Dogs and Apartments

the_syco

Hello all,

My mates and his gf live in an apartment. His gf is getting a dog (mind set in motion, paid of ir, no turning back), and I'm wondering what advice to give him in regards toilet training? When Holly was a puppy, we'd bring her out the back and train her that way, but as my mate lives on the 2nd floor of an apartment, this won't be happening. He has a balcony, but it's the sort that has gaps in the floor, so that's a no-go.

So, does anyone have any helpful hints on how I can advise my mate to toilet train his dog?

As I said, helpful hints. None of the "don't get a dog" as he/she already has paid for it, so it's coming, may as well advise him the best I can.

Toulouse

Sorry if I'm being obtuse but I don't really get what you mean? If the dog is to be trained not to go in the apartment and the balcony is a no go then surely they should just train the same way you trained your dog except they'll have to go down 2 flights of stairs to do it.

Regular break outside after sleep, food, play, during the night, first thing in the morning and then lots of praise when the dog goes outside.

the_syco

Toulouse wrote: »

then surely they should just train the same way you trained your dog except they'll have to go down 2 flights of stairs to do it.

Seems they haven't told/asked the landlord. I just laughed at the mental image of trail of ****/piss leading from my mates apartment down to the garden outside. Ah, I showed him your post, and he understands, I think. I hope it works out for him, but as the doggy will be home alone for at around 12 hours a day, it'll be bored.

Oh, it seems it's a Jack Russell, and from what I know, they're fairly energetic dogs, so I pity the doggy

starfish12

I pity their neighbours, if a jack russell is left alone 12 hours a day next door, above or below them!

andreac

the_syco wrote: »

Seems they haven't told/asked the landlord. I just laughed at the mental image of trail of ****/piss leading from my mates apartment down to the garden outside. Ah, I showed him your post, and he understands, I think. I hope it works out for him, but as the doggy will be home alone for at around 12 hours a day, it'll be bored.
Oh, it seems it's a Jack Russell, and from what I know, they're fairly energetic dogs, so I pity the doggy

:mad:

That is just awful, no words to describe it. Hope hes ready for his apartment to be completely and utterly wrecked!!

andreac

starfish12 wrote: »

I pity their neighbours, if a jack russell is left alone 12 hours a day next door, above or below them!

I pity the poor dog....:(

starfish12

Actually, andreac you're right, it might take the neighbours a couple of days to complain, maybe a week, and then the dog will have to go, so the poor dog will end up homeless.

cocokay

sorry but thats disgraceful leaving a dog alone for 12 hours a day. they are social animals who need affection, companionship & interaction. dogs trust etc wouldn't allow you a adopt a dog if it was going to be alone more than 4 hrs a day. i can see the place being chewed up and shat all over because he is bored and lonely, they'll get sick of it and there goes another dog off to the pound.

Toulouse

Listen I know you asked for people not to say 'don't get the dog' but really if it were my mate I'd be having serious words. Show him this post because I'm telling him it's a really really bad idea.

They will have their apartment destroyed, you cannot leave a dog for 12 hours a day, especially a pup. They will be swimming in pee and poo and they will never be able to toilet train that dog as they are not home enough. Their apartment will stink and the dog will eat everything in it. Their dog will be a prime candidate for developing behavioural problems.

Their landlord will find out, jrts are lovely dogs but can be yappy so they will get themselves in trouble. I see so many dogs surrendered to the pound as their owners have to move quickly.

I know there's probably very little you can do but really, this will not be a nice situation for anyone involved and if it were my mate I doublt that as a dog lover I'd be able to stand by and see them do this.

seamus

Cat litter. It'll work just as well for a dog, though it'll be messier as the dog will likely dig in it and drag litter through the house.

If they're getting an adult or adolescent dog, there will be accidents, but the dog already knows it shouldn't go to the toilet in the house, it will just take a few weeks to realise what the "house" is. When there's an accident, don't be screaming and shouting and punishing the dog. Sit the dog in his bed and clean it up.
They do need a routine though so the dog knows when the next toilet break is coming up. First thing in the morning, lunchtime, dinner time and before bed. Lead goes on, dog goes out and does their business.

If they're getting a puppy, then they're in for months of pain while the dog pees and poos inside the house at least five times a day and they manage to get him to use the litter first and then get used to going outside.

JRT's are small dogs but full of energy. They won't work as a "house dog" and will need to be brought out for walks. So the dog can't be hidden from the landlord by just not bringing it out. Plus they shed white hairs everywhere.

Their only real hope to avoid coming back to a house that's been destroyed and neighbours going mad is to bring the dog out for a jog first thing every morning. Build him up to a good solid 5 or 6km (though only if he's an adult) over a few months and the dog will sleep soundly for most of the day.

I am pie

If you can't stop him, at least convince him they need a dog walker or some form of doggy day care.

starfish12

its irrelevant, thats the sad thing. I live in an apartment and our neighbours had a dog they had to get rid of quickly.

It barked all day while they were at work, you could hear the poor thing fretting and scratching at the walls, the windows and the front door everytime anyone went by, their neighbours on the other side rang the mgmt co who rang the landlord who gave them 3 days to get rid of it.
Now the rules of the apartments clearly state pets aren't allowed, and maybe if you owned the apartment you could challenge it, but no landlord is going to tolerate that.

cocokay

starfish12 wrote: »

its irrelevant, thats the sad thing. I live in an apartment and our neighbours had a dog they had to get rid of quickly.

It barked all day while they were at work, you could hear the poor thing fretting and scratching at the walls, the windows and the front door everytime anyone went by, their neighbours on the other side rang the mgmt co who rang the landlord who gave them 3 days to get rid of it.
Now the rules of the apartments clearly state pets aren't allowed, and maybe if you owned the apartment you could challenge it, but no landlord is going to tolerate that.

that is really sad, the poor thing. are they renting the apt? would they not rent a house instead? how will they train him if they are gone 12 hours a day? it will dark leaving and dark coming home, then it will be oh its cold and rainy i don't feel like bringing him out...would they consider day care or a walker? is there any member of their family who would pop in mid day and walk him/spend time with him? my partner and i work opposite shifts but if we are on the same shift my dad goes round for us and walks her, gives her a treat and a cuddle. we haven't been on holiday in the 2 yrs we've had her cause of money but when we went away for a wkend to a wedding my brother came and stayed in our house. people need to realise dogs aren't just there for THEIR enjoyment, they are living creatures who have their own needs that must be met. my one gets a walk before i got to work, one during the day and one after work. sometimes more if my partner & dad also bring her out. this is in sun, rain, hail and snow. shes a 4 yr old spaniel and quite placid but even she freaks out if shes been indoors for a long while - i can't imagine what a jrt puppy will be like!

falabo

I ouldnt be a fan of ANY dog in an apartment BUT it can be done with religious commitment

If your friend is willing to walk the dog every morning before work for 30 minutes AND employs a dog walker to come half way throught the day and give hom another in the evening then it's not that bad.

Weekends should includes plenty of long walks too. BIG BIG commitment, financially too.

DamagedTrax

i keep my staffie in a ground floor apartment but i work about 70% from home and if i need to go into work she comes with me. the most she'd be left is 4/5 hours if i go out at night and even then ill walk her hard for a good 90 mins before hand.

you can buy a doggy litter tray that uses fake grass and a hormone spray rather than using a cat litter which would get very messy.

12 hours alone is borderline cruelty. if it was my friend i'd be telling them to cop the fudge on and get a cat instead.

anniehoo

seamus wrote: »

Cat litter. It'll work just as well for a dog, though it'll be messier as the dog will likely dig in it and drag litter through the house..

+ 1 to the advice that your friends are crrrrraaaazy keeping a Jack russell in an apartment, but you're not asking that so anyhoo...i wouldnt go with cat litter, but something like this

Expecting a dog to hold onto its bladder for 12 hours is ridiculous, so to prevent a completely mental and anxious dog in a few months, id be using something like above.

Ellis Dee

I live on the fifth floor, so the only way our mongrel, a cross between a cocker spaniel and a border collie, can get out is when he's taken. He was nine weeks old when we got him and piddled on a newspaper almost from the moment he arrived. He pooed wherever it happened, but it's no big deal to clean up.:)

We took him for walks several times a day, usually around the courtyard and in a nearby park, and as soon as he had had his vaccinations at around 12 weeks, we started taking him to the nearest dog park. By then he was mainly pooing outdoors (naturally, we always clean up after our dogs here) and at about 3½ months began cocking his leg, following the example of older dogs, I suppose.

At around four months, barring the increasingly rare "accident", he was fully house-trained. Dogs certainly learn fast when they see older dogs doing things, and it works wonders when you give your pet a tiny treat and lavish praise when he poos outdoors.:D

DamagedTrax

anniehoo wrote: »

+ 1 to the advice that your friends are crrrrraaaazy keeping a Jack russell in an apartment, but you're not asking that so anyhoo...i wouldnt go with cat litter, but something like this

wow, bit pricey :eek:

this is a much more sensibly priced solution http://www.rascaldoglitterbox.co.uk/index.php

Zapperzy

falabo wrote: »

I ouldnt be a fan of ANY dog in an apartment BUT it can be done with religious commitment

How is an apartment any different to a house really minus the garden and the long walk to the front door? It's the working 12 hours a day and the fact it's a puppy and a jack russell that I'd have the issues with.

I live in an apartment while in college and while I don't have my dog up with me I could easily make it work, but a puppy would be a nightmare. So with the right dog and decent hours it can work, a jack russell puppy and out 12 hours a day is a recipe for disaster, a calm older dog with someone to drop in during the day for a pee break and twice daily walk could work. I can see this ending in complaints from neighbours and either the dog ending up in the pound or an ad on donedeal with a 'genuine reason for sale'. Very sad.

Where do they live? Someone here could recommend a doggy day care or a dog walker.

the_syco

He says it doesn't mention "no pets allowed" in his lease, and it seems they have some sort of "trainer mat" which has a smell, and the dog goes to it to poo on.

barbiegirl

If he is insisting would he consider getting a kitten or a 2nd puppy too, it might seem daft but then at least the little thing would have company.
It's the long hours alone I have huge issues with. Or he can look at puppy day care, a dog walking service, or indeed help from relatives if they are about.

ShaShaBear

Training pads are no bloody good if there is no-one there to show the pup how to use it. Don't make excuses for how your mate and his woman have "prepared" for this puppy. They haven't. In the slightest.
This might be fine if it were an adopted dog who was already litter trained and happy to sit on his own for an entire day. What even possessed her? If she is gone 12 hours of the day, how could she even think she has the time for a dog?
Poor thing is literally going to pee and poo EVERYWHERE. And scratch the doors, and windows, and eat the couches, rip up the carpets. As well as that, leaving the poor thing alone could result in severe behavioural problems. He could end up getting territorial over the space that he is spending more time in than they are, he will without question develop severe separation anxiety every time they both leave the house, which will drive him crazy. He'll start to howl and bark after them every morning, and he will be in the pound within the month, driven stir crazy by the way he was treated and probably be the last port of call for anyone considering adopting a small breed.
As said already, it's cruelty. There's no two ways about it.

runawaybishop

the_syco wrote: »

I hope it works out for him, but as the doggy will be home alone for at around 12 hours a day, it'll be bored.

I would consider myself pretty tolerant and supportive of people who have pets under less than ideal conditions. 12 hours locked in an apartment is not acceptable under these circumstances. The dog needs a companion.

the_syco

runawaybishop wrote: »

I would consider myself pretty tolerant and supportive of people who have pets under less than ideal conditions. 12 hours locked in an apartment is not acceptable under these circumstances. The dog needs a companion.

I'll run it by him, and see what he says.

Ronnie Beck

Is there someone he knows with a back garden preferably with another dog or else get an older dog that likes to sleep all day after a walk in the morning. it will probably take about six months before he can physically hold in wee for that long. sounds like a dog heading for the pound

Zapperzy

runawaybishop wrote: »

I would consider myself pretty tolerant and supportive of people who have pets under less than ideal conditions. 12 hours locked in an apartment is not acceptable under these circumstances. The dog needs a companion.

the_syco wrote: »

I'll run it by him, and see what he says.

So get two dogs that will be locked in an apartment for 12 hours even though there not even allowed pets in the first place? Twice the barking, whining and damage and even angrier neighbours and landlord. If they want a dog, run it by the landlord, scrap the puppy idea and get an older calmer dog, walk it in the morning before work and the evening after work and ask someone to drop by during the day to bring it out for a pee.

If they are intent on a puppy they need to work out some sort of provision during the day, either doggy daycare or a relative that could take it during the day for at least the first few weeks, then when it's older a dog walker or relative to drop by once or twice a day for a walk and pee. What area are they in? If they are open to the idea of doggy daycare (which I know sounds ridiculous, I thought it was when I first heard of it, but a lifesaver for working people) someone could reccommend one in the area?

DoctorEdgeWild

A puppy won't learn toilet training properly if the owners are gone for 12 hours of the day. Presuming they sleep around 8 hours, that leaves 4 for time to train the pup. It's not practical at all.

That's not even mentioning the cruelty which others have already explained.

I know you're just a mate who is just looking to help another mate out and don't really want the hassle but you have a great chance to possibly save a dog's life here, no exaggeration. Do your best to dissuade them.

the_syco

DoctorEdgeWild wrote: »

Do your best to dissuade them.

The dog is in the apartment. He'll play with it, help toilet train it, but sees the dog as his girlfriends dog (his girlfriends mother got her the dog).

ShaShaBear

the_syco wrote: »

The dog is in the apartment. He'll play with it, help toilet train it, but sees the dog as his girlfriends dog (his girlfriends mother got her the dog).

Poor thing, nothing we can do now so.