Did you choose a four-legged roommate for the first time? Then exciting times dawn. In this article, we shed light on how a dog changes your living environment and your daily routine.
All this can get a little turbulent in the first few weeks. But when the shared apartment has settled down with the sniffer’s nose, you will soon wonder how you could ever live without a dog. Here you can read how to settle in with your animal roommate.
Is it allowed to live with the dog in the rented apartment?
If you are not a homeowner,best beds for rat terriers the first question is whether you are allowed to keep a dog in your apartment at all. There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this: it depends on the specific rental agreement. This specifies whether and in what form animal husbandry is permitted.
There are rental agreements that generally allow animal husbandry. Ultimately, the decisive factor is whether the dog can be integrated into the social structure of the apartment building. This is usually not controversial in well-behaved, “normal” dogs. However, particularly large dogs or dogs that are conspicuous by aggressiveness may require individual decisions.
If there is no explicit provision in the rental agreement, it depends on whether the dog kept in the apartment corresponds to the normal contract of use: With smaller dogs, this is usually not a problem, with a Great Dane in a one-room apartment it is certainly more problematic in the interpretation. Even if the dog becomes conspicuous or aggressive as a permanent barker, the landlord can prohibit the dog keeping. Legally, one speaks of “balancing interests”.
If another tenant already owns a dog in the same house, the landlord cannot prohibit a new tenant from keeping dogs for no reason. Another variant common in rental contracts is that dog-keeping requires the individual consent of the landlord.
A general ban on animal husbandry via contractual clause, on the other hand, is ineffective: Here, the above-mentioned “balancing of interests” between dog owners, landlords, and other tenants must be clarified. Unfortunately, some dog owners experience that it is not so easy to find an apartment with a dog. Sometimes a little persuasion is needed.
The dog-friendly apartment
The dog does not care whether you live in an old apartment or a bungalow or what the living landscape looks like.
Rather, very practical criteria are decisive for a suitable apartment:
Living space: The apartment is, so to speak, an enlarged basket. Of course, large dog breeds, such as wolfhounds, need more space overall than smaller ones. But in the end, every dog who is out of the Flegel and young dog phase spends his time in the apartment mainly sleeping. Larger, heavier dogs are even more likely to attract attention with less urge to move than small agile animals.
Outdoor area: It is ideal if the dog has access to an outdoor area next to the apartment. The direct hit would of course be a large garden. However, it cannot and should not replace the walks and joint outdoor activities. However, the expansion of the territory outside is a big plus for the dog. In a large garden, you can also set up a dog house, which offers the dog an additional retreat. But even if no own garden is available, housing is no problem for the sniffer’s nose, as long as there is still enough exercise.
Floor: Contrary to popular belief, it does not generally harm dogs to climb stairs. Exceptions are special breeds with short legs and long backs, such as dachshund or basset. And, of course, animals that have health problems with bones or joints, which often affects the elderly. Puppies should also be carried up and down at first, as they are still growing.
As a tenant with a dog, you do not necessarily have to move into an apartment on the ground floor. However, on steep or slippery stairs, you should make sure that the dog learns to master the steps safely, i.e. does not run off impetuously, slip and fall.
Area: In a household with a dog, you should make sure that as few free-standing objects as possible (floor vases, floor lamps, and the like) are placed in the rooms and that the furniture is grouped in such a way that open spaces remain in the room. The dog should not have to meander steadily between furniture in movement and run the risk of overturning things. Especially low tables are predestined for this from medium dog size when wagging.
Noise emission: Especially in the multi-party Stackhouse, you as a dog owner should be considerate of roommates. Occasional, situation-related barking is not the problem, but constant barking is quite disturbing. Also, take a look at the flooring: Dogs, unlike cats, cannot pull in their claws. Corresponding treading noises on laminate or parquet flooring cannot be avoided in buildings with noisy ears. Carpet or runners are a good solution. Especially since the dogs often prefer them because they do not slip on them.
What furniture does my dog need?
A dog’s demands on its inventory are clear.
As a spatially permanently placed equipment, your four-legged friend only needs the following:
Roost: Depending on size, breed, and individual preferences, this can be a dog bed, a sleeping mat, a real basket, or a dog cave. It is important that the sleeping place is a safe retreat with a comfortable lying surface, which has its fixed place and is well placed within the apartment.
Food bowls: What the dining table is to man, is the feeding place for the dog. Hygienic bowls made of ceramic or metal on a base are sufficient.
How does the dog influence the daily routine when living together?
The presence of the dog brings a new temporal structure and new obligations into your daily routine: feeding times and several walks with the animal are now part of the program.
In turn, the dog quickly learns to adapt to your rhythm. However, some dogs become active at night, get out of the basket and wander around. The attentive four-legged friend may react to fine noises and take over the “guard” for his sleeping pack. However, be mindful, because his behavior could increase into unwanted behavior. Especially in older dogs, it occurs more frequently. Then have your darling checked out by the veterinarian to rule out pain or another discomfort as the cause.
Dog and cat: living together
Contrary to a common cliché, dogs and cats do not hate each other per se. A lot depends on socialization in puppy age (both animals) and how the owners deal with it. It is important to have retreats for both animals where they are “safe” from the other. For cats, the third dimension is particularly suitable: High up on shelves and window sills, they find lookout and peace.
Slowly lead the animals together and give the process time. Pay enough attention to both of them and pay attention to the fine signals that the animals emit. Is the cat showing signs of stress? Does the dog not want to go into the apartment after the walk? Then the situation is not optimal. If in doubt, get an expert for help, e.B a behavioral medicine veterinarian or a qualified dog trainer.
However, it may be that even with great effort dog and cat do not get together. Then,rat terrier dental care in the interest of the animals, a separation from one of the two should be considered. Permanent stress from the other animal is in any case very stressful and should not be accepted.
Which is better for dogs? Living in the countryside or in the city?
City or country: What is better for the dear dogs, every dog owner sees differently. That’s why we ask two who need to know: Tiffy and Leo, city and country dog. Be there when we accompany them through their lives for a day! This much is certain: Neither one nor the other is boring. Woof!
