I'm looknig for some advice about getting a dog and living in a flat. I've checked with the landlord and he is fine with it.

I'm guessing that we won't be able to get a rescue dog as we have no garden obviously.

So now I'm trying to research what sort of dog go for.

I was thinking of something small, maybe a Jack Russell but I'm worried about it barking. I've always had big dogs before and small dogs seem to be more yappy. I would prefer to get a mixed breed really.

It may be on it's own for up to 7 hours but only once or twice a week every third week (due to shifts).

Is it mean to get a cage for it to sleep in if we get a pup and to put in while we go out at first?

Any advice would be appreciated.

I don't see any problems at all with having a dog in a flat as long as he gets out for plenty of exercise.

A small dog would obviously be better due to the smaller space.

Dogs usually bark with frustration due to lack of exercise. Excess energy is expended through barking or some other anti-social behaviour such as destroying things.

You don't always jhave to use a crate but they're not cruel as long as the dog has room to move around inside. Don't forget dogs in the wild sleep in dens so a crate can in some cases be a comfort to the dog. The idea is to use the crate as the dog's refuge/bed with the door left open when you're around and closed when you're not.

Good luck.

Hey, yeah most dogs like being in crates, this is also apparently good for toilet training, as long as the dogs got space, and you don't send it there as a punishment then you won't have a problem.


Do tell the dog off when it barks, re-enforce it constantly (I.E, every time some one buzzes to come up). Good that you're getting a small dogs, big dogs hips will be damaged due to going up and down stairs.

A good way to teach a dog when to bark and when not to bark is with treats.

Hold a treat, and say 'speak' repeat it until the dog starts barking then reward with the treat. Repeat the exercise.

Once you've conditioned the dog to bark when you want him to you now want to teach him to stop barking on command. Give the 'speak' command and when he barks give a 'quiet' command. As soon as he stops barking give him s treat. Repeat.

Once the dog is conditioned to respond to these commands you give the 'quiet' command when you leave him in the flat.

I don't think that all rescues would refuse to let you have a dog just because you live in a flat. They're usually more concerned about the amount of time that the dog would be left alone. You would need a letter from your landlord agreeing that you can have a dog though, so it might be worth checking out some rescue centres.

The rescue we got our last doglet from preferred to rehome to flats as it meant the dog would be taken out rather than kept in a back garden all the time. Sadly they are no longer in business but there must be others out there.

Thanks for all the advice (I was half expecting to get told not to have a dog in a flat)

Any thoughts on breeds that you reccommend? As I say I'm thinking of Jack Russell but worried about how noisy they might be I don't want to annoy the neighbours.

I will also check out a few rescue centres.

Well we have had a long coat Chihuahua, a Jack russel x lakeland terrier, a jack russel x corgi, a collie x retriever and a Yorkshire terrier. All have at times barked (postman arriving, workman in flat etc) but the neighbours cope the key we have found is to let them know if you are likely to have a barking incident lasting longer than the postman arriving and then they forgive us, especially if we forgive them having a party or something as well.

I'm going to ask a serious question here, and it's not a 'go' at anyone.

Why would anyone want to have a pet like a cat or a dog, and then put it in a 'cage' or any sort at all? That doesn't seem right to me, fair enough for a tiny bird or small thing like a gekko, snakes, but for dog?

Like I said, this aint a dig, I'm not quite getting why you would have a dog and want to put it in a cage?

I don't want to put it in a cage, but I don't want it shredding my house either when I'm not there to keep it occupied.

I wouldn't leave it closed in a cage while I was in the house.

Isn't keeping an animal like a dog in a cage a bit, well... cruel?

How long are you expecting to leave it caged up when you are not in the house? Do you mean when you are out at work 8 hours a day or something? Are the people you are looking to get your dog from, aware that you intend caging it up for 'x' amount of time? I'm really sorry if this is coming across as negative, but I am seriously not getting why you would want a pet like dog, and be happy to shove it in a cage at all.

A crate trained dog can actually be a happy dog - our old chi and corgi cross were both crate trained and they loved their little homes, they felt safe and would go into the crates to sleep or get away from the more boisterous members of the family. They both traveled well in their crates and when we went on holiday settled in new environments much better being able to get into their home from home than they ever did if we left the crates at home.

I have a dog in a flat. She's a lab/collie/puli cross, and is actually quite small, more puli/collie size than lab. To be honest, I think my lack of a garden means she gets MORE exercise- every time she needs the toilet, I have to actually take her out for a walk, rather than just lazily opening a door.

When I go out she doesn't trash things. Mind you, I was kind of lucky in that when I got her as a puppy, I was working nights, so when I went to work she was sleeping anyway. But she's pretty good about being left; I try not to do it much, but, even though she's absolutely mental, she doesn't destroy our stuff or p*ss or crap everywhere.

I was told cage training was the best way, but I find I sleep better if she's sleeping on the bed. (OK, she's finding it a bit weird adjusting to my new girlfriend coming over, but she's getting pretty good at "OK, now I go sleep in the basket... I can come back and sleep on their feet later" logic).

The OP clearly states 'when it is a pup, when we go out - at first'.
I really don't think the OP has plans to keep the dog locked up in a cage EVERY time he/she goes out for the rest of the dog's life, but when a pup it is safer for the dog and also safer for the flat - dogs can cause a lot of damage before they have been trained.
It makes perfect sense to keep a dog in a large cage while alone as a pup.
I have known of other much more perplexing attitudes to dogs - one family I knew years back kept their dog in the kitchen at all times - except when it was allowed in the garden.
The only time it ever had any human company was when one of the family were in the kitchen or garden - THAT is when I question 'why have a dog?'.

With the exception of Stoatie, who has explained that living in a flat makes them actually give their dog/s more exercise than maybe if a garden was available and that their pets dont' rip or trash the place up, and has been good enough to explain that they were advised that it was recommended, I have made it clear that I was not having a go at anyone. I was asking a question as to why anyone would keep an animal like a dog caged up, even when they are a puppy. It is a crime to ask a question on here?

I've not made any assumptions on how long the OP may or may not placing their new pet in a 'cage'. I asked the OP a question, without making any assumption on how long their pet to be was to be kept in a restrictive cage. For all I know, it could be a cage the size of a 'run'. So let's not jump down my throat for it. If I was all knowing, I would not have asked what I thought was a very reasonable question. If a pet needs to be kept in a cage as part of it's training process, I don't think that sounds great. Sorry, but that's the way I view it. I ASKED because I am unaware of the why's.

Yeah, cage (or crate) training isn't as cruel as it sounds. It's actually more to do with giving them their own space that is entirely THEIRS. Dogs being very territorial animals, this is quite important. I didn't do it, because I thought it SEEMED cruel, but with hindsight, it wouldn't have been such a bad thing behaviour-wise; and it may have made her a bit more secure in terms of knowing which spaces belong to which people. Mind you, the point still stands- I like my dog sleeping on my bed, so I'm glad I didn't, really.

Thank you Stoatie. I've not had a dog so I've no idea what their behaviour is as cats rule the roost here. From what you've explained, sounds though it's a case of the dog sees the 'caged' area as 'its turf' so to speak and it's own bit. I get that, and reading it like that makes sense.

Dude, calm down. I was not jumping down your throat, I was merely trying to help answer your question by pointing out what I did about the OP.
Don't be so sensitive.

Fair enough. like I said, I have never had a dog. My thing is cats and my house/garden and any other area she feels like calling her own turf, is her own turf. What Stoatie explained makes sense, it might seem cruel, but there is good logic to it, as long as the animal isn't stuck in there for hours a day.

May I also implore dog owners to teach/condition your dog to not howl when you are absent. They do that because they see you the owner as the pack leader, & if you are away then they can howl until your return (it goes back to the wolf ancestry thing).

I am just making this point because the flat below me used to have a dog & every time they went out for the evening it would howl for hours. It was really stressful. Such a relief when they moved.

Cheers

It's all good.
I have cats now myself - ten of them (only because one just had a litter of 7 ).
When I was young we always had dogs and my dad would always construct 'runs' in the front room for when we were out, but only when they were pups, for all the reasons pointed out.
You are right tho that anyone who intends to use the locked cage/crate for the length of the dog's life and for their own benefit (like not wanting the dog to have free run of the place) then these are the people that should not be dog owners.
Like you, I am passionate about providing proper care for our animals - to the extent I even think it is a certain amount cruel to only have one of any given species.
Not sure if it is Sweden or Switzerland (or somewhere else lol) but one country I read of recently has introduced a law that forbids having just one of any animal - making it animal cruelty.

That's exactly what I'm worried about, I don't want that to happen. How do you train a dog not to do that though?

I guess the word cage does not make it sound very nice. I am thinking a small Jack Russell size dog in a cage a few square feet so it's be like it's own little space with bed and toys.

That only really applies if you've trained them properly. Sheena is SO well-behaved among other dogs and people (she's just generally good-natured and loves everything, which can cause problems in itself- I once had to rescue her when she tried to make friends with an angry swan...), but at home, she thinks she's the one in charge (and she's probably not wrong to think that). I never quite got that power dynamic right.

The upside is that she doesn't howl when I go out.

I thought I was calmly explaining why crates can be OK if it came across another way I apologise but I am puzzled how else you could have taken it

Glad we got it sorted ! Seemed a bit that I was getting pounced on (dog...pounce... bad joke) on for asking, if I took it all the wrong way, I apologise.

Funny you say about one animal only possibly being cruel. Till about 2 years ago, I've always had more than one cat.

I've been strugging for months about another cat for my current fur on legs, for company. I think all hell would break loose as she's the most territorial pet I've ever had, WWIII would break out. Never quite experienced a tiny cat having such a issue over their patch when the 'regular strays' come visiting.

I'm still tempted tho.