When is the right time to get a dog?

the right time to get a dog is when you are financially stable and have the time to properly take care of the dog (train, exercise, feed, take to the vet, etc) If you do not have the time to train, you can get an older dog from your local humane society, pet store that has already been trained and just ready for someone to take the time to love it!!! (keep in mind, if you get a dog from a humane society or store, they typically ALL have tapeworms [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapeworms] and are at higher risk of having Parvo [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canine_parvovirus] which is very contagious!!!) Just make sure after you get any dog to take it to the vet to make sure it is healthy and flea free before bringing into your home!!!

Dogs are fairly easy to travel with... we have taken ours on plane trips and in car rides... it may cost a little more time and money to travel with them but is typically easy to do!!! You just need to make more time for potty stops and to feed/water your dog... and have all the things needed to take care of them... (crate, toys, food, etc...) it can be time consuming but we have not had many troubles with traveling with pets...

Just make sure, whatever you do, that you have the finances to take care of a dog!!! Here are some things to do:

~Feed the better quality food (Purina One, Science Diet, Purina, etc... not Old Roy, Diamond, FMV, Alpo [these can harm and even kill your animal])

~Get routine vaccinations ([all yearly] Rabies, Distemper, Hepatitis, Parvovirus, Parainfluenza, Coronavirus, Heartworm check and Fecal check)

~Crate when not home.... get a larger enough crate for the animal (I would by it on how big they will get as an adult where you only have to buy one)! this will help with accidents around the home and they typically feel less stressed if in while no one is in the home! Make sure to put a blanket in the bottom of the crate for comfort!

~Buy toys for it... Target has great toys from MadCats or something like that and they are durable, triple stitch stuffed animals with squeakers and come in different sizes... my dog has had hers for over a year and they are still good as new!!!

~Be sure to give it exercise! Try to walk everyday or most days of the week to keep your dog healthy or play with it everyday in the backyard!!!!

~Bathe once a week or every other week (depending on how curious your dog is to how often you need to bathe!) Make sure you use dog shampoo, not dish detergent or human shampoo... they do not have the right ingredients to properly nourish the hair! (but of course bathe if gets into something dirty or nasty, some dogs like to roll around in poop outside... especially right after baths, if you notice they do this after baths change your shampoo scent or brand... that means they do not like the scent of that one... they are goofy!!!)

Well, I know this is a lot of information but i hope it helps!!! good luck and have a great day!!!

a couple of the links did not transfer into my answer correctly so i will put them in the sources for easy access...

spring, summer or fall, but I wouldn't advise getting a dog in the winter months (if you live in a cold state in wintertime) as I did that and was hard getting up every two hours in the middle of the night to take her outside to use the bathroom. I totally skipped the newspaper because you train the dog to go on the paper, but then after the paper you got to train the dog to go outside which takes longer. Winter time I would never recommend a dog to train. Since you both are in college with the dog being alone you will come home to a very messy house, with doggie messes to clean up. My dog thinks the car belongs to her. LOL NOt hard to travel at all. My dog can go up to 7 hours without bathroom breaks, it's all a matter of training. My best of luck to you both.

I think the right time should be whenever you feel like you can be a responsible pet owner,as any dog needs love and companionship.Although I don't travel,I would think it would be almost like traveling with a child,as you would have to stop and let it out to potty if a long trip.Dogs are great companions,but if you feel you won't have the time to give your pet the companionship it will require,then the time isn't right.

The right time to get a dog is when you are financially, emotionally and physically ready to care for it.

Yes, it is extremely hard to care for a dog if you travel a lot. The dog's bare necessities have to be handled (food, water, outside potty time) as well as of love and playtime on a daily basis.

I don't even know you and I get the impression that neither you nor your wife have the time to devote to a pet.

A dog is a big responsibilty. They need time, attention, room, good food, the vet, etc. If you are both gone a lot, I would wait. When dogs are left alone for long periods they are more likely to develope bad habits such as chewing, barking, digging, etc. It IS more difficult to travel with them too.

You have to have time to be with them to train them. On a leash potty train, Or esle were you lived will smell like a big doggie bathroom. And sometimes when you travel some places hotel rooms etc. want a good well behaved dog.

Yes, it can be harder to travel. You would have to arrange for someone to take care of your dog, unless he travels with you. And some dogs don't travel well at all: My parents have a greyhound-mix who's as loving as can be, but gets sick to her stomach every time.

Dogs can be wonderful companions. But if you don't have the time to devote to taking care of him, it's not fair to either you or the dog to try to get one.

I suggest you wait until after you finish your studies before you seriously consider a dog.

Good luck!

Now, you don't need a dog, because both of you are students. You may think now that you can handle a dog, but really use your common sense, you really don't have the time.

You should not get a dog at this time. No, it is not easy to travel with a dog. If you have ANY doubts, then that means you are not ready!

yes it is hard to travel when you have a dog.any animal is like a child,needs someone to rely on.cant feed itself or walk itself.it needs someone to be home to look after it.there's alot to think about before getting a dog,how much it will cost you etc.think long and hard before rushing into anything