perthite Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Hi there, I am currently living in a villa in a strata managed complex. I have in the past considered buying a labrador puppy but have been put off by the fact that they may make to much noise for the neighbours. Obviously with strata if they forced me to re-locate the dog I would have no choice but to comply. What has your experience been with a labrdor puppy and also an older labrador. Do they tend to bark enough to annoy the neighbours? I am a shift worker and live with my girlfriend, so at most times there would be somebody in the house approx 70% of the time. Secondly it would be an inside dog with only a paved alfresco area and paving down side of the house outside. Would I need an artificial grass system for toilet use? I would take it to a local park for exercise (across the road thankfully). So my question is do I take the risk or not? Thankyou for any replies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Personally i wouldnt be getting a dog that at anytime i may have to rehome.Not fair on the dog no matter what breed. If you take the risk then only you now if your prepared every day to meet the needs of a Lab that will be living in a small area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 Hi there,I am currently living in a villa in a strata managed complex. I have in the past considered buying a labrador puppy but have been put off by the fact that they may make to much noise for the neighbours. Obviously with strata if they forced me to re-locate the dog I would have no choice but to comply. What has your experience been with a labrdor puppy and also an older labrador. Do they tend to bark enough to annoy the neighbours? I am a shift worker and live with my girlfriend, so at most times there would be somebody in the house approx 70% of the time. Secondly it would be an inside dog with only a paved alfresco area and paving down side of the house outside. Would I need an artificial grass system for toilet use? I would take it to a local park for exercise (across the road thankfully). So my question is do I take the risk or not? Thankyou for any replies. I suggest you explore other breeds that may be more suited to your housing situation or get a mature (even senior) Lab that won't need as much mental and physical stimulation as a younger dog. What is it about Labradors that attracts you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perthite Posted March 22, 2009 Author Share Posted March 22, 2009 As to why I want a labrador, I had one as a child and have loved the breed since. I understand it's not an ideal situation, just wondered if anybody else had dealt with this situation before and had a positive outcome. I'm not going to bring a labrador puppy home if it can't work, which is why I was putting the question out there before I went to a breeder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SammyZ Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 I am also in a strata and the first thing I made sure of, before buying the house, was getting a signed letter from the strata management that dogs are allowed in the complex. Can you do that? I personally would love to get an Irish Setter but realistically, even though my backyard is generous and the same as a standard house, I feel they are just not suited to living so close to neighbours as they tend to like barking especially when they are puppies. I would put Labradors in the same boat tbh. High energy dogs/pups and even with a long walk in the morning and in the afternoon plus training I don't think it would be enough in the backyard set up you have. I am all for inside dogs but I think those breeds need room during the day to stretch their legs/do zoomies. How about looking at a more chilled out breed? It doesn't necessarily mean a small breed at all. I am currently considering a Great Dane as our next dog. Tbh with your garden set up it is basically like an apartment (small paved area out the back) so have a squizz for a breed that is known to be OK with apartment living, obviously with the right exercise etc. Although, like pf said, a senior Labrador/other dog might be a great option Also can you move some of the paving to put in some grass for a toilet area? I have seen an artificial grass set up at the local Pet Stock so maybe check that out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lab lady Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 I don't think you should even consider getting a dog if there is any chance you may not be able to keep it in the future, puppies are a long term venture. Taking on a Labrador in those living conditions is going to require a huge commitment from yourself and your girlfriend, they do need space and get easily bored. I have 3 Labs, one is a barker, one occasionally barks and the other rarely barks, so it will be hard to say if any dog or puppy you got will be a barker or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swazzie Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Hi perthite We have a 7 month old lab, he is not a barker(except if he thinks a possum is going to jump from the tree in through the window into the house ) However there was a lab at our puppy school that barked all the time at home according to her pwner , i guess what i'm trying to say is all dogs are different. I will say and it's just my personal opinion that, they do need a lots of space to run around. They have lots of energy to burn and do like to explore.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 (edited) I personally would love to get an Irish Setter but realistically, even though my backyard is generous and the same as a standard house, I feel they are just not suited to living so close to neighbours as they tend to like barking especially when they are puppies Who told you that irish setters are barkers or the 12 i have owned are all freaks. Mine have a acre to run & would be lucky to use all off it on any given day.,they prefer to sit in the house & veg out Edited March 24, 2009 by settrlvr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerraNik Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 I personally would love to get an Irish Setter but realistically, even though my backyard is generous and the same as a standard house, I feel they are just not suited to living so close to neighbours as they tend to like barking especially when they are puppies Who told you that irish setters arent barkers :D or the 12 i have owned are all freaks. Mine have a acre to run & would be lucky to use all off it on any given day.,they prefer to sit in the house & veg out Uhh, SammyZ said they would bark... And that's why they couldn't realistically have an Irish Setter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 My stuff up.There certainly not barkers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 Assuming the complex doesn't forbid pets or pets over a certain size (check it out), get confirmation in writing before you even start. I'll play the Greyhound card... If you want a gentle, loving "soft" dog, consider a retired racing Greyhound. Happy to do virtually nothing most of the day, practically never bark, very easy to keep. No, not exactly a Labrador puppy but perhaps a suitable alternative? Love the breed and certainly a breed I would go back to in a flash if I couldn't have the Staffords any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 I have a bull terrier and a staffy in a unit, under strata - but i own and am allowed to have pets - my yard is also a pretty good size, and the unit is huge, so plenty of room make sure you can have pets - a couple here got kicked out for getting a husky puppy about 12 months ago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
labsrule Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 I have lived in a villa in a strata managed complex with older Labs with a very positive outcome. I own the villa as an investment property and always had tenants, however, I moved over to NZ for 18mths, then moved back again with my Lab boy who was 6 at the time and I moved into my villa as my long term tenant had given notice, coincidentally at the same time I was moving back. Anyway, it was meant to be a temporary stay of a few months until I sorted out another house to buy. There are six villas in the complex and prior to me moving there, 5 of them were owner occupied and I explained my situation to each of the owners and they had no problems with me having my Lab there and asked me to consider staying there permanently, as they liked the fact that all villas were now owner occupied. I had a daily stream of the neighbours kids coming to visit and play with my boy as the kids were rapt that they had a friendly dog in the complex who was great with them and I would supervise the daily play sessions for these kids and their ever growing circle of friends Six months later I was still there and ended up adopting another black lab boy who was 10 years old and he was also welcomed by the neighbours who were doing everything they could to keep me from moving A few months later, I found my new house and after being in the villa for just over 12 months, we moved into it and the neighbours and kids in particular were very upset that we were moving and would no longer have the dogs to visit and play with. My villa has a paved courtyard that was covered and a garden off this which was the length of the courtyard and there was also a side walkway so they had areas they could go to the toilet in and walk around or lie outside. I took them for daily walks everyday to various parks both local and outside of the area for anywhere between 1-2 hrs, so they got their exercise as well as a chance to run, play and lie down on grass. I was also fortunate to be able to work from home, so they spent a fair bit of time inside with me, lying in my office as I worked. As far as barking went, my youngest boy would bark if anyone came knocking on my door or hung around outside my villa as he is a very good guard dog and very territorial, but none of my dogs have ever been nuisance barkers. When I go to the Strata meetings as I still own the villa, even 3 years down the track, I still get asked when I am moving back, as the kids still talk about my dogs and ask when the lady with the dogs is coming back Whilst my experience was a very positive one, I am not sure I would recommend a villa environment for a Lab puppy as I believe they need a yard to run around in, explore and have room to play. Older labs however, are quite happy to just chill out with their owner when they are home, or sleep and laze around if they are outside until their owner comes home and to have their daily walk to the park. I certainly would not recommend that you take the risk and get a Lab without getting the necessary permission first. It would be catastrophic for both the dog and yourselves if you go ahead without obtaining permission first and are then forced to rehome the poor dog if objections are raised by Stata Management. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alyosha Posted March 25, 2009 Share Posted March 25, 2009 (edited) I would suggest Greyhound as well - get a black one and pretend it's Lab!! Be careful with strata management though, I have known people stuck in predicaments when they have had written agreements that pets are ok, only to have management personnel change and change the rules - causing all sorts of nightmares for pet owners... Even if they are the property owners. Edited March 25, 2009 by Nattylou Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dee lee Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 I know nothing about labs but I have a 2yr old high energy dog (staffy x whippet or kelpie?) in a very small paved area. I would love to have more space but she seems to cope just fine with at least 40 mins brisk walk a day. She ended up much more energetic than we expected but there's not much we can do about that. The paving is very easy to clean with water after toileting- if we did have grass I am sure it wouldn't last long. Pet loos seem to me a great idea but they are between $300 and $400. If you have a park across the road you could always do some command toilet training and take it there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SammyZ Posted March 27, 2009 Share Posted March 27, 2009 (edited) My stuff up.There certainly not barkers Well the three Irish Setters I/my family have had over a number of years certainly liked a good bark at happenings going on over the fence/birds in trees etc (this was with walks and plenty of stimulation) and I can only go off my own experience of owning the breed can't I. This was fine as there was always someone at home to nip it in the bud and it was a larger property but I work part-time so I won't have the luxury of doing that. It doesn't mean that I don't think they are terrific dogs and over-the-top barkers, I think they are not the right breed for my situation being so close to my neighbours. OP- have you made a decision yet? Edited March 27, 2009 by SammyZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mokhahouse Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 I have two labs one barks occasionally and the other a little more. My 9 months old male will bark for a bit when he is locked out of the house which is not very often or if something frightens him. My 16 month old female will bark to alert us to something going on but compared to the terriers and lab in the neighbours houses mine are very quiet. However I work from home so they are not alone a lot, are exercised every day and obedience trained. If you have your heart set on a lab try a labrescue group who may be able to find an older lab that they will know is not a barker. I would definitely not aquire any dog though unless you have permission from the other residents.It is not fair on a dog to have to be rehomed twice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perthite Posted March 30, 2009 Author Share Posted March 30, 2009 (edited) "Well the three Irish Setters I/my family have had over a number of years certainly liked a good bark at happenings going on over the fence/birds in trees etc (this was with walks and plenty of stimulation) and I can only go off my own experience of owning the breed can't I. This was fine as there was always someone at home to nip it in the bud and it was a larger property but I work part-time so I won't have the luxury of doing that. It doesn't mean that I don't think they are terrific dogs and over-the-top barkers, I think they are not the right breed for my situation being so close to my neighbours. OP- have you made a decision yet? " Hi there everyone, thankyou for all the replies. I spoke to the strata manager and they advised me I could have a dog however if a complaint was made I may be forced to re-home the dog. Im unable to obtain any sort of guarantee letter. I have been thinking it over greatly and am going to wait until I get a bigger house. Actually have a meeting with Bank Mangager on Wednesday I had planned on buying a bigger house in the near future so we will see. At the end of the day if a dog is barking in a small complex and annoying the neighbours it would make life difficult. As for getting an older dog, I have always wanted to raise a lab from puppyhood to adulthood. Sucker for punishment in regards to toilet training I guess Edited March 30, 2009 by perthite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
labsrule Posted March 30, 2009 Share Posted March 30, 2009 Hi there everyone, thankyou for all the replies. I spoke to the strata manager and they advised me I could have a dog however if a complaint was made I may be forced to re-home the dog. Im unable to obtain any sort of guarantee letter. I have been thinking it over greatly and am going to wait until I get a bigger house. Actually have a meeting with Bank Mangager on Wednesday I had planned on buying a bigger house in the near future so we will see. At the end of the day if a dog is barking in a small complex and annoying the neighbours it would make life difficult.As for getting an older dog, I have always wanted to raise a lab from puppyhood to adulthood. Sucker for punishment in regards to toilet training I guess Wise move as you cannot obtain a letter from Strata Management and you want to raise a Lab pup Good luck with your Bank Manager and of course you will need to introduce your new Lab pup in the Lab Thread when you get one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monny Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 (edited) Hi perthite, One thing that I love about our golden is that she will bark if someone is near the house they make great guard dogs she is great with people that i know/welcome into the house in front of her but if someones there that isnt meant to be she will give a few warning barks at them. And that is pretty much maybe once or twice per week other than that shes great and quiet a content dog, I personally think even with walks everynight and Im home all day with her she still gets bored and will eat plants etc. I actually just bought a new house that has a rather large yard about 500sqm rear yard and she loves the space and freedom oh and she also loves the catflap on the back door lol! Its quiet amusing when im cooking dinner ill see this head pop in through this cat flap and thats all she can fit through and she'll watch me cook dinner and wait for a pat. I think perhaps you should speak to your neighbours and the strata management before buying a pup and let them know that your thinking of purchasing a pet dog and see what the strata comes back with. I couldnt imagine my life without our golden they are a fantastic family pet loving and great with kids, they do need training ASAP because they are a very excitable breed as most are, they will also thrive on attention, Im lucky because im at home during the day so I tend to get to spend a fair bit of time with our lab. But I would for sure do some research with some breeders let them know of your situation, because most would hate to see the pup go to a shelter and would most likely take the pup back. Overall I would hate for you to buy the dog get attatched then strata advise it needs to be removed so do some research prior and I hope all goes well for you. M Edited March 31, 2009 by monny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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