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The doghouse

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Original poster

question about dog poo from new owner

70 replies

newbie2018 · 25/03/2018 20:30

Hello,
So I'm seriously considering getting a dog and doing my research into it. Never ever had one so this is all new to me.

I live in a one bed flat with a medium sized roof terrace. I have a question which I feel is a bit stupid but I'm genuinely non-plussed so here I go....

Should I let my dog out to pee and poo on the terrace and if I do am I meant to let him go anywhere on it or should I dedicate a certain place for him to do his business? Also would I then pick up and bag the poo to throw away? I think in my naivety I assumed dogs dug a hole, pooed and then covered it over but I'm thinking that's not the case from what I've seen. Also my terrace is made of slabs. i do have a hose on it so could hose it down.

Grateful for any advice/enlightenment!

OP posts:
AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 26/03/2018 12:27

You can't be far away from me OP - we're often found out on the Heath.

Do be aware that a lot of local parks are shut and locked by dusk, which is a pain in the arse in winter (thank fuck the clocks have gone forward this weekend, my life has just improved massively). To give you an idea, these are the opening times of LB Camden's parks www.camden.gov.uk/ccm/cms-service/stream/asset/;jsessionid=C5605B7476CD3E45FDB0611025A2736D?asset_id=3667103& Obviously the Heath is open 24/7 but I wouldn't walk across it at night as a lone woman. I don't know how I would have coped if I hadn't found one semi-lit unlocked park near me with enough space to throw balls non-stop (or if I had a dog that didn't chase balls).

Do choose your breed carefully - and be aware that there's very little correlation between size and exercise needs. My 6kg JRT cross for instance, considers 2 hours a day to be a bit on the short side and will quite literally walk all day if you'll let him. If he doesn't get enough exercise he's a complete arsehole (and I think it was a core reason why he was ultimately rehomed in the past).

Pythone · 26/03/2018 12:27

Have you considered a Cavalier? It sounds like one might be more suited to your lifestyle than the high-energy dogs mentioned above (mine is curled up asleep on my lap right now!).

mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork · 26/03/2018 12:29

My dog is medium-sized and we live in a first floor flat - I do have a tiny garden but it is outside the front door and across a path. I also have a large patio outside my kitchen. If my dog is unwell or bursting at an unexpected time (rare), I will pop her out to the garden. Otherwise all her toilet visits are on walks - she gets 3 good walks a day - when I am working the second walk is done by the dog walker for an hour. She generally poops twice a day. In my borough you can chuck the poo bag in any waste bin, we do not have designated poop bins any more. You would have to check the rules for your own London borough as these vary. You should pick up the poo even on the Heath as well. Previously, I had a LARGE collie-cross in the same flat, happily, for 8 years until she had to be PTS so I don't think size of dog much matters - you would probably want to avoid a really big one as it is hard to get around in the flat and their bed is big too. Of course, you do have to get a dog that can manage stairs (unless your flat is ground floor) - I understand dachshunds can do themselves spinal damage by going up and down stairs.

Original poster
newbie2018 · 26/03/2018 12:38

mermaid what was the command word you used and how quickly did he pick it up?

And if you don't mind what sort of mongrel do you have? I understand the annoyance with cutesy names!

OP posts:
mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork · 26/03/2018 12:41

Re: picking up poo from your roof terrace - yes do it every day or you will be knocked back by the smell (my neighbour has adjoining patio to my own and she didn't pick up her last dog's poo for weeks and I had to give up using my own patio until she did).

Goldmonday · 26/03/2018 12:43

We use puppy pads inside the house, any mess gets flushed down the toilet

Lucisky · 26/03/2018 12:51

Op, I would be very concerned over the roof terrace and it's security. I have a toy poodle and she amazed me by jumping on top of a (garden) wall over a metre high in one clean leap. Dogs have no concept of what might be on 'the other side', and will happily launch themselves if their interest is suddenly taken with a cat or a bird. There was a story recently of a dog being walked on the embankment which jumped over the wall and landed in the Thames. Are you renting? If so, I would start by finding out if your landlord has any objections to you making your roof terrace secure enough for a dog. Also, cockerpoos, as others have said, may look cute, but they are dogs that require a lot of mental stimulation, excercise and grooming.

treeofhearts · 26/03/2018 12:59

Ok I would seriously rethink this. The roof is a concern. My dogs once leapt over a 5 foot fence after a cat. They are not big dogs. If you had a lead on him and he tried it he could break his neck.

All the breeds you have mentioned are incredibly high energy and not suited to living in a flat with no proper garden. Springer spaniels need hours of hard exercise a day. My cousin has one. When he was younger we had him out over 9 hours on a day out he was running round fields like a loon all day, stopping only to drink. He came home had his dinner, slept for half an hour then started whining at his lead to go back out. My two labs were raring to go again after a couple of hours too.

As for poo I just scoop it and dump it down the toilet. If I'm out it goes in the nearest bin.

mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork · 26/03/2018 13:17

Get a staffie or staffie/cross. They are lovely. In my opinion cockapoos and all the other poodly mixes are a bit bonkers and not very relaxing companions; I can't understand it as pure poodles are so intelligent (and don't get me started on spaniels - they have too much anxiety for me).

chills32045 · 26/03/2018 13:32

You should look at breeds such as long pugs or staffies as mentioned. Anything with a spaniel in have far to much energy to be in a flat.

Have you considered rescuing? You can get as lightly older dog maybe 3-4 yrs who has started to calm down and you know what their habits are like and how much energy they have.

I have a working lab that is the most laid back dog around but that is rare and not to be compared too.

backsackcraic · 26/03/2018 13:42

If I were you I'd rescue a greyhound or lurcher. They need minimal exercise and sleep about 23 hours a day. Also with a rescue if it doesn't work out for you then you have the option of returning it.

In relation to toileting, if they're walked twice a day the terrace could just be used for first thing in a morning and last thing at night. Poo bagged and put in outside bin or flushed down toilet. Wee - you could wash terrace weekly to avoid any odour.

If you're renting, check you're allowed to keep a dog.

Good luck.

PositivelyPERF · 26/03/2018 13:48

If you don’t pick up the poo in timely fashion, you will end up with rained on wet, sloppy poo, that will stick to your roof. 🤢 You will also end up with flys and maggots in the summer, but the flies won’t just stay on your roof, they’ll be in your apartment.

Original poster
newbie2018 · 26/03/2018 15:36

Oh dear some of these responses have made me a bit Sad I will definitely picking up poo! As soon as I see it/can. I couldn't cope with leaving it out or any resulting smells and maggots.

I had considered an older rescue so I'll look into that. I'm not against it although would love a puppy and feel I have the time. I don't think I would go for a pug/Staffie/lurcher. But I'll have a look at another breed.

My next door neighbour has an 8 month sprocker. Flat much smaller than mine and no outside space. Occasionally I look after it and he seems to be fine. He goes to doggy day care 5x a week so I thought/felt that I could adequately cope with a cockerpoo or springer type.

avocadoes we must be neighbours! I shall wave to you if I see you out and about if I ever get his dog!

OP posts:
BiteyShark · 26/03/2018 15:48

Daycare tires dogs out as they spend a lot of time running about with other dogs. Mine is shattered after a half day at daycare which makes for a chilled dog and he only goes a few times a week.

Were you planning on using daycare? If not you will have to make sure for something like a cocker/poodle mix you provide enough physical and mental stimulation. My cocker gets the physical exercise at the daycare so I tend to focus more on the mental stimulation with a bit of physical exercise on his non daycare days.

heateallthebuns · 26/03/2018 15:50

My dog won't poo on a terrace, decking or patio. She will only poo on grass or inside!

heateallthebuns · 26/03/2018 15:51

Oh yeah she does poo on pavements as well and the beach. Obvs I clear it up.

SwimmingInTheBlueLagoon · 26/03/2018 15:57

Definitely fence very high! My little cavalier can leap over 4ft and can get over the 6ft fence by jumping into a tree first (it has a strong angled branch) then over the fence!

DorisDayisMe · 26/03/2018 16:11

If you try to get a routine with feeding, your dog will most likely poo at the same time each day. We have just got an 8year old rescue. She is fed three times a day on Lily’s Kitchen canned food. I think it Is important to be consistent with the food, as a change can upset her bowels. She has kibble and sausage on her walks, to keep her attention on me. She poos twice a day. If we are late getting out for her morning walk she will ask to go in the garden . She seems to prefer to poo In the the same place. I think,she holds on until we get to her favourite
place.

I recommend charcoal biscuits each day, as her farts even make her eyes water. She lets one go and then moves off in disgust. One of the many joys of dog ownership.

SBlonde · 26/03/2018 16:12

I have a cockapoo and we got him when we lived in a flat with a balcony and whilst it's still a puppy and can't hold it in , putting out puppy pads on the balcony was what we did because he would just go on them (they must have a certain small) and you could easily pick it up and throw it away. As the puppy grows, they can eventually hold it more and should be able to wait till your walk where you would take him to the park or something. Eventually it will probably just learn to wait till they're out on a walk (if time between walks is reasonable for a dog to hold it in).

honeyroar · 26/03/2018 16:15

Ive had rescues all my life, varying breeds. I will go against the grain and say it's perfectly acceptable to have a dog, of any kind, in a flat as long as you're prepared to walk them a few times a day and give them the exercise they need, and a flat with a terrace is great. Having a garden doesn't magically make a house perfect for a dog or mean they don't need walking. I've got sixteen acres of land, but I know my dogs would adapt to somewhere without a garden if they had to because I'd make sure they still got outside enough. But you will absolutely need to make that fence higher.

Original poster
newbie2018 · 26/03/2018 16:36

Thank you this is all very helpful! I'm going into massively heightening the fence. I think that should be ok but I'm going to get someone in to have a look.

SBlonde can I ask what your cockapoo is like - temperament and activity wise?

OP posts:
retirednow · 26/03/2018 16:58

Will you also need permission from leaseholder or freeholder to raise the height of any fencing. Cockapoo are lovely, very lively, at least two really good half hour runarounds every day, sweet natured and interested in everything we do.

Devilishpyjamas · 26/03/2018 17:02

Cockerpoo not a good choice for a London flat.

Agree that cavalier would be good.

Original poster
newbie2018 · 27/03/2018 10:04

I've been reading another thread where someone was told not to get a dog because they work full time and was also discouraged from getting pugs and CKC because they'd been too inbred.

It's made me a bit worried. I don't want to get a staffie or staffie cross (no offence to them but I'd rather be upfront) so I'm going to look at some other breeds.

I wanted to ask - I'm planning on sending my dog to day care at least twice a week, possibly three times. In fact The one I want to go with is buddies dog day care which I think looks fantastic where they take them to Hertfordshire and give them the full run around.

With that in mind is it really so bad if they're then living in my flat? I know people it all sounds too small but if they're taken out and exercised and played with in lots of space at least twice a week and then with me the rest of the time and I'll be taking them out a lot as well and especially at the weekends would that make it different? I want to be as open minded as possible and do this correctly.

OP posts:
viques · 27/03/2018 10:11

I think to be frank, you need to do a lot more research into dog ownership before you get one. You sound as though you have little understanding of an animals needs. Why not offer to walk a dog at a local rescue centre or Battersea, get involved with the nitty gritty of dog ownership, better to find out you can't stomach dog poo ,smelly food, sick, pee and slobber now than when you have a dog in your flat with a roof terrace!