Dogs in the City

Posted by: Dog Diaries on 25 Mar 2009

City living can be exciting, but if you want a dog while living in town, you’ll need one that can eaily adapt to that sort of lifestyle. To beging with, you’ll have to make sure your apartment building is pet friendly. But even if it ticks that box, living in an apartment with little space and no backyard is hardly practical of if you decide to get a dog that needs lots of exercise and fresh air like a Labrador or Husky.

But don’t let your doggy dreams disappear! Here are a few breeds that may suit your living situation:

Pomeranian
These feisty little guys are perfect for apartment and downtown city living. Because of their size, they will adapt very well. They tend to get most of their exercise indoors from playing around the place, but walks outdoors are nice too (use a harness). Early training is strongly advised as they tend to bark a little — something your neighbours probably won’t appreciate. Training and socialising these dogs will help to ease their barking when they encounter strangers.

Pug
pug The pug is arguably one of most suited breeds to apartment and city living, being small and not requiring as much exercise as other dogs. Most of their exercise can be achieved by playing indoors, but they still should be walked for exercise. If you notice them starting to put on weight, walk them more regularly.

Dachshund (miniature)
Tiny in size, but not in spirit, Dachshunds make excellent apartment dogs. With regular morning and evening walks, they can easily adapt to busy lifestyles and living in the city. However, they can require a lot of love and attention, so make sure you give them a lot of pats and walk them regularly when you’re at home. You can also check with the breeder about the temperament of the parents of your puppy to make sure he won’t be too lonely at home all day without you.

Great Dane

great-dane-post A Great Dane? In an apartment? Seriously?! Yes, actually. Despite their great size, Great Dane’s tend towards the lazy. So while they do require daily exercise to stay in shape, they would much rather stretch out on the floor. You will need to check with your landlord before buying one, though, as it may not be accepted in your building. If this is the case, give your landlord some information about the breed or find a smaller option.

These are a just a doggy options for inner-city living. Be sure you do your research in terms of your apartment, its rules and what is acceptable before you buy, and understand that your situation may not allow you to have a pet at this time. Think ahead to the future as well; dogs live for an average of 10 to 12 years, which means you need to be prepared to care for them for that long. There are enough dogs in shelters as it is!

Get Shareaholic

8 Responses to “Dogs in the City”

Leonie Edge says:

G’day!

What a horrible picture of a daschie! It looks as though he’s scared of being beaten. Surely you could find many a cuter picture?! The puppies are adorable, and the right picture of an adult melts just about any dog lover’s heart.

Please, please, replace this picture.

You might like to also mention that there are more varieties within the breed of dachshund than any other, that they can live to well over twenty years and that they are both great watch midgets and brilliant ratters.

Thankyou for your time and trouble.

Dominus tecum
Leonie (owner of two of the little darlings)

Dog Diaries says:

Hi Leonie,

We agree with you and therefore we changed the picture!
Isn’t it a cute Dachsie!?

Kind regards – Dog Diaries

Carol says:

I live on the lower north shore of Sydney and there are a huge number of dogs of all shapes and sizes that are dwellers in apartments or homes with small yards. I spent 9 years without a dog because I was worried about city living with an animal; the small yard; the work hours.

I now know that the kind of dog you have is irrelevant wherever you live so long as you take full and proper responsibility for its needs.

My house has a small back yard/garden. I work 5 minutes from home; I take my dog to the local off leash dog park night and morning, rain, hail or shine for Frisbee games and socialising with her doggy friends. She even has a raincoat with a hood, a warm jumper, towels and water bowl in the car etc. etc.) and I go home for lunch when I can.

She is a Staffy and a wonderful companion, but Staffies are very effective destroyers of everything if bored – so I make sure that she has plenty of (staffy-proof) toys; football, rope & tyre; munching goodies, an apple as well as the occassional attention/walk visits from dog minders.

I consider that, by choosing to own a pet, it means that my full responsibility is to help her to learn how best to fit into my lifestyle, as much as I need to make the necessary changes to my lifesytle and habbits to incorporate her and that I adequately address her needs to keep her happy and healthy. She is considered and treated as a family member.

As a result, she is the happiest and most friendly dog, she knows ‘gentle’ around puppies, older dogs, babies and older people; she sits and waits if I need her to so cyclists or wheelchairs can go by; she goes shopping with me and likes to sit in the front seat with the seatbelt around her! She knows many words and most of all I love her dearly and she gives me so much joy.

The best advice I can give to anyone who wants an animal is to check first what they can give, and what they need to change in their lives. Check locally for animal-friendly facilities, talk to others who have dogs in similar living arrangements, and how they keep their pooch happy.

At the end of the day, the work you put in gives you the results, and now I am able to take my dog anywhere and persistence, persistence, persistence, with kindness and patience has my 9 month old girl loved by all who come into contact with her.

Now I am only sorry I didn’t get a dog sooner!

Chip says:

Great article! Thanks for adding it – Any suggestions for applying for permission in apartment living. I’ve been searching around and would love to know how to go about writing to the relevant people about bringing a dog with me to my new apartment in September.

Any thoughts/suggestions on who to talk/write to and what to say?

I will own the new apartment and the by-laws as far as I have seen say permission is requried from the body corporate.

Thanks in advance
Chip

Tricia O'Kearney says:

We have a black and tan mini Dachsie,Dermot, who is absolutely beautiful. He is now 11 and full of life. He daily walks at least 3to 4 km and in summer swims across our lake although in deference to his more senior age he now wears his own personal flotation device. He’s our third Dachs and the only one who has reached double figures. His brother Finbarr, is a terrier cross who looks like a long legged Jack Russel but Dermot is the boss!!
Tricia

Averil says:

You don’t have any thing on poodles I have two of them. And my little toy poodle Bella has given birth to 4 jack russle’s they are a lot heavier than than the poodle and their coats are very shinny.
Most people taulk about breads but what happens with mixed breads of dogs

caela says:

the puppies are so cute and i love great danes.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

suzi from oklahoma says:

Iam rying to ge my granddaughter who will be 11 in Sept. and Iam finding it really hard for me to get 300.400.0 dollards up. She was raised up with a male POMPOM we called HeyDude.

She has gone and have other dogs which belong to her brother and sister and she has been left out in the cold. She lives in San Diego, Ca. I live here in OK. She wiell be coming out to stay for the summer and I really would like to ask if possible I can get a PomPom at a lower rate or free.

Her hearts desire is to get an all black one and I know her and this Pom will be so loved and took care of with all the love a person can give to an dog because we had our Dude for 16 years and he have to home to doggie heaven and this had broken her heart because its like knowing G-ma and Papa will always be here but without Dude her heart hurts so I really need to get her a Pom once again and this will complete her.

Thank You

Suzi

Suzi_north@yahoo.com