Help Your Pet Live Their Best Apartment Life

We’re coming to you live to discuss apartment living with pets. Though you might have to do some digging to find a complex that allows pets, there are tons of happy pet parents out there thriving in small spaces. Read on for some pointers on how you can help your fur-kid meet all their needs sans spacious house and yard and set them up for apartment complex success in general.

Know What You’re Getting Yourself Into

If you already live in an apartment or condo and are looking to add a pet to the mix, diligently look into your complex’s rules on breeds, sizes, and temperaments they’ll allow. And ask yourself things like:

• Will the dog I get be able to get enough exercise without a yard?
• If a pet is a shedder, will that be too much for my allergies or cleanliness standards in a small space?
• Will a pet be friendly to the other people and pets I’ll encounter in the cozy confines of an apartment complex?

Be sure you’re prepared! Dogs will need exercise and stimulation—walks, time outside, and tug of war and other play time inside. This takes more creativity and intentionality when you don’t have a yard you can let your dog roam free in. But that too can be a pro—a dog will probably force you to get more active in an apartment, and more creative in how you get that activity in. They might also lead you to engage more with the people living around you—everyone wants to talk to the person with the dog. They’ll be a conversation starter and might lead you to meet the other “dog people” in the complex.

And if the pet is already in the picture and you’re shopping for a complex that will accept them, also look for amenities around that might make their life without the space of a house and yard more enjoyable. For example, some pet-friendly complexes might even have a dog park, a pet run, or a pet spa on the premises. Alternatively, look for some of those things close by.

Which Breed May be Best?

So first off, if you have a pet itch in general, you maaaay be better suited scratching it with a cat, since they require far less space and don’t need outside exercise. Most cats can be very content in an apartment or condo; just make sure they have a room or some space they can retreat to when they need distance, or if guests come over and make them uncomfortable. Also make sure you have enough space to put their litter box where the sights and smells don’t waft into your eating and cooking areas or are off-putting to visitors in your socializing areas. And for those few hours when they’ll have zoomies, make sure there’s furniture, or cat condos they can climb, jump, and play on.

But if you’re a dogs-or-bust kind of person, here are some breeds to consider:

• Pugs, Beagles, Petit Basset Griffon Vendéens, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Dachshunds, and Boston Terriers all tend to be friendly and low-key
• Pugs, French Bulldogs, Basenjis (one of the quietest breeds, nicknamed “the barkless dog”), Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, and the Bolognese (yes, it’s real) are breeds that tend to bark less
• English Bulldogs, Basset Hounds, French Bulldogs, Pugs, and Japanese Chins don’t need much exercise
• Breeds that are still apartment-sized but are a bit higher energy and will be good jogging/hiking/frisbee partners include Jack Russells, Miniature Pinschers, Schipperkes, Pembroke Welsh Corgis, and Portuguese Water Dogs
• Independent breeds that will be okay-ish with extended time alone include Basset Hounds, Chihuahuas (but they can be big barkers, so keep this in mind; they also tend to do better in pairs), Cardigan Welsh Corgis (can also be barkers), Biewer Terriers, and Lhasa Apsos. But even with these, get home to them on a lunch break if you can, or hire a walker.

Tips for Helping Your Latchkey (Fur) Kid Live Their Best Life

If your pet’s going to be left alone in an apartment for long stretches, give them things to keep them occupied so they don’t chew or won’t be bored into getting into your things, like chew toys or interactive/enrichment toys, or even crate train them. And most dogs, regardless of breed or size, can do well in apartments as long as they’re trained well and given proper exercise.

And when budgeting for your apartment pet and all their needs, don’t forget to find the best pet insurance you can! Bivvy’s dog insurance covers illnesses, accidents, diagnostic treatment, surgery, prescription meds, and more.

Some say that large dog breeds—we’re talkin’ German Shepherds, Rottweilers, and yes, even Great Danes—can actually make some of the best apartment companions because they tend to be more calm and confident, they may not be as reactive or on-edge or have the innate drive to investigate what’s going on outside as those like collies and small terriers do. The experts say it’s much more about your particular dog’s disposition, and the training and exercise you give them, than breed or size. Best of luck, small square footage dwellers! You’ve got this.