Last week I wrote about some of the advantages of living in smaller quarters. However, I realize that it’s not necessarily as easy as it sounds. Some people have pets, like dogs. I am one of those people. So how do you determine the right size living space for you and your dog? Here are some of my experiences.

  • It’s not about the name. I once had a good friend who insisted on telling me that having a dog in an “apartment” is cruel. Well, it can be, but it isn’t always. Dogs come in all different sizes and so do apartments. Furthermore townhouses, duplexes, and the like are often lumped with apartments and these can have nice-sized yards. Here’s an example: I live in a nice-size apartment (2bd+bonus room) that is the first floor of a turn-of-the-century (2oth) house. With a fenced-in area. There is also a dog run for the upstairs apartment. My neighbors across the street have a whole house, but no fenced-in area so they put their dog outside on a chain. I definitely think chaining a dog is a lot crueler than letting them run around in a fenced-in yard.
  • Every dog is different. Just because you have a big house with a big yard doesn’t mean that your dog is going to be running around all day. Talking to people I am surprised how many put their dogs in crates and kennels while they’re gone. And I’m not just talking about puppies, I know five- and six year-old dogs who are crated. Why? Because they had separation anxiety issues. If you want to know what a dog with separation anxiety issues can do, I highly recommend Marley and Me by John Grogan. Even if you don’t care about doggie mental issues, I still recommend it for any dog lover.
  • Every dog does not need a yard. There are a lot of wussy dogs out there. Seriously, I’ve known quite a few dogs that hate to be outside, they would much prefer to be curled up at someone’s feet or on someone’s lap than chasing squirrels outside. Also, some dogs are escape artists (I have one of those). These dogs can dig, chew, climb, or jump their way out of just about any fenced yard. For these dogs, leaving them unattended outside can be just too great a liability, so it’s better if they have limited time to run around freely, and instead great more of their exercise through supervised activities.
  • Spend time learning your dog’s needs. Because every dog is different, the only way that you can really ascertain your dog’s needs is by being there for them. My dog loves people, and she loves being around other dogs. It doesn’t matter if she’s inside or outside, small space or big space she like to have company for a good part of the day. Also recognize that your dogs’ needs will change as they get older. My dog certainly moves around less now that she’s not a puppy, but she still has plenty of energy. She’s content to sleep inside and lounge around while I’m at school, but spends time outside in the mornings and evenings, sometimes playing with my neighbors’ dogs in their very large yard.
  • Dogs love their owners. Most of them. I’ve found that having a big house, or big yard isn’t as important as spending time with your dog (same goes for kids). Paying attention to your pet can go a long way to bridge the gap of small space. Dogs often chew because they’re bored. Yes, they can get bored in 500 sqft, but they can also get bored in 2500 sqft if no one ever pays them any attention.

I don’t think that you can assign a rule of thumb to sizing, you just have to know your pet and be willing to make adjustments to your housing, budget, and lifestyle. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t make environmentally and financially sound housing choices will balancing your pet’s needs, it just means that you have to work a little harder.

Have you successfully had a pet in a smaller space? I would love to hear some advice and feedback (dissension is also welcome).

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