How to Keep Your Dog Happy in an Apartment

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post, contributed by Nasifa Sultan on behalf of FeedFond.com.

Being a dog owner is probably one of the most pleasurable things in life, but has its own set of challenges.

One of them being – living in an apartment. Now we know that owning a dog and living in an apartment may put some of us in stress, largely due to the fact that dogs are active bundles of joy- jumping and running around with oodles of energy. So a closed space may be difficult for them to live in.

So, how to keep them happy so that they do not lose their spark? Well, the solution is in the little things that you do for your dog.  

Here are some tips for you to keep your dog happy in an apartment:

Within Your Apartment

There are a number of things that you can do within your apartment to make sure that your dog feels comfortable.

1. Create More Space

Since it not possible to actually increase the existing area of your apartment, you can always make it spacious by rearranging the furniture or getting rid of objects that you do not need

This will give a lot of space for your dog to nicely walk around and stretch about in complete Zen.

2. Make Your Dog’s Space – Royalty

Well living in an apartment can make your dog feel pretty much cramped and you do not want that. Give him some special treatment so that it feels that he is in a five-star hotel that is exclusive to him.

How? Make a nice, warm and comfortable bed that he will forever be comfortable in – add a blanket, some soft pillows and dog toys to hug. If you want, your dog can also have his personalized food area with the food and water bowl- all served with royalty.

3. Create a Danger-Free Zone for Your Dog

Well, not every human-friendly thing is safe for dogs hence, keep them away. For example, keep away sharp objects, human food, medicines, small toys that can cause choking, from the reach of your dog. Using baby gates is recommended.

Tip: Around the house, you might need to arrange the furniture for quite some time before you get the perfect desired setting. And this stands true for designing your dog’s personal space as well.

And do not forget to get creative- a little bit of it will go a long way you know.

Rules of Behavior that You Set

Well your behavior with your dog, training that you give him and other little human interactions, have a very deep impact.

1. Find Some Furry Friends for Your Dog

Well get to know your neighbors; make some friends with other dog owners. And while you “hoomans” interact, allow your pet dogs to socialize.

2. Consistent Routines

One of the best ways to train your dog is by putting them on a schedule. Putting dogs on a routine helps to improve their quality of life and also, stops them from doing things that are less than desirable. It also helps them understand what is expected of them.

Need ideas on how to do so?

Well, you can start by giving your dog his meals at exactly the same time each day. This will have two benefits- first, he will know that food is coming and will be prepared. Second, his biological clock will start the food digestion and metabolism process accordingly, hence, fixing the time when he would want to visit the loo.

Additionally, you can do is put him to bed at the same time each day. And finally, you can also fix is daily walks at exactly the same time every day.

Tip: make sure to fix your dog’s routine on par with your own so that you can stick to it. Because, at end of the day, consistency is the key to success.

3. Have Patience and Realistic Expectations

Well here is a fact of life- you may have perfected training your dog. But the truth is, there will be times when your dog will do things that will leave you in a state of total frustration.

Relax! It is only normal that training your dog to live in an apartment will take some time.

While these situations might stress you out totally (say if you are coming home from work after a long day and find a messy bedroom), you have to try and be very patient with your dog.  But, do not worry, since they are always eager to please their favorite humans, they will eventually learn your cues.

And do not forget an important aspect of training- sometimes dogs behave in an undesirable manner because they are generally looking for attention or there are some underlying causes.

Try to figure out the exact reason- it will help solve the problem earlier.

4. Find Some Time for Cuddles

Every day, find some free time at home to spend a lot of quality time cuddling and playing with each other at home.

Why? Because these little gestures can have a huge impact on their psychology. It will make them feel loved and will keep them happy.

What can you do? Make some special treats for them or play some games where you really get to bond.

Life Outdoors

Your dog being the creature that he is, needs to have an active outdoor life. Here is what you can do to ensure it:

1. Make Sure that Your Dog Gets Lots of Exercises

Regularly take your dog out for workouts.

Have some good playtimes outdoors, or even take him swimming or a morning jog whatever the case is, make sure that your dog is getting plenty of exercises. You could always take your dog hiking once in a while to work those muscles.

Find a nice safe green place around your apartment to take your dog for a walk to.

2. Get a Dog Walker

Find someone who will take your dog out for walks every day and will care for your dog while you are away.

But, while choosing a dog-sitter or walker, you need to be very selective as you will be handing your precious pet-baby over to him.

There you go, we have laid out some steps that you can follow to have a nice happy dog in your apartment.

But, remember what makes a dog truly happy is the affection that his master is showering on him- so do not hold back on that. And, make sure to be considerate of your neighbors.

So, don’t worry about living in an apartment with your dog, after all, home is where the heart is – and that applies to everybody.

Read next: 13 Essentials for New Pet Owners