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Wednesday, August 29, 2007 3:19 PM

Puppy Love

I moved to a new apartment in Brooklyn this past Sunday and I'm so excited to get settled and start decorating. I definitely won't be missing my epic commute from New Jersey-- where I have been staying with my aunt. However, I will miss coming home to a full house, especially the puppies, Bella (the Chihuahua) and Jack (the German Shepard).

Sure, the 4:30 wake-up call from Jack every morning won't be missed. Nor will picking dog hair off of my work clothes, but there's nothing like coming through the door after a long day (and commute) to two furballs racing towards you because they're so excited you're home. 

I must confess, I will miss Bella more than Jack. Bella is tiny and low maintenance. Jack, on the other hand, is a full-grown puppy (imagine having a 100 lb one year old baby running around) and extremely energetic.

I've been wanting a puppy of my own for a while now, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea to keep a puppy in an apartment whose owners will at work the entire day.

Do any of you Nesties have dogs and work long hours? How do you manage that? Also, does anyone have dogs in small spaces like apartments? Do you think it's a good idea?
 

Posted by Nest Caitlin
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Comments

re: Puppy Love

I'm a huge advocate for owning a dog. We have a 10 month old golden retriever in our Brooklyn pad. As long as you can make time to exercise and play with the dog, they can be pretty happy in an apartment. My bf walks/runs with him every morning. We hire a dog walker to take him out mid-day, which is great. And he goes on another walk when one of us gets home. Then of course, we take him out quick before bed. He's probably better taken care of than we are! I can't imagine not having him around.

Posted by k_d    Wednesday, August 29, 2007 5:07 PM


re: Puppy Love

I think having a small dog in a apartment is ok.  You could always get a "potty mat" (not the official name of course) and the dog could do it's business there during the day.  As for a larger or medium sized dog, I strongly suggest that you do not own a dog larger than 40 lbs in an apartment.  After I graduated from college I got a dog this size and it was horrible for the dog not being able to go to the restroom during the day (unless I came home during lunch) and being confined to a small space.  I regret the decision of getting the dog to this day for his sake(I don't have him anymore).  It was a bad situation and I have decided to hold off getting a large dog until I have a house and a doggie door.

Lauren

Posted by lpresnal    Thursday, August 30, 2007 2:08 PM


re: Puppy Love

I have had two dogs since college, and there's nothing I love more than the greeting they give me when I walk through the door.  The exhuberant, unconditional love floors me!  I will say this, though: remember that having a dog means you have to come home right after work- no stopping by the grocery store or going out for drinks with friends.  That's the biggest con for me.  Don't get me wrong, I love my babies to pieces, but not going home to them after 9 hours of solitude at home would be cruel; they are social creatures...  I would seriously consider fostering a shelter dog before you adopt one of your own, that way you can make sure the lifestyle adjustment is right for you.  Also, if you can't find the right dog at a shelter, don't forget most breeds have independent rescue organizations- adopting a purebred dog is easier than most people realize and it saves a life!

Posted by mat9611    Thursday, September 06, 2007 4:50 PM


re: Puppy Love

A few more thoughts...  to help my pups make it through a long day, I used an exercise pen (essentially a 4'x4' crate) with a piddle pad, bed, and water in it.  This can wreak havoc on housebreaking, but it made me feel better to know my pups could get up, move around, and potty if necessary, all without damaging my apartment.  Also I fed breakfast in a Kong toy stuffed with peanut butter and kibble- at least gave her 30 minutes of entertainment while I was gone.  Best of luck!

Posted by mat9611    Thursday, September 06, 2007 5:00 PM


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