So ive been thinking of getting a puppy a lot this past week as Ive always wanted one and boyfriend has finally agreed! We live in a 1 bed ground floor flat (that has a front door onto the road outside, like a mini terraced house) and Im just unsure as we obviously have no garden and want peoples opinions / advice on this. Ive read online quite a few stories of people that have dogs in flats, but want some advice especially with toilet training etc if i was to get one
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Personally I wouldn't get a dog if I didn't have a garden. They need to go outside when they need the toilet, space to run around. It wouldn't be fair to keep them inside all day without being able to pop outside.
I would say hold off until you are able to provide a garden for them. everyone says before they get a dog ohh ill go for walks all the time but then the dog suffers when that wears off and its snowing, raining, thunder outside or if you are unwell for a few days and its a quick out and in for a pee. most people then get even more annoyed at their dogs as they have loads of energy to burn off and destroy the house ect. I would love a dog myself and we have gardens but due to us both working full time it wouldn't be fair to keep the dog in all day long. would you consider another pet instead?
Don't even think about it if you're both working full time either.
I got a dog (chocolate labrador) with my ex and we had a big garden. We put a dog flap in so she could come and go as she pleased during the day. He knew more about dogs than me, having had a lab before, and said she'd be fine.
But she suffered from major, major separation anxiety and totally destroyed the garden, garden fence and probably a million dog beds although she never really bothered with anything else in the house when she was alone (she was restricted to the kitchen but never bothered with the bins or anything although she did chew the skirting boards)
When we were around, she was always really naughty, badly behaved, attention seeking (positive and negative) and just generally a bleeping nightmare. I would be in tears most days. We read all the books and even sent her to a boot camp for three weeks. Nothing worked.
As an absolute last resort, and against my wishes (I wanted to rehome her) my boyfriend got an electric collar. To be honest, just the warning buzzing (before the electric shock) from that was enough and we didn't actually use it for long. She turned into a different dog within a few weeks. He still has her now, as I knew I'd be moving into a flat after we split up and knew it wouldn't be fair. He rented a house with a garden. She always preferred him to me anyway! Whenever I think of her, I am still so overwhelmed with guilt that I got her without really even thinking about it and she suffered because of it.
So please, please no matter how much you want a dog, they are far harder work than you think and a massive commitment. They are incredibly social, pack animals and need to be around people otherwise they are just miserable and act out. If you're going to be away from it got any longer than 4 hours (6 tops) then I would strongly urge you to think again.
I got a dog (chocolate labrador) with my ex and we had a big garden. We put a dog flap in so she could come and go as she pleased during the day. He knew more about dogs than me, having had a lab before, and said she'd be fine.
But she suffered from major, major separation anxiety and totally destroyed the garden, garden fence and probably a million dog beds although she never really bothered with anything else in the house when she was alone (she was restricted to the kitchen but never bothered with the bins or anything although she did chew the skirting boards)
When we were around, she was always really naughty, badly behaved, attention seeking (positive and negative) and just generally a bleeping nightmare. I would be in tears most days. We read all the books and even sent her to a boot camp for three weeks. Nothing worked.
As an absolute last resort, and against my wishes (I wanted to rehome her) my boyfriend got an electric collar. To be honest, just the warning buzzing (before the electric shock) from that was enough and we didn't actually use it for long. She turned into a different dog within a few weeks. He still has her now, as I knew I'd be moving into a flat after we split up and knew it wouldn't be fair. He rented a house with a garden. She always preferred him to me anyway! Whenever I think of her, I am still so overwhelmed with guilt that I got her without really even thinking about it and she suffered because of it.
So please, please no matter how much you want a dog, they are far harder work than you think and a massive commitment. They are incredibly social, pack animals and need to be around people otherwise they are just miserable and act out. If you're going to be away from it got any longer than 4 hours (6 tops) then I would strongly urge you to think again.
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Disagree with this if you can get home at lunch time. My partner and I both work full time, although we do different hours. I can pop home at lunch and we have a dog walker too.
I don't know how I would have coped without a garden though, just makes the whole toilet training fiasco so much easier! Are you renting? If so I wouldn't get a pup, just as they destroy everything! My doggy is one next month and is getting better.
Well yes, there are always caveats - dog walkers, doing different hours and going home for lunch - but not everyone can do that (or afford to) I was speaking more in general terms of leaving a dog on it's own all day.
I'm not sure popping back at lunchtime would have helped our dog - it would probably have made her worse when we disappeared again. Our neighbours also walked her occasionally - made absolutely no difference to her behaviour.
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I would most likely to be able to bring the pup to work with me as my office has office dogs so being alone shouldnt be an issue, could also get my nother in law to look after the puppy for a few hours in the day if worst came to worst. My main issue is the no garden part
Office dogs?! I worked in various offices for twenty four years and have never heard of this! How does that work?
Literally you are allowed to bring your dog into work, obviously providing it is well behaved, the dogs seem quite happy here being around all the people
Just bear in mind that when it's pissing down and howling rain you can't stand in the warm, dry shelter of your back door in your nightie while pooch goes out to pee, you'll have to dress for the weather and get out there!
Literally you are allowed to bring your dog into work, obviously providing it is well behaved, the dogs seem quite happy here being around all the people
I have never heard of this! Like I said, they are pack animals so need company. Are they just allowed to wander around or is there like a doggy crèche?
Well the boss’s dog is allowed to just wander around and do what she wants, but we have a younger pup/dog who is kept on his extendable lead so he cant run around a d cause trouble x
Are they just allowed to wander around or is there like a doggy crèche?
I completely disagree with people saying if you both work full time then you shouldn’t consider having a dog. Dogs are by nature crepuscular and take the lead from their humans.
my Jack Russell sleeps from the moment we leave in a morning until we walk in after work. I know because I have a dog camera and I can also take him into work where he sleeps at my feet all day.
When we first got him I nipped home every lunch time for about 2/3 months to let him out in the garden for a wee.
I wouldn’t get a dog until you have a garden though, mine loves running around ours and as other posters have said; if you’re running late for work you can let him out for a wee in lieu of the morning walk on occasion!
my Jack Russell sleeps from the moment we leave in a morning until we walk in after work. I know because I have a dog camera and I can also take him into work where he sleeps at my feet all day.
When we first got him I nipped home every lunch time for about 2/3 months to let him out in the garden for a wee.
I wouldn’t get a dog until you have a garden though, mine loves running around ours and as other posters have said; if you’re running late for work you can let him out for a wee in lieu of the morning walk on occasion!
I’d personally say no. As a puppy my dog was a bit funny about where he pee’d, for a long time he’d ONLY go on grass. I used to take him to work but he wouldn’t go in the concrete courtyard so I’d have to leave and go across the road to a patch of grass 
little tit.
I understand your want for a puppy and the small justifiables so if you feel you’ve already answered all the questions in your head then there’d be no reason not to. But I don’t think you’ll realise until you have one how much of a big deal a garden is!
little tit.I understand your want for a puppy and the small justifiables so if you feel you’ve already answered all the questions in your head then there’d be no reason not to. But I don’t think you’ll realise until you have one how much of a big deal a garden is!
My son lives in a one bed flat with no garden
he bought a staffie
he says it’s no bother not having a garden as they live a 20 second walk from a huge field so he just pulls his wellies and coat on
dog gets to see on every tree/lamp post on the way there and he’s armed with poo bags for anything else
id hate it but it works for them
he bought a staffie
he says it’s no bother not having a garden as they live a 20 second walk from a huge field so he just pulls his wellies and coat on
dog gets to see on every tree/lamp post on the way there and he’s armed with poo bags for anything else
id hate it but it works for them
Here’s my two cents 
. If you are going to do it get a small non-active dog. Something like a chihuahua that does not need loads of walking. I would also suggest not getting a puppy but adopting an older dog that might already be calmer and over the teenage years.
Although puppies are cute and playful they are a LOT of work, especially if you work full-time. Again an older dog would do great in a work environment.
We have 2 Minpins and the female has been trained to use an indoor pad. This is for emergencies and rainy weather (she is a cow sometimes and wont go out in the rain).
I don’t know if you’ve had a dog before but it is a lot more difficult than it looks, especially puppies. There is a reason why you see so many puppies for sale after people have only had them a couple of months.
Also another great reason to think about an older dog as they will ease you into ownership. Also don’t be fooled by a cute face! Rather go for temprement
. If you are going to do it get a small non-active dog. Something like a chihuahua that does not need loads of walking. I would also suggest not getting a puppy but adopting an older dog that might already be calmer and over the teenage years. Although puppies are cute and playful they are a LOT of work, especially if you work full-time. Again an older dog would do great in a work environment.
We have 2 Minpins and the female has been trained to use an indoor pad. This is for emergencies and rainy weather (she is a cow sometimes and wont go out in the rain).
I don’t know if you’ve had a dog before but it is a lot more difficult than it looks, especially puppies. There is a reason why you see so many puppies for sale after people have only had them a couple of months.
Also another great reason to think about an older dog as they will ease you into ownership. Also don’t be fooled by a cute face! Rather go for temprement
I watched a YT ch where the gal had a puppy pad for her small dog in an upstairs spare bedroom. We have a 1 yr old small dog who is liner trained thx to my seeing her vids. It’s rare my dogs are left alone for even an hour, but he has that option & uses it if he needs to! I think all dogs should know how to go on a puppy pad at the door (or left in a bathroom) or have access to a doggy door. Our other dog wasn’t trained that way & whimpers at me if he uses it in the middle of the nite. lol! It’s like she cannot stand the idea/& smell of poop being left near the door on the potty pad or she wants to get him in trouble. He maybe does this 1x/wk. As long as you can let the dog out to go potty every hour or 2 in the beginning, I no longer think a grassy patio area is completely necessary. One could even build a potty box...fake grass...good drainage....
I vote no. And the suggestion of having them pad trained for life or building a spot of them to do the toilet inside is ridiculous. I’m only saying no because if you don’t have a garden, who takes the dog to the local park for the toilet when your sick, waiting in on parcels, can’t be bothered walking in the rain, wind, snow. If your planning on having a garden in the future you could start saving for a dog. Visiting rescue centres and getting knowledgable about a breed you’d like etc.