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Bringing a dog into your life is a momentous and joyful experience, but it also means giving him or her a home. So just what sort of a home environment is conducive to your canine companion? This is not a question to take lightly. After all, you will be sharing each other’s company and space for quite some time! So what does a dog need to feel at home? And what best practices can you adopt to ensure that living together is mutually gratifying?
The biggest misconception is to solely consider the size of the dog versus the amount of space your home has to offer. Size certainly is one component, but so too should you consider the age, breed, and activity level of the dog in question. Young dogs tend to be more active but also require more boundaries, whereas older dogs may need less supervision but would certainly benefit from a ground floor dwelling as the onset of joint problems and arthritis begins to limit their mobility. A Jack Russell Terrier, while similar in size to a King Charles Spaniel, will have greater energy levels, and hence more need for distraction, than the latter breed. Even when selecting a mixed-breed, these factors need to be taken into account, so having some idea as to the possible lineage of your dog would be strongly recommended.
Finally, while rehoming a dog from.a shelter is both noble and rewarding, you do need to take into account the dog’s history and make allowances. Your adopted pooch may have had little in the way of house training, in fact all it may have known is the street, and so in these instances what is required is even more patience, consistency in training, and understanding.
Before we fully explore the various aspects of what would be considered an ideal home environment for a dog, it is worth noting that while your furry best friend does indeed have certain housing needs in order to thrive, his most basic requirement is for the love and security of his human companion. Should you ever find that you need to downsize, or even if you end up penniless on the street, know that your loyal friend would prefer to stick by your side than be dumped or taken to a shelter, so long as you continue to try to accommodate for his needs in what may be less than ideal circumstances. When given the choice between a luxury house where the owner is always away at work or a studio apartment, or even a car, where the owner makes an effort to be present and put the interests of the animal first, most dogs would favour the latter option. The advice as presented here should be seriously considered by those seeking to get a dog, and not be taken as a reason or excuse to get rid of one.
Do you own your own property? If so, then in this regard you have little to worry about, unless you live in an apartment block or other community dwelling, such as a retirement village, that may have pet restrictions. If you do, or if you foresee yourself moving to such a dwelling within the lifespan of your pet, then you may need to consider your options. Restrictions on both breed and size of dog may indeed apply, and there can be nothing worse than having to give up a long-cherished and faithful companion.
If you are renting, your forecasts need to be both short and long-term. Be sure to check with the rental agency that a dog is indeed allowed in your current property. And even were it allowed, consider your options should you need to move. While there may indeed be other landlords that would be happy for you to accommodate a pet, that is by no means certain, and in fact your options of rental properties would be greatly reduced.
Downsizing may be a problem, as most rental agencies will not consider a pet in a property without a garden, and so by necessity your rental costs will invariably be higher for the fact of your furry co-habitant. You may find that a larger deposit would be required, as well as less of it being returned at the end of your tenancy should there be scuff marks on the carpet or claw scrapes on the wooden floor!
Your dog will need somewhere to eat, drink, and sleep, never mind letting loose a bit and being able to play and socialise with the rest of the family. Puppies may initially need a safe place to toilet with the use of puppy pads. A designated space for toys, treats, food and leads will also be required. You may wish to allocate a specific cupboard space in the kitchen for food while keeping a toy box in the living room and outdoor apparel somewhere near the entrance. Some owners decide to bar their dogs from the kitchen for hygiene reasons as well as to limit access to human food, while others choose this as the place to feed their dog and keep the water bowl.
How many dog beds you provide to your furry co-habitant is entirely up to you, but we would recommend at least one in the living room, if that is where the family tend to spend the majority of their time, and one in the bedroom, should you wish your dog to sleep there, too. Remember, if you don’t allocate a space for them, they will make it for themselves. And that will be on your sofa and on your bed. After all, you are their world. So why wouldn’t they desire to settle down where your scent is strong and that is closely associated with you?
To reiterate, both the size and energy level of your dog will dictate the amount of indoor space required to keep a happy and healthy hound. While a dog can certainly survive living in a studio apartment, it would invariably require far more of your time exercising and entertaining it in your local park. For your dog, it would be akin to living out of a kennel in a garden. Your furry friend would want to spend the majority of its time exploring outside, returning there only to sleep. Is that practically sustainable and fair to the animal?
As noted above, dogs love to share their owners’ space. It makes them feel part of the pack. But as with children, dogs also need consistent boundaries. ‘Off’ means off, not sometimes off and sometimes on. If you are happy for your dog to share your bed or sofa, then you cannot punish him for being there when you do not wish him to be. In these instances, you should cue him to go to his own bed and reward him for doing so. But that message should also be delivered clearly and consistently. A dog that knows to share in that space only when invited and to surrender that space when directed is one that knows his place and is ultimately the happier for it.
Some owners crate train their dog from an early age so that the dog learns to associate that space as a safe haven, a place to relax and be content with its own company. While this may be suitable for a puppy if done correctly – through positive reinforcement and never as punishment – its not something we would advocate for adult dogs. By the time a dog has reached adulthood, it should be both toilet trained and cued to settle in its bed. If a crate were still to be used at this stage then it should be of sufficient size to allow the dog to stand and turn around in with the option to leave of its own volition, which would remove the need for a crate in the first instance.
A basic requirement for any dog is a secure outdoor space in which to be able to toilet. Beyond that, having access to a garden in which to exercise, explore, and relax is beneficial to both a dog’s physical and mental wellbeing. While a communal garden may at least satisfy the first requirement, it would necessarily mean getting permission from the property manager as well as those with whom that space is shared. Not all communal spaces are secure, and so this may also limit the dog’s freedom to enjoy its outdoor leisure time. You may also need to consider what other pets may share this space. Friction can often result between dogs from different homes, or packs, that share a common space or territory, and this can easily lead to disharmony within communal dwellings.
Having one’s own private garden is therefore preferable, and gives the owner the opportunity to ensure it is secure, not only in terms of adequate fencing so that the dog does not escape but also from potential toxins, such as slug and snail baits as well as mouse and rat poisons. Some fertilizers and mulch products can be just as toxic to dogs as the aforementioned poisons, so when heading to the garden centre remember to buy only pet-safe products.
Be aware that your dog’s urine is naturally high in nitrogen, which can cause grass to discolour and die, so you may find yourself regularly clearing away dead lawn and reseeding. While some owners switch to artificial turf to get around this issue, fake lawn will still need regular cleaning in order to keep the smell at bay, especially during the dry season. A better solution would be to set aside a small patch of garden to be covered with gravel or shale and to train your dog to pee there. This can quickly be achieved through a process of guided training and positive reinforcement while training the dog to toilet outside. For more information on teaching through positive reinforcement, please refer to our page on ‘Training Your Dog’.
Sadly, there are still a large number of working dogs – primarily employed for guarding and hunting – that spend the majority of their lives outside. For these dogs, having access to a shelter against the elements is absolutely vital. But what for these animals is an absolute necessity, for your pampered pooch can be an added luxury, namely a little space to call their own within the garden: a kennel.
There are a few considerations to bear in mind in order to ensure your dog takes to its cosy little den in the garden, namely:
• The kennel should be dry, warm, and weatherproofed.
• The kennel should be positioned so that the doorway is sheltered from wind and rain.
• The kennel should be large enough for your dog to stand up in, as well as being able to adjust its position.
• Soft bedding should be provided for comfort, be tucked in well away from the lip of the doorway, and be frequently changed.
• If you purchase a wooden kennel, it is advisable to raise it a few inches off the ground by placing it securely on a set of bricks to keep the base from getting damp.
No dog should be kept outdoors for extended periods of time, nor should a kennel be used as a dog’s primary means of shelter. Dogs are social creatures and should not be kept in isolation. If a dog has a behavioural issue that the owner feels necessitates having it kept locked outside, it is worth bearing in mind that shutting a dog out resolves nothing and can only exacerbate any pre-existing problem.
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