DR. WALLACE: I’m in college, and my roommates and I just recently moved into a small duplex near campus. Our landlord told us that he does not prohibit his tenants from having dogs, which has been music to our ears. All of us really love dogs and have agreed to share the responsibility of raising a puppy if we were to get one. I am eager to move forward with our current plan of adopting a puppy by the end of the month, but a part of me is slightly concerned about the practicalities of the situation. My roommates and I have full class schedules, and some of us even have part-time jobs on top of school. We really want to get a puppy, but should we? — Puppy Fever, via email
PUPPY FEVER: Puppies are adorable, fun and exciting, but they are not toys; they are major responsibilities. I would not advise any student to adopt a puppy while they are in college, even if they plan to do so with a team of roommates. Puppies are similar to babies in that they are fully dependent on you, expensive to raise and constantly in need of your care. I cannot imagine how a group of young people with active social lives, demanding school schedules and other obligations could, at the same time, successfully raise and train a puppy.
Additionally, it is important to consider that the way in which a puppy is raised and trained has serious consequences. If a puppy is not given the attention and care that it deserves and is not disciplined, it will become a troublesome dog. Puppies are cute, but no one wants to deal with a full-grown dog that exhibits bad behavior and causes problems.
College is the time to learn to care for yourself and become independent, work toward your future goals and dreams and enjoy time with friends and colleagues. Raising a puppy would necessitate staying home more often and dedicating hours of time each day to training the puppy and tending to its needs. Not to mention the dilemma of deciding who will take the dog once you and your roommates decide to move out of the duplex and no longer live with each other. I can only imagine the magnitude of conflict this would create.
Unless you and your roommates have an extensive, detailed plan as to how you will all responsibly care for the puppy, and everyone is committed to devoting extensive time and effort into this puppy project, serious problems are sure to arise. I encourage you to weigh the consequences of this decision carefully and wisely.
WHY NO PEANUT PRODUCTS AT SCHOOL?
DR. WALLACE: My child was sent home with a note from his teacher that I was shocked to receive. The note said, “Dear parents: Do not include any peanut products in your child’s lunch.” Does the school have the authority over me to decide what my child eats at lunch? — Puzzled Parent, via email
PUZZLED PARENT: Some school districts have decided to keep entire buildings peanut free to be safe for those with severe or life-threatening allergies to nut products.
Fortunately, you can make a lunch that doesn’t have any peanuts in it, and your child can enjoy a peanut butter and jelly sandwich upon arrival home from school.
Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected] To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
