...living in a one-bedroom apartment in the suburbs of a city?

I decided I need an animal or something to keep me company/sane after living here for the past several months, but what would you guys recommend for a smallish apartment? I have no kids, no serious lady friends, and no regular committments (aside from work 8-5). It'd be nice if I could find a dog that would run with me (1-5 miles per day). I don't mind cats, but I know I don't want a ferret or any other rodent-like pet. I would prefer a medium-sized dog, but what would be a good option?

Good thread, this will be interesting to see what everybody comes up with.

I'm not sure what I would pick. I like dogs (beagles in particular) but they need to go outside to do their business, so if there is no fenced in yard access you'll be going for walks.

Cats on the other hand don't need to go outside.

I think I would go with the beagle, they adjust to any life style.

Cats sound like the hands on favorite for your situation. Your lifestyle and housing sounds like it would be a good match to a lovable cat. Good luck in whatever you find as a good match. Pets are so welcoming when you return home after a long day. Animals enjoy the moment and do not complain.

If you are interested in researching dogs, you might want to assess the Chihuahua, it is a great small dog breed. They require little exercise, although they like to play and greet their owners whenever they come home. If diligent during training and given early socialization, they can be great around people and more relaxed than you think. They will find a favorite spot in the sun and be happy all day. Some can be litter box trained. Most have a long interval between needing to go out.

If left to their own devises, without early owner training, you will get an excitable and nervous friend. So, if you do not have the time, due to work or family life, for initial/socialization training, stick with a lovable cat.

We love our Chihuahua. She is calm, friendly, and a great companion. Quiet, which surprised us. She won't jog w/ us, sorry. She is home all day without any issues. But watch any animal show, and you will see some Chihuahuas that are high strung, yappy, and snappy. They are really easy to spoil early on, it is easy to let them get away with goofiness because they are cute. But as they age, it gets old. They run the gambit on temperment. It has a lot to do with how they were trained or socialized early on.

Our daughters love their Chihuahua, Lulu is their best friend. She is a clown and very endearing. They take her in the car, she jumps up to the back, sitting in the rear window. In the car, she looks like a beany baby or a wobble head toy. She likes to sleep in the back window. (DISCLAIMER ALERT: She has a seat belt on her harness. We are not crazy or creating a risk. We also do not leave her in the car. Did not want to create a thread on animal abuse. All is good w/ Lulu. )

Udmas,

Does your beagle bark much?? I love beagles too, but the ones I had growing up were real big on "ahhhwoooo", like a bloodhound and they barked alot. Not a real good combination for an apartment building!! You could make alot of enemies real fast, Biggins.

Also, dogs don't do so well when left home alone all day. At least, that's my experience. Cats don't care! ha. It sounds good on paper to have a dog to run with, but they don't really want to run. They just want to sniff and sniff and sniff! But, I guess you could train it to keep running. There is this cute little dog that doesn't bark. Looks like a poodle but cuter. Basenjis. I know they are expensive, but you wouldn't have to worry about the neighbors.

The Worst Breeds for Excessive Barking - Taken from The Perfect Puppy

The list under #10 are the worst barking offenders!!


#1 Rating: The least offensive barkers
Here at the top of the chart are listed
the breeds least likely to bark inappropriately.
As you move toward the bottom of the list, each
successive group is more likely to bark without
justification than was the group before. Bloodhood
Golden Retriever
Newfoundland
Akita
Rottweiler
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
#2 Rating Labrador Retriever
Austrlian Shepherd
Great Dane
Old English Sheepdog
Alaskan Malamute
#3 Rating Saint Bernard
Boxer
Doberman Pinscher
Vizsla
Collie
Bulldog
#4 Rating Chow Chow
Brittany Spaniel
Basset Hound
Norwegian Elkhound
Afghan Hound
#5 Rating German Shorthaired
Pointer
Standard Poodle
Bichon Frise
Keeshond
Siberian Husky
#6 Rating English Springer Spaniel
Dalmatian
Cocker Spaniel
German Shepherd
Shih Tzu
Samoyed
#7 Rating Scottish Terrier
Weimaraner
Dachshundi
Pug
Airedale Terrier
#8 Rating Irish Setter
Maltese
Pomeranian
Lhasa Apso
Shetland Sheepdog
Boston Terrier
#9 Rating Chihuahua
Silky Terrier
Pekinese
Miniature Poodle
Toy Poodle
#10 Rating - The most excessive barkers
Listed here at the bottom of the chart are
the breeds that are the most likely to bark
when they should not be barking. Yorkshire Terrier
Cairn Terrier
Miniature Schnauzer
West Highland White Terrier
Fox Terrier
Beagle



I personally think cats are less stressful and better suited for an apartment, but you'll never get them jogging with ya!!
Good luck. Cats offer lots and lots of affection and company. They sleep all day while you work, then come alive in the evening and follow you all over the place. Good company. Especially in a dogless house.

Good point Check, I kinda forgot about the barking. It does take some work to keep that under control. Barking in the house is not allowed but outside he does get a little vocal at times.

As for the Basenji, a friend of mine has one, and I'll tell you one thing that dog is nuts, he runs though the house like his tail is on fire.

I think you can find bad traits in any breed and all dogs will have their own personalities.

A dog will attract much attention from the ladies. If you have a small place, a litter box might be hard to hide and when they poop, it could stink up your whole place! Cats are very easy to litter train though. Do you know if you're even allowed to have pets? Have you checked your rental agreement first? Some places charge extra for pets. I know a couple places that charge extra per month AND require a couple hundred in deposit.

How about a lizard instead?

DO NOT get a bird. they are obnoxious. <3

i'm a "dog person" but i have two cats that are pretty cool. since i have a toddler, the cats are MUCH easier to keep after... they see lori coming, stick around for a quick (albeit sticky) petting, then head for high ground.

heather raises a good point about the litter box... i keep mine behind the washing machine, and dump a buttload of baking soda in with the litter... you can't smell it unless you're right beside it. which is good.

what floor of the apt. do you live on??.. before you get a dog... picture you in subzero temps, bundling up and braving the freezing rain/snow, on which day your dog will likely take 20 mins to make a poo-sicle. not to mention, ya gotta pick that mess up and take it home with you.

i vote cat.

or. some of those little sharks they sell at petsmart.

They sell mini sharks at PetSmart?

indeed they do. very cute. very sharky.

Dingo!

Bulldog. They tend to be on the lazy side, so they'll do a lot of sleeping while you're at work. They're pretty quiet, very lovable, and they don't need a whole lot of exercise (although, like any dog, they'll need some). They're also smart and easy to train.

ETA: As a note, check with your local SPCA or Petfinder.org before adopting a pet. You may find a lovable mix or purebred that's perfect for you... plus you save a life and avoid puppy mills.

Maybe you want to think outside the box:
Mini-Pigs live from 10 to 15 years. Mini-Pigs are clean, social and very intelligent and they even outsmart a dog. Mini-Pigs will come to their name, learn tricks and they are very loving. They like a clean, dry place to sleep and they will pick one corner of their night pen to go to the toilet, so really they are very clean animals. If you are going to keep your Mini-Pig inside, make sure that your house is piggy friendly.
Pigs don’t sweat like we do, so to cool off a small child’s pool is perfect or a daily run through the family shower. Mini-Pigs love to go to the park or river-bed for a swim. Mini-Pigs love to play especially with a toy that has food inside it or a scrunched up bit of paper. Make sure he has a litter tray with some shredded paper in it or just a piece of paper on the floor.
To be interviewed for a mini pig start here: http://www.angelfire.com/oz/mini-pigs

George Clooney had a pet pig. Of course he probably had his own team of handlers...the pig that is.

Seriously though, there's this lizard people keep as pets that has a long tail and it will whip you with it. That just cracks me up. They say it really hurts.

Wowsers, thanks for all the responses. You guys have some unique ideas.

I had a siamese cat when I was little, and it was a great cat. I also had a cocker spaniel for a month before it bit my sister and never saw him again. I think I'd like to stick to a dog or cat. I don't think I could tell people with a straight face I had a pet pig. However, a lizard would probably take care of all my cockroaches.

As far as the living arrangement at my current apartment, it has a relatively large dog park just down the block with doggy obstacles? and stuff. There are poo-cleaner-upper stations about every 100 yards and a ton of dogs around. It's just nominally more $$$ to have a pet at this apartment. I also have no problem with cold weather, so I doubt that'd be an issue.

I'm not so sure about a chihuahua... I feel like I'd roll over and crush one. My neighbor had a beagle and it really never stopped barking. It would be likely impossible to annoy my neighbors if I had a pet, as they're quite noisy. Grrr... I'm not rushing into a decision, but I thank you all for your input.

The HM forums likes it's pets. That's for sure. Always a hot topic.

Sounds like you are an excellent candidate for a pound puppy. :nods head most definitely:

"We are siamese if you please." EVIL KITTIES. Or so the stereotype goes... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmg_5kW7qec

Bump

I decided on a medium-sized dog, but...

I've been trying very hard for the past three months to adopt a few different dogs (in MD/PA/VA) with no success. I am being picky looking only for collies or larger spaniels, but this process is frustrating. I really want to adopt from a shelter, but I keep getting the vibe that they only want their dogs to go to old people, to families, or to people with McMansion yards. I keep some friends' dogs a few times a year for a week or more and have most of the dog supplies I need already in my apartment including the huge dog park within my complex, but I guess the shelters don't believe that a single, young professional has time for a dog? It also frustrates me that the shelters seem very willing to let me foster their dogs, but are hesitant to let me adopt the dog(s) in which I'm really interested.

Do you guys/gals get your pets from shelters or from breeders? Have you had any issues?

Biggins, I suggest using Pet Finder to search for a dog that is right for you. You can search by location, size, and even breed. Just a quick search for a collie in the 21740 area code (I'm not sure where you're living) gave several results. Give it a try and hopefully you'll find the perfect companion.

I have not adopted any dogs from shelters, however, I volunteer at the SPCA (not at one in the area, so I can't give you the inside scoop to the local SPCA). I do know that their policy for renters is that the adopter must show the rental lease showing that pets are allowed if the adopter is renting.

I encourage you to adopt from a shelter rather than a breeder, pet store, or puppy mill. Those places usually have less than desirable policies, IMO. You may want to call a shelter before going just to see what their policy is, but any decent shelter is just trying to find the animals good homes by taking any precautions to ensure the animal won't end up back in their facility.

Don't adopt from a Breeder?

That seems sort of dumb NOT to go to a reputable breeder.

I guess it depends on what you're looking for. IMO, breeders charge a LOT of money when you could just go to a shelter and really help a great pet in need of a home. Unless of course, you're looking for some show dog but I don't get the impression that is what Biggins is looking for. Maybe I'm wrong.

Lets not forget some shelter animals are there due to behavioral problems.

I will concede, most are there due to stupid human problems.

i recommend checking the franklin shopper... they have tons of animals, all sorts, all ages, and many of them for free, just looking for a good home... we have gotten several pets that way, and have been pleased... most people who place ads are willing to let you visit the naimals, and give medical records, if any... most specify if they are around kids already...

Find a good breeder, there are plenty - just be sure to inspect their facilities yourself.

Shelters are just euthanasia mills (killing factories). Check out http://www.petakillsanimals.com/

What does an anti-PETA link have to do with shelters? Peta does NOT equal shelters.

I find your claim to be baseless unless you can provide some information to back it up and prove that all shelters are "euthanasia mills." By the way, the SPCA that I volunteer for is a no-kill shelter. Once again, you don't know what you're talking about.

my sister in law has worked for 2 spca shelters and both have been "no kill".

Any spca that has to resort to euthanasia, is only because of the asshat irresponsible pet owners who refuse to take full responsibility for their pets.

There is only limited space in any shelter, but it seems an unlimited supply of asshats.

What you need is a hedgehog...

I hesitate to even suggest this, based on some comments above, but, if there's a particular breed of dog you've researched and learned that it will fit into your lifestyle nicely, you may want to research some local breeders for a female adult that is no longer being bred. It would still cost you more money than getting a dog from a shelter but it would be a dog whose living quarters you could inspect, and you could be fairly sure what the dog's background was. Also she might be 3 or 4 years old, so you wouldn't have the puppy rambunctiousness to keep your neighbors awake?

IMHO the decision to get a dog from a shelter vs. the decision to get a dog from a breeder is not an easy one and will vary from person to person. We have a pure breed dog, a Bernese Mountain Dog, which we specifically looked for because we researched lots of breeds and it had the personality traits we were looking for. And he's turned out to be exactly what we wanted as our companion. We decided not to go to a shelter or a Berner rescue because this was our first dog, and we didn't feel up to dealing with an animal that might've had behavioral issues that put it in the shelter in the first place. Someone who has owned dogs before probably wouldn't have felt as apprehensive as we did regarding a pound pup, because they'd have the experience where they'd be able to work with it on aggression/submission/separation anxiety issues.

I have recently met someone who adopted a greyhound, and it's SUPER mellow. Anyone here have one of those? Are they typically laid-back?

Cats are almost always a safe bet, and a good "gateway pet". We had four of them before we got the mutt. They are much less work than a dog, too.

It may be your choice of dogs - spaniels and collies. Not necessarily the best choice for apartment dwelling and being alone all day. Spaniels are high energy and collies love to bark and bark and bark. Have you researched the breds?

Domesticated hedgehogs
Main article: Domesticated hedgehog

Hedgehog being heldThe most common pet species of hedgehog are hybrids of the White-bellied Hedgehog or Four-toed Hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris) and the North African Hedgehog (A. algirus). It is smaller than the West European Hedgehog, and thus is sometimes called the African Pygmy Hedgehog. Other species kept as pets are the Long-eared Hedgehog (Hemiechinus auritus) and the Indian Long-eared Hedgehog (H. collaris).

Domesticated species prefer a warm climate (above 72°F/22°C but below 85°F/29.5°C) and do not naturally hibernate. They eat an insectivore diet. Commonly, this is replaced with cat food and ferret food and is supplemented by insects and other small animals. Today, many pet stores sell hedgehog mixes that are specifically formulated for hedgehogs. Crickets, mealworms, and pinkies (baby mice) are also favored treats. It is illegal to own a hedgehog as a pet in some U.S. states and some Canadian municipalities, and breeding licenses are required. No such restrictions exist in most European countries with the exception of Scandinavia.

The purchase of domesticated hedgehogs has seen a considerable increase in the last few years due to their apparently innocent and playful looks. Hedgehogs are difficult to maintain as pets due to their low resistance to climate and temperature changes, and their inability to adapt to enclosed environments.

It's not an anti-PETA link , it's a compendium of well-researched and proven facts. If you want to debate them go there and do so, not that you wil be able to do so any better than PETA has, because they simply present facts.

Once again YOU are talking about something you don't know anything about. You didn't even read the site.

It's about the SHELTERS that PETA operates. It also includes interesting facts about the Human Society, which runs a lot of other SHELTERS and yet seems to be very big on killing animals. The news item on the front page reports that HSUS called for killing the dogs in the Michael Vick case but thankfully others took them in and rehabilitated them.

I was just offering an alternative opinion in like manner to yours which appeared biased against breeders. PETA was so bad that they were acually claiming they would do their best to find Fido a new home and then putting him down in the back of the van as it pulled away from his former master's home!

Not an anti-Peta link? So.... the link Petakillsanimals.com is Pro-Peta?



When I went to the CCF site, I clicked on "About Us."



Aaaahhh, now it's clear as to why they're so anti-peta. They want to be able to serve veal as they please.

Look, this has to do with one organization who has it out for Peta and all its affiliates. Fine. But I challenge you to find where the SPCA and any other of Maryland's Animal Shelters are proven to be "euthanasia mills." I know first hand that this is not true. You make a FALSE blanket statement and list one anti-PETA link to try and back up your claims. I call B.S.

I`ve had 2 goldens so far. The one I had gotten from the SPCA was very nice. But,
The S P C A treats you the same as if you`re adopting a kid. To much red tape. I`d go with a breader.
Good luck with what ever you pick as your pet.

Thanks for all the comments guys!

My apartment allows all breeds of dogs including pits and rotts, and there is a large dog park on the premises. I've kept friends' dogs at my apartment with no issues.

I HAVE done plenty of research over the past several months (my original thread start date was October). I've been in touch with several shelters (HS of Baltimore County, Baltimore SPCA, HoCo Animal Control, Towson Petmatch, Collie Rescue of VA), but the bad news usually comes because I'm too late putting in an application even though they let me know when a collie comes in or the dog is in worse shape than expected. I'm on petfinder every day. Collies are very popular and Baltimore County has a lot of people looking for collies apparently. I really like collies and the two dogs I care for a few times each year are collies (mixed). I have heard that greyhounds were great apartment dogs, but I'm not sure if they're right me. I also like hounds, but I'm worried their nose may take me to an unsafe area (there are some within a couple miles of my apartment).

I'm actually a high energy person who does have lots of free time. I work less than 5 minutes from my apartment and go home for lunch often. I run miles each day and wouldn't mind having a dog that can keep up with me. The dogs (collie mixes) I've cared for seem perfect which has made me target a collie or a spaniel or a mix. I hike from time-to-time and am outdoors pretty frequently. It seems the biggest thing is that I have not owned an animal on my own before, and it seems as though they don't count the ones I had as a kid.

Just wish me luck I guess, and if all else fails, I'll check with some breeders.

It is very uncommon and unnatural to "rehabilitate" an animal that was bred and trained to viciously fight and kill. These animals usually cannot be socialized into a "family" setting and should never be trusted around children. The Humane Society does not have the resources or funding to attempt to rehabilitate a potentially deadly animal, and the end result is to sadly put them to sleep. I dont think the blame should be put on the Humane Society because people decide to raise and train dangerous animals.

I also find it hard to believe that any of Michael Vicks animals were allowed to go to new homes. If this is the case, I wonder how many of them went to new owners who are also involved in dog fighting.

Have you tried "Defenders of Animal Rights"? They have a no-kill shelter up in Jarrettsville, northern Balto County I believe. Seems you're down in the Balto region.

Sunshine, the article below is from the HSUS Web Site.



The SPCA also will not adopt a dog that has been raised to fight. It would be irresponsible, at best, to adopt a dog like that when it could potentially attack an innocent child, or even adult.

FYI, a reputable breeder will also ask lots of questions about your lifestyle, the amount of free time you have, your pet ownership experience, and what your expectations are with a potential dog. There's paperwork to fill out and a contract to sign...some breeders will be very meticulous, even making you agree to feed your dog a specific kind of food (we researched a breeder in PA who would actually have required us to feed a pup only the BARF "Bones and Raw Food" diet, er, no thanks). A reputable breeder will have parents on the premises, with the puppies raised in the house for proper socialization (NOT in a cage ::shudders:: ) I have also heard stories from a friend who recently interviewed with a Baltimore city shelter, that they made him feel like he was trying to adopt a child. They actually turned him down because he works long hours (probably the best decision, just don't tell my friend, okay? )

And it is sad that it's so difficult to adopt from SPCA, but you have to figure that they've had enough horrible experiences in the past where they placed animals with less-than-loving families, and now they such strict guidelines... a few irresponsible people ruin it for everyone else, as usual.

Have you ever considered a Shelty? They like to run and are smaller dogs. But they are also friendly and as nice as can be. We had one and she was the perfact dog for indoors. They train easly. Listed well.

Sorry I was thinking the "fighting" dogs were adopted out because it said they were rehabilitated. I can understand them finding homes for the beagles and other non violent dogs.

What local SPCA? Wash Co's shelter is run by the Humane Society. A despicable "Animal Rights" organization with sympathetic attitudes towards terrorist organzations like the Animal Liberation Front.

I have, and I was too late applying for one at the Frederick County shelter last month (sheltie/collie mix). I looked at one in January in Baltimore that did not seem to have a great disposition and never stopped barking.


I am on the list at two shelters down here for a similar/same program, but it seems there are others still ahead of me wanting collies.

The most helpful shelter by far has been the Collie Rescue in VA, but it is quite far from me and they were/are hesitant since I work relatively long hours and do not have a large yard/farm. I currently have applications in on two collies here in MD, but I'm starting to get a little impatient/discouraged after all these months.

Should I just give a big donation and have my employer match it to move my name up the list?

4. AKC COLLIE PUPPIES, UTD shots/wormings, health certificate, sables/tris/whites, call (240)217-5971.

2. AKC BLUE MERLE female Sheltie, 2 yrs. old $250; (2) male Sheltie puppies, $125 (301)791-1326.

47. AKC SHELTIE PUPS, 9 weeks old, tri-color, 1st shots (717)530-9434 for more information

72. SHELTIE, MALE, 4 months, sable/white $350 (304)283-9086

lots of others, but i picked the breeds you had mentioned.

I see you haven't changed at all. You never could mount a successful argument and in this case as in the past, when you cannot refute FACTS with equally valid FACTS, you seek to impugn the character of the person putting them before you. In this case the authors of that web site.

I say it matters not who they are, the facts they present are real and you haven't countered any of them.

Okay, admittedly I did not invite you to argue the facts with me, since in any event I'm not the one presenting them. But the oh-so-typical switch to attacking the messenger instead of refuting the argument is really extremely LAME and BORING.

My opinion is still a real and valid one, and if you disagree with it you are perfectly free to do so.

I had a friend who had a sheltie. The dog was a pain in A#$ literally. Erytime someone wanted to leave her place the dog would jump up and bite you in the A@#. The vet told her it was because they are a "herding" breed and some can't handle it when their "humans" leave. Hated that dog....

I see you haven't changed at all either!

Why would I refute what you claim as "facts" when they're clearly coming from a biased source? That's like me sourcing PETA and saying that what they have on their website is fact.

As is typical with you, once again you have conveniently unaddressed my challenge to you, which is as follows:



Also, I didn't attack the messenger, I attacked the source. Big difference.

BMIC - what experience do you have working in animal shelters? I speak from experience and you simply speak out of your a$$.

Sounds like a job for Caesar the Dog Whisperer

:ro

Yes, the Humane Society of Washington County, on Maugansville Road. http://www.hswcmd.org/index.php Admittedly I'm not sure exactly how closely tied to the HSUS they are, although I do see they quote some of HSUS' information on their web page FAQ. Interesting that they have an link to an article criticising no-kill shelters on their web site.

I'm sure they do a lot of good, but any association with the HSUS is objectionable, IMO. Given the similarity in names, if they're truly NOT associated with the rabid animal rights folks at the Humane Society of the United States, one would think they would want to clearly say so.

P.S. - Man this place is dead, if this is all we have to talk about! But hey let's be clear: there is no Washington County SPCA, folks. Washington County's facility is the Humane Society of Wash Co. Gee I could swear I'm having a flashback!

Thanks unbelieveable! I don't want to get excited, but I got a promising call from a local shelter tonight. We'll see how things progress.

UNfortunately you came back at a time when some people are walking on egg shells. Give it time it will pick back up. It always does.

No news? What did that shelter say?