Anyone a dog owner in a flat?

[BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz]

We are at the very early stages of considering getting a dog. As in research mode, looking at taking at least a year to consider what would suit, lifestyle etc.

One thing I'm serious about is if anyone is a dog owner in a flat, and how that works for you / the breed you have.

We live in a built up area (lots of green spaces for dog walks though) and most properties in the vicinity are flats (houses converted rather than purpose built). We see plenty of people with dogs in the area so clearly some dogs live in flats, but I can't really just walk up to strangers and start interrogating them

I wfh so dog would be with me 100% of the time, we have two older primary aged dc, and my dh is home by 4pm every day. So lots of people around to play with / train / enrich doggy, but the lack of private outdoor space means no playing fetch in the garden in the mornings etc which I may struggle with.

We spend a lot of time on walks, at the park, beach etc and do mainly self catering cottage hols in UK, so feel like that side of thing sort of suits.

Anyone have a dog in a flat? How do you find it?

Ok, I have a small courtyard garden at my house. You can set it up perfectly well to support a dog for their toilet breaks. I have a patch in the corner which is a bit like a small flowerbed which has gravel on it. You could put grass you could put fake grass whatever - you like and you simply train the puppy first thing in the morning and last thing at night to go to the toilet there, obvs hose/clean up regularly. The other times they can go out to the park or go for walks on the street etc. works very well.

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz I also meant to say you can make this courtyard really nice and cosy for the dog - create areas of shade etc. My dog loves lying outside and it's only a small courtyard - enjoys being out in the summer, feeling the breeze lying in the shade and he will actively decide to just be out there chilling out.

Hey OP I leave in a converted house, first floor flat, and I have an 11 month old little terrier.
Living in a flat has never been an issue for him (or for my previous dogs who have always lived in flats)

When I had him, for the first month, I was staying in a house with a big garden, but my living area in the house was quite remote from the garden, so toilet-training was similar as if we were in a flat. We were going outside every 30 mins etc...
The only (non negligible!) difference was that it was a private garden so I didn't have to worry about the fact that my pup didn't have all his shots.
We've been back in my flat since he was 3.5 months old and we just got into a habit of going out frequently, and then less frequently and so on.

Now, we go out for walks 3 times a day, including a long walk in our big beautiful local park in the morning + wee breaks before bed and first thing in the morning in the front garden. I WFH so always available if he needs to go out.
He has a lot of off-leash time to run and play in the park, and home is for mental enrichment, training, cuddles and naps.

I've been very cautious with barking and happy to report that despite his breed being naturally vocal, he doesn't bark much. He's vocal but I think I accidently trained him to resort to a low growl rather than a bark.
Also, since we're on the first floor, he doesn't see the street.

Now, having a dog in a flat means that training must be very deliberate and tip-top. I spent (and keep spending) a lot of time training his recall and social skills so I can safely let him go off lead in the park. It wouldn't be fair to have a dog who's constantly on the lead and never give them the opportunity to run like crazy at some point.
Same with barking and with toilet training.

Everything needs to be thought through.
Some toys are out of his reach in the evening because he would just throw them around or squeek frantically and disturb the neighbours, I picked a small breed so I can easily carry him in the stairs etc...

So yes, I think a dog can be perfectly happy in a flat, but it's definitely more effort for the owner. I seriously never questionned my decision, he's an amazing boy, and he's totally worth it, but it'd be foolish to not consider the extra adjustments it takes.

I think it's doable with that setup (private directly accessible enclosed courtyard) but it's not something I would choose. I'm far too lazy. I love just having the patio doors open all summer and one of my dogs will absolutely not toilet on hardstanding so not being able to just chuck out the door for first morning and last night wees would irritate me.

Greyhounds are great in flats.

I have a small dog and live in a flat. Where I live (not the UK) the majority of people live in apartments and the majority have dogs too. Some don’t even have balconies. You just have to ensure they’re getting regular outside time, we take our dog for around 3/4 walks a day, and they always let us know when they want to go out. It’s definitely doable!

Complete and utter mongrel mutt! He’s medium size, built a bit like a whippet but isn’t. He’s a former street dog from Eastern Europe but has decided that sofa life is what he was born for

I was going to say what about a greyhound, my friend has one that seems to be more like a cat in the amount he sleeps!

We have a chihuahua-type mutt, who is lazy but “fit as a butchers dog” because she just runs everywhere she needs to go. We live in an apartment, no balcony, and she has a lovely life. Spends most of her time napping on an electric blanket until she is taken downstairs to potty twice a day, sometimes more if she needs to wee more often. She just sits by the door to let us know.

She liked toys as a puppy, but really just wants to sit on your lap. Garden not necessary! She loves a trip to the hardware or leather store, anything with nice smells and will happily spend an hour walking around those a couple of times a week, but is completely exhausted afterwards. If you’d consider a very small dog with a quiet temperament, I think there isn’t a problem.

I have an SBT in a first-floor flat. He's 13 now, so he's happy to curl up and sleep quite a lot!

I work from home, so around most of the time. We walk probably 4 times a day, first walk around 7am and final walk around 8.30-9pm.

I'd recommend getting an adult dog rather than a puppy, toilet training will be reallyyy hard going up and downstairs 50 times a day!

If you have extra time for walks (instead of letting them in a garden) then I think living in a flat makes no difference to a dogs quality of life

My hubby before we married had his dog in a top floor flat. She was perfectly happy let out often, walked everyday. I guess the only thing that may annoy people if the dog became a barker

For all practical purposes of dog ownership - you do have a garden, it’s just small. that’s fine. It’s somewhere to go to the toilet, do a bit of outside stuff and then walks are for exercise anyway.

So it’s just the practicalities of being upstairs that you need to think about - noise for downstairs and that if you get a puppy you’ll need to get carrying it up and down the stairs and then when they get old you might have to help it too... so breed choice will matter more than if you had a house is all.

If the green spaces are in an urban environment there is the possibility that the dogs exercise will often be restricted by having to be kept on a lead.

Please consider that when you choose which breed as working dogs, Sighthounds as it would be cruel to keep them under those conditions.

Dogs need mental stimulation as well as physical exercise and a pat on the head every now and then whilst you work from home isn't going to be very stimulating.

If the green spaces are in an urban environment there is the possibility that the dogs exercise will often be restricted by having to be kept on a lead.

Around my city all the parks are off lead dog areas, with only cemeteries being on lead and some beaches out of bounds May-September. It's a complete non-issue, and the about the same in the other two major cities I've lived in with Ddog.

In fact, we had the most access to green space in London, much more than in the small city we live in now. We had all of Hampstead Heath (800 glorious acres), Highgate Wood, Queens Wood, Waterlow Park, an old railway path, and Finsbury Park, all within walking distance.

On the other hand I find that ddog has to be on lead much more if we're in the countryside - there's sheep and other livestock blimmin' everywhere, and he's not to be trusted with them under any circumstances.

I got my dog 13 years ago when I was living in the family home which was a flat. And over 2 years ago I moved in to the middle floor flat I'm in now, and the dog adjusted fine. You just have to take him or her out more which isn't actually a bad thing because if you're needing a bit of time out then it's the perfect excuse.

Mines a terrier so a small dog and doing just fine. And just cos he's now 13 he's nowhere near slowing down yet

We live in a first floor flat, with a spaniel. We had to move here before our house is ready at the end of the year. Luckily, our boy doesn't bark EVER so no problem there. I walk him off lead 2 hours a day and he's let down stairs for a wee every few hours until we go to bed. Works fine for us but I can't wait to be able to just leave the back door open for his in and out wees!

Both my dogs would be fine in a flat - terrier hound and terrier. Both high energy but we’ve only had small gardens and they were for loo and mooching. When we stay with family we have to take dog out to the loo as they don’t have a suitable garden. That’s the only thing that’s a pain.

Exercise has always happened out of the garden.

Puppy would be hell LOL. Out every few minutes to begin with. But as long as you don’t mind taking them out a few times a day to the loo (current terrier is 2 - 3 times max) it’s no big deal.

I used to live in a flat with a greyhound and large mutt, we also stayed in a few hotels on 2+floors with a lift. . The stairs were my only worry with a big dog in case injured as I couldn't carry the 25kg greyhound up let alone 34kg mutt as nobody else at home to help me, but i used a support harness to aid them when old. I'd likely sorted some sort of doggy stair lift if not renting (and then used it to carry the shopping up).

It's more effort for the owner not being able to just open door directly to a garden especially early mornings, nights when have dire rear or when feeling ill yourself. As i didn't have a garden i'd do short street walks for toilet trips, but you just get used to your normal. I'd not get a puppy though as you'd soon be sick of the stairs and more chance of accidents on the way out. Also need area that's safe while not fully vac.

It was fine for the dogs and I think they preferred all the fresh sniffs & sights, as they'd usually find a scent they wanted over mark it was also more reliable they'd toilet while on walk than in the garden. We'd take longer walks to country park or hire field for runs. Had a small park nearby we could do some training or just sit out while nice.
The multiple toilet trips on lead did mean I was more aware of their habits and quicker to notice if abnormal and I'm sure it kept my greyhound more mobile in her senior years as with arthritis they actually need lots of short walks to help keep muscle tone but can end up sore/stiff after more usual 1-2 walks a day even when covering similar distance overall.

There are rescues that do consider adopters in flats and even more unusual living like vans or boats and your children are old enough for them to likely have suitable dogs . Often smaller rescues foster the dogs so have a good idea what they are like in a home. Some rescues may reject a flat straight off but all rescues are stuffed to brim at moment and adoptions slow so more are likely to consider what applications they do get in than when they had hundreds per cute dog.

My greyhound was great apartment dog as the breed is a bit cat like and calming to be around as some dogs are always on the go, so even though smaller are more noticable. Has zero watchdog skills so couldn't give a F* about neighbour noises and low barking. They usually like to spend the day flat out on charge, they'll have a blast of energy for few minutes to run or play but soon need to recharge the batteries. They do enjoy longer walks too but if it's raining or very cold out they'll be keen to get back indoors. They've all different personality's

We live in a flat (second floor) and it’s fine, lots of people have dogs and live in flats, when I lived in the states it wasn’t unusual for people to live in what we would consider highrises and own dogs of any breed.

I am in a second floor flat and my dog has lived with me here for 6 years. She is very happy. She gets 2 good walks a day (or 3 slightly shorter ones), can see all the passing people, dogs and cats from the window and hardly ever barks (except on dustbin day). She is a rescue staffy cross. I do have a tiny garden and a brick patio at flat level but she does not like to go in/on either unless I am there too. There about 44 flats in my cul de sac and at least 12 dogs.

Hello! I have a dog in a flat, he is a Dachshund X rescue. You need to take out for a few walks around the area for toilet purposes and I just do those separate to his main walks, it's honestly nice to get out for them though, especially if you WFH. I'm on the ground floor, but find that a bit irrelevant as it's not a save space outside to let him on his own, so he just goes on toilet walks still, I've found it fine, but he's obviously a small breed (under 5kg)

I've got a large breed dog and whilst I have a house and garden, I've always said she'd be perfectly happy in a flat. Once she's had her big morning walk the only thing she does until her evening walk is move from sofa to sofa to bed and back again. She actually won't go into the garden without us anyway. I realise that she is a bit of an odd sort, and you could well end up with something insanely hyper, but there's surely some dog out there suitable.

Honestly, I wouldn't do it.

It's a pain in the arse.

We live in a ground floor flat with a small garden and our upstairs neighbours (it's a maisonette) also have access to a small garden. We have a Pug and they have a Jack Russell ans it's all working well. 😀If you have access to a small courtyard that's all you need for potty training and then you can take the dog out for longer park walks.

Ours just uses the garden yo pee or lay around if we are outside with him. Otherwise he prefers to be indoors with his people (loves his walks though).

Our dog is like yours 😂