11 Insanely Important Things About Having Dogs At College That You Need To Know
Looking for tips on having dogs at college? Here are the things you absolutely have to know when considering whether or not to get a dog in college.
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Having dogs at college is something a lot of students consider. With all of the stress and emotional turmoil that can come along with being a college student, it can be very tempting to get a furry friend to keep you company.
However, there are some very important things you need to know when asking yourself the question “should I get a dog in college?” As someone who did bring their dog to college, I’m going to tell you all of the things I wish I would’ve known before bringing my dog to college with me.
After reading this post, you’ll know everything you need to know about having dogs at college.
This post is all about having dogs at college.
Important things to know about having dogs at college
1. Colleges have to allow emotional support and service animals
Under the Fair Housing Act, if a student has a registered emotional support or service animal, colleges have to allow the animal to live with the student.
So, if you have a service animal or emotional support animal, you are allowed to have them live with you on campus.
If you don’t have an emotional support animal but have depression, anxiety, etc, and think you would benefit from having an one, I’d definitely recommend looking into it.
Related: How I brought my dog to college as an emotional support animal
2. Some apartments only allow certain breeds
If you have an emotional support/ service animal, under the Fair Housing Act your animal must be allowed wherever you’re living, regardless of breed.
However, if your dog isn’t registered, it’s important to know that some apartments and rental properties have breed restrictions. Having a breed of dog that is often restricted from rentals, like a pitbull, german shephard, cane corso, etc, can make it so much harder to find a place to live in college.
So, if you’re considering getting a dog or bringing a family dog to college, the dog’s breed is definitely something to think about.
3. Some apartments have weight restrictions
Similarly, some apartments and rental properties have weight restrictions. A common weight restriction for what dogs an apartment will allow is 20-50 pounds. Another thing to consider if you’re thinking about adopting a dog or bringing one from home!
4. Pet Deposits
Something I didn’t think about when bringing my dog to college was pet deposits.
When you’re renting, pet deposits are usually required alongside your regular deposit, and it can get very expensive very fast. Pet deposits I’ve seen have ranged anywhere from $250 to $500.
As a college student who might not have a lot of money to spare, this is definitely something to think about.
Related: How to make extra money in college
5. You have to pay for damages
Along with paying a pet deposit, you’ll likely have to pay for any damages that your dog inflicts on the place you’re renting. They could keep your deposit and then charge you extra for damages.
6. Training is super important
As a college student who probably won’t have a ton of free time to spend with their dog, training is really important.
I would say the biggest reason you need to train your dog in a college setting specifically is because you don’t want your pup wreaking havoc while you’re not home if you live in a dorm or apartment or have roommates.
This is something I failed to consider when I brought my dog to live in the dorms with me. I had no idea that he even had separation anxiety, but apparently when I would go to class my dog would scream cry, and it ended up disturbing other people in the dorm. Which led to someone leaving a really super duper friendly (NOT lol) note on the door ~kindly~ asking me to shut my dog up.
So, it’s important to train your dog beforehand so you don’t run into a problem like this. You want your pup to be well behaved when you’re not home. I used Zak George’s training videos on youtube to train my doggo, and the methods worked really well!
7. Mental stimulation for your pup is a must
Dogs need a lot of exercise and mental stimulation. Usually long daily walks do the trick. However, if you’re a busy college student, you likely won’t have a lot of extra time to exercise your pup’s body and mind.
Something I wish I knew about sooner is that there are tons of different toys and such that you can get to provide your dog with some extra mental stimulation. Now I’m obsessed with finding new ways to help him work his little brain so that he can be happier and healthier.
These are a few of my dog’s absolute favorite puzzle toys that he could spend hours and hours trying to solve. It is definitely worth making the investment in a few puzzle toys or even something like a licking mat to help occupy your pup on days that you don’t have a lot of free time!
8. Having a dog can help with your mental health
I think one of the biggest selling points for getting a dog in college is how much it can help with your mental heath. During what is likely to be one of the most stressful times of your life, it can be nice to have a little boost. With everything going on in the world right now, a lot more students are turning to having furry companions.
Personally, I don’t know how I would’ve made it through college without my dog. The fact that he was always there, whether that was to snuggle after a long day, listen to me prep for presentations, make me take walks even when I didn’t want to, etc, was so insanely helpful for my mental health.
9. Some vets offer student discounts
It is no secret that having dogs and properly caring for them can get a little expensive.
However, some vets offer student discounts!!! This is something I had no idea about until my vet brought it up. I got a 20% discount every time I took Dobby to get a checkup.
So, while it is expensive, it might not be as much as you’d think.
10. Pet Insurance is a good idea
Pet insurance is something I didn’t really consider until this year. My dog is only 4 and doesn’t have any underlying conditions, so I hadn’t ever thought about getting him insurance.
However, throughout college I was always SO anxious that something would happen to him and I wouldn’t have the money to pay for it. My dog is the most important thing in my life and the thought of him getting sick or injured and me not being able to pay for it was so scary.
Another reason I didn’t consider pet insurance for my dog in college is because I thought it would be outrageously expensive. However, after my dog had some health scares this past year, I decided that it would be a good idea to get some pet insurance.
I had no idea before doing some research that pet insurance can be as low as around $10 a month! The younger your pet is when you get them insured, the cheaper it will be. I’d definitely recommend looking into it, if only for peace of mind to know that you will be able to take care of your pet if something were to happen.
11. It takes a village
Before bringing my dog to college, I didn’t realize how much help I would actually need with taking care of him. Whether it was having friends watch my dog for a week while I was on vacation, having my roommate watch him while I was at work, having a friend spend time with him when I was too busy with class and homework– it took a village.
However, I think it was all definitely worth it. Despite all of the effort and challenges, I wouldn’t have traded having my dog at college with me for anything in the world.
This post was all about important things you need to know about having dogs at college.
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