To think that people need to consider the type of dog they are getting!

[Iris65]

Until our house purchase completes we are living in a rented house. It is a tiny two up, two down terrace in a heavily built up area. Neighbour to the left of us is nearly 90 and has her grandson living with her because he can't find anywhere to rent. The reason he can't find anywhere is because he got evicted from his last rented place having bought a huge, noisy dog. Its big, like small shetland pony big, looks like some sort of mastiff/boerboel/rhodesian ridgeback mix and he is not neutered either. Grandson can't find anwhere to live because most rentals don't take pets. He knew this when he got the dog. It barks constantly and has broken the fence to our garden trying to get at our cat.
Neighbours to the right of us have clearly been charmed by big ass dog and have gone and got an almost identical dog - but female. Quite young but already big. It arrived last night and we were alerted by the barking competition that erupted across our garden. (All three of which are really tiny yards not gardens). There are four adults in the family (living in a two up, two down) and they all work fulltime so who knows what the dog is going to do. Of course they may drop the dog to doggy daycare or employ a walker everyday - but somehow I don't think that's the plan.
Another 'bonus' discovered at 6.40am this morning is that dog training involves lots of loud voices, repitition and shouts to other members of the family to come and join in.
Thankfully our cat is very streetwise and battle hardened but she is definately more nervous than before. Poor kitty. I had planned to tidy the garden up before we move out but feel that she needs the cover so will leave it as it is!
I know that we are moving soon but AIBU to feel that people ought to think about the size and breed of dog and its suitability for where they live before they get it?

[RoseGoldProsecco]

I've often thought that you seem to find: the bigger the house, the smaller the dog, and vice versa!

But it's not the size or breed that matters, it's the ownership. If they are poorly trained or looked after, that's when you'll notice it. it's always the fault of the human!

Sorry you have barking on both sides. I adore dogs, but that must be annoying :(

[GloGirl]

Yanbu. There are too many people who buy what they like the look of rather than their circumstances. And some sort of obstinate belief that whilst everyone will find that breed agressive or stubborn they'll manage to be a better owner than average. Despite never having owned a dog.

[Iris65]

So far young dog is lovely and its really only early days. Just met them returning from an early morning walk so here's hoping the dog will get lots of exercise. They certainly seem keen on training 😊

[Soubriquet]

Yanbu

Some people don't think

Especially with large working breeds such as huskies

They just see the aww puppy factor and forget they need lots and lots of exercise

I have a chihuahua. She's perfect for me. Small enough to not need miles of walking but big enough to still be walked

[AwkwardSquad]

You have my utmost sympathy. I live in similar housing and have dog-owning idiots on either side. Thankfully not quite as stupid as your neighbours, but annoying enough! And oh god yes, the shouting! SIT! NO! NO! OW!

[Iris65]

I am being woken up every morning at around 3.30am as dear dog apparently 'needs a wee'. I hear all the encouragement for darling dog to 'do a wee. Go on darlin' Do your wee wee.' for around 10 minutes as dog would rather wander around the yard than get down to business. It was midnight on Saturday too when they went through the same performance and woke me up. At that point I politely requested that they 'Please stop shouting I'm trying to sleep' from our bedroom window. To be fair they did apologise.....but then did the same thing at 4am!
Cannot wait to move.

[hibbledobble]

As well as size, breeds have their own behavioral tendencies, as well as health issues. It is important to research first based on that.

My dog was an unknown mix, but I knew she wouldn't be huge. Thankfully the mix turned out to make for a docile, if yappy, dog.

[agentdaisy]

Imo it cruel to have big dogs in small houses, even more cruel having a working dog that isn't given the exercise it needs.

A friend of mine has a huge husky in a small 3 bed semi. The dog is walked for half hour twice a day and constantly pulls at the lead because he wants to be running off lead, the only time he gets more than a half hour walk is when he's taken to the fields for a run once a week. The poor dog has got such thick fur that's designed for below freeing temperatures that he can't be brought in the house as he overheats in minutes, he's left outside in the tiny yard that is their back garden and is barely big enough for him to turn round let alone run. The poor thing just mopes about because he doesn't get the exercise he needs. The only time I've seen him looking anything other than miserable is when we had a really cold winter a few years ago and he was on his once a week run across the fields. They adore the dog but it's not made for our weather, even the coldest of our winters are too hot for it.

I'd love a spaniel or labrador but don't have time to take one on the long runs they need and I'm not keen on small dogs so I don't have a dog. Too many people put their desire for a cute puppy or the latest designer dog ahead of what's best for the dog.

[Lostwithinthehills]

I agree with you op, it seems daft. The grandson neighbour in particular made a poor decision. I also dislike seeing dogs such as border collies being owned by elderly people who rely on walking sticks because I don't see how the owners are fit enough to provide the hours of exercise and mental stimulation such dogs need. Of course there are plenty of other inappropriate owner/dog combinations.

[Ilikecheeriosyum]

I work with dogs and it drives me batty, you can tell who never walks their dogs and who has spent the time to train them and walks them regularly.

To be honest I'm not phased by the size of the house, but yes it does seem a pattern of the bigger or more dogs, the smaller the house! It's time outside that's important to me.

What i really really dont understand though is why people get 2 dogs that are wildly different in energy and exercise needs? Usually a spaniel and a westie ?! The westie wants to trot along and sniff and the spaniel will be dragging my arm off and spinning in circles wanting to run! How do they possibly exercise them both?!?! Even off the lead the spaniel needs a minimum of twice as much time outside as the little one!

Do they carry it back?!!
Mystery.

[Iris65]

Its so sad that so many dogs are suffering. That poor husky!
Some people just don't think or do any research. I have seen a Bassett Hound on a lead running with the owner on a cycle!
The grandson's bull mastiff is walked - it is now in a closed muzzle, with a separate nose band and a full leather harness. The grandson isn't a big guy and when he walks him he is constantly leaning backwards trying to control the dog. I'm now too afraid to go into the yard as it goes berserk at everything and there is only a three foot wall between us.
From what I have seen the other dog (wee wee) is being trained really well 😀

[scottishtreehugger]

This really annoys me! I think far too many people have dogs when they are really shouldn't - either because their house is unsuitable or they can't handle it or give enough exercise. A friend of mine recently bought a border collie pup- she works full time ☹️ Poor doggie.

[Noofly]

YANBU. I know a dog walker/trainer. He takes on dogs referred to him by the local vets where the owner wants to have them put down due to their behavioural problems. He he gets an awful lot of collies because some people don't realise/understand/care/take your pick that they are working dogs. They then leave them in the house all day with maybe a walker in the middle, but they aren't properly socialised or kept mentally busy and they end up being destructive and aggressive to other dogs.

I often see him when I'm out with my dog (who always immediately gets put on lead!) with these dogs, trying to socialise them and train them to a point where they can be rehomed and won't need to be put down.

[Iris65]

It is tragic. Those poor dogs. I guess they read 'highly intelligent' and think 'Yeah baby, that's what I want - an Alpha dog!'

[honeyroar]

I don't think that the size of the house or garden particularly matters, it's the exercise and training that counts. I once had a know it all neighbour tell me off for getting a dog because I lived in a flat. At that time I worked with horses and the dog came to work with me and was outside all day. On my days off she got long walks. The neighbour on the other side of the lecturing neighbour had a big house and reasonable garden, but rarely walked it and left it alone all day while they were at work, briefly popping home at lunchtime. I know which dog had the better life and was clamer as a result..

[madamginger]

My next door neighbours have a bichon friss and it never gets walked, as a result it's jumpy and yappy.
My parents have a border collie and my dad walks for miles with it, it's out for at least 3 hours a day.

[CheerfulYank]

I do hate that, with huskies. :(

I use to live close to Canada and our winters were very cold growing up...several feet of snow and month after month of well below freezing temps. We had two sets of neighbors that ran dog teams. (As well as these two , who are from my town as well.)

You should have seen those teams run. It was so beautiful...those dogs were athletes, doing what they were born to do. They loved it! To hear of huskies living in Florida etc...I hate it. :(

[LakieLady]

It sickens me that so many people seem to put more thought into what car to buy than into what breed of dog to get.

[honeyroar]

It sickens me too, and that people seem more interested in the silly name of these new cross breeds than the characteristics they bring.

[Noofly]

CheerfulYank I have a friend who does a lot of work with husky rescue places in Florida! She has two husky rescues herself and I see lots of posts on FB from her about other huskies trying to find new homes in FL or moved elsewhere.It's mental- who would own a husky in FL?!? (far too many, it seems...)

[theymademejoin]

Ilikecheerios - my westie is way more energetic than my spaniel . Mind you, she's only half spaniel (cocker). I wouldn't have gone near a dog with a hint of springer in it as they need insane amounts of exercise.

It amazes me how little research some people do into breeds before they get a dog. I spent ages researching breed characteristics. While I knew the cross breed could go either way, I was happy that the characteristics of both parents would suit my circumstances.

The only breed characteristic I'm not too happy about with my two is the shedding (particularly the spaniel cross) but I figured it was a reasonable compromise in order to get the best fit.

[allegretto]

YANBU - our neighbour has huskies in a small flat. She does walk them but it is so hot here (28 degrees at the moment and will be in the 30s and 40s until September). Poor things look so uncomfortable. I just don't get it.

[honeyroar]

I go to Hong Kong and Singapore a lot and see Huskies there. I feel for labs too in hot climates, in fact most dogs.

[MacarenaFerreiro]

Our first house was a Barratt 2 bed new build - not known for their massive rooms. The people across the street who had a house identical in layout to ours had two school age children and two St Bernard dogs. Not quite sure how they all fitted in, to be honest.