# Yard size



## Nikki-Rose (Mar 3, 2014)

Sorry if this doesn't match the main topic for this section. I had no idea which area this should go in. 
I had a friends 3 German Shepherds over at my house today during a lunch party. I feel like my yard is a little small for them. 

People that already own German Shepherds, does your yard/home size matter?


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## boomer11 (Jun 9, 2013)

Nope


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Not at all. I have 5 dogs and lived in an apartment with no yard with 4 dogs for a long time. We now have 1/2 acre, but sometimes I think that can get them in trouble. Not necessarily the GSD's but any dog in general..they find stuff to get into and its harder to keep an eye on them. I'm moving my 10 x 20 dog run and connecting it to the house with a dog door and they can come in and out and play in there. If I'm in the yard then they can be in the yard, otherwise I want them somewhere where I know they are safe and not eating stuff.


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## nktigger99 (Aug 22, 2006)

I had a huge yard at our last house....we had three large dogs(all over the bridge now). But our yard here is small plus we have a swing set, trampoline, and pool in the summer.....but I don't think it is a bad thing actually I think it will be good forces you to be more active outside of the yard. 

I have learned from my kids that a smaller thing can have the benefit of being able to manage the space better.

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## LaRen616 (Mar 4, 2010)

My house is 750 sq feet and my front yard is huge and fenced in and my backyard is a decent size and also fenced in. At one point there were 2 people, 4 cats and 4 dogs living in my house. Now it's just me, 4 cats and 2 dogs. I would happily bring in a 3rd large dog and there would still be room.


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## misslesleedavis1 (Dec 5, 2013)

My yard is huge, we could fit like 9 full size trampolines in it, then we have a florida room that is huge. We converted it to a large dog house, it has sliding glass doors all around it, heaters, thick carpet and a mean chandelier from the 70's that just wont quit. In the summer we open every sliding door and put kiddie pools just outside of it for them, they have options  

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## Kahrg4 (Dec 19, 2012)

I have a GSD and a Siberian Husky in a 500sqft studio with no yard. It's all about creating activities and fun outside the home.


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## pyratemom (Jan 10, 2011)

My yard in not huge. It is big enough to set up half a rally course or the jump or tunnel for her to play though. I walk her a lot and we go places in the car for adventures. The size of the yard doesn't matter, its all in what you do with your dog. At one time I had 5 cats and 2 GSD's. They never felt crowded.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

My yard is only 1/8th acre and that's average for this neighborhood that's full of dogs. The fenced part is only about 2/3rds of the yard, in a U around my house. Even then there's garden beds they're not allowed in with narrow passages they can run around them. Years ago we had a boxhedge that was installed my previous owners too far in from the property line - the dogs used to play tag in that...


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## Nikki-Rose (Mar 3, 2014)

Thanks everyone. This makes me feel a lot better! 
My yard is about a quarter of an acre, then there is another area about the same size that has a pool but it is fenced in separately, and a lower level observation deck that's about 20x20. 
I was debating sodding part of the roof for them to have more space!


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## TommyB681 (Oct 19, 2012)

nope. as long as the dogs get enough exercise you dont even need a yard.


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## dpc134 (Jan 14, 2013)

I have a few hundred acres for my GSD. She loves to run and play in the woods, fields, crick, and pond. Some people tell me I should keep my dog inside.
I let my dog decide and she prefers outside most of the time. But to your OP, exercise and stimulation is key. If the dog gets both of those to their satisfaction, they will be fine. Some people keep their GSD inside all day and they will be content with just laying around all day with their owner. It depends on what you want for your dog.


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## Okin (Feb 27, 2013)

I have on OK sized yard but honestly the dog is almost never out there without me anyway. It is great to have a nice yard but that is not what I rely on for her exercise. I have found a lot of dogs even in a yard don't exercise in it unless they are being actively engaged in something like fetch.


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## FuzzButtMum (Mar 17, 2014)

I too don't think garden (or, Yard) size particularly matters, we have a small-medium garden HOWEVER we will not be spending much time there as a couple of metres from my front door is a number of large fields that lead into the woods, so we will spend most of our time playing there and exploring the woods!! 

As long as people correctly exercise their dogs every single day either by dog groups or playing and NOT by letting the dog out into the garden as a form of exercise, I think it's fine if you don't have a big garden


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## MilesNY (Aug 12, 2010)

My dog yard is about 20x60. It's a nice size to let them rough house and potty. The rest of my yard is saved for gardens and training space. I do exercise them a lot outside of my house so they could live with no yard if we had to. For my sanity though, doggie yard and kennels are so nice. 


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## Wolfgeist (Dec 4, 2010)

Nope, doesn't matter at all. I have a smaller yard that is fully fenced, then a separate unfenced 3-4 acres. Dogs are happy playing in either area!


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## Bequavious (Mar 9, 2013)

I don't think you have to have a big yard to have GSDs, but I do know that having a small fenced in yard means it gets destroyed. I'm not saying it has to, but with a two year old lab and a one year old shepherd it's _really_ convenient to just let them out back to run off their morning zoomies. Of course I do more organized training and exercise after work, but those morning tears around my yard mean I have sand instead of grass and a nice race track worn around the perimeter of my fire pit :wub:


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## Jakesworld (Mar 4, 2014)

Good morning. Well we have a couple acres, I'd say the dogs get about a little over 1/4 fenced off. I've never really seen them use it. They are more interested in sniffing around. Jakes only got the "zooms" once, and then only needed a small part to run. Maybe a border collie would need more room. We did have one if those. We have a Australian cattle dog also, but she's lazy. I think Jake enjoys snifffing on walks and seeing new things much more than running around in a yard. They are thinkers. Why else would they make such good service dogs. I have yet to see a guide dog taking his owner for a run!


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## autopsy_survivor (Apr 2, 2013)

We have our shepherd, 2 dachshunds and 3 cats. Our house is pretty large, especially for a townhouse, but our yard is tiny - maybe 10x10 or 12x12. Our dogs go out there and run around, we spend a lot of time out there in the summer too and the dogs have no problem with it. 

I agree with a small yard forcing you to go out and do more with your dog(s) - we're constantly out and about with them.


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

I have an acre of land with my home being a little more than half way back. Big yards can make you lazy. I'm lazy. I use the yard for draining energy, flat out runs using the almighty chuck-it (cue angelic voices raised in triumph). However, frankly 80 percent of the yard is almost never used as I never leave the pup outside without me and we only play in a narrow area on the side of the yard AWAY from the chained pitties next door so my dog doesn't go visit. Still working on the whole aloof to dog thing .. not there. We do a bit of training and working on commands outside (and in), and currently have classes two nights a week plus herding lessons.


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