From: dtrytten@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu (Deborah Trytten)
Subject: Re: Potential first time Dog owner - questions, etc.
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 22:45:22 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Engineering Computer Network, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
Keywords: dog

In article <18800@bunny.GTE.COM> dwo1@gte.com (Donald W. Ottens) writes:
>Recently, our family's dog passed away.  I live about 800 miles away, but
>knowing he was alive and my best friend, I felt like I had a dog of my own.

I remember the day that my childhood dogs died as if it were yesterday.
November 11, 1983.   You have my sympathies.

>A little about myself:  I am 29 years, single.  I am a professional working
>during normal day and weekly schedules (40hours/wk).  I have a car and live
>in a suburban Boston neighborhood.  My living quarters is a three story house
>with 3 housemates.  Pets are allowed, to my knowledge.  No other pets exist
>in the house.  Frequently, I workout or take classes after work.  That's about
>it, except I should mention that I think dogs, in general, are the universe's
>most exciting and noble creature (ok, I went off on a tangent there).

OK, it's a tangent, but we all agree with you here. 

You sound a lot like me seven years ago when I got Cali, my beloved
shetland sheepdog, the most beautiful and perfect creature on the entire
planet.  I fell in love with him at first sight.   His breeder had
worked at a pet food store where I bought food for my birds.  She kept
telling me that she had the perfect dog for me.  She even turned down
offers from other people because she thought we were just perfect for
each other.  She was *so* right.  I remember the doubts that I had
before I got him, so I guess I'm qualified to speak on the issue.  I'm
32, single, and live in an apartment.   

>* Daily routine and time commitment

About 30 minutes in the morning for feeding, walking, cuddling.
About 1 hour in the evening for feeding, walking, and playing. 
Another 30 minutes before bedtime for feeding, walking and cuddling.

Of course this is the minimum, and there are days when that is all the
boys get (I have two dogs now--but I had just one for a number of years).
On weekends, I spend at least one full day at home with them.   I
groom them, and bathe them, and flea dip them (fleas are a big
problem down here in OK), and make sure that they get lots of love and
play time.   Of course, this is hardly a chore.   :-) 

The other major time committment for me is vet visits.   I have had
to leave work and take the guys to the vet a couple of times.  This
isn't regular, but it does happen.  Sometimes it can wait for a weekend,
and sometimes it can't.  If you can't do this, you need a friend who can.
This kind of friend is hard to find.  :-)

>* Costs

The vary widely with dog.   When everything is good, dogs aren't
expensive.   I use about 30 pounds of food ($15?  I buy expensive
food because of my dog's allergies)  a month for two shelties
(18 lbs each).   Flea dip costs $8 a bottle and lasts a month.  :-(
Dog treats costs a couple of bucks, but they aren't really necessary.
Yearly shots, and teeth cleanings would cost $200 at most.

Vet bills are the big problem for me.  Last month, I had $350 in bills.
Of course this isn't typical, but it can happen.  I moved from Michigan
to Oklahoma last month.  One of my dogs has allergies, that we had
perfectly controlled in Michigan.  They went ballistic in OK.  
They're back under control, but I'm much the poorer for it. 
I also have to buy special shampoo for the allergy problem--$8.50 a bottle.
At one time, I had to bathe one of my dogs every night for three months.
That was both expensive and time consuming.    You have to consider
this kind of worst case stuff when you're deciding whether you can
handle dog ownership.  It may never happen to you, but it *may*.  And
if it does, you have to deal with it one way or another.  To tell you
the truth, it isn't a real problem for me.   

>* Sleeping habits

Both dogs sleep on the bed with me.   They fall asleep when I do
and make me get up when I hit the snooze button the third time.
Apparently I'm allowed to get 20 extra minutes of sleep, but not 30.
My guys aren't puppies now (7 and 12 years old).  I adopted Cali,
my first dog, when he was 4 months old.  He was already old enough
to hold it through the night, so I never had to do the 3 a.m. trip
outside.  I highly recommend that working people get a puppy that
is at least 4 months old or better still, an adult dog.   You also must 
learn about crate training.  The FAQ is a great source for this. 

>* Cleanliness & obedience

My guys shed.  So I vacuum a bit more.   They both are very well
housebroken.  I don't recall ever coming home to a mess.   I took
my first one to dog obedience and it was a lot of fun.  It took
ten weeks, cost $35, and was worth it.  The second one was an adult,
and behaves well enough that I never bothered to formally train him. 

>* Description of dog's inherent personality (this is all for a Chocolate Lab)

I'll defer to the lab experts.  I've known a lot of nice, playful labs.
I've also known labs that had too much energy for apartment living.

>* Any other concerns that I should be aware of as a potential dog
>  owner (I am sure that I am missing quite a few)

It does tie you down.  For example, impromptu trips out of town for
the weekend have to be planned.  You also get the added expense
of kennels when you want/need to travel.    There will be times
when you will spend a night up with a sick dog.   You also need to
go home right at the end of the day, instead of staying to work on
that extra little project.   You do have to be careful to not
schedule too much for evenings, as well.  It isn't fair to be
gone all day and all night for three evenings a week (at least
that seems to be where my guys draw the line).    It is harder to get 
an apartment that allows dogs.   And there can be a bunch of problems
with a new significant other (allergies, jealousy, fear).   I've
also had problems with various collegues who do not want to come to
dinner at my home because of dogs.  I used to have a friend who
would babysit the boys for an evening if necessary, but I haven't
found a new friend in Oklahoma who will do the same.  

Those are most of the bad things.

I suspect you already know the good things.  :-)  Obviously I
think it is worthwhile or I wouldn't have two of the beasts in
my care.   If my dogs cost me $500 a month, I'd still keep them
because, simply put, they are worth it.   I wouldn't trade my
morning sheltie kisses for all the tea in China,  and I wouldn't
trade the sight of those little faces at the door for all the
gold in Fort Knox.  And I'm not kidding either.

Incidentally, you might consider getting two dogs.  They will keep
each other company while you are at work.  My first dog is noticably
happier since I adopted the second one.  I should have done it  much
sooner than I did. 

Good luck making a tough decision,

Deborah Trytten
dtrytten@uokmax.ecn.uoknor.edu


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