With an ever increasing number of people moving to cities where private, outdoor areas are an expensive and rare commodity, there has been an increase in what are considered to be less active dog breeds. The sad part is that many of these breeds are just as active as other breeds. This means that a lot of people end up with dogs living in the city that should be spending their time on a farm, scaring the foxes away from the hen house or swimming in a lake to retrieve a downed duck. So, how do we keep these dogs happy in an urban environment?
Look for a house or apartment building that is dog friendly and has a backyard that you can use. I know that this is seems like a shallow tip, but too many people think that if they do not have 10 acres of land for their dogs to run on then there is no reason to have any land at all. For the days that you can’t get away from the city, even a little grass out back and outdoor dog beds to lie down on will keep your dog from going stir crazy. If a dog does not have some earth to dig their claws into, there is a much higher chance of them getting destructive inside our home.
Make time in your schedule to take them to a park. I am not talking about a dog park. I don’t like dog parks. Working in a veterinary office lets you see too many dogs that have come in because of fights at dog parks. I’m talking about taking a drive and bringing them someplace fairly secluded. It’s worth a little bit of driving once a week to get your dog a bit of exercise as well as get a breath of fresh air for yourself. Include your dogs in your workout routine so they flop down in their outdoor dog beds at the end of the day and pass out. When you go running three times a week you can use that to wear out your pups and make them much happier while keeping their health up. On top of that, if they are worn out on a regular basis, they will not be as loud or as rambunctious. Why spend money on a gym membership and spend time on the treadmill when you can wear that puppy out and get the same exercise?