Moving from a house to a flat

[Expectalot]

I have a 9 year old Spaniel who has always lived in a house with a garden. We're about to move to a flat with no garden. Is this unfair on the dog or will he just adapt. He's always walked 3 times a day at least, sometimes more. Am I setting myself up for problems?

I moved into a flat with my spaniel of a similar age when I separated from my ex-husband as I couldn’t afford a house. It’s been fairly straightforward, the main downside is having to get up in the morning and immediately go out for a walk. No leisurely cup of tea first! We probably go out around six times a day - 3 longer walks and 3 quick toilet breaks. It’s certainly manageable and DDog has adapted very well.

I've known dogs in flats kept very well. Like, pp, that requires their owners to be prepared to take them out several times a day - more than they'd ask to go in the garden because they are so reliant on you. 5 or 6 times a day is probably about right with a good proportion of that being more than just a toilet stop. Do also think about older age: older dogs may need to go out more often than that and may need to go out in the middle of the night. They may not be able to hold it for 10 mins while you finish what you are doing etc.

Get yourself the right gear: i.e. a long waterproof overcoat, preferably with hood and slip on water proof boots. You need to be able to get outside quickly and get back to bed quickly while staying warm and dry

Like pp, you'll probably have to say goodbye to leisurely wake ups also.

He’ll be fine, you just need to make sure they get enough toilet opportunities.

Personally I wouldn't do this with an older dog as he may struggle to hold it and struggle with the stairs as he ages. Could you carry him up and down the stairs if it came to that?

It's more an issue for the humans than the dog as they have to physically go out too rather than just opening a door. Having to wander about the street in PJ's every hour or 2 when dog has the shits or if feel like death yourself isn't fun but it becomes your normal.

My dogs all preferred going out for walks as has more sniffs and interesting sights available than the garden. It's nice to have the convenience of a garden to potter about, sunbathe and play/train but you can do those things elsewhere too. It's actually quite good for oldies if still have easy access outside as doing more frequent short walks aids mobility.

I'm really not sure why rescues make a big deal having a garden and specify size ( sure fence safety Is important) because only a few dogs really do need own private space and often what happens is people use a garden (especially big ones) as an excuse to not need to take the dogs out.

We lived in a flat for about 6 months with our previous dog. He adapted easily. In the first few days he was a bit confused about where his home territory began and ended. But that was a brief period and otherwise he was perfectly fine.