Having a Dog in the City--especially in an apartment?

Question

I have a wonderful dog. However he's a 1 year old and a mixed breed of husky and german shepard with lots of energy. I just recently found out that I need to move closer to NYC so i have to live in a studio apartment.
Is there any way to keep a 40lb dog happy in that kind of space (roughly 600 sq ft)? I realize that I have to walk him but he's not very good in the crate--in fact he thinks that the crate is a jail and promptly tries to escape it.
However if i don't crate him i'm afraid he might tear something up (like a pillow or the sofa). How can i get him to calm down in his crate and realize it's not an evil thing? I tried luring him in with treats and covering the crate but nothing works. I think he's happiest out of the crate.

I really don't want to give up my dog...he means everything to me so hopefully someone here can help :(

Answer 1

having a dog in an apartment is tough. I have (2) 55 lbs. dogs in a one bedroom apartment. however it is much larger then what you will be in. try the crate again, but be patient, leave the door open and let him go in on his own. don't cram him in there and be sure it's large enough for him. my pit goes in just fine now, but before I had some trouble. I made sure the crate was clean. (wash it out with bleach, even the slightest smell of another dog will make him not go in) just be sure you give him PLENTY of exercise to burn off some energy and you should be just fine. also, keep the t.v. on or some sound it helps keep the dog calm. Don't put a lot of toys with him, you need to remember that he is a Dog! not a kid, one toy is plenty, too many and he could get really territorial.

Answer 2

So sad to say this but that combination will be very hard to keep in an apartment. Huskies are a breed that gets lonely and howls, as you probably already know, they're escape artists who love to run and if they're bored, they can be destructive. If your dog is more Shepherd in nature, it is possible for him to live in an apartment but, because of their watchful and protective nature, hearing the apartment noises when he's alone could make him bark and fret.

My dog loves her crate but that happened in the puppy stage. I've never had luck getting a dog that hadn't been trained to a crate to start seeing it as anything but a punishment... hopefully someone else will have had better luck and some suggestions.

Answer 3

This dog is only a year old and weighs 40 pounds.He will get bigger. That is a fact.
I had an 85 pound German Shepard that was a house dog. We moved into a 2 room apartment and he lived there with us. We did go on lots of walks. He was a member of the family and he was never in a crate. He was also taught not to bark inside. The only way anyone knew that there was a dog there was if they saw him.

Answer 4

I have 3 dogs. 2 pound puppies 1 a giveaway. One from the pound was obviously crate trained as a pup, he loves it. The other pound puppy, would go psycho, would crap and pee and smear it everywhere, she actually chewed out of the plastic airline one, and then chewed through several spots on the metal one. Obviously, she wasn't crate trained. So, you can keep trying and be persistent, it'll take time, and hopefully he doesn't bark and howl the whole time you're gone(and annoy neighbors), or maybe try keeping him in the bathroom while you're gone? I'm a big fan of crate training puppies, for exactly the reasons you have. Good luck.

Answer 5

Don't give him up! They have doggie day cares, where he can go while you work or you can hire a dog walker to take your dog out several times a day. If that's too costly, get him a bigger crate and plenty of bones and toys to keep him busy. I also leave the radio or TV on for my animals when I leave. Good luck! You'll do the right thing!

Answer 6

It depends on the dog.

With training, most dogs can learn to accept the crate. This page has links to lots of articles on crate training.
http://www.uwsp.edu/psych/dog/lib-SpecTrain.htm

Since he's a young dog of an active breed, you will need to spend lots of time exercising him AND training him (to exercise his mind as well). Find an activity that you both enjoy (obedience, agility, tracking, frisbee etc) and a good instructor and have some fun with your dog.

Answer 7

I think it is cruel to keep a large dog like that cooped up in such a small space. He will not be happy. There will barely be room for you to move around, much less a large dog. It would be even more cruel to keep him crated all the time.

Answer 8

keep the tv or radio on the news or a classical station when you are not there. it is soothing for dogs to hear noise when they are alone. also, put a pillow and lots of comfy toys, etc. in there so he can feel at home. put the dog in the cage for like 10 min one day when u have time. sit next to the cage and keep him calm. he will realize there is nothing to be scaed of. if all else fails, box off an area that there is nothing to tear up, like in the kitchen.



good luck!!

Answer 9

A 1 year dog is still a puppy (an old puppy) and they can learn new thing. It seems you love your dog, so don't let him down and try it. I've got a dog of similar features living in an apartment and coming from a shelter. She got used in a few weeks although she still fears big noises.

Answer 10

I've had dogs in big homes and tiny homes, and what I've tried to do is to imagine myself in their place - alone, bored, and holding their business for hours on end. The solution I've come up with is lots of attention and exercise (of course), doggy videos on auto-repeat (check with your local pet store and try it out first while you're home), lots of chew toys and rawhide, something with your scent to keep them comfortable (like a slightly sweaty shirt), and try to give them room to move. This may require you to train him not to chew inappropriate items, and you may have to replace or repair a few things, but he's worth it. I have never used cages, because I wouldn't want to be in one, either. However, I know some people put a sheet over the crate to make it more like a natural den (of course, don't overheat your dog, and make sure he has plenty of fresh air flow, as well). As a last resort, try creating a special section just for him in your home, where he won't be able to do too much damage. In any event, as he matures, he should become less destructive as he learns what is acceptable and what isn't. Use positive reinforcement (praise for good behavior) and always provide alternatives, for example, don't chew watches, chew rawhide bones instead (yes, I had a dog once who liked to chew watches, of all things. And yes, she was worth the loss of a couple watches and she later outgrew it as I got her into rawhide and she was taught not to chew watches).