# Breeders: Is selling dogs to city dwellers an issue?



## Caitlin (Mar 28, 2005)

City dwellers as in someone who literally lives in the middle of the major city. For example, I live in an apartment, and while the apartment is fairly large I have absolutely no yard whatsoever. The back door opens right onto a deck on the back alley and the front door opens onto the city sidewalk. 

My questions is if buyers come to you and tell you that, does that make you much less likely to sell them a puppy?

I haven't been turned down (yet) but it does make me nervous. I live within walking distance of four dog parks/runs (actually about six but I only consider anything within five blocks to be "walking distance" according to non-city folk) so off-leash exercise isn't an issue, but I know many people aren't used to that. I've heard of rescues turning down people without yards, so wondering if breeders are mostly the same.

Pretty much I'm hoping some of you can tell me you've sold dogs to people who live in DC/Chicago/NYC etc to make me feel better.


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## Chris Wild (Dec 14, 2001)

I've sold pups to people living in apartments/townhomes/condos without a yard. Including a couple in the DC area. It isn't a concern provided that the person can demonstrate the means and willingness to ensure that the dog receives sufficient exercise and mental stimulation. And truthfully, there are plenty of people who have homes with yards that can't do that, and plenty who don't have a yard that can. Though I'm not a big fan of dog parks and feel that they can be dangerous, depending on how the individual park is managed and the people who frequent it. So I'd need to know specifics on that and would also want to see the potential owner able to meet the dogs needs without relying solely on dog parks to do so. I don't have many "make or break" rules (except *maybe* invisible fences.. hate those things!) for selecting homes. I get to know the person and make my decision from there and as with all things it depends on the individual owner.


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## Caitlin (Mar 28, 2005)

That's good to hear! 

Two of the closest parks to me are normally deserted except during "normal" hours (before and after the 9-5 er's have work) so Mali and I would routinely get the parks all to ourselves, and then when I wanted socialization I'd walk to the busier ones. 

I'd figured people look at it case by case, but then I got nervous, cause that's what you do when you start a huge search for a puppy.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

One of my F pups is living in Chicago. They have a small yard area, but still live right in the city. The right home is still the right home no matter where the people live.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

Chris is right, my old rental had almost an acre (and a huge portion fenced off by me) but the yard was just for pottying. I still drove my dogs all over for various training and exercise. Sometimes people that don't have a yard might do a better job since they aren't going to put the dog in the yard by itself for an hour and call that "exercise".


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## Caitlin (Mar 28, 2005)

Liesje said:


> Sometimes people that don't have a yard might do a better job since they aren't going to put the dog in the yard by itself for an hour and call that "exercise".


This is how I feel. I actually prefer not having a yard, not because I would leave my dog outside in one alone for hours but because not having one forces _me_ to get out and walk a lot even when I feel lazy. Or even when it's 25 degrees out, haha.


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## DinoBlue (Apr 11, 2007)

I live on Capitol Hill in DC in a row house with a tiny little yard. We do use the yard for quick potty breaks and on nice days the dogs likes to hang out there but it will never be a substitute for walks or training. Any breeder I have ever contacted about buying a dog from has never expressed any reservation about me living in the city or not having a large yard. But I am guessing that depends on that fact am very actively involved in various working endeavors with my dogs


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## Gretchen (Jan 20, 2011)

Chris Wild said:


> I've sold pups to people living in apartments/townhomes/condos without a yard. Including a couple in the DC area. It isn't a concern provided that the person can demonstrate the means and willingness to ensure that the dog receives sufficient exercise and mental stimulation. And truthfully, there are plenty of people who have homes with yards that can't do that, and plenty who don't have a yard that can. Though I'm not a big fan of dog parks and feel that they can be dangerous, depending on how the individual park is managed and the people who frequent it. So I'd need to know specifics on that and would also want to see the potential owner able to meet the dogs needs without relying solely on dog parks to do so. I don't have many "make or break" rules (except *maybe* invisible fences.. hate those things!) for selecting homes. I get to know the person and make my decision from there and as with all things it depends on the individual owner.


Thank you for being so open-minded! We live in a condo and only have a small patio, Molly really does not go out there. But because we do not have a yard we are forced to be active with our dog 3-4x a day on walks, and I don't mean forced in a negative way, we love taking her out! If you ever look at what I post on "pictures pictures pictures" you can see she has a good life outside our home.

Molly's sister lives in the middle of San Francisco and does very well. She has doggie day care, long walks, and lives near an excellent off-leash beach area. A few people we know that have dogs with yards, just keep them in the yards, seldom go out to new places and seldom walk.


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