Is it cruel?
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Is it cruel to consider getting a dog if I don't have a garden? I would definitely take it out for plenty of walks (at least 2 a day) but is it mean to not be able to let it out into a garden/ yard?
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My next doorneighbours have a little Staffy and no garden - they take him out a couple of times a day and he seems like a happy little thing...
We have a border collie and no garden... some might say that's a bad combination, but we've had no problems at all. He gets out for a walk around the block and to the park several times each day to go to the toilet, as well as a 2+ hour walk in the early evening, no matter what the weather. (not much fun when it's pissing down) Toilet training was a nightmare though because we had to be ready to run outside with him frequently and often in the early hours.
Funnily enough our dog is probably one of the most walked dogs in our area. A lot of the people here with gardens seem to think just letting their dog out in the garden a couple of times a day is enough for them.
We do agility with Barney too and spend a lot of time kicking his football down the hallway, which helps burn off some of his endless energy!
Aslong as you take it for walks i dont see the problem.
the only problem you will have is toliet training without a garden it might be hard but if you
prepared for that its fine.
Labradors require quite a lot of exercise. Also, it's not impossible to toilet train a puppy without a garden but I'd imagine it is very hard work! Rescue is a great idea, although I know some won't let you adopt unless you have a garden, which is a shame.
I mostly agree. I highly doubt any good rescue would rehome a labrador to you. I work with a dog rescue and we would never rehome a labrador to a home without a garden i'm afraid, although i wouldn't call it "a shame" At the end of the day, good rescues have in mind what is best for the dog, not the quickest way to get money out of rehoming a dog. I said im my previous post, smaller dogs, older dogs, or dogs that do not demand a lot of exercise would be best for you. NOT a labrador. It would require a lot or exercise ( hours and hours) and would really need a garden. referring to your oringinal question - yes it would be creul to have a Labrador in your living conditions.
Well, there are some breeds of dogs (perhaps an older dog of a certain breed) who would cope ok in a home without a garden, providing the lack of garden is accounted for with exercise etc.
I know. I'm just clarifying why I said "it's a shame".
Perhaps it would be better to not automatically rule out those without a garden. I appreciate it's because rescues only want the best for their dogs but I wonder if there are dogs in rescue who could be re-homed if each circumstance was taken into consideration. I don't know much about it so perhaps some rescues do actually do this.
ETA: the above wasn't directed at you cmariex, just general thoughts.
I don't agree with you, and I volunteer for dog rescue. Unless the OP have said things in previous posts, not having a garden does not equate to cruel living conditions. As long as the dogs are walked properly, what is the problem?
I have a tiny front garden that is not dog safe and next to a main road - my dog and my many previous dogs (I had 3 at one point) were on leads for wees in that garden, which is really no different from walking round the block with them. Many people get into the habit of thinking that the garden is OK for the dog and stop walking him/her - without a garden, you can't do that.
A lot of people get caught up in the hype of getting a new dog, love taking ot out for walks, letting it settle in. Then things can get a little routine, and they stop. Or they'll complain that the dog isn't house trained etc. I'm very surprised that a charity would allow you to simply tie your dog up and let it stand in it's own urine, unable to wander, simply because it is more conviniant for you. I don't know what kind of dogs you had, but for example, we curently have a labrador that a fosterer of hours has been walking TEN hours a day, and is still loppy in the house unless it's allowed out into the garden. And this is not uncommon with young dogs.
Labradors are a very sociable breed and most of them don't even enjoy being left alone in the garden. Mine only want to be outside when there is somebody else out there with them, they like to take part in whatever people are doing. When they are alone, they just wander about, play with eatch other a bit and then ask to be let back inside.
Dogs don't get any proper exercise running around in a garden, they get no mental stimulation and although I agree that it can be a bit harder to house train a puppy if you live in a house that doesn't have a garden, it's not impossible. And it's most definitely not cruel.
Where on earth did you get the idea that I tie my dogs up outside? They are on leads when they go for a quick wee in the garden very last thing a night and first thing in the morning- with me attached to the other end of them.
Anyone who is going to stop taking their dog for a walk shouldn't get one in the first place. A garden is no substitute at all for walks. The point being made is that not having a dog-safe garden forces many owners to walk their dogs, as they don't have the option of just opening the door and letting their dog out.