Probably every person that has Australian Shepherd have heard the comments from passerby‘s: „What a wonderful dog you have, we would like it too, but we live in an apartment, such dog will suffer in the apartment“. But is that true?
Can Australian Shepherds live in Apartments? Australian Shepherds by nature are created for work. They are very energetic dogs, who need to use that energy somewhere. However, with daily activities for a couple of hours, they could live in an apartment without any problems. If an active way of spending time is in your routine – Aussie is the perfect breed for you.
First, we need to realize that most dogs have no problems living in an apartment. We only have to meet a few conditions (which also need to be met if you live in a private house) to make our living in the apartment enjoyable for both.
Requirements For Owner
- The most important thing is your attitude: you must be prepared to change some things of your life that your dog would be happy. It even depends on your desire whether you want to walk the dog during various weather conditions. If you live in the city center, will there be a desire to take the dog to the park every day? These are just the main things, but they need to be considered.
- Time: your dog demands your time with him. That doesn‘t mean you have to quit work – Australian Shepherds can get along well left alone standard work shift. Of course, owner should provide him with appropriate entertainment.
- Daily walks: this applies as much as the dogs living in the private house. Daily walks are mandatory for Australian Shepherds like any other breed, no matter where he lives. If we provide the dog with enough physical and psychological discharge, then when he returns home, he will simply lie down to sleep in his place.
- Lots of love: yes, Australian Shepherds wants love. This breed is very close to its owner. To make him feel happy in the apartment, owners must give them some attention, play with them. It is not like living in a farm, where Aussie could probably find activities by himself, there owner should replace it.
- Follow the rules of the city: the rules belong not only to the dog but also to the owner. The dog should not bark in the apartment or going up the stairs of the house. Dog should be trained and properly socialized for that. Here are just a few things that owner and the dog will need to learn. But Aussies, especially if they are raised from an early age in the apartment, will adapt perfectly to city life. It all depends on your desire and dedication.
Daily Routine If You Live In An Apartment
Morning
First thing in the morning – 20-30 minutes of walk. If you have time for a playtime, it would be very good to use his energy a little bit before you go to work. Spend your morning together, while you making breakfast, do not stop talking with him. Give your Aussie his morning portion of food, then make sure it doesn‘t run out of water, while you are away. After active time with his owner, dog is ready for nap time until afternoon.
Afternoon
Ideally, every dog would enjoy the opportunity to go out, and spend some time with owner again. But if that is not possible – it should not be a problem, cause adult trained Australian Shepherds may stay alone for 8 hours without major problems. But make sure he or she has something to do while you are away. Chew toys – would be very good solution.
Evening
Evenings usually give you the best opportunity to spend time with your dog. The first thing you need to do after you get back home – take your dog for a walk and let him do his „business“. Probably after long day being alone your Aussie has a lot of energy, so don‘t forget to pick up some toys together with you, in example flying disc or ball. Spend your evening actively, with trainings and games that requires thinking. After that – dinner and quiet time.
Employ a dog walker
Animals give us their infinite love, and for that we have to put in a little effort to keep them healthy, happy and comfortable. Outdoor walks are one of the most important part of that. And it should not be only for natural purposes – games and communication are also very important part. If you have very busy work schedule, and you can‘t get back home to take him for a walk during the day, probably the best solution would be to employ a dog walker. The dog walker will come to your house, walk with your dog and if necessary, and if necessary will do other agreed jobs.
Dog walking service helps quadrupeds to avoid stress, and their owners can avoid worries and inconveniences caused by their dogs left at home. Whereas dog is cared at home and taken out for a walk in familiar neighborhoods, it requires no special preparation, maintains a normal pet routine, and does not require the quadruped to get used to the new environment.
Also important that individual dog care minimizes the chance of diseases and parasites that dog can get infected, if he would be left in a dog hotel. At the same time, it is a great alternative for owners of sick and elderly dogs whose health is not suitable for travel.
Dog Daycare
A vacation, business trip or any unplanned trip makes you wonder what to do with your Australian Shepherd? You no longer want to ask a friend for help, the caretaker seems expensive? Let‘s consider another option – dog‘s hotel.
Usually dog hotel provides professional care for pets that need to be left for some time. Dogs are provided here with food, care, walks and sufficient amount of activities.
A dog hotel is a great solution if you are traveling on holiday or even on a business trip for a few days and don‘t have a single friend to help take care of your pet. It is better to give your pet to such a hotel than to leave him so that a neighbor will come to feed him twice a day. Most probably your friend will not give him enough contact and fun. And dog hotel provides the opportunity to meet all these needs and take proper care of your dog.
Which Dog Hotel You Can Trust?
Such places usually offer 24-hour care, a sufficient number of walks per day, games with a person ready to take care of a pet – professional care. When it comes to nutrition, it‘s certainly part of care, but the food supply itself can vary. In some cases, the pet owner leaves the right food himself, in other cases he orders the purchase of food as part of the hotel service.
When choosing a dog hotel, it is important to make sure where you leave your dog. Whether the staff is properly qualified and ready to take care of your pet. It is worth asking about an employee‘s qualifications if he or she has this type of work experience. It is necessary to check whether the place has a good name. Especially if you are bringing your pet to such a place for the first time, you need to be sure that the person caring for your pet will be able to take care of the pet, who may not understand what is going on and may react very differently to the whole situation. The dog must be cared by someone who will be able to reduce the anxiety and fear that comes from it.
What Does a Hotel For Dogs Look Like?
There are two main types of dog hotel:
- Home hotel – where person offering care guarantees the presence of the dog in his own house or in a building specially prepared for this purpose.
- A dog aviary – where dogs are kept in specially adapted, spacious enclosures.
Aviary hotels are mostly used by owners of large dogs, who find it difficult to accommodate a hotel room because of their size, as well as their specific personalization and habits. Home hotels are more popular for smaller dogs. But of course, every case is individual and should be discussed with professionals and specifically about your dog. Choose what you believe will guarantee more security and control of your Australian Shepherd.
Final Thoughts
So, are Aussies good indoor dogs? Can they live in an apartment? Yes, but you need to take care of him. Be creative with activities, and not only your dog‘s life will be amazing, but also you will get out of your routine, and that‘s where life gets more interesting!