Re: Small Dog in Small Space
Seems similar to many cats.
First, if you don't have a doggy porch potty you should look into one: http://www.porchpotty.com/ I have friends that have these & the dogs love them.
Second, most people have two pets of similar type (two cats, two small dogs, two birds) because they keep each other company. I used to feel so guilty leaving my cat home by himself. I got a small female kitten (which he hated at first from jealousy) but two weeks later they were playing, sleeping together, etc. It eases my mind to know he has someone around. She's about 3 now, & they are inseparable!
Be sure you also have chew toys, which will give the puppy something to do during long hours & help keep plaque off the teeth.
Any sort of toys which seem like games are also good. Things like the IQ Treat Balls are good because they encourage the pet to play while getting a prize. The Twist-A-Treat & Tug-A-Treat are similar. There are also balls & toys which make sounds or talk. The Hide-A-Squirrel is also popular, not to mention videos made for pets. Don't forget too that you can buy toys that aren't necessarily meant for the type of pet you have. For example my ex-bf had a dog that LOVED cat toys... & there are tons of electronic cat toys. If you are home you can also play games which involve water (including in the bathtub baby toys) & remote control toys... just make sure these are supervised & watch out for small parts. For toys you leave out while away, don't leave them all out at once, rotate which are available so the puppy doesn't get bored playing with his/her favourite all the time.
Re: Small Dog in Small Space
Kyleas's advice about interactive toys and chew toys are great suggestions. But really, dog do sleep a lot when they are older.
Just make sure that you are giving her enough exercise outside and have several short fun training sessions every day to keep her mentally stimulated as well.
My old dog is 10 and we've lived in apartments his whole life. Right now I have 2 dogs and 2 cats in a small 1 bedroom apartment, and they are large high energy dogs. However, my dogs and training are my main hobby, so I spend a lot of time with them both inside and out.
Re: Small Dog in Small Space
My chihuahua will sleep all day if you let him, but he lives with my parents (and me!) now and they have another dog and the pair of them play and mess and fuss all day. I think dogs react to their surroundings a lot of the time, the interactive toys thing is a good idea, those treat balls are so funny, if your doggy enjoys walks then he might just be tired anyway and enjoys a good nap after a stroll. :-)
Does your sleep IN bed with you? Mine is a nightmare hehe, ever since he's been tiny, as soon as i lift the cover he's in! xx
Re: Small Dog in Small Space
This makes me feel so much better! She is a little older (6) and I'm glad she's not the only one who sleeps all the time.
GlitterBexie - OMG! Yes, she sleeps in the bed with my boyfriend and I... how does something so small take up so much room?!
As for getting another dog, it wouldn't be an option for me. I'm watching my cat attempt to play with her as I type this and wondering if maybe he's just wearing her out. She always has to be on guard as I was woken up this morning when he slapped my ass (bad kitty!) trying to get her under the covers. He is such a jerk, but my boyfriend never loved anything before he got him as a kitten and within six months he'd finally said he loved me (different topic). I finally got a bigger bed because they cat likes to sleep with us too.
I bought one of those Kong ships last night for her. She had a original Kong before and LOVED it, but she could never actually get the treat so I'm hoping she has a little (but not much) more success with this one.
Does anyone know of training books for little dogs? I hadn't considered the mental stimulation aspect before.
Re: Small Dog in Small Space
With the regular Kong you can also smear tasty foods in it to make it easier for her, like a bit of peanut butter, or canned dog food.
I found a basic training vid on youtube...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6KQAqa7wNI
She has quite a few geared towards small dogs.
But small dogs learn the same as big dogs :) so just do some research on positive reinforcement based training, and you can teach her all kinds of fun tricks. :) Just remember to keep the sessions short and fun.
Re: Small Dog in Small Space
Another dog owner living in a one-bedroom apartment chiming in here!
Our apartment is of a moderate size, but nowhere near large enough to give my dog the exercise that she needs.
We live close to Lake Michigan here in Chicago; a 90-minute walk along the lakefront every day is good exercise for the both of us!
My dog is 10.5 years old now; I adopted her when she was 3 years old. She's a German Shepherd/Boxer mix and she weighs 54 pounds.
A dog that size can be very strong; good behavior is not an option--it's a necessity! We went to obedience training classes, and they made life so much easier. The dog knows what's expected of her, and the owner knows what they can expect from their dog.
I don't receive complaints from the neighbors about any barking, so I'm guessing that she, too, just curls up for a nap when I'm not at home.
In short, it's been my experience that dogs can do just fine in an apartment, as long as they get their daily exercise.
Kylea's suggestions about different toys are really good, as are Sia's suggestions about exercise and training. I remember from when we were taking our training lessons, our teacher suggested that mental exercise is a terrific workout for a dog--they like to think and learn new things.
Have fun!
Re: Small Dog in Small Space
i have 2 chihuahuas - trust me, when you're not around, they don't feel like doing much except sleep ALL DAY. i highly doubt your dog is depressed, i even got my second chihuahua so that my first one won't be lonely all day but they don't bother playing with each other except when people are home. most dogs just really want to sleep all day - they aren't like us when we're active half the day then sleep the other half - they truly just want to sleep, they love it! i used to leave them some soft toys (without stuffing, they tear them apart and pull the stuffing out) and they don't bother with them, and i don't feel comfortable leaving anything else around (chew toys etc) and they don't want to play with them anyway, so i just make sure they have comfy beds and plenty of blankets and they are perfectly content to snooze all day, bark at some dogs and people outside, then playtime when we get home. theyre only alone for 3 hours at a time, but trust me, your dog's fine!
Re: Small Dog in Small Space
I also have a Chihuahua. a big one (not fat) at that almost 10lbs. I noticed him laying around and getting tired after short walks. I took him to the vet and the vet noticed his blood sugar level was low(it's a common issue with small dogs). He then recommend that I change his diet to Wellness dog food. http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/dog-wellness.aspx. He also recommended that ever 2-3 days to give him a sugar cub or a little bit of ice scream..
Re: Small Dog in Small Space
not to take away from the original post, but i'd love to see some of these chihuahuas' pictures!!
Re: Small Dog in Small Space
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sia
Kyleas's advice about interactive toys and chew toys are great suggestions. But really, dog do sleep a lot when they are older.
Just make sure that you are giving her enough exercise outside and have several short fun training sessions every day to keep her mentally stimulated as well.
My old dog is 10 and we've lived in apartments his whole life. Right now I have 2 dogs and 2 cats in a small 1 bedroom apartment, and they are large high energy dogs. However, my dogs and training are my main hobby, so I spend a lot of time with them both inside and out.
OMG you sound exactly like me...
I have two medium sized dogs (well actually one is sorta small-30 pounds) and I live in a basement apartment.
Re: Small Dog in Small Space
Re: Small Dog in Small Space
omg adorable!!!! what a cute little face!!! my dog sits on his ass like that too but only when he's begging for something haha
Re: Small Dog in Small Space
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jerseygirl19
omg adorable!!!! what a cute little face!!! my dog sits on his ass like that too but only when he's begging for something haha
He was sitting like that after we went on a hot summer day walk. Now he started to sleep upside down even though the AC's on. I'll try to take more pix
Re: Small Dog in Small Space