I am a 17 year old going to college soon and I'd like a young companion to join me on the adventure. I have a lot of energy and I am extremely athletic so i looked into what kind of dog has a lot of energy and would be an overall good dog to have. I saw some pictures of the GSP and then was able to meet one and i fell in love with the breed! I'm planning on getting a fresh little puppy sometime this summer....most likely in june right after my graduation. I found this site to see a bunch of extremely enthusiastic gsp owners and i knew right away that i want nothing more than to own one myself. My last dog was an English springer spaniel....very similar temperment and such but I just love this dog....so i come on here to tell my pregame story and to ask for comments, advice, suggestions and just to share my enthusiasm with all

hey bud

take it from someone who just graduated from college and has a gsp. WAIT! As much fun as it is to have a dog at times, like when you want to lay in the sun on the grass infront of the library and study and your pup is laying next to you, or to play frisbee with and forget all that studying. There are plenty of more days when it is just too inconvenient to have a dog, esp a puppy.

First, you have housing. Most places arent going to allow dogs, or will charge you a fortune for one, especially over 50 pounds.

Second, expenses. Dog food, collars/leashes/crates/cleaning supplies, training, vet bills -routine and unexpected cases of eye infections, ingested poisons, broken feet... It really takes money away from the two college B's: books and beer.

Third, time. Dogs, especially GSPs, take time. If you have an 8 am class and are in class until say, noon. Thats four hours for a dog to be alone. He will ruin every tennis shoe you own. you will have to wake up at 6 to get him an hour of exercise before leaving him alone. Then come home and do it all again. If you go out drinking on Friday and Saturday....and Tuesday...and Wednesday.... and Thursday, you will be guilt ridden leaving a pup at home. Sure you will get the girls when you have a puppy out during the day, but when you have to leave a cutie at the bar because you have to get home to the dog its a real buzz kill. And forget road trips, unless every road trip is for camping. 

Four, everything else. Say you get a bad dog because you didn't do your research on the breeder (which if you are already on the forum you care enough to do research, good for you) IF that dog bites the mail man and you get sued, you're screwed. That was always my concern, so I spent alot of time researching the bloodlines and socializing.

I really do understand your desire for a dog, I waited until I graduated beacuse as an athlete I was always at practicing and traveling on the weekends. But there were many days and nights I longed for a dog at my feet, the way I grew up with. The benefits of a companion dog, in my mind, often outweigh any con or all the extra work it takes to have a dog. But at least wait until you get to college, get a schedule down, save some money, do more research. I love my dog to death, so when you're ready get a dog, get a GSP, but don't rush it and realize you can't take care of it then someone has to rescue it.

I would also say if you are still dead set on getting a puppy atleast see how school goes first High School is no where like college trust me you may just like to have your freshmen year to yourself and really see how your time is going to be to give to a puppy who is going to want 125% of it. I have a 18 week old and it does take alot to have a puppy sometime I wounder where my time has gone.

My sister brought home a rescue puppy the summer before her sophomore year in college.  I thought she was off her rocker.  As it turned out, the situation couldn't have been better.  She shared a house with five other girls so there was always someone home, they were all athletic and took him out frequently for hikes, and when he was a bit older, my sister was even able to take him to classes (she want to school at CU-Boulder).  River was the sweetest, most well-adjusted dog you could ever want to meet.  While I'm sure there were times it was inconvenient, she and her great network of friends made it work.  I know they  all adored having a furry face greet them at the door after class each day.  It can work--you just have to be super committed and have a support network in place to lend a hand.  I honestly don't know if she could have done it successfully without her gang of friends.

Oh, and Mydogiscrazy--I practically paid rent at my favorite college bar, "our bartender" was invited to all of our weddings, you get the picture... So you make a great point.  Taking on a puppy during college isn't for everyone.  Though, in my case, maybe it would have been a great idea.  Think of all the beer money I could have saved by going home early!  I may have been able to eat better than rice and assorted condiments... 

I agree with Caly.  Why not get the dog after you've had a little time to figure out what college is all about and how much free time you really have?

My GSP is calm by GSP standards but he still gets a little nutsy when he's in the house too much.  Part of it is my fault because he just got used to going everywhere with us.  It's hard for him when it's too cold or too hot for him to go in the car all the time.  Spot is home alone for a couple hours every day but that's it.  We have been extremely lucky and he has never destroyed anything.  We used to kennel him but we leave him loose now.  Usually he just naps on the bed or plays with his toys.

Well here is my advice.

FWIW, I am a 17 year old, only child, going to college and I own a GSP. I pay for all his expenses. (Vet trips, food, toys, etc) and hes more expensive than a girlfriend. Also, I'm in a very good situation where I only have to work a little to make enough to care for him. I care for him solo, with absolutely ZERO help from parents or friends, my parents dislike the dog..

I hunt my dog year round, which involves long car rides and gas $$. I also show and test my dog in hunt tests. And at about 30$ and entry it adds up..

All my time is spent with my dog, Im majoring in Environmental Science and Wildlife management, so a lot of my time is spent in a field and my dog sometimes comes along even to my college class.

Along with the hunt trips he gets about 1-4 hours of exercise everyday. Which is needed!!!! It does help that you have help from your mom... However the dog, especially for the first 4-8 months of age is A LOT of work. I was lucky and I had a lot of time off from high school when I got my dog my sophomore year... of high school. And i graduated a year early.

Don't get me wrong, I love my dog and wouldn't trade him for the world. However, If you have friends and want to go out. The dogs changes your situation. Add some bad weather to that mix and you have some ticked off parents. (muddy paw prints in the house etc). And if you leave a bored puppy alone in your room. You are asking for devastation. They can't go long without bathroom breaks. So you 4 hours class time is about max time. Thats after hes 4 or 6 months old.

You may think you have a lot of time. But you don't, college is going to require dedication. I know you think you have put a lot of time and consideration into your decision. I thought I did to... I started looking for a dog when I was 10, and a gsp when I was 12. and I didn't get one until i was 15. I put 5 years into my decision, and I made the right one for me, but you need to think about every scenario. You are making a 12-16 year commitment that you need to hold up to 24/7 365 for the next 12-16 years.

I am not trying to steer you away, a dog is a great thing. Hes kept me out of trouble and pulled me through some hard times. However if you wait until you see how college is, and you see how much time you can give this dog, you will be that much better off. I waited 5 years for mine, and I was a pretty impatient person. =) If I can make it that long, you can wait a year until you see what college is like.

Not to mention, in a couple years if you plans change and you move away to finish college.. What do you do then?

Poge  was my husband, then just boy friend first dog that he adopted as a college student at UWO.I was his girl friend at that time going to nursing school. Poge was 12 weeks old at the time. Poge did just fine and Tom, took Poge along where ever he went even on our dates.We played tennis alot and Poge loved tennis balls so we would spend time tossing him balls on campus hills to wear him out. After Tom left college he went up to Alaska to work in a logging mill. Poge went with him and had a ball with all the Alaskan Malmutes dog he met When Tom was up in Alaska, I moved to Sarasota FLorida to work my first nursing job. We were apart 2 years. Then Tom drove from Alaska to Sarasota Florida with Poge and we were married 2 months latter. Just want to share GSP's are very moveable. We moved 7 times after that with Kelly Springfield tire company and Poge moved like a piece of glass. We even had to stay 2 weeks in a Holiday with Poge when we were tranferred from Florida to Enfield CT in November as our house was not ready to move in.. So just want to share a college student and a dog GSP can be done