Leelaa17 Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Hi there. I am just curious to know what people think about dogs being in apartments? I am writing an article on it and just generally wanted to get peoples opinions on it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmolo Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 When trained, socialised and exercised well (which sometimes will require more effort or creativity) i think it is absolutely fine for the right dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Q Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 (edited) I think its fine so long as you are aware of your dogs needs and make them a priority. I would happily live with my two in an apartment considering their excercise requirements. (8 year old kelpie mix and a 10 month old working border collie) but they would both need to get out twice a day without fail and my young girl would need a good couple of hours offleash a day but it could be done. The thing that would stop me would be Buster's DA, close living would be hard with him. Edited March 31, 2011 by B-Q Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leelaa17 Posted March 31, 2011 Author Share Posted March 31, 2011 I personally have no problem with it as I think if a person is dedicated and walks the dog every day and exercises it and plays with it etc then it will be fine. I have heard (on ABC radio about 2 months ago) that one of the best LARGE dogs to have in an apartment is actually a great dane because unlike other large dogs they are actually aware of their size. For example - my two GSD would be hopeless in an apartment because they're both completely uncoordinated and hhave no idea how big they actually are. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixie_meg Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I know my boy would be absolutely fine in an apartment. He lazes about most of the day and prefers to be inside. one good walk and play a day is all he needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I think it depends on: i) the dog ii) how much effort the owner is willing to put in. There are some dogs that I know who wouldn't be happy in an apartment no matter how many times they went for a walk. After all, the dog can't decide when to do zoomies etc in this environment. An active dog (eg a "normal" English Pointer, GSP, BC etc) wouldn't be suited IMO. Most apartments - especially newer ones - are actually very small. My dogs live in an apartment-like situation. Due to the dog door being used in a robbery, they are inside only dogs 12+ hours a day. I'd leave them in the garden but it is teeny and is only a small bit of decking. My dogs are walked at least twice a day and do lots of activities (obedience, agility, free shaping, games). They are well behaved and I believe they're happy. However, I have been looking for a house with a garden so that they can do zoomies when they feel like it - I think that is one of the pleasures of being a dog! I think they'd cope in an apartment situation but it isn't one I'd subject them to by choice. If I didn't have them and lived in an apartment I'd hold off buying a dog (as I like more active dogs). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJean Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I personally have no problem with it as I think if a person is dedicated and walks the dog every day and exercises it and plays with it etc then it will be fine.I have heard (on ABC radio about 2 months ago) that one of the best LARGE dogs to have in an apartment is actually a great dane because unlike other large dogs they are actually aware of their size. For example - my two GSD would be hopeless in an apartment because they're both completely uncoordinated and hhave no idea how big they actually are. lol There is no way a large-giant breed puppy can get optimum growth and development in an apartment. (assuming the great dane is not too far removed from the Central Asian) It is impossible to simulate with 'walkies' the benefits of a natiural environment / the space to move at their own leisure has on their musculoskeletal development. Housing an adult in an apartment is different however and can work, depending on the dog and owner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leelaa17 Posted March 31, 2011 Author Share Posted March 31, 2011 I agree with that too. You made a fair point - I do believe it depends on the dog as much as it depends on the owner and what theyre willing to do. My GSDs would HATE to be only inside dogs - I mean don't get me wrong - they LOVE coming inside and just being in my company etc but when you see them running up and down the backyard and playing and rolling and having fun - I just couldn't take that away from them as the house - although quite a large house, cant give them the space they need (and I am not saying in any way shape of form that people living in apartments are taking that away from their dogs - this is just my persoanl situation). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 It's not the size of the dwelling that dictates a dog's quality of life but the actions of the owner and how often the dog leaves it. I don't have any issues with dogs in apartments (overseas its pretty common) but on how owners treat the resident dog. Keeping a dog on a small balcony, for example, is just not on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dee lee Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I live in a small terrace house with a tiny courtyard. My GR is an inside dog and could easily live in an apartment (she may as well be). No zoomies in her own backyard, but she gets ample opportunity at the park. She gets exercised offlead everyday and I take her for toilet trips to the park a couple of times a day. She gets lots of company most days and is walked to school and coffee every morning. She seems pretty happy. I imagine its a big improvement on being locked outside with no interaction or walks, which is apparently what her previous life was pre-rescue. Only problem is that I would love a second dog but wont get one unless we move to somewhere with a yard big enough for doggie chasey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megan_ Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I live in a small terrace house with a tiny courtyard. My GR is an inside dog and could easily live in an apartment (she may as well be). No zoomies in her own backyard, but she gets ample opportunity at the park. She gets exercised offlead everyday and I take her for toilet trips to the park a couple of times a day. She gets lots of company most days and is walked to school and coffee every morning. She seems pretty happy. I imagine its a big improvement on being locked outside with no interaction or walks, which is apparently what her previous life was pre-rescue. Only problem is that I would love a second dog but wont get one unless we move to somewhere with a yard big enough for doggie chasey. My boy has a similar experience - he has an excellent recall and is great at reading dogs so he goes off leash every day. My girl has issues though (doesn't like dogs in her face, just not trustworthy/bomb proof) so I can't let her offleash unless we go to a private park (once a week, 2 hour round trip). This makes living with no yard really hard as she doesn't get to run, duck and weave like she should. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mita Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 (edited) Raising dogs in apartments is commonplace in big cities like New York. A dog trainer's written an excellent book called Metrodog: Essential Guide to Raising your Dog in the City. Which means living in apartments. I was lucky to find a copy in our local library. Incidentally, a lot of the tips this trainer gives would be useful wherever the dog lives. Check out the Product Desciption here. And also the reviews by people who live in apartments & who've used the trainer's guidelines: http://www.amazon.com/Metrodog-Essential-G...r/dp/0446679186 Edited March 31, 2011 by mita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silentchild Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I too think it's fine as long as the dog gets the stimulation it needs to keep it happy and exercised. My large girl would be quite happy in an apartment since she generally loves to just lounge around all day in one spot and doesn't get stir-crazy at all if we miss walks - sometimes I think she would almost rather not walk! Where we live now we have a backyard for her to run around in but she just looks at me like I'm crazy. "Run?? Are you out of your mind??" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dee lee Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I live in a small terrace house with a tiny courtyard. My GR is an inside dog and could easily live in an apartment (she may as well be). No zoomies in her own backyard, but she gets ample opportunity at the park. She gets exercised offlead everyday and I take her for toilet trips to the park a couple of times a day. She gets lots of company most days and is walked to school and coffee every morning. She seems pretty happy. I imagine its a big improvement on being locked outside with no interaction or walks, which is apparently what her previous life was pre-rescue. Only problem is that I would love a second dog but wont get one unless we move to somewhere with a yard big enough for doggie chasey. My boy has a similar experience - he has an excellent recall and is great at reading dogs so he goes off leash every day. My girl has issues though (doesn't like dogs in her face, just not trustworthy/bomb proof) so I can't let her offleash unless we go to a private park (once a week, 2 hour round trip). This makes living with no yard really hard as she doesn't get to run, duck and weave like she should. Megan, I really feel for you, our previous dog (in the same house) was very DA and the only place she was allowed offlead was at home. It did make it very tricky, she was walked onlead everyday for over an hour and taken on an onlead run a couple of times a week. It wasnt an ideal situation but we had no choice. Our other issue was that she was a very destructive staffy x so needed to be in the courtyard when we left the house. So she would not have coped in an apartment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staranais Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 (edited) I think it depends on:i) the dog ii) how much effort the owner is willing to put in. There are some dogs that I know who wouldn't be happy in an apartment no matter how many times they went for a walk. After all, the dog can't decide when to do zoomies etc in this environment. An active dog (eg a "normal" English Pointer, GSP, BC etc) wouldn't be suited IMO. Most apartments - especially newer ones - are actually very small. Agree. I think most dogs would be OK in an apartment in theory, but in some cases the owner would need to put in an impractical amount of work to make it OK. e.g., I have a very noisy and energetic WL malinois, I guess she'd be OK in an apartment so long as I took her out and exercised her to complete exhaustion 3 or 4 times a day. But I hate to think how much work that would be and how much time that would take! Some dogs are also barkier than others, which can be an issue in apartments even more so than in regular suburbia. Edited March 31, 2011 by Staranais Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nushie Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 We live in an apartment and I think Jager is happy. We have a courtyard which is totally useless (fully paved, 2 x 3m, gets full sun, no shelter from rain either). So Jager is always inside. He gets walked for 45 mins every afternoon and we play fetch for about 20mins each night. Every second morning he gets walked for 30 mins as well. Weekends he usually gets more. He usually comes with us to visit friends if we go over for dinner and he loves going to my mums and my brothers. He loves his walks but as soon as we get home he happily curls up to go to sleep. We make an effort to spend as much time as possible with him. So if going out with friends we try to make it places we can take him to. If we need to go to the shops we both go so he can come and one can wait with him outside etc. If I need to pick my OH up from work, Jager comes for the drive. Any chance I we get we try and get him out of the place. The weekend just past we were particularly lazy and because it was raining the only time OH and I left the unit was to vote, Jager came too of course, but for the rest of the weekend he happily cuddled with me on the couch to watch some DVDs. I hope we do a reasonable job to keep his life active and interesting and not staring at the walls all day. But I think if he was only taken for a walk once a day and left inside for the rest he would go crazy. He is a really curious dog and loves to be with you. We want a happy well adjusted dog and we try out best to keep him entertained and out of trouble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spitzbaby Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 Kairu stays in an apartment and I don't think there's any problem with that. He prefers to stay and watch even when he's out at a park / beach with the occassional running around. Somebody said that they can't do zoomies whenever they want, that's not always the case I think. It would depend on the size of the apartment in comparison to the dog and also personality of the dog. Kairu has always done zoomies at home whenever he wants to and he does it more at home than outside. I'm also lucky that we have a back courtyard thing at the apartment and no one is barely there so I take him there to do training and other things. Planning to set up a flyball jump.. wonder if the security will let me haha.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerraNik Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 There was a thread on this just recently, which might help? Clicky And another one that's related - clicky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MalteseLuna Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I raised Luna in a 14th floor apartment - it worked very well. She is a tiny dog (2.5 kg) but I don't really see a difference between a house and an apartment if the dog is an indoors dog. Luna only goes outside when I take her for walks, potty breaks etc and we now live in a 2.5 bedroom house with a lovely grassed backyard. She is never outside alone and doesn't have a doggy door so there isn't much difference between when she lived in the apartment, terrace house or now the freestanding house. Personally - dogs can adapt to any lifestyle with training! Kylie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiesha09 Posted March 31, 2011 Share Posted March 31, 2011 I raised my two puppies in an apartment and it was definately alot of work. At the time I said I would never have another dog in an apartment again. However, having said that my two puppies have now grown up and would so easily live in an apartment and would absolutely love it. THey hardly ever go outside unless I go with them and for toilet breaks and when we're not activally doing something they sleep or laze around. So I think you can definately have dogs in apartments but as others have said it will equal alot of work on the owners behalf particularly if you have a puppy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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