Dogs in college: highly debated, fierce opinions and lots of responsibility. Personally, I cannot wake up in time for my 1 p.m. class much less take care of another being. But when my dear older sister needs a couple of days break from her 6-month-old pup, I gladly took on the responsibility.
Luca James is a Labradoodle, but not the cute curly-haired kind. He's the wire haired crazy looking kind that is still cute, nonetheless. Luca is full of energy and loves to play. But when it's time to relax he will cuddle up and lay his head wherever the best angle for you to pet it is. He is a real gem.
Like most of the decisions I make, taking Luca on for a week was very impulsive, aka no planning was done on my part whatsoever which was my first mistake. I'm so used to being on the go and being able to pick up and move whenever I want that having this fur baby now with me restricted a lot of that. I couldn't run into Starbucks to grab my iced coffee or bring him into the grocery store to pick up some fresh veggies.
Luckily I have some amazing friends who didn't mind watching him while I was in class because after trying to leave him at my apartment and hearing him whining and jumping on the door down the hallway, I knew my heart couldn't handle it.
Though having a snuggle buddy was so nice, there were some difficult tasks I had that opened my eyes to how hard it really is to have an animal during college.
I, myself, live on the third floor of an apartment. When Luca nudged me awake at 8 a.m. I had to walk him all the way down the stairs and around the building to find a good spot for him to relieve himself. Though not everyone lives in apartments like I do, your living situation is definitely something worth considering when purchasing a pet. Cats have litterboxes, fish have tanks, but dogs need a place to use the bathroom and get some exercise.
Another con I noticed was how easily this pup got dirty!! I brought him to the local dog-friendly bar (Jakes, of course) and he had a blast! But when I got him on the leash and ready to go, I noticed how ridiculously filthy he was. From dog slobber and rolling around, his beautiful white coat was dingy. As soon as I got him home I destroyed my bathroom giving him a much-needed bath, which is something that I could have done more easily say I had an outdoor hose at a house. Something else to consider!
Some pros to having Luca around was I had more (forced) energy! I was up early with him going on walks and getting some fresh air. I went to bed at a decent time because seeing him lay down made me want to as well. And I didn't nap all day like I usually do! He had me running around in a great way.
All in all, it was a great experience that I will likely do again. It was enlightening to know that if I do want a cutie of my own, I definitely need to plan accordingly and make sure I have the time and energy for it.
If you are interested in pet-owning for the first time, see if someone will let you pet-sit so you can get a real feel of how to handle it as well! You won't regret it in the long-run.
