Dogs In Apartments

[W Sibs]

Personally for me... I wouldn't/couldn't do it.

One of my favourite thing to do is watch Charlie and Emmy when they are in the backyard. They love it. Charlie chasing/hunting lizards, Emmy doing her zoomies and her enjoyment of just being outside. I often see Charlie and Emmy just laying on the grass outside sniffing the air or snoozing under the sun... it's nice to see.

Saying that, both of them are inside dog too. Charlie won't go outside if the grass is wet.

But, I agree with the others say about exercise, mental stimulation and training... dogs will easily adapt to apartment living.

[Paptacular!]

I would say yes to having my fluffs in a ground level unit/townhouse with a courtyard for a short term period, but not in a complex 10 stories up with no yard access.

[Bully]

Pets in the City a really good web page

[corvus]

At the risk of offending a great many people, I wouldn't do it, either. My dogs basically live inside and rarely use our backyard for various reasons. We exercise them twice a day for a total of about 90 minutes to 2 hours. Even so, they need the mental stimulation of the backyard as well. I hate hate hate the fact that I can't leave them out there for fear they will bark and upset our sensitive neighbours. All they want to do is poke around and be dogs. It guts me that they can't do that and we are in the process of getting the house up to scratch so we can sell it and move somewhere that has more room for them. I've seen my dogs in a bigger yard and I am convinced it is a more natural environment for them and they are better suited to it. Perhaps it would be different if I didn't have young herding type dogs, but I feel quite strongly about this at the moment.

Similarly, my last dog lived in a variety of houses/yards and she was always happiest with a large yard and another dog she got on with. Every dog I've known has enjoyed just lying in the yard on a daily basis. I don't blame them. I like it, too.

[LouiseBrooks]

I bought up one of my dogs in an apartment from puppy hood. I made sure every morning before I left for work he had a good walk and one when I came back.

also I made him a "viewing platform" which he loved and would lie there while I was working and observe what was going on.

Now I live in a house with a yard I still have a viewing platform in the front bedroom and the dogs love it. In fact if some one asks where I live and they are not sure I just say "the ones with the dogs in the windows" and they know straight away.

its just takes training and making a game plan.

[aussielover]

I think it depends on the dog. Many dogs would be fine in an apartment provided they get the right exercise.

I currently have a small yard and I think my lab would love to have a bigger yard. Luckily we live next door to a large off leash park, so she gets to run around there at least 3 times a day.

My Aussie would not self exercise and was always by our side, even when we had an acreage so she would have been absolutely fine in an apartment so long as she got her 2 walks a day (for at least an hour each).

My Lab enjoys nosing around the yard, chasing birds, cats, possums etc and digging up stuff and splashing in her pool, so I think for her, she would at least need a small yard.

[dogslife]

My daughters Belgian Shepherd lives in her first floor apartment with her.

The Body Corp loves her and they leave the main front door open when my daughter unit door is open so the dog can wander around the outside yard.

She often sleeps on the stairwell during the day while my daughter is at home.

She visits everyone in the building to say hello.

She loves being there and is happy usually to sleep inside most of the day when my daughter works.

[Lady Flying Furball]

I would say yes to having my fluffs in a ground level unit/townhouse with a courtyard for a short term period, but not in a complex 10 stories up with no yard access.

And to add in, on the Pap side, I chose to get an adult Papillon because they seemed a breed very suitable to apartment living. He has worked out beautifully and sometimes I think that it is me that thinks he should have a yard...he seems fine. This was confirmed to me after I had settled him in (during holidays), and then left him home alone for the first full day away... I rushed home all anxious and took him out for a pee/poo break after over six hours...he went and then scrambled to get back in the flat, scratching at the door Needless to say I relaxed. He seems to love his indoor life, but I walk him and take him to the off leas parks, and on my days off he comes with me a lot in the car etc.

I must say it does take dedication, and at night when I want to drop in bed I have to take him out for the last toileting. Also, I have to get home to let him out so can't just go out open-endedly like I sometimes might.

[Frankie]

Body corporates can be a nightmare

Bought my last apartment- because dogs and cats were in the building. .

A couple of dogs barked a few times -one or 2 people complained- and not long afterwards- a total no-pet by-law introduced for new pets.

More than one owner sold and moved because of their dogs- rather than rehome.

Ironically- there were no break-ins in the building- before the Body Corporate forced the dogs out.

Annoyed me- as I liked having dogs in the building- and I could never have a dog there.

[Elfin]

I raised three Deerhounds (one BISS, one MBIG, one "rescue") in a first-floor apartment (we now live on acreage).

It was bloody hard work, but can be done.

[nightgrace6]

Currently doing it, its really hard especially when your little one has a fractured toe and you cant take her out to burn her energy but a couple of laps around the apartment/backyard wont do it either.. I also feel terribly bad for my neighbours that hear her plodding away on the floorboards or going nuts when I am getting her food out.. its behaviour I am trying to rectify on the whole but living in an apartment does not make it easy to correct my dog as I have to be super quiet and any whining she does it sure to get me in trouble..Looking for a new place as I type..

[Nushie]

I'm not saying living in an apartment is the perfect situation but not everyone can afford to live in a house with a nice grassy backyard. If I had the choice (and the funds) I would. I grew up on a large block of land and I miss lying on the grass with my dogs. We were very careful choosing a breed that would suit our lifestyle and living conditions and we try our best to make it work.

[stripedsocks]

I have never had a yard. Of course, I've never had a puppy, either. They also got walks EVERY day, LOTS of walks, and this was in a climate where winter is two feet of snow. And not pretty, Colorado snow that is all fluffy and white, angry East Coast USA grey sloggy snow.

The staffy was eight years old when we got her. The Akitas were about five years old each but never met each other or lived at the same time. The Bouvier was the most difficult by far, but he had been thoroughly abused as a puppy and was more energetic than the other three dogs put together, he was also only two years old when my parents got him.

These were houses w/ stairs, but no fenced yards.

At this point I am in a unit (no stairs) and have no dog. I'm still researching/figuring out what would be best and happiest. Looking at toy breeds mostly. I still like walking a lot and like the enforced gym membership aspect. And there's no snow! All-weather walking here is really painless for me in that sense. And I'm leaning towards an adult dog.