When we are considering buying or adopting a German shepherd a lot of doubts arise and among those doubts we find the typical one related to our home … will my apartment or house be big enough for my dog? Will my dog ??be comfortable in my little room? Is it necessary? Have a terrace or a large garden for my GSD to play freely?
Man, the truth is that a large house with a garden would be perfect for both your GSD and you are right? But no matter how large or small your home is, the most important thing to be able to live in perfect harmony is to take into account and satisfy the physiological, physical and social needs of your pet.
Life with a German Shepherd in an apartment is very common and due to the urban lifestyle of a large part of society, more and more dogs adapt to these spaces.
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What to consider ?
There are things you should consider if you decide to have German Shepherds live in your apartment will the dog for alone for long hour daily , are able to provide outdoor activities daily , what is the temperament of the dog and how well it get along with children if you have any.
The size of your apartment
Living in an apartment does not mean: living in a shoe box overlooking an alley … but it is clear that size counts. Large dogs such as German Shepherds will enjoy a space where they can move at ease and rest quietly when they need it. While, even in a small apartment, the tiniest dogs will look like true adventurers due to their size . Your apartment should have enough space for your dog to be able trot freely without too much obstacles in his way .
In an apartment your GSD would need stimulation
German Shepherds are intelligent dogs and require daily stimulation or its likely to get bored easily from repetitive daily activities. It will not thrive unless they are kept active and presented with new and challenging challenges. In an apartment you would need to spend some time with your dog daily or he would get bore and pick up bad habits. If you want a German Shepherd to live in an apartment you cannot be away for the dog 8 hours daily at work or at school while he is lock away bored . Even thought they are dogs that can adopt boredom can make him learn bad habits such as destroying your couch.
Educate him to behave in a small space
Teach him that at home there are no games played but quieter games like learning to take food from an interactive toy; Create a routine of activities so that you learn to relax between one another and teach exercises that can be useful to improve coexistence, such as lying down and remaining still. Education based on positive reinforcement is undoubtedly the most fun and rewarding activities you will carry out with your pet. You will love it and it will exhaust you in equal parts and in addition the bond that you will create will be each session stronger. Below is an example of well train dog living in an apartment.
Daily exercise
While the dog will also be happy relaxing around the apartment and with his family, this breed of dogs is in need of daily exercise and active activities to keep him entertained. In your day to day you can never miss the daily walk or the jogging session with your master. Go running with him, tour the city while watching the world, take time to cover the physical activity you need, let him play with other dogs. It will considerably reduce his desire to play at home or even destroy things.
Benefits of having your GSD live in your apartment.
The German Shepherd is a breed of dog widely used as a guard dog in all kinds of situations, such as in police tasks, in security companies, in homes and on rural farms.
German shepherds are territorial dogs and they soon become familiar with the boundaries of the area they consider their own, and often patrol this area independently on the alert of intruders, other dogs or any situation they may consider a potential problem. If they see something that alerts them, they will bark and make a fuss, both to inform their owners of the situation they consider anomalous and as a deterrent to possible intruders. So one of the benefits of having a German Shepherds in an apartment is that he would protect it from intruders.
Therefore, if a German shepherd goes to live in a domestic apartment it is vital that the dog be well socialized with people and other animals since he is a puppy, and be well trained on the limits of acceptable behavior when they enter the home. Contact someone or something new.
Final important thoughts
But after so much talking about space and physical activity, remember that there are other factors that are closely linked to the fact that our friend is more or less happy at home, and much of that happiness will be determined by our behavior and our way of doing things.
Even if your dog is a pet dog and you think that its habitat has become the sofa, do not make mistakes, you will need to go out, have contact with other dogs. So give him long walks to get in contact with other dogs, exercise, play, explore the environment, see people. This will make your colleague a happier dog and less likely to develop problem behaviors.
There are people who believe that your GSD cannot live in an apartment and needs a garden to play . It can also happen that your German Shepherd may sits alone all day if you have a garden area. While we think it is incredibly good because it is in a garden when what really happens is that your pet wants to be with you. So, even if your dog has a terrace, a garden or just a flat, do not leave him too many hours alone and try to be with him.
Finally, remember that there are not too large apartment or too apartment when it comes to giving love and being with our animal. He will be continuously willing to be with us and that sure will be a mutual feeling. Now you can go to adopt without problem.
