Your mother knows us better than we do -- perhaps she feels you are not responsible enough for a dog, or too busy. Going to college AND working is a huge commitment in itself. A puppy needs alot of time and attention.

You need to ask yourself if it is possible for you to let him out every 1-3 hours to potty while you are at school and work. My pup is over 6 months old and it was only last week that I finally allowed him to stay home alone while I went to work. Any sooner than 6 months and he would have peed in the house -- pups have smaller, weaker blatters and can not hold their pee like adults can. If this isn't possible for you, you need to consider the costs of doggy daycare, which can be expensive, and many places will not accept a dog under 4 months of age. Doggy daycares are also one of the worst places for your dog picking up lice and fleas, so the treatment for these and their costs will need to be taken into account. You need to schedule time for puppy classes, extra training at home, walks, socialisation, etc. Puppies are a full-time job. I'm lucky I am able to bring my dogs to work, or there is no way I could have a puppy.

Now in your costs I'm assuming you covered the costs of vaccinations/nosodes/titers, puppy obedience classes, dog food, toys, treats, vet checkups, collars/leashes, crates, first aid equipment, dishes, grooming costs, disease prevention, etc -- but what will you do if your dog has something wrong with it and you need to spend $5000 to keep it alive? Who is going to pay for that? My dog and all of her littermates developed parvo as puppies. Two of the pups died, even after over $2000 was spent to keep them alive (half the price any other vet would have charged -- my vet is awesome). My dog's niece fell down the stairs at 5 weeks old and broke her back. The tests, x-rays, treatments, etc cost into the hundreds, and the pup still died. Anything can go wrong, and all of this needs to be taken into account. I think the #1 reason most mothers do not want their children to have pets is that in the end, they will end up paying for something.

Also, breed. Perhaps there is a breed conflict. If I lived under my mother's roof and asked to get a pit bull, I would be sorely turned down. Her own ignorance, yes, but it's her decision in the end and nothing I could do would change her mind. Perhaps the breed you chose is too big, too hairy, too noisy, too drooly, too aggressive, etc for your mother. I don't know what breed you chose but perhaps a smaller less hairy dog may make her more willing. What is the breed you are considering? Remember that the breed can be a huge thing. If you don't have a 6 foot fence, don't get a husky -- if you don't have tolerance for barking, don't get a sheltie, etc.

At whatever point you do get a puppy, please make sure you've done your research as to where. Going to a shelter/rescue or a reputable breeder are the best choices. Research the differences between a reputable breeder, backyard breeder, and a puppy mill, and never buy your puppy from a pet store or broker.

Hope this helps. Welcome to PT.