# Owning a dog in a condo?



## Nickyb (Jul 11, 2011)

Does anyone own a GSD or a large breed and live in a condo or a town house on here? I've been looking at house's in a different area and boy are they a lot more expensive then I thought. I never thought a dog in a condo would work but what do you think. Zoey needs a lot of exercise and without my own yard, I would find it very hard.... thoughts?


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## Kyleigh (Oct 16, 2012)

I had my very first dog in an apartment - 4th floor - no balcony, no elevator! Right downtown. 

Some people thought I was mean having a dog in a two bedroom apartment ... my thoughts? If I can "fit" in the apartment, and I'm bigger than my dog, than the dog can fit. 

If you're going to make sure you really exercise your dog, then why not? Most people I see in the burbs with dogs and a yard never walk / exercise or train their dogs. 

At least in an apartment you HAVE to go out ... for me it was a motivator to exercise!


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

There are many folks on this forum who live in apartment buildings. I can't imagine having to potty train when living on the 6th floor!


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

I had three dogs when living at a condo and going to school. We had a walk out patio which made it bearable, and we went to the dog park a lot. If you have the time to devote to exercise, it's no biggie. If you don't, it's a lot harder to pull off.


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## sitstay (Jan 20, 2003)

I use to live in a very urban environment, and the dog owners I saw were those that lived in city apartments. It can absolutely be done, and done very well. 

However...the demands are high on the owner. You have to exercise the dog. A lot. Every day. Regardless of weather, or how tired you are. You have to do it.

Also, a lot depends on the personality of the dog. I have an Aussie that barks at everything. She would not be happy in an apartment where she would be able to hear or see a lot of coming and going from the neighbors. She would be constantly over-stimulated and she would bark. A lot. Not fair to her and not fair to my neighbors. My GSD? No problem. He doesn't bark a lot, and would not be bothered. Two different dogs. Two different responses.

To be honest, I saw more successful and responsible owners when I lived in a city apartment than I do living in a suburban neighborhood. Too many people figure a fenced back yard equals plenty of exercise. Successful apartment owners know what the suburban owners should also know, namely that the exercise responsibility is on the human.
Sheilah


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## Mary Beth (Apr 17, 2010)

Well, I have a big fenced in backyard, but where is my Sting? Right inside next to me. Does Sting want to "self exercise" in the backyard? No - he sits outside or stays in the breezeway and looks back at the house. Will he potty himself in the backyard - no, he waits till I come out. So I may as well live in a condo. I'm sure Zoey feels the same way. She will happily guard your condo until you return.


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## Nickyb (Jul 11, 2011)

Thanks everyone for the input. My main concern is that Zoey's main source of exercise is running off leash in my fenced in backyard now. Yes, we go for 2 walks a day, rain of shine, but that never gets out all of her energy.


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## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

Just be sure that the condo doesn't have any breed restrictions, because some do - or they might go by weight too, and limit you that way. What about a nice fixer-upper instead, lol?


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## Nickyb (Jul 11, 2011)

Mary Beth said:


> Well, I have a big fenced in backyard, but where is my Sting? Right inside next to me. Does Sting want to "self exercise" in the backyard? No - he sits outside or stays in the breezeway and looks back at the house. Will he potty himself in the backyard - no, he waits till I come out. So I may as well live in a condo. I'm sure Zoey feels the same way. She will happily guard your condo until you return.


Zoey is the EXACT same way.... even if its raining out and shes got to go poop, guess what? Daddy needs his rain jacket on and go watch her poop, OUTSIDE! My main concern is just getting out that extra energy while being on leash.


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## Bear GSD (Apr 12, 2012)

I raised my last GSD in a second floor walk up in Chicago. I sometimes think that if you live in an apartment the dog ends up getting more exercise because you have to take the dog out for exercise rather than relying on a backyard to do it for you. I know that your situation is different with Zoey, but I think it could work.


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## Nickyb (Jul 11, 2011)

Blanketback said:


> Just be sure that the condo doesn't have any breed restrictions, because some do - or they might go by weight too, and limit you that way. What about a nice fixer-upper instead, lol?


Will do! We've been looking for fixer uppers, but living in MA is brutal, especially in my area. Lot's of money for not a whole lot lol We are still looking though, I just didnt want to limit my options.


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## lostangl (Jul 15, 2002)

Well, I have an acre of land for my dogs to run around in and where do you think they are when they are outside? Right by the door wanting to come back in  I see no prob with having any breed of dog in a condo.


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Coming from a person who lives in the country...thinking a dog will exercise it's self in a back yard alone, is a receipe for disaster.


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## DJEtzel (Feb 11, 2010)

Lilie said:


> Coming from a person who lives in the country...thinking a dog will exercise it's self in a back yard alone, is a receipe for disaster.


:thumbup:

Mine don't do anything in my yard but dig if I'm not out there playing with them or they don't have friends over.


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## Nickyb (Jul 11, 2011)

So my questions have been answered  Thanks!


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## arycrest (Feb 28, 2006)

My first home that I purchased was a condo in Crofton, MD. It had a teeny tiny fenced in patio with a small grassy area. I took Tasha out to one of the open fields or parks to run every day unless the weather was super bad. My biggest problem with condos are some of the insane condo rules and regulations you have to follow ... I would NEVER buy another one!!!


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## Gharrissc (May 19, 2012)

You've already gotten some good answers,but I wanted to add my experiences. Both my husband and I have had large dogs in a condo before we bought a house. Even our 'barker' learned to distinguish between regular noise of the condo that she should ignore and someone knocking on our door. If you can get Zoey out for some good off leash exercise somewhere, I think you should be fine.I think any dog can be ok in an apartment as long as they are given the appropriate outlets for them. The issue is that most people don't give their apartment dogs enough exercise no matter what the size dog is.


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## huntergreen (Jun 28, 2012)

it can work. it really depends on how much time the owner can devote to exercising their dog.


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## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

I currently live in a 700 sq foot apartment. My dog grew up in a 550 sq foot apartment. It wasn't as tough as you'd imagine. So you end up going on more walks...you find places to exercise your dog off leash that are probably 100 times better than most yards. Depending on the area you live in, and how dog friendly it is, you can easily find forest preserves and county/city parks that people don't use that much. We have so many fields/woods/parks in our area that people generally don't use that its really easy to go there with your dog and let it run off leash. Rarely to you run into someone, and only once have I ran into someone that decided to give me a lecture on how my dog should be on leash. This also depends on how dependable your dog's recall is...I don't go anywhere near a road, but my dog does have good recall in case of other "emergencies."


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## Gharrissc (May 19, 2012)

Those 'hidden spots' are definitely the best places to exercise your dog sometimes.



martemchik said:


> you find places to exercise your dog off leash that are probably 100 times better than most yards.


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## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

I live in an apt. but power walked my dog 2.5-3hrs a day. At least an hr + in the morning, an hr + late aft. (3pm) and then another 1/2hr after his dinner...I would take him to a large field for off leash time, but instead of running around after a stick he would just want to hunt mice...then he went after a coyote - so no more off leash in the field, I take occasionally to a friends - he just lays in the grass until a squirrel tempts him. It was easy to kill an hour as we went through wooded trails and field and down to the lake, there are little pockets of natural area's I always took him to just for his mental stimulation and mine - hawks, deer, coyotes, bunnies, owls.

When he hurt his knee I think I suffered more then him - still went out for an hr. but he would just lay under a shady tree.

He has improved so much and now the cool weather - he is back to power walking me again...which is great, I need to loose a few pounds I gained from his injury

He also has a large balcony w/glass panels so he can watch the world go by and access to it almost whenever he wants fresh air. I have an open crate with a camping pad, blanket and a baby crib bumper lining inside to keep cold metal away from him....he often goes for a snooze in his crate on the balcony in the winter with a lite sprinkling of snow falling on him. Now that he is getting older, I am going to tarp it to keep dry little den for him.

Downfall to living in apt....Bathroom emergencies - takes a lot longer to get out when you have to wait for an elevator


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## Yoschi's_Pet_Human (Nov 13, 2012)

My main hobby besides my new pup is raising koi.. I always thought it would be cool to have a full wall 2000 gallon indoor koi pond in a condo... having a GSD by my side while enjoying my koi would be perfect....


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## GoSailGo (Sep 15, 2012)

I kept thinking I would wait until I'm rich enough to buy a big house with a big yard to get a dog, but when houses around here are going for millions, reality started to hit that we may never get out of a condo...so I said screw it and now I'm getting a puppy in 4 weeks. Some times we have to make due with what is available to us.


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Lots of good stuff here. I have 3 bigger dogs in a two bedroom apartment and it works. I know that when I get my yard that the dogs will be wherever I am at anyway. Breed restrictions would be the only thing I would be worried about.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

you don't need a big house or a big yard to have a dog.
you take the dog out and play, walk, run, hang out, exercise
or whatever.


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## thatsrich85 (Jun 30, 2012)

I have two gsd and a sheltie in a one bedroom condo. The only benefit of our apt is theres lots of walking trails around it as the buildings are set in a forest.


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## JeanKBBMMMAAN (May 11, 2005)

In this case, you know that your dog is not yet super social (to a higher degree than just aloof and not entirely predictable thus far) and so that would be something to consider - will living in a condo require her and you to manage her behavior more, will it stress her, will she need a muzzle, will it be worse without the fenced yard for running (or can you get a condo w/a fence) or will it be just about the same as if you lived in a house?


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