The Golden Retriever is likely the most popular breed of canine that will make for the best house dog, additional family member or roommate. Obviously, they are gorgeous dogs, they like to be active and they love to get attention and to give attention.
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How are they when it comes to living in an apartment? They may be medium to large-sized dogs, however, a Golden retriever does not require the Penthouse Apartment or a huge Palace to be happy living in.
Rather than for a Golden Retriever, anywhere that you live, your Golden will be a happy canine. However, let’s look and see what type of living is best for a Golden Retriever and how well they can handle Apartment life.
Energy Levels of a Golden Retriever
As we know, the Golden Retriever was bred as a hunting dog. However, today, they are most often used as Therapy dogs or Service dogs.
As a hunting dog, the Golden has a naturally high energy level. The Golden Retriever, as well as many other dogs, need to release the energy they have. This energy does not need to be released indoors.
The Golden Retriever does need an adequate amount of exercise daily. It is recommended that the exercise total at least two periods of 30 minutes each. As a bare minimum, this would be enough to keep the dog in an okay state of mind. This may help keep them calm when at home. This would be true even if they lived in a huge mansion.
When the Golden Retriever or any other large dog does not have adequate exercise and playtime, they end up bored and start to display some unwelcome behaviours.
Does this mean that Apartment living is out of the realm of possibilities? Absolutely not. As stated, even if the family lived in a huge mansion, the dog needs exercise. Outdoors there is plenty of space for a dog to walk, run and play. For some owners this can be beneficial to their health also. That extra walking time, or going to the yard and playing fetch or frisbee with your dog may be just what the Human doctor recommends too.
Even in the largest and most populated cities, there are dog parks, and plenty of places to go for a walk and burn off some energy.
This activity may be enough to help your Golden Retriever rest at night.
Different Weather Situations
There are certainly going to be times that nature has different plans in store and going outside to play may not be an option. However, your dog will need to go outside to use the bathroom. Slow walks, as a preventative for slipping, can be just as good for the dog and the owner as running and playing.
Some towns do have locations that are more covered for the animals. Some have indoor dog parks or similar spots for fun without the sun.
Other fun activities that will have the dog active include visiting a pet-friendly pet store. Take the dog with you and walk each of the aisles, maybe a couple of times.
However, if there are times that you cannot get outside, simple games can be played in the house. You can sit on the floor and roll the ball to your dog, a simpler version of fetch, tamed down.
Doggy Sitter, Dog Walker
During your work hours, it is difficult to expect your dog to hold their need for a potty break. These are the times when you will need to consider hiring a dog walker or dog sitter. Yes, this costs money, however, unless you have a friend or family member that is willing to come over and help out, this is a necessary addition to the budget.
There are also Daycares for dogs. This is a great idea for those who do not have as much time as they would like to exercise their Golden Retriever. Taking your canine to a doggy daycare may be the solution that is what you need. Your dog will be able to play all day and get the exercise he needs while you are at work.
The dog walker is a good idea also as the dog will be able to relieve himself and have company at the same time.
Mental, Emotional and Physical
You will find when your Golden Retriever is bored, he or she will look for activities to entertain themselves. This boredom will generally lead to some very unwelcome activities.
Golden Retrievers, just like most dogs, love toys. Toys of all kinds, there are puzzle-type toys that you can put treats or smaller toys in that your dog will be able to get once he or she solves the puzzle to open the compartment.
Chew toys, balls, bones and treat toys can keep the dog occupied while you are away. The treat balls filled with peanut butter or yoghurt will occupy them for a period of time, and with a somewhat healthier snack.
Training
Owners should be certain to train their dog, no matter the breed, to at least a certain extent. The large dog breeds should be taught some manners and how to be respectful of humans. This is especially true for smaller living spaces.
A good reminder is that the Golden Retriever is intelligent and easy to train for the most part. The Golden Retriever is the canine that really loves to please its owner. All dogs should be trained to follow the rules and it is up to you to train them.
If you do not feel confident training yourself, make a list of what you believe are the most important rules the dog needs to follow, and then do research to find a highly rated Dog Training centre. There may be group centres or single dog classes.
Hair and Gone
This is one issue that, as the owner, you will need to be accustomed to. Of course, there are things you can do to make it a little easier, however, it is never going to go away. For one, daily brushing is going to be helpful. It will not remove all of the hair, but you will be able to brush off a certain amount.
You are going to have to make some decisions as far as if the dog will be allowed on the furniture. If you agree to this, know that the furniture is going to collect plenty of dog fur.
To help with removing the hair on furniture, using a lint roller brush is very useful. You may find you need to vacuum more often, invest in a Swiffer broom which will help to pick the hair up off the floor.
Weight Watching
Whether you are living in an apartment or in a house, your dog needs to be healthy. The Golden Retriever should be restricted to a healthy diet, dog food that is high in protein and Omega fats. However, living in an apartment can be a little harder to ensure that your dog is not holding onto weight. This is why exercise is so important. Again, the long walks, a run in the park, or a quick game of fetch. Any activity that can help the dog maintain a healthy weight.
Vet Visitation
One important factor for all animals, not just the Golden Retriever, if you are living in an Apartment, the dog will likely come across many other people and that could put them at risk to catch some virus or infection another dog in the building has. The same is true if your dog does attend a Doggy Daycare.
Maintaining regular visits or routine visits with the Veterinarian. Not only will your dog receive the vaccinations he or she needs when they are due, but they will also be completely checked over to ensure that there is nothing else wrong with your beloved pet.
Balcony and Heights
When living in an apartment building, there is one facet that is not considered ahead of time. Many apartments have balconies that people enjoy sitting on to enjoy the fresh air. Your Golden Retriever will enjoy the air circulation out there also.
However, there may be some danger involved if you are not watching closely. Some dogs can be extremely inquisitive, if the neighbours have a dog, your Golden Retriever may hear the dog and want to visit. Your dog may also hear the noises coming from the street. The Golden Retriever may try to jump up higher to see where the noise is coming from. Balconies are usually at least 4 feet high, however, your dog may be able to get higher than that easily.
If you take your Golden out to the balcony with you, have a leash on the dog's collar. This will help you be able to stop the dog before he or she jumps to the upper portion of the railing.
Friendliness
The Golden Retriever is a friendly dog. Yet, you want to be sure that your Golden is trained enough so that he or she is not overly friendly with others. This over-friendly behaviour could lead to some problems if your canine jumps up on a person and knocks them down and hurts the person.
Extra Deposit
One thing to be very well aware of is that the Apartment complex you live in may charge a higher security deposit to keep your Golden Retriever with you. This damage deposit will help cover cleaning costs and the fur removal. It is also required to cover any damages to the Golden Retriever or other dog that you have.
