Owning a dog in a condo?

[GatorBytes]

I live in an apt. but power walked my dog 2.5-3hrs a day. At least an hr + in the morning, an hr + late aft. (3pm) and then another 1/2hr after his dinner...I would take him to a large field for off leash time, but instead of running around after a stick he would just want to hunt mice...then he went after a coyote - so no more off leash in the field, I take occasionally to a friends - he just lays in the grass until a squirrel tempts him. It was easy to kill an hour as we went through wooded trails and field and down to the lake, there are little pockets of natural area's I always took him to just for his mental stimulation and mine - hawks, deer, coyotes, bunnies, owls.

When he hurt his knee I think I suffered more then him - still went out for an hr. but he would just lay under a shady tree.

He has improved so much and now the cool weather - he is back to power walking me again...which is great, I need to loose a few pounds I gained from his injury

He also has a large balcony w/glass panels so he can watch the world go by and access to it almost whenever he wants fresh air. I have an open crate with a camping pad, blanket and a baby crib bumper lining inside to keep cold metal away from him....he often goes for a snooze in his crate on the balcony in the winter with a lite sprinkling of snow falling on him. Now that he is getting older, I am going to tarp it to keep dry little den for him.

Downfall to living in apt....Bathroom emergencies - takes a lot longer to get out when you have to wait for an elevator

[Yoschi's_Pet_Human]

My main hobby besides my new pup is raising koi.. I always thought it would be cool to have a full wall 2000 gallon indoor koi pond in a condo... having a GSD by my side while enjoying my koi would be perfect....

[GoSailGo]

I kept thinking I would wait until I'm rich enough to buy a big house with a big yard to get a dog, but when houses around here are going for millions, reality started to hit that we may never get out of a condo...so I said screw it and now I'm getting a puppy in 4 weeks. Some times we have to make due with what is available to us.

[llombardo]

Lots of good stuff here. I have 3 bigger dogs in a two bedroom apartment and it works. I know that when I get my yard that the dogs will be wherever I am at anyway. Breed restrictions would be the only thing I would be worried about.

[doggiedad]

you don't need a big house or a big yard to have a dog.
you take the dog out and play, walk, run, hang out, exercise
or whatever.

[thatsrich85]

I have two gsd and a sheltie in a one bedroom condo. The only benefit of our apt is theres lots of walking trails around it as the buildings are set in a forest.

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

In this case, you know that your dog is not yet super social (to a higher degree than just aloof and not entirely predictable thus far) and so that would be something to consider - will living in a condo require her and you to manage her behavior more, will it stress her, will she need a muzzle, will it be worse without the fenced yard for running (or can you get a condo w/a fence) or will it be just about the same as if you lived in a house?