Apartment Living

[Guest kineticpoet]

Does anyone have tips on apartment living and could possibly explain the best potty schedule you have come up with? After a recent break up I'm moving out of my home with a nice big back yard in to an apartment with just a small balcony/porch. I want to bring Draco. I may also need to get him a dog, since he's very skiddish on his own. Anyone else made this transition before?? How did it go?

[tydyelady]

Opie came from a foster home (5 months) with a house that had a back yard. Although we have a house, and a very nice yard, it is not fenced. He really adjusted well to leash walks. He loves to go for walks, so that was a plus. In the beginning we took him out very often, and gradually decreased, as he got the point of going out on a leash. We now take him out 4 times a day, sometimes 1 extra time if our schedule fluctuates and we will be out late or something.

It goes like this:

8:00 AM - Long walk

10:00 - short pee walk around the house.

Between 5:00 and 7:00, depending when we get home - another long walk.

11:30ish, last walk before bed. DH walks him on this, and it could be for a while, if he thinks he needs to poop.

So, I don't think you should have a problem. It would be nice if you could be home with your pup for at least a few days or so after moving, to try to get the new schedule going.

Good luck!

[DevilDog]

I live in a small apartment (750 sq ft), just me and Roscoe. It's pretty easy. Roscoe has an iron bladder and goes potty by my schedule. Our typical day:

 

M-F

Up at 8 for work. Roscoe eats his brekkie, and we go out for a short walk so he can do his business.

I come home from work around 5, we go out for a quick potty.

After I settle in, we go for a big walk (between 5 and 6)

Dinner around 7

Potty break before bed (10-11pm).

 

*in the summer there's another big walk thrown in there somewhere.

 

The weekends are a free-for-all.

[2greytgreys]

I'm in a 1,000 sq. foot townhouse with two greys and no fenced yard. Our schedule is out for a 20-30 minute walk at 7:00 then breakfast and I'm off to work. I come home at noon for a short walk 10-15 minutes then back to work. Home at 5:30 for another short walk 10-15 minutes then they get dinner. Around 7:30 they get a longer walk, about 30 minutes then they settle down till 10:00 for a quick last potty and then bed.

 

The weekends are anything goes depending on what we have going on. It's pretty easy and I've had 4 greys over the last few years and they've all settled in to this routine pretty easily.

 

It probably won't be too hard for you to find a routine that works for you. Good luck.

[Guest scfilby]

We live in a home, but do not have a fenced yard, so it is really the same situation.

 

Our potty schedule is about to change because DW is going on an extended vacation, but right now we have this and it suits the pups just fine..

 

6:30 am, potty walk in the yard then food.

Between 11:00am and 1:00pm potty walk in yard or down street weather depending.

Between 3:30 and 4:00pm food.

Between 4:30pm and 5:30pm potty walk in yard.

Sometimes the dogs will need to go out after 7:00pm, we only take them out before last walk if they ask.

Between 9:30pm and 10:00pm potty walk in yard..

 

After DW leaves, I will come home at 12 noon to walk the dogs, then they will be taken out at 5:00pm, then food, then likely out again by 7 and again at 10..

[Guest LunaTygerCat]

My schedule rotates every two weeks from nights to days, but I live in an apartmnent as well. SO depending on the day. UP at 5 a.m. or p.m., I take her out. Feed her brekkie while I get ready, then take her out one more time about an hour and half later. I am blessed to have a really nice neighbor who comes over when she gets off at work at and lets her out around 3 pm or takes her out beofre she goes to bed if I am working nights. Then she will either give Athena brekkie or dinner for me since I work 12 hour shifts. My girl can go up to ten hours without a break, but i keep it between 7-8 if I am home sleeping. We take big walks twice a day regaudless.

[Guest auforygirl]

I have been through almost every living condition except homeless and it does sort of depend on the dog because my Pretty Girl can deal with just about anything. I am currently living in an apartment but it is awesome they even have a "bark park" it isn't large but it is fenced in. I have also been in a 3rd story apartment with the worst steps possible and she still did ok. She did love being in the house with the fenced in backyard the best and I am sure she misses it but she loves seeing people and getting to play with the neighborhood kids and dogs. As for schedule it shouldn't really be any different in fact don't change it will help the anxiety if the schedule stays the same but instead of just opening the door and saying out you actually now get to spend time with her/him which I am sure they will love even more. That is one thing that people with backyards forget is that dogs love going for walks with their people way more than just hanging out back by themselves.

[Guest gecko_foot]

Does anyone have tips on apartment living and could possibly explain the best potty schedule you have come up with? After a recent break up I'm moving out of my home with a nice big back yard in to an apartment with just a small balcony/porch. I want to bring Draco. I may also need to get him a dog, since he's very skiddish on his own. Anyone else made this transition before?? How did it go?

 

I haven't made this transition before, but I started out in an apartment. I'm also still new to greyhounds, so I'm sure I've made every mistake in the book. That being said, here's what works for me:

 

3 potty breaks during the day

 

#1 - as soon as I get up (7 AM or so)

#2 - when I get home (anywhere from 2 PM to 4 PM)

#3 - right before I go to bed. If it's raining, Tumnus doesn't always pee/poop.

[Guest Jubilee251]

I'm in an apartment/condo. Molly gets 4 potty breaks during the work week:

 

#1 - First thing in the morning around 6:15 AM. She pees and poops. We take a longggg run/walk or go to the dog park to play.

#2 - Anywhere from noon to 2PM, which is when the dogwalker comes and takes her out.

#3 - When mom and dad come home, around 6 PM. She usually poops here too, or at last call before bed. She gets a long walk when we come home, since she's usually bursting with energy after a day of sleeping.

#4 - Before bed, 9:30 or 10, and a short walk.

Edited April 4, 2010 by Jubilee251

[Hubcitypam]

Unless you have a dog door at your current house the exact same schedule he is on should work just fine.

 

When Poodle and I did time in the 480 sq. ft. Black hole of Calcutta we went out around 8, again about noon, about 6 and a last call about 10 p.m.

[Guest Erin]

I live in a tiny apartment with two greyhounds. My schedule is as follows...

 

5:30 -Walk around the block, then feed them

 

6:20 -Out for a walk to the end of the street for one last bathroom break before I leave for work

 

3:30 -Home from work. I take them out for 30min to 1 hour walk (it's a face-paced walk). The length of the walk depends on the weather and the rest of my day.

 

5:00 -Dinner for the dogs

 

Somewhere between 6:00 and 7:00 -Out for anything between a walk around the block to a 30 min. walk (I call it their "stiff walk" because I allow them to stop and stiff a lot.

 

9:30 -Walk to the end of the street for one last bathroom break.

 

I like having to walk them. I think it's good for all of us

[Guest greytmiles]

We have a big yard but no fence, so everything is done on-leash with Miles.

 

M-F

6:15 - short walk to pee / come in and eat

7:30 - long walk to pee and poop

5:00 - home from work / short walk to pee

6:15 - eat

7:30 - long walk to pee and poop

 

If he's not out cold by ~9pm I'll take that as a sign that he probably needs to go out one more time. This is a rarity with Miles. Otherwise he sleeps pretty much straight through.

 

Weekends are much looser, but the general time ratios are kept the same.

 

Erin

[Brindles]

Most greyhounds are pretty adaptable and shouldn't have trouble with the transition. Leash walking isn't all that bad unless it's raining or really cold. Mine had no trouble adjusting to an apartment at all. When they were younger I would take them to the park every day to run. Now that they're older it's just a few short walks a day and we take a long walk around the park 3-4 times a week.

[GeorgeofNE]

Does anyone have tips on apartment living and could possibly explain the best potty schedule you have come up with? After a recent break up I'm moving out of my home with a nice big back yard in to an apartment with just a small balcony/porch. I want to bring Draco. I may also need to get him a dog, since he's very skiddish on his own. Anyone else made this transition before?? How did it go?

 

I haven't made this transition before, but I started out in an apartment. I'm also still new to greyhounds, so I'm sure I've made every mistake in the book. That being said, here's what works for me:

 

3 potty breaks during the day

 

#1 - as soon as I get up (7 AM or so)

#2 - when I get home (anywhere from 2 PM to 4 PM)

#3 - right before I go to bed. If it's raining, Tumnus doesn't always pee/poop.

 

I don't think three times is enough. Unless it's freakishly bad weather.

 

I have leashed walked for the past 18 years. Two different dogs, obviously! Minimimum of four times a day (and four only because I'm on the third floor, and George was told to avoid stairs--it's been five times a day for 17 years!).

 

We do the following:

 

First thing in the AM, quick trip outside for tinkles.

 

Breakfast for the dog.

 

Long walk.

 

I go to work.

 

I come home, dog goes out FIRST THING for a break.

 

Feed him--and I have eliminated the after dinner walk because of his spine, but normally would have taken him for a shorter walk to the park.

 

Out before bed.

 

I do consider four times the bare minimum, and one of those should be a LONG walk for exercise, not just sniffing around. Brisk walk to get the heart rate up and keep the muscles in shape!

[Guest NJgrey]

We're in a townhouse, no fenced yard.

 

Weekday schedule:

 

6:30am - quick potty right outside our door area

breakfast right after

8am - 45 minute walk, includes potty breaks. try to have "last call" at 8:45, right before we go in

work

5-5:30pm - fiancee gets home, quick outside potty break

play time

6ish - 20-30 minute walk

dinner

10:30 - quick outside potty

 

So 2-3 designated pee/ poop breaks and 2 walks. Sometimes the 5-5:30 out is combined with the 6ish walk.

 

On weekends we'll wait another hr or so in the mornings, and another 1-2 hrs at night with maybe a couple more during the day. All depends on how active she's being.

 

Wish we had a yard but she does well with leash walks, it's rare that she won't go when we want/ need her to.

[Fruitycake]

You might want to try to get him used to his trips outside being on leash before the move and he *has to* potty on leash. Some dogs can be shy (Monty was exceptionally shy about doing anything on the leash for the first 3 months here, and we have no fenced yard). Getting him used to it before moving may mean one less thing for him to get used to after the upheaval of moving.

 

It can definitely be done, though! Good luck in your new digs.

[Guest burgerandfrey]

We lived with our previous greyhound in an apartment (4th floor walk-up no less) for about seven years. Our typical walk schedule, rain or shine, was: 15 minute walk before work in the morning, then we had a dog walker who lived in our building walk our grey at around 1pm. We walked her immediately again when we returned home from work at around 6pm, and again later that evening before bed. The dog walker usually took her on a 30 minute walk, and we took her on anywhere from a 30 minute to 1 hour or more in the evening. Sometimes the evening walk would include a run at a nearby fenced in field. In really horrible weather our girl would sometimes do her business quickly and then pull us back to the door, but most of the time we all looked forward to the walks. It was a healthy and calming ritual that we try to keep up with our current greys even though we now live in a house with a yard. We may not walk them four times a day, but we go for at least one long walk every day.

 

Most greyhounds do just fine in apartments, and you actually get to know a lot of your neighbors quickly if you walk a dog and live in a building with other dog owners (and since your building allows dogs... even big ones, there will most definitely be other dog owners). We were fortunate to live in the same building as a woman who ran a dog walking service, and provided discounts for in-building dogs since she didn't have to travel. We also got to know the other dogs and dog owners, which came in handy as well. We shared apartment keys and could always call on each other for help if someone got stuck at work or couldn't make it home for some reason. Dog buildings are great because they seem to be stronger communities than buildings without dogs. I never got to know most of my neighbors until we started walking a dog every day. We often made plans with neighbors to walk the dogs together, and once a week we met in the courtyard of the building down the street (which also allowed dogs) and everyone brought a dog and a bottle of wine or some beer and we would just hang out... usually a dozen people and a dozen dogs. So your dog may have plenty of companionship even if you don't get another dog of your own.

 

I think the biggest issue might be separation anxiety from being in a new place. This is where the dog walker in our previous building was so wonderful. It wasn't really an issue with our grey, but she had an arrangement with some dog owners that she would let their dogs hang out in her apartment or she would go by just to check on them or say hi several times a day.

 

Sean

[Guest Drumhellergrey]

I don't live in an apartment , but I didn't have a fenced yard at first, so I wanted to add my too cents worth here.

 

In my opinion, and I see a lot of other have stated or hinted the same, is what ever you do, try and stick to the same routine. Greys are very routine oriented. They do well in a closed in setting as long as they have their daily routines met.

 

Have I mentioned routine? ... looking back at what I have written it appears that I have said ROUTINE a lot...

 

Edited for spelling, and also to add one more ROUTINE

Edited April 7, 2010 by Drumhellergrey