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The doghouse

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Original poster

Best dog for London flat with....

56 replies

AcrossTheOcean · 26/05/2018 23:46

Please recommendations for best dog for a London flat with no balcony but beautiful parks nearby, with an active seven year old boy. He wants a guard dog, I would like even tempered, friendly, good with children, quiet, clean and easy to look after. Our flat is not huge either, regular two bedroom.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts, looking forward to them Smile

OP posts:
AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 27/05/2018 10:52

That's not enough. A dog shouldn't be expected to hold its pee from morning to night.

Hmm Once you're past the toilet training stage, I don't know anyone who had routinely got up in the middle of the night to take the dog out for a pee. Mine went out for a wee at 1am last night, and 10 hours later he's still fast asleep and not asking to go out (it's a Sunday, I'm having a lie in...). One of his quirks is that he will only go for a poo on a natural surface - grass or dirt - which affects the route our loo breaks take.

Mind you, mine is a 2yo JRT x Dachshund and he needs so much exercise I'd be seriously worried about my ability to balance him and kids, if I had them - and his behaviour becomes horrible if he gets less than 2 hours a day. Pick your breed carefully, and don't yet a JRT!

MsGameandWatching · 27/05/2018 10:53

We all want a dog like that. Then we get the dog, fall in love with them and make it work, or if you're a certain kind of person then you won't, when that happens it's a horrible shame but that's how it is. I just don't think that people who live in flats should never be allowed to own dogs, just because they live in a flat because that's what their circumstances dictate. Loads of people in cities living in flats have dogs, all over the world. I find MN very judgmental and unrealistic on this. I know a couple who live in a huge house with a huge garden. Over the past twenty years they've had three dogs, all three dogs have become obese within 18 months and imvho did not live a full life span due to their obesity and over feeding. Yet two of their dogs came from a rescue because the couple appear to be the perfect dog owners.

OP read loads, join borrow my doggy and do loads of walks make sure it's not just a novelty that will soon wear off. Your whole life changes with a dog, for me that is welcome and not a problem as I know that my dogs give far more than they take. You do need to ask if you're up to that and willing to change your life to accommodate that.

MsGameandWatching · 27/05/2018 10:56

And whatever you do don't get a beagle because "I've always wanted one even though I live in a third floor flat". Yes I know someone who did this and it was, as expected, a complete disaster.

MiddleClassProblem · 27/05/2018 11:12

I’m def not saying no one in a flat with no outside space shouldn’t have a dog. I’m saying as an ex rescue worker I’ve seen plenty of people with OP’s expectations and it not work out. I would say that the majority that it does work out for does not go in with a checklist of a dog they want rather than how they will work with the dog.

“That’s how it is” is awful when you see 7-10 dogs coming in a day on an average week. A day. That’s thousands a year at one centre alone. Sure there are many other reasons dogs came to us but a decent percentage was similar to this situation.

missbattenburg · 27/05/2018 11:18

I've known dogs live happily in a flat.. it takes a lot, though and they were brought in as adults.

They needed taking out for a walk/toilet at 7am, 11am, 3pm, 7pm, and 10pm without fail. They also - occasionally - needed taking out at 2am because they were not well.

At least one of those walks needed to be a good one (they were better if two were) - at least an hour or so of full on exercise and engagement to keep them calm at home. To be blunt, a trip round a park wouldn't have done it for them.

However, a puppy is a different kettle of fish. My pup took about 4 weeks to go through the night reliably so would have needed taking out several times in the middle of the night. They cannot give much warning so need to get outside to somewhere they can pee asap. You can use paper/pads but be aware this can prolonged the toilet training by quite a lot as the dog is trying to learn going to the toilet indoors is SOMETIMES the right thing to do.

The challenge you will have is

  • to choose the breed you are looking at a puppy and good breeders are going to be very wary of selling a dog to someone in your scenario without you being able to show you can and are prepared to go well above and beyond to meet the dog's needs in that environment.
  • to get an older, toilet trained dog you are looking at rescue and they are going to be have reservations (many won't rehome to someone in your situation)

The other option is to buy a dog from someone who doesn't care so much, in which case you will be supported sub standard breeding practises (a.k.a. farms).

Unless you know someone who wants to get rid of their perfectly socialised and well behaved dog? This was the scenario with the dogs I knew in a flat, but it is a rare one indeed.

You don't mention how much time you have for the dog - walking? working from home? etc...

MsGameandWatching · 27/05/2018 11:19

I totally get your concerns I assure you. I have just seen many threads like this and dog ownership in a flat is always judged and frowned upon heavily and often ridiculed as has been done on this thread, eg the Unicorn crack Hmm. I just know that it's perfectly possible to do and to do well and many people do it. What's wrong with giving a ton of practical advice along with the caveat of no it's not ideal etc. People will make up their own minds and better they do that armed with info rather than being made to feel like an idiot for even asking.

Kidssendingmenuts · 27/05/2018 11:21

If you don't have a garden I'm sorry but it's a no no! How will you take it out for it's toilet break before bed time when your seven year old is in the house on his own? It's not fair on the dog. Get a house cat or a bunny, but having a dog with no balcony and no garden is selfish on the dog.

Whitesea · 27/05/2018 11:25

OP have you ever had a dog before?

I think if you have had one, you would see that even if you could make it work, it isn’t fair on a dog. Despite how we have domesticated them, they are animals and copping them up is for our benefit, not theirs, and that simply isn’t fair.

Even if you were to rescue an elderky dog who didn’t want long walks and would be content to be indoors, it would be very hard. You would have big vet bills, increased likelihood of incontinence and she would not be so interested in playing with a little boy.

Your son seeking a guard dog is concerning too. What led to this? Is there a workaround where you could make him feel secure, get counselling to explore his fears etc?

polsha · 27/05/2018 12:00

avocados I'm not sure why you have quoted me and responded to the opposite of what I actually said. I never mentioned people taking dogs out in the middle of the night. I was replying to someone who said the dog would need out first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Not allowing the dog the freedom to pee during the DAY.

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 27/05/2018 12:07

@polsha Ah sorry I misread your post.

I'm off to have another cup of coffee...

polsha · 27/05/2018 12:27

No worries Grin

Ditzyitzy · 27/05/2018 14:58

Having a dog in a flat is fine if you can access somewhere for them to toilet quickly like a shared garden, otherwise definitely not ok. We recently moved from a first floor flat to a house and I don’t miss doing 5 walks a day or standing outside for hours throughout the night when she had bad belly.

iMatter · 27/05/2018 15:16

If your dog needs out in the middle of the night would you wake your 7 year old to come with you?

Fatjilly · 27/05/2018 16:27

I got my mini schnauzer as a pup when I was living in a small first floor flat. I was also single parent to a then 3 year old and had a cat, hamster, fish and newts. No problem.

Whitesea · 27/05/2018 16:31

Fatjilly Who benefitted from that arrangement? Most certainly not the animals.

Fatjilly · 27/05/2018 16:34

Whitesea if you only you could meet my animals. They are happy, healthy and live like royalty :)

Whitesea · 27/05/2018 18:20

Growing up I had a neighbour who adored dogs. She lived in a small house in a small village. When she died, they discovered forty plus dogs living in her house. She would say they were loved and cared for, I’m sure they were loved but were they living in a suitable environment? No.

Fatjilly · 27/05/2018 18:39

Ok Whitesea mine have just had a nice long walk, eaten their rather expensive dinner and are now sprawled, paws in the air, on the sofas. I’ll report myself to RSPCA immediately :D

Lonecatwithkitten · 27/05/2018 18:43

Polsha i didn't mean those were the only times you took the dog, but that unlike those of us who have a garden and can just the dog out for it's first and last thing wee. In a flat you gave to get up get dressed and go out walking. Yes every dog needs taking out several times a day. But I also suggested that the dogs I know walk to and from work each day , hang out in the office and go out several times during the working day.

Original poster
AcrossTheOcean · 29/05/2018 12:56

Just wanted to say thank you for all the responses! Haven't made it through them yet, but will do.

I work part time and partly from home, so am very available...do people really feel a cat's alright with no garden? Also, the building I live in has tons of dogs and not many have a balcony. Also, I think an older rescue dog could be very good if he's friendly and quiet-ish 🙂 Barking is the main concern, though we are isolated somewhat in a corner flat and the other thing is loads of kids around. I do think it is possible but nowhere near a decision, just starting to think...

OP posts:
mrsjoyfulprizeforraffiawork · 29/05/2018 13:25

I think it is fine to have a dog in a flat (I do in a first floor flat, but I also have my own garden just across from my front door for those "runs" times and I have a balcony so a bit easier from my point of view). Lots of my neighbours have dogs too. I would say, though, having had a large dog until a year ago and now a medium-sized one, better not to have a large one - she was lovely and well behaved but it was difficult for us both to get past each other sometimes. I do think you should have an adult rescue from a reputable rescue organisation who will consider which dog is suitable for you (and which dog you are suitable for). Some won't let you adopt if you don't have a garden so shop around. I think Battersea are good. My dog gets 3 good walks a day (about 45 mins to an hour each time) and also pops out for a wee at bedtime. She is quite an energetic girl (she is 5 and a terrier type) so you might want one that is not so energetic and doesn't need quite such long walks.

sunshinesupermum · 29/05/2018 13:33

A cat is far easier if you are in a flat and have no garden.

Original poster
AcrossTheOcean · 07/06/2018 03:33

Yes, a car is sounding much easier, but is it ethically okay to have a house cat? I know people who have had one even two in flats, but my husband and good friend would likely think this is cruel to cats....

OP posts:
Original poster
AcrossTheOcean · 07/06/2018 03:34

By the way, my son wanted a guard dog because he liked the sound of it, I think

OP posts:
LapsedHumanist · 07/06/2018 03:40

I think your only option is a very tiny toy dog. Smaller than a cat kind of size.

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