 Barked: Sun Apr 22, '12 11:16am PST |
 | |  | | Well, I'm about to head to college fairly soon. As of now, the plan is to go to a local community college and live with a relative while I figure out where exactly I want to go to finish school. Anyways, I do have major depression/general anxiety disorder, and I think that an ESA would do me good. However, I know very little about the requirements for an ESA, what stance most colleges have on them, and where I'm supposed to find all of this information. I know that a dog would be good for me, but given the situation I'm not sure if it's really a good idea or not. I guess what I'm saying is that I need some general information (or where I can get some) and some advice.
Also, I don't know if this should really go here, but I was hoping to adopt my future ESA sometime soon. I am totally stumped on what breed would best suit my needs. My favorite breeds are medium to large herding type breeds, and as much as they fit my requirements for an ESA, they don't seem to fit the situation as well. These are my requirements:
*I'd like a dog that is medium-large. No smaller than about 35 lbs, but no larger than 90 lbs.
*I'd like a breed that is generally healthy. I can afford basic vet care, but I cannot afford to be at the vet constantly for chronic conditions.
*High maintenance grooming is okay. Grooming is a calming activity for me. A fluffy soft coat is preferable. Heavy shedding is no problem for me, nor is drooling.
*I would prefer a moderate activity level. I hope to do casual agility and dog sports, and exercise is also very good for my condition. I'm usually a couch potato, but I've found that having a dog is a good motivation to get me active.
*I need a dog that is relatively quiet, or that I can train to be relatively quiet.
*I would like a dog that is generally friendly with other dogs and with people.
*While an easy to train dog is preferable, trainability isn't that much of an issue. I have confidence in my ability to train, and I'm not quick to give up if things get tough. I'm not opposed to attending classes or hiring a trainer if I'm out of my depth either.
*I need a velcro dog. I'm not sure how to explain it, but I just need a dog that will be at my side and will be attentive to me. However, I do worry about separation anxiety, since I'm not sure what my schedule will be while I'm at school. I'm not the type to go out and party, but I don't know at this point how much time I'd be out nonetheless.
I will be adopting a young adult dog from a rescue. As much as I would like a pup from a breeder, I don't have $1000 to drop down and expect to take care of all other expenses (including emergency care) that come with raising a puppy/normal college expenses. I'm not opposed to a mutt, but I would prefer a dog with some amount of predictability in terms of temperament at this point.
Well, thank you for bearing with me. |  |  | |  |
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However, I can understand why you say that a super energetic breed might not be the best while I'm at school...still, because exercise does calm me down when I'm having a panic attack, I would like a dog that would be happy to run with me.
