Having a dog in an apartment (Chicago: apartments, house, luxury)

[CoolSocks]

I've wanted to have a dog for a really long time and told myself I'd get one once I'm on my own. My original plan was to wait 6+ months after I move to Chicago so I can get used to living there first before making the huge commitment of having a dog, but now I'm thinking living in an apartment might be too hard on the dog (especially if it's a studio apartment) and I might want to wait a while until I live in a house and can give the dog the luxury of a yard and space.

Do any of you have a dog in an apartment or did at one time? How hard was it and did it end up working out?

Also, sorry if this thread has been previously posted, I couldn't find it while searching.

Thanks!

[eevee]

the majority of breeds out there will be fine in an apartment so long as they have adequate exercise outdoors. a yard is far from necessary to own a dog (just ask all the dog owners in major cities like NYC). City dwellers can use resources like dog parks, dog walkers, even dog runners to exercise the dog. frankly, I think a lot of people who have dogs and a yard will think it's enough to just open up the back door and toss the dog out back. IMHO, a dog is better off w/ walks where it can spend time w/ its owner and be stimulated versus amusing itself in the yard day after day (and some dogs won't exercise themselves in the yard, meaning you'll have a still energetic and possibly destructive dog waiting for you to come home).

still, you'll want to pick a dog that's better suited to your lifestyle, including housing. some breeds will work out better than others. contrary to what some may think, a larger breed like a mastiff would do better in an apartment than, say, a Jack Russell Terrier. pity so many apartments don't allow larger dogs. a greyhound makes a perfect apartment dog as they sleep most of the day. herding breeds like a border collie will be a bit trickier. beyond the breed, some dogs are just more laid back than others and will be better for apartment life than a high strung pup

obviously, it's a bit more work than simply installing a doggie door and letting the dog decide when it wants to go outside, but the dog isn't going to suffer b/c it doesn't have a yard, so long as you put in the work. I owned a dog while living in an apartment (a shih tzu) and I used to walk dogs a few years back and encountered a variety of dogs living in apartments w/o yards

[quigboto]

Originally Posted by eevee

the majority of breeds out there will be fine in an apartment so long as they have adequate exercise outdoors. a yard is far from necessary to own a dog (just ask all the dog owners in major cities like NYC). City dwellers can use resources like dog parks, dog walkers, even dog runners to exercise the dog. frankly, I think a lot of people who have dogs and a yard will think it's enough to just open up the back door and toss the dog out back. IMHO, a dog is better off w/ walks where it can spend time w/ its owner and be stimulated versus amusing itself in the yard day after day (and some dogs won't exercise themselves in the yard, meaning you'll have a still energetic and possibly destructive dog waiting for you to come home).

still, you'll want to pick a dog that's better suited to your lifestyle, including housing. some breeds will work out better than others. contrary to what some may think, a larger breed like a mastiff would do better in an apartment than, say, a Jack Russell Terrier. pity so many apartments don't allow larger dogs. a greyhound makes a perfect apartment dog as they sleep most of the day. herding breeds like a border collie will be a bit trickier. beyond the breed, some dogs are just more laid back than others and will be better for apartment life than a high strung pup

obviously, it's a bit more work than simply installing a doggie door and letting the dog decide when it wants to go outside, but the dog isn't going to suffer b/c it doesn't have a yard, so long as you put in the work. I owned a dog while living in an apartment (a shih tzu) and I used to walk dogs a few years back and encountered a variety of dogs living in apartments w/o yards

What she said!
And look for a location near a park so you can take the pooch out for exercise. A yard just isn't enough for a dog to get the activity/exercise they need. I labored under that illusion for some time, but now take my fat beagle for a walk in the park at least once a day in addition to his yard time. It has resulted in him being somewhat less fat, and a lot happier.

[CoolSocks]

Thanks guys, great advice. The other thing I'm concerned about is I'd be working 8 or 9 hours a day, Monday thru Friday and wasn't sure if that is too long for a dog to be left in an apartment. If it didn't have to be in a crate, that would probably help.

[Chicago60614]

I know about a dozen people who are gone frmo 8am to 5:30pm or so during the week and their dogs seem as happy as can be. Just be prepared for them to have to pee pretty bad, and be VERY excited to see you when you get home from work.

[Drover]

Some breeds have a temperament that is better-suited to apartment living than others. I wouldn't live in a small apartment with a terrier of pretty much any size or type. On the other hand, I had beagles in a small apartment and it worked out just fine since scenthounds are mostly low-energy, lazy critters until called upon to go sniff out varmints. When they had nowhere to go and nothing to do, they slept for about 18-20 hours a day.

[Sweet Ambrosia]

I had an Akita in an apartment. I had to pay a pet deposit due to his size. I tried to tell the owners her was well behaved and well trained, but they thought I was biased since it was my dog. when I moved I got my pet deposit back though, thank you very much.*grins* He pretty much slept all day or looked out the balcony window. Akitas are not barkers. They only bark when needed.

Anyway, by the time I moved into the apartment I had him on a schedule. I knew I had to come straight home from work or there would be a surprise waiting for me. He was walked in the morning, after work and a pit stop before bed Mon - Fri. Weekends we could be a little lax.

[On Air]

I would recommend that you maybe adopt an older dog or talk to a breeder to see if they have an older dog available (maybe 1.5+ years) just because it'll be much harder for you to potty train a puppy if you won't be able to come home all day. Plus, it's a better starting point for a first-time owner.

I used to own two corgis in a small one-bedroom apartment in NYC and I would say the key is live near a park or some place your dog can use the bathroom, have close access to a good place for long walks (whether on quieter streets or in a park or on trails), have close access to a place you can let your dog off leash (dog park, park with fence that you can use when they aren't many people around, etc.), and close access to a vet if you don't have a car.

and some dogs won't exercise themselves in the yard, meaning you'll have a still energetic and possibly destructive dog waiting for you to come home

I fully agree with that statement. I've had some of the laziest dogs ever. Once I got playing or walking with them, they were happy as clams, but they would never run in the yard or do much in a dog park without some prompting. In some ways, I think my dogs are happier without much of a yard because they have every excuse for a walk. I've learned wisely and now even with a large yard my dogs each get two walks a day: one with all of them before work and one long one individually every night with either me or my husband.

[skorch101]

2 words - DOG WALKER! Invest in one! My wife and I spent time in Chicago a few years ago and noticed it was a booming business. It is easy to find a trustworthy dog walker with credible references that can give your dog the TLC it deserves for 30-60 mins while you are away at work. When I move back to Chicago, I will definitely get a dog walker! If you get a smaller dog, you'll be fine even in a studio. We have a beagle/basset mix and she just sleeps most of the day - they are lazy!!!! LOL

[CoolSocks]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I looked into a dog walking service and it was $14 a day with a minimum of 3 days a week. I don't know if I'd be able to spend an extra $168 a month on a dog walker and I'd also feel weird about giving some random person a key to my apartment.

Has anyone used one of those pee mats like this one- https://www.besttvbuys.com/pottypatc...78&refcode=p12 It looks like a good idea, but I feel like it could get really messy to clean.