Venturing off from your parents and going into college is a new and liberating experience. But once you settle in and realize that some of the comforts from home may not be there you may become a little lonely.

In order to bring some of that home feeling in you may opt for a new companion. Maybe a new dog could be an option. But before jumping into it, there are some important issues to consider.

With a hectic school schedule and possibly a job, will you have time to care for a pet? Dogs are high maintenance and time consuming. You have to think about their needs. Regular walks, exercise and human companionship and a lots of love are all things a dog craves for a healthy life.

“Frequently but certainly not always college students are very busy,” San Diego Humane Society, Julie Lingard said. “Often times, they rent or are having to move after college is over.”

Can your place accommodate a new dog? A small apartment may not be suitable if they have no outdoor access. A dog isn’t going to want to be cramped into an apartment all day while you are in classes. Keep in mind that you have to consider if a pet is even allowed. A lot of places don’t allow pets or will make you put down a deposit fee.

“Trying to find places to rent with pets can be expensive and hard to come by especially if you have dogs,” San Diego Humane Society,” Lingard said. “I encourage students that I work with to think of these things, so they don’t find themselves in a position of having to make a difficult decision and of course the dog or cat is not again displaced.”

One of the most important things to think about is the financial aspect. As a responsible pet owner you have to take in account all of their needs. Some things they will need is food, treats and toys. All of the items add up quickly and can be expensive for one dog.

“If you had a medium size dog and you where doing what most people do which is pamper their pets. Then you would be looking at nearly a thousand dollars a year in food, treats and toys to take care of one dog,” Petco manager, Rick Handrich said.

On top of that there are veterinarian bills. Vaccines, micro-chipping, spaying or neutering, check-ups and unexpected events are all cost factors that need to be considered.

“For a healthy dog you are looking at about $422 in first year veterinarian bills,” VCA Animal Hospital, Shayna Padilla said. “After the first year you are only looking at yearly vaccinations, which is a lot less expensive.”

When school is done and you are ready to move on will you be able to take your dog with you? A pet is commitment that doesn’t last the span of your college life.

Once you have considered all of these things and you have come to the conclusion that a new friend is for you, then all that is left is to choose the right dog for you. There are pedigree breeds that need homes, but why pay the pedigree price when there are millions of shelter animals out there that need a home. Adopting from your local shelter or rescue groups can be a great choice.

Also when adopting a dog from a shelter they usually absorb a lot of the veterinarian cost for spaying or neutering and shots needed.

“Of course I have encountered students that I believe are very responsible and have put much thought into their decision to adopt,” San Diego Humane Society, Lingard said. “The fact that there are many homeless and adoptable pets makes it so we certainly want to promote adoption over buying from a breeder.”