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Condo Dog
My husband and I are considering moving into a condo. We would like a dog but are unsure what type of dog would be the best for us. I am in school and will be in class two hours a day and then I will be home. I work evenings but when I leave for work my husband will be home. I graduate in a year and then I will be most likely working full time and the dog will be alone for 8 hours. My husband and I are active people and after work would be able to give the dog a lot of exercise. My husband is a hunter and would like a dog he can take hunting. Also my grandparents have 250 acres that my husband and I spend a lot of time hiking on and would like a sturdy dog that can handle rough terrain and isn't afraid of water. We have each owned dogs in the past and are willing to take a serious amount of time to make sure the dog is well trained.
Summary:
We need a dog that can be alone for 4-8 hours a day in a 1400sq condo, but can also enjoy our active outdoorsy lifestyle. We live in Upstate NY, so it has to be able to handle cold winters and warm summers. We are looking for a 40-80lb dog.
Re: Condo Dog
A lot of the items on your list could describe a lot of breeds as well as a lot of mixed breed dogs. If you aren't set on a particular breed, working with an all-breed rescue might be a great option. Rescues who have their adoptable dogs in foster homes have a great sense of each dog's personality and can work with you to find the best match for your lifestyle in terms of energy level, size, exercise requirements, etc. I would personally consider an adult dog (even 1 year old +), as their temperaments and general energy level will be set (though energy can and does decline with age in many dogs). That way you know what you're getting, and there's a better chance of a good match. Plus, many adult dogs are already housebroken, and some are crate-trained and even have basic obedience training.
The only thing on your list that is a bit tricky is the hunting part - if your husband wants a dog that actually hunts, you may need a specific breed, and depending on how serious he is about it, you may need to go through a rescue that is familiar with hunting dogs and can assess the dog's abilities. The dog may also require specific training in order to be able to safely be around guns and in the field with the hunters. What type(s) of hunting does your husband do (i.e. what kind of game does he hunt)? Is he looking for a dog that will retrieve, point, flush, etc.? Does the dog need to be good in the water for hunting purposes (retrieving game from the water) or just not afraid of the water?
Lastly, most dogs can be perfectly happy in an apartment/condo as long as they are getting enough physical exercise and mental stimulation, so if you are committed to providing for the dog, living in a condo does not necessarily limit your options.
Ditto everything Caz said; she made great points about how to go finding the right dog for you!
Re: the condo. If it's around 1400 sq/ft, that's nearly the size of my whole house, so that really doesn't restrict you in terms of size very much. We have a Boxer who is around 55 lbs in a 1450 sq/ft home, and she's just fine in here! We have room for her crate (although she's pretty much grown out of needing to be in there when we're not home), and she's got plenty of space to move around.
Knowing you'll take the dog outside for exercise and play when you get home from work (or even taking it on a walk before work also), is all you really need for even an active dog.
B/w 1/8: betas 17,345, progesterone 25.6
Agree with this, but wanted to add that many rescue dogs make fine hunting dogs. My brother-in-law spent $1000 on a well-bred pointer for his hunting dog, and later found out that the brittany mix my sister got from rescue did just as well as a hunting dog as the expensive one from the breeder :-). The first brittany has since passed away, as well as the pointer. Their next dog was another brittany mix from a rescue, who also is their hunting dog now, and does just great.
I also wanted to mention that we found a perfect condo dog from a rescue. She was a 4-year old Australian Shephard mixed with who-knows-what, and had the most wonderful temperment and did well at home during the workday. It was great to get a rescue dog because you know so much about them from day 1, such as whether they bark a lot, etc. That said, we ended up not keeping her as it was just too much of a pain to take her out for walks all of the time :-(. So we will consider getting a dog again sometime if we have a yard.
I am judging the crap out of you for this lazy excuse for ditching a dog you rescued.
B/w 1/8: betas 17,345, progesterone 25.6
FYI, all dogs need daily exercise. They will not "exercise themselves" left alone in a yard.
Don't think in terms of what breed is best -- all dogs are individuals.
I would take exactly what you've typed out here, and head to a local shelter, or email local rescues. Let them match you up with a few dogs, then go and meet them.
And I am judging the crap out of you for your comment :-). You don't know me or my situation. And FYI, it was a foster-to-adopt, so we had a week to decide without commitment whether the dog would work out.
Yes, and we were quite aware of that and she did get PLENTY of daily exercise. However, it was not worth risking my husband's safety when he had to take her out for walks at night and encountered unsafe people when doing so.
Really?!? That is still a poor excuse. I lived in a similar type of neighborhood and all survived.
We had 2 large breeds (english chocolate lab and great dane/shephard mix) in a small condo. It worked. We would walk them in the morning before work/school. Then my husband would swing by in the afternoon and let them out (he worked two blocks away). We would take them on a longer walk after work then for a quick potty break before bed.
I live in a condo in ALASKA, with a cur dog mix, and a greyhound/doberman mix. Obviously both are skinny, and short haired dogs, it isn't possible to take them for walks all year round but we make it work. I would never consider rehoming my kids b/c I'm not willing to work harder to make sure they get exercise. We got them both into sports, like flyball and swimming b/c they're at indoor facilities.
If they mean enough to you, you'll make time and sacrifices for them.
To the OP, the pps have given you a lot of good advice, but I just wanted to say (from personal experience) having a very smart, active dog in a condo is do-able, as long as you have the commitment to giving the dog physical and mental exercise every single day. Be aware that if you have a dog that has a strong "drive" to work, like many hunting dogs do, that they need mental stimulation, in addition to the physical. Puzzle toys, clicker training or some type of dog sport are all good and will help an active dog channel his or her energy appropriately indoors. Doggy daycare is also an absolute lifesaver with an active dog. I can't recommend it enough. You don't have to go every day, by any means, just on an as needed basis.
Also, one thing I'd mention to be aware of, especially in a condo setting, is separation anxiety. Some of the sporting breeds are prone to separation anxiety, which can be challenging (needless to say) in a setting where the barking can be a real problem for the neighbors. Just something to think about and ask about as you look for the right match for you.
Best of luck choosing a dog. It sounds like your future dog will have a fun time enjoying the outdoors with you.
"The hardest thing is to live richly in the present without letting it be tainted out of fear for the future or regret for the past." - Sylvia Plath
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I think ANY dog (as proven by all the commenters here!) can be a fantastic apartment dog. Remember what Caesar says: Exercise, discipline, reward, in that order.
If you give your dog plenty of exercise, raise them right with lots of good discipline and then love the heck out of them, they will be a great dog.
Personally, my husband and I have a GoldenDoodle. He is an awesome dog. Loves the water, we hike with him all the time and (bonus!) he barely sheds. We've always lived in an apartment or loft and I've made it part of my routine to take 3-4 20 minute walks a day then hike or take him to the dog park every weekend. He weighs 75 lbs.
Good luck with our decision! I'm sure your new dog will be such a great part of your family!
Our rescued pit bull lived inside our 700 sq foot condo in Boston with us!