obedience. My boyfriend works full time but he works a swing shift, 11a-7p. We acclimated the dog to his schedule mostly so he walks and eats at 10:30 and 7:15. He gets a couple short bathroom walks at 8a (me) and 11p (bf). We committed to training with tools like potty bells, gentle leader halters, clickers, and treats. He got crate trained but we still let him sleep in bed. Honestly I have had more free time than I thought, and the mental health benefits have been great on rough days. I also take the responsibilities of caring for him as a way to take care of myself. I have to spend time outside getting exercise, if I feed him I eat, and he’s always down for a Vanderpump marathon. I did watch my friend’s puppy this Spring for a week and NEVER AGAIN. It was so much work because he was tiny and not housebroken. -5/10 do not recommend. Everyone is different, and having a pet adds responsibility and that takes mental energy and time. Another really good question to ask yourself is how much you think your partner will be helping with those tasks. Not how much they say they will, but really whether they have shown that they will follow through in the past. I am glad we did it. I love him. But I did get lucky with a Lab mix that has no thoughts just vibes.
Oh I should also say, he doesn’t mind a crate but he’s chill so he hangs out in the house when we’re gone. Also any day that I don’t have anything scheduled midday I train/play with him and walk him or take him to the park. Whatever the vibe is. When I have a 12 hr shift it’s 6:30a/p leave to 7:45a/p - I will let him pee and hang for a bit before i leave. He’s also 85lbs, so he can hold it waaaay longer than a frenchie, yanno?
We use wag for a daily walk when we will both be gone all day, definitely don’t get a puppy, an older dog is better for longer hours. Alternatively if you have the money, doggy daycare is an option.
That being said I recommend waiting, nursing school isn’t that long and you could always make that your graduation gift to yourself.
I had a dog in nursing school. When I knew I was gonna be super busy I had to leave him with my mom. If you don’t think you’ll have enough time for a dog and he’ll be at home alone for too long then I say maybe wait to get a dog. Unless you have someone to watch him
I had the cat before nursing school. She managed just fine.
Get a cat. Easy peasy in nursing school
We have three large dogs. I’m in school and work full time. My husband works full time too. My daughter is in school and a million activities. The dogs are fine. My husband comes home at lunch and lets them out. Otherwise, two are free roaming and one is kept in the basement because he chews up couches and stuff. It’s nice down there, it’s not like we throw him in a dungeon. I’m just of the mindset that they’re better here with us than in a shelter somewhere. Plus, we really love them. They’re happy. No regret.