Is Your Hyper Dog Bouncing Off the Walls? Apartment Living With a Active Dog

Living in a apartment with a hyper dog

.....the walls are closing in!

So do to my job I, my family and little Milo are stuck in a apartment living situation. My dog Bandit lucked out and currently resides with my father in a country setting. Due to Bandit being over 40lbs and a bit of a skittish mug around new people it is whats best for him. However when ever I can find a decent pace with a yard I shall gladly bring Bandit back home =) I know my father is taking awesome care of him so I have no worries with Bandit.

Back to little Milo. With Milo being just under 20lbs he is allowed to reside in our apartment. Frankly I never liked the rules set for weight limits or even worse breed restrictions *hiss* However I can understand to some point. Having a dog of any size in a apartment is a challenge. Unlike a cat whom can use a litter box and be left alone for a extended period of time, a dog needs to go outside and get much needed daily attention.

Milo for instance being the hyper little thing he is needs at least 2 walks a day, some play time and at night sleeps in his crate. Luckily we have a covered balcony so during the day when no one is home he is content with being out there along with his crate. On weekends he goes to the local dog park or a walk along the coastline. Any time he is left alone toys and bones are provided so he doesn't get to bored.

When I first got Milo as a 12 week old pup potty training was a challenge. Basically anytime Milo ate or drank I had to take him outside due to Milo being a smaller dog and his small bladder . If I couldn't watch him he was in his crate or out on the balcony. After many accidents later, Milo now knows to go the front door or if I don't have time to take him out for a walk right then and there he goes to the door out to the balcony.

Cleanliness
Scoop up poo daily. I make sure the whole balcony is scrubbed down with a warm water/bleach mixture at least twice a week. It helps a lot if you have a drain on your balcony just a FYI otherwise you might have to just deal with being a mop and bucket machine.

Don't have a balcony?
Walks lots of walks! Or if your up for it maybe try puppy pads in a area easy to clean up like the kitchen or bathroom. Nothing beats going for walks just make sure your a courteous, responsible pet owner and pick up after your pet if he poos.

If you work more then 8 hours a day and no one else is at home I do not recommend having a dog of any size. Being alone for that long of a period of time is unfair to the dog and can create behavior problems like separation anxiety, excessive barking, chewing, scratching, etc. Please consider  a cat if your a busy person and want a pet or some other small animal like hamsters, fish that can be left alone on a busy work day.