dogs vs women

[hobbs053]

anyone have/had a dog while in flight school? Is it feasible/practicable given the studying/training and especially the moving around all the time?

I floating around in the A-pool and was thinking of picking up a companion over the weekend, something in the boxer variety.

There is something to be said about an animal that loves you and in return all you have to do is feed it. Way less maintenance than the girls i've dated.

 

[skidkid]

Didnt someone start this thread a while ago. I wouldnt recomend getting a dog. If you're about to start flight training dont change anything in your life that will require more of your time.
A dog could limit your ability to take cross countries and sometimes they really piss off roomates who can help you study but not if they move out because your dog keeps pissing on their stuff.
Just some advice get your wings then get your dog and dont compare women and dogs, all it will do is start an unecessary sh!tstorm here.

 

[orthaj]

i concur

 

[phrogpilot73]

Didnt someone start this thread a while ago. I wouldnt recomend getting a dog. If you're about to start flight training dont change anything in your life that will require more of your time.
A dog could limit your ability to take cross countries and sometimes they really piss off roomates who can help you study but not if they move out because your dog keeps pissing on their stuff.
Just some advice get your wings then get your dog and dont compare women and dogs, all it will do is start an unecessary sh!tstorm here.

I agree. While I do get a great deal of flak from the guys in the ready room, I suggest a cat. It's the perfect bachelor pet. If I want to take off on a cross country, or spend the weekend in Myrtle Beach, the cat takes care of himself. I just leave him a big bowl of water, a big plate of food and a fresh litter box. Dogs will eat all the food the first day, and need to be walked the whole weekend.

 

[Pags]

Don't get a dog in flight school. I thought about it, and am glad I didn't. For one, you won't be around enough to give the dog the attention and training that it needs. Also, the dog can be terrible when it comes to distracting you, whether its waking you up at 0530 when you need the sleep or leaving you "gifts" when you walk in the door after a long day of work. Finally, later in life what are you gonna do with the dog when you go on deployments? It's hard to kennel a dog for 6mo.

 

[Steve Wilkins]

<--- My dog says go for it.

 

[peanut3479]

If you want a dog, get a dog. As long as a roommate is willing to let the dog out and/or feed it when needed, you should be fine. It'd be tough as hell to take care of a dog by yourself while in flight school, but two or more people with overlapping schedules makes it pretty easy.

 

[WannaBEaP3gal]

Getting a dog is all about timing!!! I got mine a week after I got commissioned since I knew it was going to be a while till I started API. By the time I started Primary, she was completely 100% broken out of her crate. Raising a puppy is hard, but, and this is just me, it's worth it if you're a big dog lover. She calms me down after a long day at work (especially when I've driven 30+ minutes in the pensacola rush-hour traffic and all I wanna do is scream!!), which helps me get focused for the night of studying ahead.

 

[Pags]

If you want a dog, get a dog. As long as a roommate is willing to let the dog out and/or feed it when needed, you should be fine. It'd be tough as hell to take care of a dog by yourself while in flight school, but two or more people with overlapping schedules makes it pretty easy.

Don't depend on roommates to help with the dog. It's your dog...not theirs.

 

[zab1001]

Better have a plan for deployment as well. Family/friends/kennel...

 

[Rugger]

Another option is fostering for a local rescue group, either breed specific (visit www.flbr.org for Florida Boxer Rescue), or an all breed rescue. I volunteer with one, and they pay for the vet bills and food. When I go out of town for a little while, they arrange for someone to babysit. When I'm out for a long time, they find another foster family. It's a little tough when the dogs get adopted, but there's always been another one to take it place.

Rugger

 

[Cactijosh]

buy a dog now since you'll be doing nothing for the next 8 months of your life, longer if pcola gets whiped out by another hurricane. Then, talk your room mates into buying dogs that way they can all wear each other out and not bother you. Never buy a cat they're arrogant. If you have a girlfriend, they love dogs and will take care of them for you...so get both at the same time. Get drunk before you take your pick of the litter. You don't want a dog that turns its nose up at the smell of beer.

 

[IrishNavy05]

I've got a 2 year old dog and I'm in API and have had no problems thus far. As someone mentioned above, timing is everything. Housebreaking a puppy when you're gone from 0530 to 1400 won't be fun for anyone. Once the housebreaking was done, it having hasn't been any problem at all in the 17 months I've been in the "real world". As for cross-countries, there are enough of us dog-owner studs around that it shouldn't be hard getting a friend to take care of it for a weekend, and then returning the favor when it's his XC

During the puppy-stage, it also affects your night life. No going out from 8pm-2am on the weekends, unless you want to come home to a steaming pile of ****.

If you don't get one now, you never will. Who wants to get a dog when you're about to go to sea for 6 months...Also, there are organizations that set up foster families for dogs of military members on deployment

www.operationnoblefoster.org
www.patrioticpets.org

 

[scoober78]

Didnt someone start this thread a while ago. I wouldnt recomend getting a dog. If you're about to start flight training dont change anything in your life that will require more of your time.

Let me preface this by saying that I have three dogs....and two cats but I don't like them. Don't be afraid to get a dog because you are afraid that you won't be able to study. Get some self control and understand that its ok for the dog to lay on the floor in front of you while you study. Come on people...

That said...

A dog could limit your ability to take cross countries and sometimes they really piss off roomates who can help you study but not if they move out because your dog keeps pissing on their stuff.

Don't get a dog if:

1. You are dead set on getting a puppy and don't have a fiancee or better who wants one too. They are tons of work, and require a trip to the weeds at least every 2-4 hours to be fair to them. Repeat after me...puppy with your work committment + no support = disaster.

2. You don't have someone closer to you than a roomate to look after it when you are gone. The bottom line is that even if you train you dog very well, there are things that you have to put up with that only a dog person can tolerate forever...dog hair being a bigger problem than IPs on your bag etc...

Two things you posted make me think you haven't thought this through enough...

1.

There is something to be said about an animal that loves you and in return all you have to do is feed it. Way less maintenance than the girls i've dated.

Dogs are way more work than women...ever clean up your gf's crap?

2.

I floating around in the A-pool and was thinking of picking up a companion over the weekend, something in the boxer variety.

Doesn't sound like you've been planning this for long. A good rule of thumb on a first time major purchase is to think about the purchase at least half as long as you have to live with it...dogs live about 14 years. There are exceptions given for previous ownership...:icon_wink

Good luck

 

[scoober78]

buy a dog now since you'll be doing nothing for the next 8 months of your life, longer if pcola gets whiped out by another hurricane. Then, talk your room mates into buying dogs that way they can all wear each other out and not bother you. Never buy a cat they're arrogant. If you have a girlfriend, they love dogs and will take care of them for you...so get both at the same time. Get drunk before you take your pick of the litter. You don't want a dog that turns its nose up at the smell of beer.

This is an absolutely ridiculous first post. Do you actually know anything about dogs or did you just feel like this was a good thread to run at the mouth about? Grow up.

MODS?