How Do Dogs Live In High Rises? The Reality Of Dogs & Apartments

Plenty of people who live in cities have dogs, despite the majority of them living in apartment buildings. In my experience, I’ve seen as many dogs in and around my city as I used to see in the suburbs, if not more. This holds true for the 40-story building I live in now, and also for buildings two times that height in my area. But how? How do dogs live in high rises with all that they require? I’ll dive into this topic based on what I see and what my wife and I have experienced when we used to have a dog in the city. Here’s what you need to know about having a dog in a high rise apartment.

Not All Apartment Buildings Allow Dogs

First off, only certain apartment buildings allow dogs.

You can imagine why: damage, noise and potential liability are all factors in whether or not dogs are allowed in the building. Most of the time, building owners that allow dogs charge an additional one-time pet fee at the time the lease is signed to mitigate some risk.

More recently though, the number of high rise apartment buildings that allow dogs seems to be growing. A huge number of people in or near cities want to have dogs – many building owners fear a greater loss of business by not allowing dogs vs. dealing with potential repercussions.

Some buildings feature amenities specifically for dogs. The building I live in has a fenced-in dog run and a previous building had a room in the basement made for dog grooming.

Barking Can Be Problematic

Even in buildings that allow dogs, a “barker” can be an issue for your neighbors.

Apartment buildings can be noisy. Whether it be talking in the hallway or a neighbor coming home, these sounds can put dogs on edge. This is even more true when we’re at work or out of the house for a while.

The following sections are largely the solutions for naturally treating a dog’s anxieties when living in a high rise. More good news – when dogs live in high rises for long enough, they often get used to these background noises. If you’re thinking of having a dog, it’s a good idea to consider barking and how to minimize it before getting one.

Of course, excess barking is drastically reduced through exercise. “A good dog is a tired dog!”

Regular Exercise & Socialization Are Crucial

In addition to fueling anxiety (social, separation or otherwise), high energy levels in dogs often lead to destruction. That sounded dramatic – we really mean a destruction of your couch or slippers!

As you can imagine, the small space in a high rise apartment doesn’t provide too much room for dogs to run. That’s why a routine exercise regime is essential when dogs live in high rises! Getting outside for a jog, to the dog park or a decent walk are great for a dog’s well-being – both mentally and physically.

For example, we used to bring our dog for a brisk 15-30 minute walk every day after work. We had a Pomeranian-Yorkie mix, so he got tired pretty quickly. Larger dogs probably need a solid run each day to counter-balance being in an apartment all day.

Living in an apartment can be lonely for dogs, especially when we’re not home. This isolation can lead to anti-social behavior from dogs – we experienced this. We tried to give our dog at least a little interaction with other dogs when out for a walk to a trip to the ‘bathroom’. Speaking of which…

Bathroom Trips Must Be Consistent

Barring a few exceptions, there’a nowhere for dogs to go to the bathroom inside apartments. Therefore, they rely completely on a bathroom trip with you to get some relief.

As for the ‘exception’ mentioned above, we tried training our dog using potty training pads with some success. For training, I think they work well. Even when he learned to use them, though, we still ended up cleaning the floor daily. We also went through a lot of pads – at least two per day. That began to add up quickly! For this reason, we began to bring him outside for his needs.

According to the AKC, a consistent timeline for bathroom trips is key for avoiding them going inside. This translates into at least two trips downstairs and outside the building on a daily basis so your dog can go. For us, our dog wanted to go out the second we woke up in the morning. A trip outside became our 5:00am ritual.

For dogs living in high rises, there could be several minutes between putting on their leash and actually going to the bathroom. Because of this,…

Clean-Up Will Be Required

I can almost guarantee that your dog will ‘do their business’ either in your apartment, the hall, the elevator or the lobby at some point. I know from experience! Because of this, it’s a good idea to bring some paper towels with you when taking your dog outside – your neighbors will appreciate the lack of urine in the elevator or hallway.

It’s also a good idea to bring some plastic bags with you. Most high rise buildings are in urban areas, so cleaning up dog poop is going to be required every time they go.

Some Breeds Are Better Suited For Apartments Than Others

Some dogs require a lot of exercise. My parents, who live in he suburbs, have a German Shepherd. There’s almost no way my wife and I could have him live with us in our apartment. He has a fair-sized fenced in yard that he gets access to multiple times a day and he still has plenty of energy to smash himself all over the house.

The easiest way to have a dog in a high rise apartment is to seek out a breed known for lower exercise requirements, which usually includes more even temperaments.

Dogs with more energy can live in high rises, but just know that the exercise requirements and overall energy levels will be higher. Here’s AKC’s list of the best dog breeds for apartment living.

You’ll Get To Know Other Dog Owners In Your Building

One advantage of having a dog in a high rise building is that you’ll get to know other dog owners. Most people go to work and get home around the same time each day, so you’ll probably run into them in and around your building regularly.

This is great for making friends in your building as well as for socializing your dog! Win-win.

In Summary

At the end of the day, the decision to have or not to have a dog is yours (well, your building’s management too). I’m not a dog trainer or an expert, I’m just a guy who’s had a dog while living in a high-rise. Everything I know about how dogs live in high rises is contained in this article. That said, I hope this has been helpful!