Medium size dog in an apartment??

[gitanjali27]

Hey all!

I'm new to the community and I have a problem that I hope someone can help me out with. I have a WONDERFUL WONDERFUL dog named Indy that I rescued at a shelter when I was in college. Fate determined our meeting as I found him shot and lying on the side of the street. I knew I had to help him--I got him vet care and now he's my very best friend.

SO...i need the most help I can possibly get in dealing with this problem.
I recently landed a job in NYC. I'm not living in the city itself but very closeby. The area i live in is great--it's very dog friendly with a dog park that's very very close to my apartment complex.
However my actual apartment is kind of small. It's a studio apartment that is around 600 square feet. I plan on decorating it so that there is plenty of space to walk around in for me and my dog.
Indy is half german shepard, half husky. I'm not sure what he has more of in him since he's loyal but constantly wanting to be near me.
Ok so here's the thing---

I'm working a job that goes from around 9-5 (maybe at most 7PM). I can't crate him no matter how much i've tried to get him used to it. He goes CRAZY barking and just rattling the door trying to get out. Eventually he'll succeed and escape the crate (he's a magnificent escape artist). I feel like even gating off a section of the apartment is out of the question.
As for barking, i have a no-bark collar that is pretty effective. He's usually very good and doesn't often bark but he may occasionally from hearing a loud noise.

I just don't want to sound like i'm being cruel to my dog. I love him SO much and have talked to others that own dogs and work as well. Many keep their dogs crated for 10-12 hours and their dogs are perfectly happy. However, I was hoping to keep my dog out and NOT come home to torn up furniture and feathers from my ripped up pillows everywhere!

The only solution i can think of is to make sure he goes to the bathroom before i go to work and then leave a lot of toys/chew toys around so that he chews those instead of the furniture. Anybody think this will work? I can't afford a dogwalker or doggy daycare so i need some serious answers! :(

If anybody has some good suggestions to help me out I'd appreciate it!

[Jakesmom]

10-12 hours is a long time, but many dogs do it. If he has plenty of excercise in the morning and again in the evening that will help. I don't think the size of the apartment is much of an issue (its certainly larger than a crate) as long as he has a good long walk or vigorous play in the morning before you leave. I have a large Golden Retriever, and even when he was young and VERY energetic, he just as happy in a small hotel room as our house.

If you do find you need to confine him, you might try the bathroom. I had success with that when my puppy (now 2) would not acclimate to a crate. She loves the BR and sleeps there at night even though we don't confine her. You should try slowly acclimating him just as you would the crate.

You might also try craigslist and see if there is someone close by that you could exchange tasks with (dog walking for whatever you could do?).

Good luck!

Jakesmom

[VTJess03]

Welcome to PT! When you get a chance, we'd love to see pics of Indy.

I keep Belle (~45 lbs) in an apartment all day...I don't have anyplace outside to put her here. She used to destroy pillows, etc. but seems to have grown out of that. I do have a slip-cover on the sofa (my apt. was furnished by the landlord, and I didn't want to replace all the furniture -- ouch, right?). She pretty much sleeps all day (my schedule is very erratic...I can pop in at any time of day, or be gone up to 12 or 14 hours). She is crate trained, but I only put her in it for sleeping at night, for eating her supper, and if she is barking and I need to use the phone (her bark carries louder than my voice, for some reason). I don't want her crated during the day...since we live by ourselves (well, 1 half-grown cat too), I like for her to bark at people at my door when I'm not here, so that they think there will be consequences for breaking in my place. Not that she'd ever bite anyone for any reason, but a lot of times, a barking dog will make people nervous if the owner is not at home.

My only suggestion is to put away anything you're worried about getting destroyed, and leave out plenty of alternative things...if it's pillows he likes, find some cheap stuffed toys you don't mind destroyed (no squeakers, of course, in case he tries to swallow them, and pick up the stuffing when you get home, so it's not swallowed either). If it's wood, find some hard chew-toys. A lot of people have success with Kong toys stuffed with peanut butter or Easy-Cheese; Belle won't play with Kongs unless I'm home. Most dogs will outgrow chewing. As long as your dog doesn't have any over-attachment/separation anxiety issues, you should be fine.

[shelby]

Did you ever consider Doggie Day Care? There should be many places in NY.to choose from.Your dog will get all the exercise it needs and you both will be happier for it. Good luck!

[pitc9]

Doggie Day care is what I was thinking also!
Even if it's a few times a week!
Or see if you could hire a dog walker to come by during the day.
When I get brave and leave my dogs free in the house I hide treats all over the house and fill their kongs with treats to keep them busy.
I also leave the TV on so that they think I'm home and won't tear up my house! :p