In Defense of Apartment Dwellers

Mellie

I’ve had a few people that live in apartments or condos inquire about our foster dog Mellie, a fifty-pound Border collie mutt. When I ask about their living circumstances, they almost always talk about their digs like it’s something to be ashamed about.

I’m writing this post to encourage apartment dwellers to stop feeling bad about adopting dogs.

The greatest part of dogs living in apartments is that humans can’t simply let their animals wear themselves out by running around the backyard everyday. It’s not nearly that easy.

Dogs that live in apartments need to be walked and walking (unless it’s on a treadmill) means socialization.

Some of the best-adjusted dogs come from city-type housing because it’s necessary to go outside the home for everything from bathroom breaks to exercise, meaning exposure to a whole wide range of varying stimuli on an everyday basis.

Don’t get me wrong, any dog that has a backyard for wrestling is lucky, but not having a yard shouldn’t discourage people from adopting an animal. It just means making daily outdoor laps, which benefits both human and dog.