2 answers
Kenzlie
Student
Jonesboro, Arkansas
1
Question
Updated
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How much training would I have to give to a bigger dog in a University setting?
I am a senior in high school and plan on taking my 1 year old dog to college with me next fall. Before she gets too grown I'd like to begin her training to prepare her for University life
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2 answers
Karin P.
Lecturer, Academic Advisor, Career Coach, Mentor
1209
Answers
Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
Updated
Karin’s Answer
Hi Kenzlie,
Taking a dog to college can be difficult and certainly adds additional wrinkles to your planning (and probably some extra costs). Are you willing to decide for a school based on how dog-friendly they are?
The first thing to consider is housing. Many universities require first- and sometimes second-year students to stay in residences. Some universities might allow pets in res, but many do not. A real service dog would have to be permitted as per ADA. There are even protective lab outfits for service dogs. Some schools might allow certified emotional support animals. Probably even fewer would allow pure pets and there are likely to be restrictions with regards to type of pet and size of the pet. It's understandable too: dorm rooms are small, you might share a room, you'll certainly share facilities and not everyone would be thrilled to have a dog around.
The other thing to consider is how much time you will realistically have to take care of your dog. Some majors will be more suitable for pet owners than others. If you are in a major where you have day-long or half-day-long labs on most days, your dog would be alone a lot. Some dogs might be fine with that, others might start to tear the room apart.
My few experiences with student dog owners:
There was a girl in my department who had a big "Huskey-type" dog (not a Huskey, but similar size and furriness) who was extremely well-trained. The dog would come to school with her every day. She would leave him outside and he would just wait for her return - no leash, no nothing. She would spend time and play with him in between lectures.
Students of forestry at my school were allowed to bring dogs to class. Many had small dogs in the "Dachshund-class". They were trained to settle down by the owner's feet during class. All their lectures would end on time because that's when the dogs would get restless and make some noise.
In summary: I am sure it can be done, but you may need to make some concessions, i.e. only consider schools that allow dogs in dorms or allow you to live off-campus. It would likely be easier to accommodate a dog in more rural schools and in more outdoorsy majors.
With regards to training: a well-behaved dog would be much easier to bring to school. That means obedience training and training in different environments (like a service dog) come to mind.
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
https://www.collegexpress.com/lists/list/college-and-universities-that-allow-pets-on-campus/1665/
https://www.collegeraptor.com/find-colleges/articles/student-life/20-pet-friendly-college-campuses/
https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/spotlights/2025/these-colleges-are-welcoming-pets-in-dorms-to-reduce-students-stress-and-anxiety/
https://www.bringfido.com/blog/pet-friendly-colleges-that-welcome-dogs-in-dorms/
Taking a dog to college can be difficult and certainly adds additional wrinkles to your planning (and probably some extra costs). Are you willing to decide for a school based on how dog-friendly they are?
The first thing to consider is housing. Many universities require first- and sometimes second-year students to stay in residences. Some universities might allow pets in res, but many do not. A real service dog would have to be permitted as per ADA. There are even protective lab outfits for service dogs. Some schools might allow certified emotional support animals. Probably even fewer would allow pure pets and there are likely to be restrictions with regards to type of pet and size of the pet. It's understandable too: dorm rooms are small, you might share a room, you'll certainly share facilities and not everyone would be thrilled to have a dog around.
The other thing to consider is how much time you will realistically have to take care of your dog. Some majors will be more suitable for pet owners than others. If you are in a major where you have day-long or half-day-long labs on most days, your dog would be alone a lot. Some dogs might be fine with that, others might start to tear the room apart.
My few experiences with student dog owners:
There was a girl in my department who had a big "Huskey-type" dog (not a Huskey, but similar size and furriness) who was extremely well-trained. The dog would come to school with her every day. She would leave him outside and he would just wait for her return - no leash, no nothing. She would spend time and play with him in between lectures.
Students of forestry at my school were allowed to bring dogs to class. Many had small dogs in the "Dachshund-class". They were trained to settle down by the owner's feet during class. All their lectures would end on time because that's when the dogs would get restless and make some noise.
In summary: I am sure it can be done, but you may need to make some concessions, i.e. only consider schools that allow dogs in dorms or allow you to live off-campus. It would likely be easier to accommodate a dog in more rural schools and in more outdoorsy majors.
With regards to training: a well-behaved dog would be much easier to bring to school. That means obedience training and training in different environments (like a service dog) come to mind.
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
Karin recommends the following next steps:
Kristina Macaluso
External Auditor/Accountant
5
Answers
San Francisco, California
Updated
Kristina’s Answer
Taking care of a dog while in university will be a challenge, especially with a bigger dog. Because of campus restrictions with pets, I would focus training on leaving the dog alone & coming up with practices to avoid separation anxiety. You will also need to consider if you will be living with roommates or in a shared complex. What will your home look like? These are some questions I would start with:
1) Does the apartment have a park readily available? Is there one close that is safe to walk to at night? Or will you have a backyard?
2) Will your class schedule be stacked? Plan when the dog will be alone, and when you will be able to check on them. Work on good training to make sure the dog is comfortable being alone (i.e. no barking, biting, stress induced destruction).
3) Is the dog good with other animals? If not, really focus on socializing the dog, sitting still in public areas & training re-call.
4) Is there dog grooming available? or would it be at your place (shower/tub)? Otherwise that could be a big expense to take to groomers every time they get messy.
1) Does the apartment have a park readily available? Is there one close that is safe to walk to at night? Or will you have a backyard?
2) Will your class schedule be stacked? Plan when the dog will be alone, and when you will be able to check on them. Work on good training to make sure the dog is comfortable being alone (i.e. no barking, biting, stress induced destruction).
3) Is the dog good with other animals? If not, really focus on socializing the dog, sitting still in public areas & training re-call.
4) Is there dog grooming available? or would it be at your place (shower/tub)? Otherwise that could be a big expense to take to groomers every time they get messy.