My husband and I live in a flat, and for various reasons moving to a house is not an option. We have resisted getting a dog in the time we've been here as we both worked full-time. A little while ago, my husband was medically retired and now he has set up his own small business working from home. We have discussed the possibility of getting a dog but we don't know whether we're being totally selfish as we don't have a garden, live in an upper flat and have two cats. We do have access to a (shared) yard, we have a car and live not far from a beach, there is a large park at the end of our street with a securely fenced 'free play' area for dogs. I work about 15 minutes away from home and am on a flexitime system, so if there was ever a day when my husband had to be away from home, I could come home at lunchtime and spend about an hour with the dog. We've done some research into costs etc; we already have a good vet and we have both had dogs in the past. Although we both instinctively hanker after a puppy, we would happily consider a small adult rescue if that were more practicable. We were both 'big dog' people in the past - Retrievers, Springers, GSDX, Border Collie X - but accept that a breed of that size and boisterousness is probably not best! The smaller breeds we both like are Cocker Spaniels, Shelties, whippets and Cairns. We could carry a small breed down the stairs on the way to walks so its joints weren't damaged by too much running up-and-down. Is having a dog after all this time a feasible dream, or are we being selfish? I'd appreciate realistic advice, especially if anyone is in a similar situation and manages to keep a dog happy.

Btw my neighbour, also in a (smaller) flat has a Dalmation and a Staffy cross!!

hi maddy,
i think being in a flat with a dog is not an ideal situation for a dog to be in especially if you do not have a garden,i know many people who live in flats with dogs and personally i think that it is wrong (but thats my opinion) i
know of a person that lived in a flat with a SBT but had it taken away from them due to a noise abatement order (sp),i dont know of any rescue that would rehome a dog in a flat without a garden (but i dont know of any either that would rehome a dog in a flat period),i know you mentioned that you husband works from home and could spend most of his time with a dog,but say for instance that you both have to go out?whats going happen to a dog then?.
cant you doggy sit for some friends?? at least that way you havent got a dog permanantly living with you but it would give you the doggy company that you so obviously crave.
good luck
jane :)

i don't think being in a flat with no garden should be a reason for you not to have a dog - i have a Dane x Boxer boy, and a GSD girl and i'm in a [granted very large] second floor flat with no garden either! They get two big walks a day - we're in a village, so there's countryside all around and parks also - and get toilet trips throughout the day as well. They're happy with this arrangement, and so are we :)
You sound like a great home for a dog - you have the time, you have done your research, you have space close to home for walks, and the dog will have company for a good portion of the day. You've even found a vet - Go for it!!
One thing i would say though is don't get a puppy, it's really REALLY difficult to deal with a pup if you have no garden!!!
Those smaller breeds you mentioned sound like good choices, but have you considered a greyhound at all?? You said you were "big dog" people, and they really are wonderful pets, very calm and relaxed.
Good luck in your search for the perfect addition to your family!!!

Annette

i agree as long as you have the time and love to give to a dog, you can provide it with a good home. If other residents don't object the dog could go to the shared yard morning and before bed to do it's business, and as you said theres plenty of places nearby for you to take it.
annette is right though, dont get a pup think how hard toilet training will be there are so many dogs in rescues that would appreciate all the love you have to give so go for it :)

Hi Maddy i live in a flat too and i had the same worries as you do before i got my dog.
living in a flat doesn't preclude you from giving a loving home to an animal by any means.

housebreaking is made slightly trickier because you have to go a little bit further than if you were just letting the dog outside the back door but it's not that much hassle - housebreaking is always gonna be tricky!

you should check with your neighbours/other people in the block too that they are happy about it and make sure they know that you will clean up after him.

surely people who live in houses sometimes have to go out at the same time too - what do they do with their dogs?!!!
you can get a crate/cage for your dog to give them somewhere safe to be left alone - there's loads of info on crate training on this board.

you're doing lots of research / weighing up of pros and cons etc which is great. if you feel you are ready for the responsibility of owning a dog then go for it, don't let the fact you live in a flat put you off - if you love and look after your dog he won't care where he lives!!
good luck and let us know whatever you decide.

Hi Maddy,

Cairns make excellent "flat" dogs. I knew many who were happy and healthy residents of NYC, real urbanites. A Cairn would be happy to zoom around your flat at top speed and not care in the least that there isn't a garden out the back. They will do fine with walks on the street, in the shared garden and running on the beach. Your husband will have some lovely company at home while he works.

Considerations are whether or not you are both up to walking an adult dog at least four times a day. Rain, snow, early morning, late evening .. when you are feeling lousy. A puppy would be more difficult to housetrain because they would need to go outside often. And if your husband actually needs quiet time to work, forget a puppy. If you do decide on a puppy, whatever the breed, I would ask the breeder to select the puppy for you that is the most laid back and quiet. Their individual temperament is more likely to fit well with flat life and a home with two adults.

Small dogs have no idea they are small, so I would not be concerned that you've always been a "big dog" person.

Stacey

If you don't mind an older dog a Retired (or more often not up to winning) Greyhound may be just the thing. They are generally quiet (something to be considered in a flat) lazy, and happy with a couple of lead walks a day, and a chance to let of steam in a fenced area.

I have friends who own two dogs from pups in a flat, but they are first floor. It took them an awful lot longer to housetrain, as by the time leads were on to take them down the flight of stps to the communal Garden (Dogs allowed on a Good neighbour policy). They too luckily backed staright onto an area for excersis, in their case public access Woodland.

Flats are not ideal for a dog, anyone can see that. BUT, if you are prepared to give the time, then it can work. When my sister's youngest came out of the army him and his wife went to live in a fifth floor flat and they made it work. Obviously it is going to be harder, no opening the door an shooing them off down the garden to spend a penny, it's lead on and out for a walk! For that reason, an adult, possibly rescue dog could be the way to go, no problems house training.

Hope things work for you, John

Well,

It IS definately more work!!!!!!
I have shared a flat (okay, bedsit) with three dogs and a cat, and i actually moved to a house because of needing more room for the beasts.
But, it did work, and it can work for you too, IF you are prepared to put in the work!

The things i had to do was to make sure that all the dogs knew that the flat was NOT the place for playing daft games, and i spent a lot more time outside with them.

A puppy is very hard work, especially at 8 weeks, if you could consider an adult dog, or even a pup of say 6 months old, you will be saving yourself a lot of work, simpley because they can hold themselves longer for the toilet.

If you are determined to make it work, then it can, with careful consideration of the breed you choose, and lots an lots of exercise.

Em

We had our first dog as a couple in a flat. We didn't get a second one till we got a house. It is more work - lead on the dog and take it out every time she had to 'go', but if I hadn't we would have lost 3 years of having one of the most amazing dogs I've ever had. We had a shared back garden and the front garden was 'ours', so she did her business in the front - which meant no one else needed to complain. If we hadn't had that we were only yards from a public green we could have used (with access to about 20 dog bins though I swear we were the only ones who used them!).

I think if you're willing to put the work in and research the breed well then it certainly IS not only possible, but can be a GREAT arrangement!! Just choose a breed not known for barking (so as not to offend the neighbours) and who is a little more laid back (so probably not a working breed as you've nowhere to shoo them out to when they're wired - no offence to working breeds).

Best of luck!

Wendy