Anyone have indoor dogs?

Hi everyone,

I currently have 2 cats and I'm looking to adopt a small dog and would like him/her to be an indoor dog.

I live in a small apartment with only a balcony. I would take him/her out on walks everyday, but I was also wondering if it's possible to train it to use a puppy-pad in the balcony? That is where I keep the litter box.

I wanted to know what I can expect from having an indoor dog. For you fellow cat owners, what are the main differences between your indoor cats and your indoor dogs?

I've been wanting a dog for years and now I'm finally at an apartment that accepts all pets. But I'm trying to do some research before I get myself into something that I might regret. I'm scared to death that a dog will chew up everything in sight and go to the bathroom everywhere. I'm also afraid that it will bark and I will get in trouble with the neighbors.

Any comments are welcomed... What would be in store for me if I adopted a dog?

Piddle pad training or litter training a dog is asking for trouble. I volunteer at the local HS & we do not take in many animals, but at least once a month we get a surrender dog who got confused & started elminating in the house.

My suggestion is to go to a shelter & meet all the dogs. Tell the person who's helping you what you are looking for-high energy, high maintenance grooming, etc. Many terriers are, well, hyper....they tend to bite be yappy & need a lot of exercise. Keep that in mind.

You will have to walk a dog at least once a day. Train them. Take them out to potty 2+ times a day. Clean up after them when they potty.

I have 3 indoor cats and two large dogs. Personally, I won't have dogs, if I don't have a fenced yard. MY reason for leaving the dogs out, when I'm at work, is that they and the cats will play and wreck my house.

In an apartment, a small dog is the better choice - a Chihuahua, toy poodle or one of the smaller terriers. You're going to need to spend a lot of your off time, walking and playing with the dog, though. A bored dog is a destructive dog.

The puppy pads are probably a good idea, if you're out of the house, for many hours.

Please think long and hard about this, though. The dog's well-being should be the main concern.

all of my pets are indoors only. I have 4 wonderful dogs (3 of them are large and one small) and 2 wonderful cats and they all get along well. all of them are house trained and the kitties are litter boxed trained. some small dogs take awhile to house train since they have such a small bladder and cannot hold going to the bathroom forever. it just depends on the dog. if you choose to adopt a puppy, it may take awhile, but you have to be patient.

however, do NOT rub the dog's nose in their own pee or poop if they have an accident. usually when I am house training a dog, I usually if they make an accident in the house I just put their paws at the door and make them scratch so they know what to do when they have to go potty. you may invest in a crate, too just so when you go somewhere your house isn't a mess when you get back. please know it takes a lot of patience to house train a dog, but I am sure you know that.

I agree with Nat, please check shelters AND make sure the dog is good with cats. some small dogs have a high prey drive but not all of them. it just depends on the dog. good luck on your search! make sure you have good fencing and no little holes in your fence that your dog can get under. I'd check the fence if you do.

Oh yes. In my little "speech" , I forgot to mention...smaller dogs can't go as long as larger dogs can without going potty. I've known some who can only got 4-6 hours.

Weeeeelllllllllllll.......


If you absolutely *must* do potty training with a pad--and it has proven not to be terribly effective, as white cat lover said, put the pads inside a litterbox so they know where they are going. Puppies cannot hold things well, and have bad aim. If you set them up for failure, they will fail, and that is what investing in pee-pads does. As I said.. if you *must* do it then put them inside a litterbox.

You will need a CRATE. Please google or go to www.chazhound.com/forums (a dog forum) and search titles of threads for crate-training. You will get many good results. I'll sum it up in a sentence or two.. dogs like having their own "safe place," a den, and for you that is a crate. It is where dogs/puppies can go at night (or any time they wish) and they will not soil it if they can as it is their sleeping place. When you do not have your eyes on your puppy (supervision!!!!) puppy will go in his/her crate. When it is sleeping time, or you are gone, puppy goes in crate until fully housebroken and trustworthy in your apt.

I'm really glad you want to adopt. Buying from a BYB or a pet store is one of the many problems in our society. I'd adopt from a rescue, IMO, as there are small-breed rescues and breed-specific rescues.

Barking issues are only a matter of training in most cases. If you are willing to teach yourself more than you teach your dog you can certainly train--you just have to find a good trainer/mentor and keep at it. However, if you'd like to partially avoid this problem, perhaps getting a breed that doesn't have ear-splitting barks in the first place would be good. I would look at breeds.. do some real research on toy breeds and smaller breeds... and try to find several that might fit in your home, or one you are truly passionate about to adopt. Not that any old mutt at the shelter is a bad idea.. it's just that you have a better chance of getting a pup that works with your lifestyle this way, as mutts can be hit and miss. (NOT dissing mutts.. I am adopting one this weekend if all goes well.) Breeds just have certain breed traits that make them more or less suitable, and you are likelier to find a dog suited to you if you look within a breed. Besides, the more information you are armed with, the BETTER!

Terriers tend to be high-drive and high-energy dogs, and without training that can lead to "yappiness." I would avoid a JRT (as many owners have told me and I have read) they are not a breed for first-time dog owners.

I can't think of much more at the moment.

Oh, and please, please consider an older dog. An older, more settled animal is often better.. especially for first-time owners. JUST a suggestion. Please don't rule it out right away. While puppies are adorable, they are a LOT or work.

We live in an apartment and have a dog. I don't recommend training him to go on the balcony. It's confusing plus probably not fun to clean up after. Just take him downstairs.

It's a big responsibility, though. Max goes on a minimum of 3 (rare), most days 4 and some days 5 walks every day. A lot of issues with dogs (barking, chewing, destructive behaviour) can be the result of too little exercise. Keep in mind that he will need to go out no matter what the weather, your mood/health and plans for the day/evening. Going away for any length of time is more difficult with a dog than a cat, as he will need more attention and someone to provide his daily exercise requirements.

Also, you'll need to find a dog who can be trusted around your cats. Consider getting an older dog, whose attitude toward cats may be better established and who would be calmer.....puppies have a LOT of energy, full time. Our dog was between 3 and 4 when we adopted him and so he dealt with the apartment well, since he wasn't constantly on the go. I would also consider vet expenses (my dog costs me a lot more than cats because he's outside and is exposed to more, so has broader vaccinations and more preventive treatments (revolution), plus he's had some health issues). I really think it's a good idea to set aside some cash for a training course. It's good for the dog and you, so you learn what the best ways to train are, plus it's a good bonding experience.

All that having been said, we love our dog and he does fine living in the apartment. He's a lazy guy at heart and does well hanging out with us, as long as he gets his walks and the cats don't get too wacky.

Good luck and I hope you find a dog that's right for you.

Originally Posted by katl8e

I have 3 indoor cats and two large dogs. Personally, I won't have dogs, if I don't have a fenced yard.

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I WISH we could give Max a fenced yard, but it's just not a possibility right now. But I always wanted a dog and we did give it a lot of thought, visited shelters, looked specifically for an older dog (3 isn't so old, but he's large breed, about 75lbs, so it's about 1/4 of his lifespan) and established a frequent walk routine. We also take him to fenced areas (tennis courts if they're not being used, relatives' yards) every once in a while for some off leash craziness....being a hound, he MUST be fully fenced in to be let off leash! lol Still, it works for us and I'm glad to have given him a home. He had already been sitting in that shelter for 8 months without a single application when we found him. A large breed full grown hound, stubborn and STRONG, was not all that likely to be adopted. But he's such a handsome guy and he fits in just perfectly with us and our kitties.

I forgot. Here are some links/suggestions.

This is NOT a link to a cat forum... no idea what it is, but there's a good list someone posted. http://www.waccobb.net/forums/showthread.php?t=11176

Excellent article--if anything, please read this. http://www.dobe.net/SuccessStories/olderdogs.htm

All about Senior dogs..
http://www.srdogs.com/


There are also low-energy breeds, if you are interested. As a rule, a very small dog such as a Chihuahua or Yorkie is going to be easier for you to exercise simply because of the size difference, but it might take you hours to exhaust a high-drive, high-energy terrier.

Some lower-energy breed suggestions...

Greyhounds: retired racing greyhounds are usually quite low energy couch potatoes.
English Bulldogs, Bullmastiffs and Mastiffs as well.

Greys may be a medium-large sized dog, but they come handled (they had to be trained at the tack to be handled/etc for vets and regular care) are usually very laid-back, and the only "space" they will take up is on your couch. Or in the middle of the hall, if you have one with a sense of humor! Prey drive issues can be worked through, BUT there are greys with low prey drive, a rescue will help you with this.

English bulldogs are a smaller breed, too..


hope I've helped.

For the record YORKIES are NOT low energy ... Mine is 11 and can still go for two miles at a pace that makes me RUN.... I got her as an older dog of about 5 and thought it would be easy street ...lol... Six yrs later she is not slowing down...

Low energy small dogs

Pekinese

easier keeper s not low energy but

Cavilier aka King charles spaniel

Chihauhua s if you get a older one

Maltese( massive grooming )
shi su ( grooming)

French bulldog ( wouldnt say low but lower than a terrier )

Pomeranian ( grooming issues but they settle around age 3)
AVOIDS

Dashaunds

Jack russel

Fox terrier

I say Yorkie as she is my first SMALL dog and I needed training used to BIG dogs

Medium size

Love this size but only had mutts

ONES TO AVOID

Border collie

Heelers

Aussies


Large

Great Dane

Mastiff s ( sheer size not apt dogs )

Belgian shepard ( needs about half the exercise physically of my yorkie but does need mental stimulation to a HIGH degree) ( easier to handle and train than a german shepard )


I had a dalmation/ springer cross in an apt ( NOTE never again) .... but she went for a walk every night when I got home ( whether it was 8 pm or midnight ) and was Crated during the day .... piddle pads are nt really good and INDOOR dogs seem to have issues

Personally, I believe any size of dog can do well in an apartment, but you have to give the oppropriate care (bigger dogs would need more exercise, for example). I just don't understand why some people think larger dogs don't fit in smaller homes. They don't need a lot of room, all they want is their master (who, preferably, loves them and dotes on them, lol). I don't live in an apartment, but one day I'm going to move out of my parents' place and I'm bringing my little zoo (3 cats, 1 dog).

Jake used to be an outdoor dog, who came in every now and then (bad weather, or just for the heck of it), but he turned into an indoor-dog when he was 7 (tore his ACL, had surgery, then had to be contained in his crate for a month). One thing I've noticed over the past two years is that, while Jake is rather awkward, bumping into walls when turning or wonking his head in his excitement to get up (doorbell, cats racing around, etc.), it's not because of the size of the house (which isn't small), but just because he's awkward. He doesn't tend to watch where he's going, lol. At least once every couple of weeks, you'll hear a bonk somewhere because Jake bolted upwards and slammed his head into the table he was lying under, or he was turning around to chase a cat and wacked his head into the wall.

Jake basically has only a few areas he really lives in. He has his crate in my room downstairs (in my room, he sleeps in either the crate or on a makeshift soft bed of blankets I made for him), under the computer desk (when I'm, you know, fartin' around on TCS), in the corner next to the kitchen table (he loves sleeping there), and next to the coffee table in the living room (it's this table he bonks into the most often, since when he's getting into a deeper sleep, he tends to sort of creep half his body under the table). He chose these places, since it's where he can rest while still being close to me. Originally, we wondered how he'd take to being an indoor dog (I've heard nothing but "He's too big for a house" though I personally never believed it), but he's adjusted just fine. Looking around, I think an Irish Wolfhound could do fine in here, too, though he might have to adjust himself appropriately in order to stretch out in sleep like Jake does, and he might not be able to turn around smack dab between two furniture pieces. But maybe it depends on the dog, some might be claustraphobic or something.

For the record, Jake is an Australian Shepherd-Border Collie mix, but is EXTREMELY laid back and mellow. I wouldn't suggest either breed for apartment life, due to their massive energy requirements (which I don't think is what you're interested in). We lucked out when we got Jake, since technically, while I did the research before we got him, we would NOT have been prepared for a typical Border Collie or Aussie. Whew! He's a perfect beginner dog for the beginner owner who wants to learn and advance her dog-handling/training/owning skills.

IMO jack russels are so not low energy dogs.

Jack Russels are definitely not low energy, and quite a few have high prey drives as well, which means a cat would be in danger.

You can litter train a small dog - my mother in law litter trained her Maltese/Poodle mix until he was able to hold it for longer hours. But it would be better to dedicate some time to walking - first, it covers the exercise aspect of doggy ownership, and second, if the dog outgrows the litterbox, you'll end up having to retrain him anyway, so you may as well do it right the first time.

ALL dogs should be inside dogs. I have a pair of 50 pounders - one, my Boxer, would be fine with 2 fairly long walks a day and a good hard run in a fenced in area once or twice a week. My Boxer mix girl is even more laid back, and would be fine with just the walks. There's no reason to have an outside dog, IMO.

Look for a quiet (not barky), laid back dog that has been fostered with cats, and definitely go with an adult - personalities change as they get older, and the puppy you get could end up completely different as an adult.

Good luck!

I've had/fostered quite a few small dogs. I don't recommend Terriers or Terrier mixes for the most part, unless you're prepared to give them a LOT of exercise. The "toy" breeds, such as Maltese, Japanese Chins, etc. might be a better option for you.
I personally love Jack Russells, but I don't recommend them for an apartment. We actually lived in a motor home for a few months with our purebred JRT and he was fine IF we went for 2 jogs a day and played fetch for at LEAST 2 hours daily. I currently have a JRT/Cavalier King Charles Spaniel mix, who is an AWESOME dog. He does have energy, he's certainly not a couch potato, but his energy level is very manageable (sp?) as long as he gets at least one good walk a day. From my experience the Cavalier Spaniels are generally a calmer breed than most small dogs.

I had a foster dog that was puppy pad trained and OMG she was awful. For months we couldnt get her to go potty outside. You couldnt even drop a little piece of paper on the floor without her trying to pee on it. She one time peed on a time receipt my husband dropped! I swore after that I would never take in another dog that was paper/pad trained. I will take a totally un housebroken dog before I will take a paper trained dog. You might try litterbox training them. My exs beagle is litterbox trained for when its nasty outside because she wont go if its to hot, to cold or raining.

Thanks everyone for your input. I've read all the responses and every single one was helpful.

I've been looking at different breeds and I'm really interested in getting a Shih Tzu but the problem is that with adopting from shelters, you usually find mixed breeds. I've been looking on Petfinder and there are tons of Chihuahas. What do you guys think of chihuahuas?

I don't have a problem with big dogs, I'm just concerned that it may make too much noise. We have thin walls and neighbors may complain. I have nasty inconsiderate neighbors.

And actually, I'm not looking for a puppy, they'd be too energetic for my lazy cats I looking to get a young adult dog, around 1-3 years old. Both of my cats are around 1 year old and I want their energy levels to match.

Also I am curious, has anyone ever seen their dog eat their cat's feces? When I was a kid, my dad had an Alaskan Malamute that would sometimes escape into neighbors' yards and eat whatever poop he could find...

Right now, after doing more researching, I don't think I can get a dog. I honestly don't think I'll be able to take a dog for walks 2-3 times a day. I live on the third floor of my building. It would mean I'd have to walk down 2 flights of stairs and then out the gate and try to find a grassy area (There is not much grass around my building) Which is why I was interested in puppy-pad training.

Maybe next year when we find a more accomodating place and with nicer neighbors, we will looking a new addition to our family

I've heard many more stories of small breeds being yappy, many of the large breeds are fairly quiet. My MIL's Maltese/Poodle mix barks all the time, so do most of the small dogs I've been around.

Sounds like you are better off waiting, though, until you can commit to walks. Even 1 - 3 is young for most breeds, and a bored, under-exercised dog is almost always a destructive dog. I'm sure your apartment manager wouldn't appreciate chewed doors, baseboard, cabinets....

Originally Posted by FiftyFour

Thanks everyone for your input. I've read all the responses and every single one was helpful.

I've been looking at different breeds and I'm really interested in getting a Shih Tzu but the problem is that with adopting from shelters, you usually find mixed breeds. I've been looking on Petfinder and there are tons of Chihuahas. What do you guys think of chihuahuas?

I don't have a problem with big dogs, I'm just concerned that it may make too much noise. We have thin walls and neighbors may complain. I have nasty inconsiderate neighbors.

And actually, I'm not looking for a puppy, they'd be too energetic for my lazy cats I looking to get a young adult dog, around 1-3 years old. Both of my cats are around 1 year old and I want their energy levels to match.

Also I am curious, has anyone ever seen their dog eat their cat's feces? When I was a kid, my dad had an Alaskan Malamute that would sometimes escape into neighbors' yards and eat whatever poop he could find...

Right now, after doing more researching, I don't think I can get a dog. I honestly don't think I'll be able to take a dog for walks 2-3 times a day. I live on the third floor of my building. It would mean I'd have to walk down 2 flights of stairs and then out the gate and try to find a grassy area (There is not much grass around my building) Which is why I was interested in puppy-pad training.

Maybe next year when we find a more accomodating place and with nicer neighbors, we will looking a new addition to our family

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Sounds like it would be better to wait. Also, walking down from the third floor doesn't count as a walk, that's just a pee break. Sorry, but you'd be in for a lot more walking than that, trust me. We're on the second floor, but we were on the third when we first got Max.

As far as noise, a lot of small dogs can be yappy, especially if insufficiently exercised. Our boy is big, but only barks his hound bark when someone is at OUR door, which is just lovely.

Also, the eating cat poo thing....yeah, they'll do that. We actually converted a hall closet to litterbox central and keep that door open BUT installed a chain (like you'd have on the front door of an apartment), so the door can be opened enough for the cats, but not wide enough for the dog to get in.

I'm really glad you decided to wait. I sympathize, though. I have desperately wanted a dog for three years, but I know that with my lifestyle (apartment, soon to be law school student who will be BUSY for at least the next 6 or 7 years) that I couldn't give a dog what it needs. So that's how we ended up with a kitty. I wanted that companionship, but with lower maintenance, and Sophie has been perfect thus far!

Now, you are really putting thought into this & I love to see/hear that!

Waiting might be best for now. I like Chihuahuas....but remember....little dogs, IMO, tend to be more likely to be face nippers. The HS here has a wonderful 7 y/o Chi. He bites faces of "vulnerable" people like the eldery or kids. He's a great boy, though! I know one "small dog" breeder who deals mostly with Chis is very picky about kids in the home as Chis are rather fragile.

If you are going to wait a year, perhaps you could volunteer at the local shelter to meet some dogs? Then you can look at variou sizes/mixes. Meet more breeds. You can also spend that year reading up on different breeds. You might even consider contacting breeds to ask about certain breeds temperatments, etc.