The Ins and Outs of dogs?

[Skhosu]

Ok, so I'm the doggy person in the family in that I do a lot of the maintenance etc when I'm at home but I don't buy the food and we live the country surrounded by fields so they just exercise themselves in general.
I am considering bringing 1 or 2 of them here to Liverpool, the ones that are 'surplus' to family requirements (ie not my own dog as she is blind and 7 and quite happy where she is, or the oldest as she may not be around and is settled, or the cute little one as the family want to keep her

.
So that leaves the little terrier and big black monster (huge), possibility of bbm being most likely.
How much does it cost to feed dogs?

Any flaws in my plan?

 

[fmay]

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Any flaws in my plan?

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Just a few

I would say that the cost of food is the least of your problems. Have you already got somewhere to live in Liverpool or would you have to find somewhere to rent that would take dogs?
How long would you have to leave them while you go to work/college/whatever you do?
Would you have time to give them the exercise that they are used to?............................

 

[Skhosu]

Would be renting so need somewhere that would take dogs, may not happen next year but the year after when I'd be out in a slightly more suburban area.
I am at uni, so varying timetable, maybe 3-4days a year in 9-5, would always have a lunch break etc.
Yup re the time, theyre not currently walked very often so would actually probably get more exercise

 

[Murphy88]

You're a vet student aren't you? When I move out to Leahurst next year, one of my friends is bringing a dog from home up, as her family is moving house so space is going to be tight. One thing to consider though is that 4th and 5th year are hardcore - rotations can sometimes be 14 or 15 hour days so I'm told. With us, we know there is 5 of us living together, so we will be on diff rotations so hopefully someone will be around most of the time. Maybe you could check if the people you plan on living with in 4th/5th year might be prepared to chip in with walking etc. We are house hunting on the Wirral at the mo, and from what I can see most places have reasonable gardens and do seem quite dog friendly (as long as the landlord allows pets).
If the dog you plan on bringing is fairly laid back, and won't mind being on its own for periods then I don't see the problem - I would love to have one of mine, but my friend got there first suggesting hers, and my Mum won't let me take any of ours!

 

[Skhosu]

yup

Same vet school as you
rotations sound scarey!
That's what I thought about the wirral, liverpool getting a garden is a nightmare, not so bad on the wirral!

 

[Murphy88]

You're right about Liv. I consider myself lucky this year because I have a backyard with a flower bed! Last year, i had a concrete backyard, complete with barbed wire round wall - lovely area that was. TBH, I would enjoy 3rd year without a dog, as after that its 2 years living in the middle of nowhere surrounded by other vets, with zero social life - the dog will probably be the one you get on best with!

Can't really comment about cost of feeding etc - I leave that to Mum admittedly. My friend plans on going home with her dog every few weeks and picking up a big bag of food off her mum - sounds like a plan to me.

 

[Skhosu]

A flower bed

I have the standard concrete yard,although it doesnt have any broken glass in it, only on top of the walls

Sounds good re; 3rd year without, I just need something fluffy!

 

[Murphy88]

Ha ha, yeah. So far, my house in 4th year is going to have a dog, a parrot, 2 axolotls (amphibian things) and some chickens! Going to be absolute chaos, but we all miss having animals around.