Aviators' experience having dogs/pets

[navjack]

Long time, no post. Searched the threads for anything like this and didn't find it so-
I was wondering if guys out there have experience with having a dog in this job. I've been thinking about it for years since my last little guy died and I've put it off while I'm an SNA because the constant dets and whatnot make it a bad choice. God knows we have enough things here to stress about without Fido dropping bombs on the cranky landlord's carpet. I know a lot of guys that have dogs in the fleet and I haven't really heard of anyone attriting for canine-related unsats or hating their lives. Assuming a suitable house/yard and someone to care for the thing on long deployments- I'm just curious to hear about good and bad experiences.

 

[Renegade One]

Assuming a suitable house/yard and someone to care for the thing on long deployments- I'm just curious to hear about good and bad experiences.

Assuming all that, no worries, I don't think. My only "bad experience" was on our move to Japan...all skids greased, gaining command/NAF approval and paperwork for "in home quarantine" approved, airline reservations confirmed, airline-approved dog crate purchased...

Then I made the "prudential call" to the airline the day prior to departure (color me anal...) to check that everything was still "good to go"...only to be told "we're not accepting animals for this routing at this time or for the next several weeks due to on-ramp temps at Chicago O'Hare".

Me: "What do you recommend?"
Her: "Not our problem sir."

So...we "gave up" our dog on the eve of departure for overseas to much family consternation and teary eyes. Luckily, we found an option short of the "$75 dollar Final Solution".

It happens. No one's fault...

 

[81montedriver]

If you have a wife it makes life easier. But I would recommend getting married for a dog watcher, do it for the cooking

 

[SeaHawk2011]

Check out Dogs on Deployment (www.dogsondeployment.org).
They are an organization that coordinates volunteer foster families for pets while the owner is deployed.
There are several organizations that have similar programs, but in my research, DoD seems to be one of the best.

 

[Brett327]

Check out Dogs on Deployment (www.dogsondeployment.org).
They are an organization that coordinates volunteer foster families for pets while the owner is deployed.
There are several organizations that have similar programs, but in my research, DoD seems to be one of the best.

I went to college with the guy who started that site.

 

[Swanee]

If you have a wife it makes life easier. But I would recommend getting married for a dog watcher, do it for the cooking

The On-Demand sex is also a nice perk... but to each their own.

 

[Jim123]

The On-Demand sex is also a nice perk... but to each their own.

BOOM! Fifth response... maybe not an AW record, but it's gotta be close

 

[MasterBates]

Don't be the single guy, with two huge dogs (Mastiff and Great Dane), who tries to pawn them off (even paying for their food is still pawning off) on the married guy who has ONE dog in a 900 sq ft house with a small backyard.

Honestly, I had to send my dog to live with my parents when I got divorced. It's not just deployments. Those were relatively easy. It was the find out on Friday at 1700 you are going to (shitty IA/Det Site) and your NALO flight has a 0430 show time tomorrow, that were about impossible to deal with. And even my fallback (Boarding) gets EXPENSIVE. $40+ a day per dog is not out of the question. Especially if you are on short notice. That's $1200/mo. That's more than the mortgage on any house I bought as a JO.

Definitely don't have a dog in flight school. Yes, I know some single guys make it work. They often (not always) make it work because some friend takes it. For those who haven't been in that situation, it's a lot harder to say "no" to a guy who is being deployed tomorrow to replace a guy who broke his leg, but it doesn't mean you're not still a doofus for not having a plan before that.

And DON'T GET MARRIED TO GET A DOG!! (seen that, didn't end well, wasn't me)

 

[CUPike11]

I didn't get a dog until I got to the RAG (at least halfway through when I got him) and it hasn't been a problem. There are long days where he'll stay home just fine. Other days I'll drop him off at doggy day-care and some days I have some friends of mine that attend grad school at ODU stop by my apartment and help take care of him. They'll come in as long as their schedule allows and play w/ him and walk him and keep him company and I get peace of mind. Without her and her friends, it might be a bit harder but my dog has grown accustomed to me leaving early and coming back around a certain time.

Once it comes time to go on deployment, I've already talked to friends (other dog owners) who said they would be happy to watch my 70 lb, 1 year old ball of fire. Outside of that, i'll set everything up w/ "Dogs on Deployment" so that I know my dog isnt being abused or anything crazy while I'm gone.

It' is doable and can take some adjustment (going out for drinks/friends is a bit harder) but its not impossible. Just think it through and do your homework and make sure you are completely ready.

 

[Jim123]

Never had my own dog the whole time I've been in, but something I've seen that worked well for one of my friends was a fenced-in yard (duh, that's practically a given) and an old-fashioned doggie door. That kinda takes the stress out of being delayed at the squadron, especially if your dog is the kind that won't overeat if you leave his food dish full of dogfood.

The doggie door works both ways though- the neighbor's dogs started coming over to hang out and even left a nice steamer on my friend's kitchen floor. I told him he was lucky they didn't drink his beer, use his pool table, or have a poker game

 

[Flash]

I'll second MB, getting a dog this early is a potential minefield. I knew several folks that had pets in my squadrons and they inevitably caused major issues for them and almost all had to give them away sooner or later, usually to family. My advice, wait 'til you get to your first squadron and then reassess after you do your first deployment.

 

[Gatordev]

It' is doable and can take some adjustment (going out for drinks/friends is a bit harder) but its not impossible. Just think it through and do your homework and make sure you are completely ready.

It may be doable for you, but that may also be because you may not realize everyone else is doing the work. I'm not saying this is you, but I've seen someone with a dog on her first tour who didn't think it was a big deal. It wasn't a big deal to her because the other JOs in the house she was in were taking care of her dog for 6 months while she was on deployment. And they weren't exactly excited that they had to do it.

Ironically, this same person several years later completely missed the fact that all the other DHs had to pull her weight at work while she was pregnant, on baby leave, then on regular leave after baby leave... you get the idea.

 

[MasterBates]

I'll also throw this out.. It's not just you. It's unfair to the dog..

Yes, you know "Dave" will take care of Rover when you are gone, but as far as the dog is concerned you left him with Dave. Forever (if it's more than a weekend, he goes to Dave's house, along with all his stuff)

At least with me being gone as much or more than on Active Duty, except when she was boarded for the wedding/honeymoon, Bonnie has always had me or Abby around.

 

[The Chief]

... you get the idea.

Spot on. I would also observe that it is unfair to the dog.

 

[Flash]

......I've seen someone with a dog on her first tour who didn't think it was a big deal. It wasn't a big deal to her because the other JOs in the house she was in were taking care of her dog for 6 months while she was on deployment.......

I think one thing that a lot of SNA/SNFO/Middies/etc and even some RAG studs don't quite get is just how much you will be on the road when you are in a fleet squadron, especially one that goes on a boat (HSM/VFA/VAQ etc). It isn't just the six month deployments, now up to 9 months btw, but also all of the workups, exercises and other random stuff you have to go on the road for. Sometimes you know well in advance and sometimes you find out hours prior. Any way you slice it you can depend that you will be out of town for at least half of your fleet tour. There is quite a bit of variance depending on your timing and squadron but still.......

So yeah, maybe it will work out for you and the dog but from my first-hand observation it rarely does. And MB is right again, it ain't fair to the dog.