Dogs and no garden/live in a flat

[mumoffluffs]

The above really, how are people dealing with having a dog and living in a flat with the current "only go out once per day" restriction?

Question especially for people who live alone...

Do you take your dogs out more than once (perhaps for shortest time possible) for toilet-ing?

I take him out for an hour early in the morning alone to the park - hardly anyone about. Then 15 minutes in the afternoon on the roads near my home and then x 3 times out into the very small communal front garden for a snuffle about while I watch him from the door. He can't be let out there alone as too easy to get out and too many passers by. For a dog who was used to three to four plus hours a day out, he's adapting quite well.

OP - I take my dog out once in the morning for about 45 minutes to an hour and again in the afternoon for about 20 minutes. Husband takes him for evening walk. I don't live in a flat. I don't see hardly anyone when walking him, the only person I saw this afternoon was a cyclist.

Thanks @YgritteSnow and @Mamamia456 !

Just been a little worried, but glad to know you're not being super strict on the once a day thing.

As I don't really have any garden type area and my dog needs a walk just to relieve herself 3x a day, I've been taking her for a quick 5 mins very early in the morning and at night then a longer walk (30-40 min) away from people as much as possible.

I've found a lot of super strict people on Mumsnet which worried me a bit in case neighbours were similar and would report me! Especially considering how so many were against even others taking their dog into an isolated field twice a day in one thread!

Luckily my neighbours aren't too bad except maybe one down the road who is known as the local busy body.

Surely the police would be understanding if it did come to anyone reporting something like this?

You’re allowed to take dogs out to the toilet more than once a day, if there’s no garden available...

Loo breaks are classed as essential for animal welfare

Even in countries with the strictest lockdowns, you're allowed to take your dog for multiple loo trips,
but just to the nearest place they can do their business

In the UK, you can also take it for a good daily walk

We have a tiny yard at the bottom of a fire escape for toilets as needed. He has a little bell hanging on the door handle he rings when he wants to go out (blatant cuteness boast, sorry!). Other than that he’s getting 30-40 mins on lead/extendable lead in the park, either as a stand-alone walk or to/from our allotment so then he also gets an hour or so outdoor time sniffing and pottering and warding off invading foxesthere.

If you have nowhere for them to toilet at home at all then I’d do whatever you usually do as quickly/infrequently as possible. If you have even a balcony/tiny space outside your from door could you poss put an indoor ‘potty’ or patch of fake grass there or something that they would pee on though?

I've found a lot of super strict people on Mumsnet which worried me a bit in case neighbours were similar and would report me!

it can be terrifying here and rarely in over a decade on here, have I seen MN views reflected in RL. I'm sure you'll take the necessary precautions.

@BigChocFrenzy that's what I would have thought! Can't keep the poor pups only going out to the toilet once a day its cruel - I even checked on the UK Gov website specifically for dog rules and they kept it quite vague, leaning more towards the "counts as your once daily exercise" category. Would be good if they would make it a bit more reasonable and clear :)

@Eireni awwww that is super cute! Love that he uses a bell that's super handy! Adding onto the cuteness of our fluffy babies... mine sits and stares until I say the right word, in this case "potty" and gives me a high 5!

@YgritteSnow oh yes, I'm quite new here so getting to learn the ropes!