Raising Dogs In Apartments

[Rebanne]

The kind of abode someone inhabits reflects little about the level of commitment to meet the dogs needs for exercise, lova and care. A backyard does bugger all to guarantee anything.

No kidding If you think that all the breeder does is check out how much space a potenial new home has to offer to one of their pups then you are sadly mistaken. Sure some might, but most do a bit more than that.

[poodlemum]

I just read the original thread in the breeders forum.

I think the breeder should at least go and look at the apartment and set up- how big it is, gardens within the complex etc

I think the majority of dogs (with the possible execption of some livestock guardians) would prefer to spend time with their people than alone in a backyard however large it is.

So other factors like how much company the dog would receive would be important in my view.

My gundog does not go into the backyard unless I accompany her and will only run around/play if I am there to play with her.

She spends all day by my side, gets regular walks, off leash time and comes with me everywhere.

She is only left alone for 2-3hrs at a time as a training exercise to make sure she doesn't get separation anxiety.

I would have thought a pointer would be one of the better choices of gundog for apartment life? They seem to be less full on than other gundogs such as GSPs and labs.

Wings, my GSP was the biggest couch potato you've ever seen - he made the Poodles look hyperactive

[Lady Flying Furball]

As a breeder it would be a big fat NO from me.

The reason being is that I could place all of my puppies in homes where they have a back yard, recieve the love, care and exercise that require. I wouldn't take the chance on apartment living, when there are other suitable and loving homes available.

The kind of abode someone inhabits reflects little about the level of commitment to meet the dogs needs for exercise, lova and care. A backyard does bugger all to guarantee anything.

I live in an apartment and researched a breed suitable for living. many different breeds came up as possibilities but a lot of it had to do with me and my temperament as much as the dog's. I went with a papillon, but would have got it even if in a house. Stories of greyhounds, danes, staffies and german shepherds living in apartments came up in my research: examples of dogs that were happy in apartment living because the owners worked it out to maintain the dog's health.

Adult greyhounds in the main. I would never deny my greys, especially the youngsters, the chance to free exercise, they do so, most days, twice a day. And it is against the law in Victoria to let them off lead in public places which include dog parks.

My pap gets two walks a day mostly (an odd day off here and there) or one walk is exchanged for an off-leash park, which he gets to 5 times a week on average. I guess some people would find that a big commitment, it's true. When I leave him at home for long days (working parttime) I love it that i take him out to toilet and then he is all gun-ho, pulling on the leash to get back inside i also take him out in the car when i am running errands and he often visits friend's with me. I use a dog walker sometimes, and one day a week when I work I drop him off at a friend's with a yard and he stays with her dog. So I guess i have worked things out very well really.

Edited December 18, 2010 by FlyingFurball

[Braithwaites]

As a breeder it would be a big fat NO from me.

The reason being is that I could place all of my puppies in homes where they have a back yard, recieve the love, care and exercise that require. I wouldn't take the chance on apartment living, when there are other suitable and loving homes available.

The kind of abode someone inhabits reflects little about the level of commitment to meet the dogs needs for exercise, lova and care. A backyard does bugger all to guarantee anything.

I live in an apartment and researched a breed suitable for living. many different breeds came up as possibilities but a lot of it had to do with me and my temperament as much as the dog's. I went with a papillon, but would have got it even if in a house. Stories of greyhounds, danes, staffies and german shepherds living in apartments came up in my research: examples of dogs that were happy in apartment living because the owners worked it out to maintain the dog's health.

Adult greyhounds in the main. I would never deny my greys, especially the youngsters, the chance to free exercise, they do so, most days, twice a day. And it is against the law in Victoria to let them off lead in public places which include dog parks.

I reckon greyhounds might be an exception to most dogs. There's a good reason why they aren't high on the list of most hopeful dog owners, and that is the space they need to run.

I get the feeling most of us are talking about breeders of prolific breeds like lab, borders, poodles etc who give a blanket 'no' based on yard/ house size.

[aussielover]

I just read the original thread in the breeders forum.

I think the breeder should at least go and look at the apartment and set up- how big it is, gardens within the complex etc

I think the majority of dogs (with the possible execption of some livestock guardians) would prefer to spend time with their people than alone in a backyard however large it is.

So other factors like how much company the dog would receive would be important in my view.

My gundog does not go into the backyard unless I accompany her and will only run around/play if I am there to play with her.

She spends all day by my side, gets regular walks, off leash time and comes with me everywhere.

She is only left alone for 2-3hrs at a time as a training exercise to make sure she doesn't get separation anxiety.

I would have thought a pointer would be one of the better choices of gundog for apartment life? They seem to be less full on than other gundogs such as GSPs and labs.

Wings, my GSP was the biggest couch potato you've ever seen - he made the Poodles look hyperactive

well you get freaks in every breed ;) all the GSPs I have met are very full on dogs! which i love!!!

I was just trying to point out that it does seem like they've done their research in choosing a more relaxed type of gundog.

[Lady Flying Furball]

The kind of abode someone inhabits reflects little about the level of commitment to meet the dogs needs for exercise, lova and care. A backyard does bugger all to guarantee anything.

No kidding If you think that all the breeder does is check out how much space a potenial new home has to offer to one of their pups then you are sadly mistaken. Sure some might, but most do a bit more than that.

this was a reply to blanket "no"s because of living in an apartment... It is up to the breeder in the end, but my point was made in regard to apartment living being the conclusive factor.

[Braithwaites]

It's the breeder's prerogative who they sell a dog to. Keep in mind that if an owner decides it's all too hard to keep a dog in an apartment, most breeders will take the dog back. Then they have to find another home for it.

When I'm around other breeders at shows, trials and tracking, why is it the breeders who have these strange policies/ prejudices on who they sell their pups to, also tend to be the most vocal and outspoken against BYB's and pup farms?

Do they not understand its their prejudices about yard size or house size that are directly adding to the demand for BYB's and pup farms? The irony is delicious.

And justify it any way you want, with whatever logic you see fit. It is nothing more than blind prejudice.

[Braithwaites]

FACT

If you own a dog and live in an apartment, it's impossible to forget about them.

why do so many of the overseas rescue shows rescue forgotten dogs from apartments

Why?

Maybe because more people in the uk and USA where these shows are filmed live in apartments compared to house and land?

It's all relative.

[raz]

I dont know. Why dont you ask them?

And I have no need to justify who breeders sell pups to because I'm not a breeder. Personally, I would much prefer a breeder quizz me before I buy a pup than just sell me a dog without knowing whether or not I and my property are suitable. I dont think it's about prejudice. It's about giving a rat's bum where their puppies are going to end up

Edited December 18, 2010 by raz

[Rebanne]

It's the breeder's prerogative who they sell a dog to. Keep in mind that if an owner decides it's all too hard to keep a dog in an apartment, most breeders will take the dog back. Then they have to find another home for it.

When I'm around other breeders at shows, trials and tracking, why is it the breeders who have these strange policies/ prejudices on who they sell their pups to, also tend to be the most vocal and outspoken against BYB's and pup farms?

Do they not understand its their prejudices about yard size or house size that are directly adding to the demand for BYB's and pup farms? The irony is delicious.

And justify it any way you want, with whatever logic you see fit. It is nothing more than blind prejudice.

Strange policies/prejudices umm well that might have something to do with the fact they know their breed, they love their dogs and they very much want the best for them. So they choose the best possible owners for their puppies in their opinion.

Why on earth would you let a person have one of your pups if you didn't think they would do the very best for the pup? Why would you not turn down a person if you thought them unsuitable to give your pup the best home possible? You should let a person have a pup, even if you think they won't do right by it, just to stop them going elsewhere?

[Braithwaites]

I dont know. Why dont you ask them?

I have once. The blank stare, followed by silence is a real conversation killer. since a forum board is fairly anonymous, why not ask it here?

The bottom line is many people live in tight spaces with little yards and make it work. And many people have big back yards and spaces and neglect their dog.

Every individual case should be based on its own merits. A dog lives for 15 years, and the chances of dog owner's circumstances remaining stable and as they are the day they buy the dog, is pretty slim. imo.

[raz]

since a forum board is fairly anonymous, why not ask it here?

Fair enough. I just cant answer your question because I dont know.

eta I probably can answer as a puppy buyer. What would I do if a breeder said I wasnt suitable for one of his/her pups?

Find another breeder

Make myself suitable

Realise the breeder was right and I wasnt suitable

Would i go to a byb or petshop with my knickers in a twist that the first breeder was being 'prejudiced'? Nup.

Edited December 18, 2010 by raz

[Braithwaites]

It's the breeder's prerogative who they sell a dog to. Keep in mind that if an owner decides it's all too hard to keep a dog in an apartment, most breeders will take the dog back. Then they have to find another home for it.

When I'm around other breeders at shows, trials and tracking, why is it the breeders who have these strange policies/ prejudices on who they sell their pups to, also tend to be the most vocal and outspoken against BYB's and pup farms?

Do they not understand its their prejudices about yard size or house size that are directly adding to the demand for BYB's and pup farms? The irony is delicious.

And justify it any way you want, with whatever logic you see fit. It is nothing more than blind prejudice.

Strange policies/prejudices umm well that might have something to do with the fact they know their breed, they love their dogs and they very much want the best for them. So they choose the best possible owners for their puppies in their opinion.

Why on earth would you let a person have one of your pups if you didn't think they would do the very best for the pup? Why would you not turn down a person if you thought them unsuitable to give your pup the best home possible? You should let a person have a pup, even if you think they won't do right by it, just to stop them going elsewhere?

How does having yard space correlate to being a good dog owner?

And saying that a person simply because they breed dogs might have more knowledge and know what's better for dogs than a dog owner who has owned dogs all their life is the exact kind of elitism which drives people onto the BYB radar.

[Braithwaites]

Find another breeder

Make myself suitable

Realise the breeder was right and I wasnt suitable

Crazy.

Based on yard size? Breeders know no more about me and my ability to raise a dog than what my butcher does.

[OSoSwift]

My immediate response was no I wouldn't.

But then I thought about it a little more.

The breed I have is actually quite suited to that sort of lifestyle as long as all needs are met. I would be concerned but in reality most people (if not all - apart from the odd, very unusual one) are not going to live in a stinking house because they cannot be bothered taking the dog outside to go to the toilet.

I would want to know that the dog was going to ge a good few runs outside each day. I don't lock my dogs inside when I am out because I like them to have fresh air. They have dogs runs with a yard that isn't quite finished! - attached to the front, grass and around 7 metres by 4 metres. I live on a farm and have a 5 acre yard around the house so the idea of apartment living is completely yuk to me, but each to their own.

I guess it would be the whole package for me. A breeder has every right to choose where their babies go. It is because they care where they go and the life they will have. It is the breeders right to chose. Some may think it is too hard and go to a puppy farmer who couldn't care less and sell to anyone with the money, but they are potentially getting problems and that is a risk you take when getting a puppy from unknown sources.

While one particular breeder may not be comfortable with their puppy living in an apartment, another may have experience that says it will not be an issue and happily sell them a puppy.

[Lady Flying Furball]

I probably can answer as a puppy buyer. What would I do if a breeder said I wasnt suitable for one of his/her pups?

Find another breeder

Make myself suitable

Realise the breeder was right and I wasnt suitable

Would i go to a byb or petshop with my knickers in a twist that the first breeder was being 'prejudiced'? Nup.

Well, I suppose I was put in a kind of parallel situation when I first looked for my dog. I found a Pap in rescue which I was ready to take, driving down to Canberra to get her, but they wouldn't let me have her as I was single and lived in an apartment. So what did I do, looked and found a breeder here on DOL who was happy to let me buy a dog and could appreciate me as a potentially good owner in my circumstances (apartment living included).

ETA: I did get me knickers in a twist at first because I felt discriminated against, but now that things worked out so well i can see there will always be alternatives and you have to respect the dog breeder/carer's opinions!

Edited December 19, 2010 by FlyingFurball

[raz]

Find another breeder

Make myself suitable

Realise the breeder was right and I wasnt suitable

Crazy.

Based on yard size? Breeders know no more about me and my ability to raise a dog than what my butcher does.

That's why breeders ask questions of potential puppy buyers. Wouldnt you rather a breeder care where one of their pups end up?

[raz]

ETA: I did get me knickers in a twist at first because I felt discriminated against, but now that things worked out so well i can see there will always be alternatives and you have to respect the dog breeder/carer's opinions!

Yep. I totally agree.

[Rebanne]

Find another breeder

Make myself suitable

Realise the breeder was right and I wasnt suitable

Crazy.

Based on yard size? Breeders know no more about me and my ability to raise a dog than what my butcher does.

Good breeders will find out about you and your suitability to have one of their dogs, good breeders do know more about their dogs and their breed then most puppy buyers. Good breeders do have a duty of care to the lives they were responsible for bringing into this world.

[Greytmate]

As a breeder it would be a big fat NO from me.

The reason being is that I could place all of my puppies in homes where they have a back yard, recieve the love, care and exercise that require. I wouldn't take the chance on apartment living, when there are other suitable and loving homes available.

The kind of abode someone inhabits reflects little about the level of commitment to meet the dogs needs for exercise, lova and care. A backyard does bugger all to guarantee anything.

I live in an apartment and researched a breed suitable for living. many different breeds came up as possibilities but a lot of it had to do with me and my temperament as much as the dog's. I went with a papillon, but would have got it even if in a house. Stories of greyhounds, danes, staffies and german shepherds living in apartments came up in my research: examples of dogs that were happy in apartment living because the owners worked it out to maintain the dog's health.

Adult greyhounds in the main. I would never deny my greys, especially the youngsters, the chance to free exercise, they do so, most days, twice a day. And it is against the law in Victoria to let them off lead in public places which include dog parks.

I reckon greyhounds might be an exception to most dogs. There's a good reason why they aren't high on the list of most hopeful dog owners, and that is the space they need to run.

I get the feeling most of us are talking about breeders of prolific breeds like lab, borders, poodles etc who give a blanket 'no' based on yard/ house size.

Adult greyhounds do not need space to run every day, only puppies do. A pointer pup wuld have very similar requiremenst to a greyhound pup. But this topic isn't about getting an adult dog (as most pet greyhound owners do), it's specifically about puppy raising, and it refers to a thread about pointers.

I dont know. Why dont you ask them?

I have once. The blank stare, followed by silence is a real conversation killer. since a forum board is fairly anonymous, why not ask it here?

The bottom line is many people live in tight spaces with little yards and make it work. And many people have big back yards and spaces and neglect their dog.

Every individual case should be based on its own merits. A dog lives for 15 years, and the chances of dog owner's circumstances remaining stable and as they are the day they buy the dog, is pretty slim. imo.

The dog is only developing for 18 months, so it is this time that a knowledgeable breeder would be most concerned about where the pup would be raised.

Any adult dog can be kept in a confined space and given regular exercise and stimulation to have its needs met. But as a few knowledgable breeders have mentioned, pups need casual off-lead exercise, at their own pace and timing, several times a day, on a soft surface. If people choose to live in an apartment, rather than live in a place with a yard, or if they keep their pup confined too much, they are inhibiting their pup's potential.

Seems to me that in researching different breeds, many people neglect to research what is best for a pup's skeletal and muscular system to develop. I guess not everyone has their pup's physical development as their top priority, and choose to live in an apartment regardless. That doesn't mean breeders need to lower their standards of how they want their pups to be raised.

There is no shortage of breeders with low standards, who don't care how a pup is rasied, or who do not understand what growing dogs need. I would like to think that the breeders that post here are better educated and more caring than that.