There are many items you need to be aware of if you want to have a dog and you live in a townhouse, apartment, etc. Everyone should get to have dogs no matter where you live, but… I’m a dog (a 10 year old yellow Lab) so I have to think that.

These are the things you need to be aware of before bringing a dog home to your apartment or townhouse:

Are dogs allowed?

Is there a weight limit?

Are there rules on pet waste disposal? How will you handle it?

Dogs need exercise; are you willing to put in the effort to make sure this happens?

Are Dogs Allowed?

I don't really get it, but it seems that there are some places where you can live where they don't want you to have dogs. Ensure that it's legal for you to have dogs before you find the perfect dog only to find out you can't keep it.

Pound Limits

Something else you need to keep in mind is whether there are rules about the size of the dog. A lot of townhouse and apartment complexes will now let you have dogs, but most of them won't allow dogs over a certain weight. Size can be a little tricky. Most breeds have an average size for the type of dog, but it’s good to remember that each dog is different. We have two female Labradors in our townhouse but both of us are runts. Instead of the normal 65 pound size we weigh 50 pounds and 45 pounds. We were tiny puppies and we didn't think we would get over 40 pounds and 30 pounds but we luckily stopped growing before we exceeded the 50 pound size limit of our townhouse association.

Pet Waste Disposal

Dealing with your dog's poop is one of the main issues for dog owners who live in an apartment or townhouse. It is critical that you have a idea for how you're going to handle your dog's poop before you get the dog home and realize you don't know what you're doing. Some of the alternatives are keeping it in a container until trash day, dropping it in your toilet or using fake grass on your balcony. This issue doesn't need to stop you from having dogs anymore, but you just need to ensure that you have the necessary commitment to follow through with handling the issue appropriately. Even if your townhouse or apartment does not have restrictions about pet waste disposal it's crucial to be courteous to the people who live next door.

Exercise For Your Dogs

If you're not willing to make sure your dogs gets enough exercise, the dog will have behavioral issues you don't like. There are many different ideas: underground fences/shock collars, letting them run on a really long leash/rope or letting them go to parks and public places. You have choices on how to let your dog exercise, you just have to be committed to making it happen.

Conclusion

It is possible to have dogs in an apartment, a townhouse or a house without a yard, it just takes a little planning and willingness to put forth the effort.