Living with a Dog in the City? 5 Reality Checks
Posted on March 11, 2007
Filed Under Apartment Living | 9 Comments
City dog — an oxymoron? I used to think so. Then I moved to a city with a dog.
I was surprised to learn that city dogs live very comfortably in small apartments (and so do their owners). City dogs introduce you to your neighbors and force you to get out and explore your neighborhood.
After living with dogs in apartments and talking to dozens of owners in my urban dog parks, I have come up with the following 5 reality checks.
(1) Size of the dog vs. size of your apartment
Size is not important (unless your landlord or condo board has rules).
How big is too big? I have met 70-pound couch potatoes and 9-pound balls of energy. Small dogs can be noisier and can shed more than big dogs — sometimes!
Of course, in a 500-square-foot apartment, you may feel crowded if you invite a Great Dane to share your space. But some people who do.
(2) Exercise Needs
How much exercise will Fido need? Even in a big house, your dog would need to leave for exercise.
Dog trainers warn us: running around a house or yard is not enough. Dogs need to walk to bond with their owners.
Ironically, city dogs often get more exercise than their country cousins. Last week at the dog park, an owner said, When we lived in a big house with a yard, Rover would just hang out, doing nothing. Now we walk 4 or 5 times a day. We visit the dog park 3 times a week. He is much happier, stimulated and even thinner!”
Of course, some dogs tend to be couch potatoes. Others need two or three hours a day — running at full speed. Investigate before adopting. And decide where you will take the dog for exercise.
(3) Socialization
City dogs cannot afford to be wimps, wusses and shrinking violets. City dogs encounter neighbors, both canine and human, in elevators and on sidewalks. You don’t want to referee fights on a regular basis, let alone pay huge fees for doggie damage.
Okay, I am biased. I recommend getting a shelter dog from a rescue group, preferably a dog that has spent time in a foster home rather than just a cage. It is easier to work with a dog’s existing temperament than to start over.
Some owners choose a puppy so they can create a city dog. Frankly, this option does not always work. I met a dedicated owner who adopted a beautiful pure-bred puppy several years ago. The owner chose a breed known for its calm temperament.
That dog is terrified of traffic, noise and new experiences.
My little rescue mutt, Gracie, was born and bred in the country. She took to urban living with gusto, rides buses as if she were born on one and doesn’t raise an ear at a fire siren. She’s become a certified city dog.
(4) Learned behaviors.
Let’s face it: a trainer tends to be a crucial part of an city dog’s entourage.
Are you willing to sign up for obedience training? Many behaviors (such as nuisance barking) can usually be ended with training But some behaviors are tougher to change than others.
I recommend meeting with a trainer before you formally adopt the dog. If your dog displays destructive or hostile behavior, decide if you have the patience and lifestyle to work with the dog for change.
Frankly, it’s not easy. Dogs change personality once they join a new home. My dog Gracie developed chewing issues she had never displayed in her foster home. On the other hand, a foster mom told me, “I am caring for Spot because he was considered aggressive. But in my home, he is sweet, gentle and loving.”
(5) Time out for the Owner.
City dogs can drain the energy of the most dedicated owner. You need escape outlets.
Luckily, most cities have a wide choice of dog parks. You’ll also find overnight boarding and doggie day care options. Get to know them. Every so often you can turn Prince over to run around while you shop, relax or get some work done –a real treat, especially in the rain.
Watch the video related to dogs for apartment living
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Help answer the question about dogs for apartment living
What dogs are good for apartment living?Small dogs that dont grow big. Like the size of chihuhua's.
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Dog Fanatic and Copywriter Cathy Goodwin wrote Dog Health at Home, a resource to care for your sick, injured and senior dogs, in memory of her first dog who crossed the bridge recently. Download your copy at
http://www.dog-health.org/dogbook.html
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9 Responses to “Living with a Dog in the City? 5 Reality Checks”
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I'm going through the same thing. I want to find me a small dog that will be good for a small 1 bedroom apartment. I have one particular dog in mind though, which is a maltese. They're hypoallergenic, non-shedding, and cuddly!! But i dont know about for a guy. You might want a terrier or something like that. Look up toy breeds on yahoo search or google and look up the different types. I'm sure you'll find something you'll be interested in.
By the way, if you plan on searching for a puppy/dog through the internet, beware of scammers. Most come from Africa, Cameroon and other places outside of the country as well as in the U.S. They'll ask for the money first and then something will go wrong and you'll end up paying again then waiting and waiting for a dog that doesnt' exist. Also, best way to buy through the internet is buying in your state and asking them to send you a picture with a certain sayin on a sign in front of them or something like that. Also, ask for a phone number so you can speak with them personally.
I just moved from a home to a condo with a patio 26'X6'. I have an 80lb 6 month old pup…so I do 2, one mile walks aday..my husband takes him on a 2 mile walk every other day and the days in between and the weekends we are at the dog park… hes great and we are all healthier : )
Definately not a Doberman Pinscher! Your best bet would be a Bullmastiff. They are very large dogs, yet relatively quite indoors. They do need daily exercise, however.
I would say Yorkies, Chihuahuas, Pekingese, or Toy Poodle.
Get a healthy dog with a temperament that best suits your active lifestyle. Since you have an apartment, you should avoid the hounds, terriers, herding and toy dogs that tend to bark a lot. English Springer Spaniels, Vizslas, Golden Retrievers, German Shorthaired Pointers and English Setters are great if you've got the time and energy to exercise them regularly. The bigger the dog, the longer they can go between walks and the easier they are to housebreak. And they can carry their own backpack on your hikes!
Irish Wolfhounds, Greyhounds and Whippets are terrific apartment dogs, as long as you can take them out for a long daily run. They ARE couch potatoes (like our Borzoi – Russian wolfhound) and you won't even know they're around most of the time. They are quiet and easily housebroken and much better than most small dogs. Be careful if you're adopting a racing greyhound off the track. They are often fine, but many have behavior problems (like destructive chewing) from being locked in a cage with little socialization. Also, remember that sighthounds are hunting dogs and some will kill small animals (cats, rabbits, toy dogs) if they haven't grown up with them.
BEFORE you get any dog you should read some great books on training. (Try not to pick books randomly – there are a lot of bad books out there also!) These are some of my favorites and you can get them on Amazon.com
What All Good Dogs Should Know – Volhard http://www.volhard.com/
Good Owners, Great Dogs – Brian Kilcommins
Dog Tricks : Eighty-Eight Challenging Activities for Your Dog from World-Class Trainers by Haggerty and Benjamin
Don't Shoot the Dog – Pryor
Training Your Dog: The Step by Step Method – Volhard
Dog Problems – Benjamin
Cesar's Way – Cesar Millan
Also, watch the Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic Channel. Cesar Millan is the best trainer I've ever seen on TV.
http://www.dogpsychologycenter.com/
Find a good breeder by going to http://www.akc.org or talking to people at dog shows. You can also find info about the breed clubs on the akc site – they probably have a rescue group where you can get an older dog for less money. The best breeders will be members of their breed club, promoting healthy dogs with great temperaments. They should ask you a bunch of questions to make sure their puppy will be getting a good home. If all a "breeder" seems to care about is whether your check will clear, you can be sure he won't care a week later when the pup is dying from distemper or parvo and you want your money back.
Whatever you do, DON'T go to a pet shop, a flea market or buy one sight-unseen off the Internet!!!! You'll pay top dollar for what is usually a poor quality puppy mill dog. And you'll be supporting one of the cruelest industries in the country. The breeding animals are often kept in deplorable conditions – spending their entire lives in small wire-bottomed cages. They probably haven't been vaccinated against contagious diseases or tested for any health or temperament problems or genetic diseases – that costs money and cuts into their profits. A female is often bred every time she comes into heat. When her poor little body can't take it any more, she is often clubbed in the head and tossed into a dumpster or an open ditch. Most puppy mills ship their pups to pet stores at wholesale prices and many pups die before they even get there.
These so-called "breeders" have now figured out that they can use the internet to ship a dog directly to the customer and thus make more money by cutting out the middleman. If you buy a dog from out of state, good luck getting your money back if there's something wrong with the pup. These people count on you becoming instantly attached to the poor little guy and being willing to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars at the vet to treat whatever is wrong with him.
I think it depends on whether you are home all day with the dog, or need to leave it alone when you go to work.
If you are at home to take the dog out 3 times a day to poop and pee, any dog that is quiet and low energy is fine (size doesnt matter). In this respect, the greyhound can be a very good choice!
If you are not at home during the day, and the dog will need to poop/pee inside then the smaller the better, as you cannot have a mid or large size dog crapping in the house. A long haired chihuahua is good, as they are not as yappy or highly strung as the short hair chi (or similar breeds like poms).
But first check with the body corporate rules for your apartment block. Some apartment buildings ban all pets, others ban animals of a certain size. All will require a pet that becomes a nuisance (in terms of smell, noise, destructive behaviour, etc) to be removed.
What about every day? How much exercise he gets everyday will determine what kind of dog you have. I live in an apartment and have aussies, so where you live is not the issue.
Any dog can be a good apartment dog with proper exercise and training.
What a load of crap saying "large dogs need fresh air and can't be in apartments." They are more calm than smaller dogs and dogs don't need lots of room to run, they need exercise and companionship. Been there, done that. I currently live in a basement apartment with a yard and my aussie would prefer going on a run with me than playing in the yard.
Since you don't want the small yippy ones, you can try the following breeds:
Mastiff = A few 20 minute walks a day are adequate exercise for the Mastiff and lots of mental stimulation and socialization are a must for this breed. Grooming requirements consist of brushing to prevent excess shedding.
Greyhounds = they are more accurately described as couch potatoes! Most Greyhounds like nothing better than to lay on a comfy bed for much of the day. They do need regular daily walks, but they do not need excessive amounts of exercise. All exercise must be done on leash as they will chase anything fast moving and you will NOT be able to call them back. Their grooming needs are minimal.
Italian Greyhounds = They are quiet and require a few short daily walks to keep them happy and healthy. They need to be handled carefully to prevent injury to their fragile limbs.
Great Danes = Great Danes are smart, friendly, loyal and make excellent companions. While they are very good watchdogs, they are not huge barkers and thus will not get you evicted! The Great Dane is usually fairly inactive in the house but will need a decent amount of exercise per day. If you have an active lifestyle, this may be the dog for you! Danes have very short fur and can be brushed easily to remove dead hair.
Poodles = the Standard Poodle needs to be taken on a daily walk. Although they adore water and love to go for walks, Poodles are not demanding as far as exercise goes, so long as they get their walk in. They however, will keep in better spirits and be fitter if given regular opportunities to run and play off the leash in a safe area. The Standard retains its sporting instincts, has great stamina, and needs more activity than the smaller varieties.