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I can say I do not understand the whole weight restriction thing that so many have as I find the better neighborhood dogs are the mid to large dogs as seldom do I hear them barking non stop while I do hear some of the little yappers yapping all day long.
I think the weight restriction is for 2 reasons: smaller dogs are less destructive (yes, stuff happens) and if they pee in the house, it's not a huge puddle. Second is that many owners don't pick up after their dogs outside, so smaller dogs means smaller poop on the lawn.
I think the weight restriction is for 2 reasons: smaller dogs are less destructive (yes, stuff happens) and if they pee in the house, it's not a huge puddle. Second is that many owners don't pick up after their dogs outside, so smaller dogs means smaller poop on the lawn.
Yes but poop is poop step on a small dogs pile and you still have poop on your shoes which is annoying As you said some dog owners seem to feel it is OK to leave it and it seems very common with small dog owners as I see a lot of small dog poops when we walk. Sorry but all dog owners small or large need to be picking up the poop!
And as for puddles dogs should be house trained and not peeing inside and because some owners seem to see " accidents as no big problem" they do nothing about it.A floor can be ruined by little dog pee. Often little dog owners do not even see the small puddle until time after time the area is finally ruined.It seems some of my coworkers with little dogs are always talking about the dog peeing inside..for god sakes train that dog. Small dogs can use litter boxes so there is no excuse.
I hear people complain about it being hard to find a place that will rent to dog owners well it is people like the coworkers I have that cause the problem. I know if I had a 2nd place to rent out knowing what I do about them I would not rent to even one of them. I own my own place and maybe that is the difference the floors belong to me and I care about my home.My dogs have been house trained within days of coming into my home and in all the years of owning dogs I have never had a floor ruined or any damage to the physical structure. Of the 6 dogs I have had two started out as young puppies, 1 as an older puppy an 3 as young adults yet my condo has not suffered as I take time to train my dogs.
I have also seen the destruction little dogs can do trying to dig out of a place as they tend to be high energy while many larger breeds are more relaxed.
I think there's a lot more to think about than the financial aspects or the pet. Pets in NYC do well in condos with dog parks. It can be done. Saving money is always nice. Convenience is great. But personally you couldn't pay me enough to live in a condo or apartment. I lived in one apartment one time for about 18 months with a mastiff, three cats and a ferret. They didn't mind but I was miserable. Now I've got goats, chickens, ducks and a rabbit on top of the dogs. Obviously can't live in an apartment or condo with them and getting rid of them isn't an option. Lots more to think about than just the couple things you mentioned.
While it is good to think about the ability of the dog to hold it comfortably, I think the major concern about having a dog in an apartment is if they would disrupt my neighbors by barking when I'm gone.
Some dogs ( like Bichons) just cannot be left alone. They are velcro dogs and need their person all the time. They bark like crazy when Mom is gone and make life miserable for neighbors.
I personally would rather live in a hovel with my own yard than the grandest apartment building with shared walls. Never Again.
I'm basically a homeowner because of my dogs. The boys are very high energy. I have a fenced yard, and it's great just to be able to let them out the door.
However when I just had two unusually low-key border collies years ago, I did fine without a yard. They were content with walks rather than the extreme exercise required by my Catahoula and my kelpie mix.
You CAN have larger, high energy dogs in an apartment, but you have to commit to making sure they are appropriately exercised. I take my boys to the dog park at least two times a week, but usually 4-5 times a week and play fetch with them for 2 hours at a time. We also do dog sports, so they have classes and competitions they go to. And I have a house that is filled to the brim with dog toys, chews, kongs, etc.
I think the house is worth the aggravation and extra expense, personally.
I can't handle the thought of a dog alone all day in an apartment. I also can't handle the thought of living in an apartment with neighbor dogs who bark. Since I have different problems on both ends I would just never do it. Apartments are hard enough with all those people living on top of each other!
Growing up our dogs had the ability to go in and out on their own and they took full advantage of it. Life was just easier that way.
A house with a fenced yard is much more convenient, but people manage to survive in apartments with dogs.
This.
My 70 pound hound managed to live in an apartment for the first 5+ years of his life. He was crated while I was at work. It was simply how it had to be at the time, as I was not in a position to be paying someone to come in every day to take him out.
From what I heard from the neighbors, it was only the first couple of months where there was an issue with barking. He got used to the routine.
As far as remembering bags goes-- I kept a cute bag hung up by the front door which had his leash and a bunch of grocery bags in it. That made it very hard for me to forget a bag when we went out.
Our place had a short list of "banned breeds". Some jerk decided that he wanted to report me to management for having a "pit bull". Aside from the fact that my hound doesn't even remotely look like one- his vet records indicate "lab mix"- so that issue was nipped in the bud.
We are now living on 2 1/2 acres, and the last time my hound was on a leash for more than 5 minutes was when we were camping last summer. Without a doubt, he seems to really enjoy the freedom that he has, though I really do believe that we could make it work just about anywhere.
I own a house with a backyard and a dog run which is super easy for me. I also own a vacation condo with no yard and dog cant poop or pee on property. When I spend a few nights there I am exhausted.
Wake up walk dog, before I go to beach walk dog, get home from beach walk dog, before going to dinner walk dog, before bed walk dog. The dog loves it. At home I walk dog maybe twice a week.
And this is summer, cant imagine horror of doing it in winter and rain. Plus mess dog brings back in. Crazy.
We've done both the apartment thing and house with dogs( a 30lb beagle mix and 70lb hound mix)
Really, there are only two differences. 1) In an apartment I have to leash them and take them out 3-4 times a day in addition to a walk to go potty, and 2) Even well trained dogs can cause wear and tear on apartment carpets, be prepared to not get your pet deposit back, most places replace the carpet if a renter had pets(for people with allergies) and your deposit will be used.
We own a house now and other than the deposit issue and the fact I don't have to leash them just to pee, they do the exact same thing, sleep all day.
Weight restrictions in apartments are common, as others said. Be it for the mess, the noise a 100lb dog could make or the fact that a great dane probably doesn't belong in a studio anyway. Also, it is *very* common for very small dogs to live in apartments and I'm sure keeping dogs in close weight range when they are those close quarters is a way to ensure some safety. For dogs and people.
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As you said some dog owners seem to feel it is OK to leave it and it seems very common with small dog owners as I see a lot of small dog poops when we walk. Sorry but all dog owners small or large need to be picking up the poop!
