Hey guys and gals I'm new here and hopefully this will be the first of many posts. Anyhow, I've spoken to my landlady and she has agreed to let me get a dog for my apartment and I've always had my heart set on getting a Husky. A quick search on the net generally gives the view that it's not recommended however doable under the right circumstances. While I want a Husky, I want to ensure It's happy and thriving both psychically and psychologically. Instead of following the general idea, I figured I'd lay out my situation so people can judge whether it's suitable and if possible, challenge me with questions and possible situations I've over looked.

Anyway, my apartment is medium sized, two bedrooms and offers enough running space for mild exercise seeing as it's designed in a way that allows running from one end of the apartment (kitchen) all the way to the other (bathroom). I work from home currently and can see myself doing so for a good few years however circumstances can obviously change however I live central to most things in my small city so coming back on my lunch break shouldn't be a problem. As stated, I live centrally and in a perfect location for an active dog.. literally right outside my doorstep is a river and a cycle path that as far as I'm aware is 2+ miles. A ten minute walk in one direction is a massive golf course which is perfect for morning walks and fifteen minutes in the other direction is a big popular park .

Now for me, I'm a regular gym goer and a huge fitness enthusiast. Getting up at 5-6am and going on a 90 minute jog/run first thing in the morning is no issue for me what so ever so exercise for the dog shouldn't be an issue. I've also played sports all my life so rainy/snowy days won't be an issue either. Now one potential problem is injury, I do full contact MMA sparring twice a week and while I've not been injured yet, that alongside football/soccer, I always run the risk of an injury. Now I have a good few friends (around 10) who also like to keep fit who I think could be relied upon to give the Husky a long walk if I'm injured/ill so I'm hoping that sort of thing won't be a problem.

The only problem I see being an issue would be if for whatever reason I do end up having to change jobs or go into work regularly, it could end up meaning the Husky would go eight hours without any heavy exercise. Granted as stated, I live centrally and most of the major job locations in my city are within walking distance so in a car coming back in my lunch break and going out on walks wouldn't be an issue however it wouldn't be a particularly long walk.

Anyway, what do people think? Could a Husky potentially be okay under apartment life in these conditions? I'm only 26 and kept in shape my entire life so I doubt I'll suddenly change my stance on regular exercise.

It's good your doing research ahead of time, so your for sure heading in the right direction!

I personally think you could give a husky a happy and healthy life fom what you're describing. Although exercise is important, there are other things that are just as important. Proper nutrition, early training (especially living in apartment), finding a good breeder (if you decide to go the puppy route), emergency funds, etc. I'm sure there are a bunch more to list others would want to add.

When looking through this forum you will find plenty of threads that will answer questions you may have regarding the topics I listed.

I wish you luck in your husky search!

Ps. If you have a dog park in your area, that would be good for you're new friend too. If you do have to work, doggie daycare can be a good option for you.

If you are in a central location then there may be dog walkers available should you ever have to take a full time position out of the house. I dont see why you wouldn't be able to give a dog a full and healthy life.
Most of us get dogs based on our current situation, so I wouldn't stress too much about any potential changes. Ours stay home alone all day while we are at work, they have eachother for company, but Tika was alone for almost a year before we got our second. I wouldn't worry too much about that.

Take a look at the feeding and exercise threads, depending on what age your pup is will dictate the exercise needs so you would need to adjust accordingly. We tend to recommend that dogs dont really start running until at least 1 yr old, before that you can stick to walks and play time.

Good luck!
Kelly

Hi and Welcome.

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I've spoken to my landlady and she has agreed to let me get a dog for my apartment

Did you let her know it was a Husky you were looking into or only that you wanted a dog? Many apartment buildings, as well as insurance companies, have Huskies (and other breeds) on their black list. Make sure it is clear before hand as you don't want miscommunication to be the reason you A) lose a pup or B) lose a residence.

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Anyway, what do people think? Could a Husky potentially be okay under apartment life in these conditions?

As long as you are keeping active with the pup there is no problem at all living in an apartment.

Honestly they don't need a lot of room to be happy. They are mostly happy just being around someone or something.


Living in a house just makes things easier.

- You can open the back door and let them run out when they want to.
- You don't need to walk down stairs when they have to piss.
- If you do leave for the night for what ever reason, your neighbors are less likely to complain if you have a "vocal" husky

The rest of it is pretty much the same.

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Now I have a good few friends (around 10) who also like to keep fit who I think could be relied upon to give the Husky a long walk if I'm injured/ill so I'm hoping that sort of thing won't be a problem.

They tend to get ansy when they don't get exercise in... I notice the different right away if I don't walk them twice in a day. If you really do have that support group that would be awesome. However mental stimulation can be just as exhausted when you can't move.

Instead of running or walking for an hour, you could train a new command or trick and have the same end result. Exercise is always better but exercising their little minds works wonders too.

ONE NOTE here... If you did hurt yourself to a point you would be limited in movement you would still need to find a way for your pup to eliminate. I'm not sure your friends would be on call all the times your pup had "To go" so to speak. So it is just something to keep in mind.

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Now for me, I'm a regular gym goer and a huge fitness enthusiast. Getting up at 5-6am and going on a 90 minute jog/run first thing in the morning is no issue for me what so ever so exercise for the dog shouldn't be an issue

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The only problem I see being an issue would be if for whatever reason I do end up having to change jobs or go into work regularly, it could end up meaning the Husky would go eight hours without any heavy exercise.

I'm at work 10 hours a day. They do fine. I mean they have each other to play with sure but for the most part they just sleep. They got a morning and evening walk which can be anywhere from 6 to 10 Kms per walk.

I will add this; If you are worried about the possibility of leaving them home and alone for that length of time and your ideal dog would be running with you for 90 minutes from the get go, Your best bet would be to find a rescue or an older dog.

A puppy will need constant supervision and is very limited in what activities it should partake in safely, While a young adult or adult pup often times come already house broken and can adapt to an active lifestyle right away.

You may find some hurdles with the fact you are in an apartment with a rescue but if you show you are the right person and be honest you should find one that fits with you perfectly.



To me it makes little difference where you live. If you can provide an active and healthy life for a pup an apartment is perfectly acceptable. You may have to take a bit more on then if you had access to a yard, but for the most part it really is the same thing.

Best of luck to you

If you have anymore questions don't be shy. The members here are happy to Help.
~Chris~

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I've spoken to my landlady and she has agreed to let me get a dog for my apartment

This was my first concern also. As a matter of fact this is how we ended up with Saphire. You see a young 20 something girl purchased Saphire from our breeder because "her landlord said she could have a dog." When she got the dog home, the landlord revised his statement saying she could have a small dog but had to get rid of the husky. So she ended up returning Saphire to the breeder.

I had just contacted the breeder about getting a pup from her next litter (which would have been a year long wait and from a different set of parents). She called me to tell me that she had a return and why and asked if I was interested. I fell in love and the rest is history.

So make sure you double check with the landlord, making sure to be breed specific, and get your agreement with the landlord in writing regarding your having a husky!!

I agree with the others that you should contact your landlord and make sure that they would allow a Husky. I know many apartments in my area have a weight limit of 35-40 pounds for a dog, and a Husky may go over that weight.

Another thing you have to think about is if your neighbors might complain. A husky can be vocal, and their howls can be very loud. If you are getting a puppy you have to be very careful. Both of mine whined and cried A LOT in the first couple of months when they were left alone. The fact that you work from home, however may be an advantage.

Since you are in an apartment you would really need to crate train them, because if there are left to their own devices Huskies can be very destructive. The fact that you will be doing a lot of exercise works in your favor; a tired husky is a good husky

Overall, I don’t think space is an issue with a Husky. I own a 1200 square foot townhome with a very small patio area, and my two do just fine. I just make sure to give them a few miles of walking a day and play time inside. The only things I would pay attention to is the noise and making sure they don’t destroy the apartment.
Hope this helps!

We have done it with no problems, it is very doable as long as you can commit to exercise

As for the landlord- ensure she is aware you are looking at a Husky and get it in WRITING that it's OK as well as has out any "pet deposits" or whatever other charges/fees/policies about the dog. Seriously, it's very important.

I would also encourage you to look for an older (meaning not a young puppy) rescue Siberian which you can begin your exercise regimen immediately. With young puppies.. They can't withstand that harsh of an exercise routine as well as can't be trusted to hold their bowls throughout the day.

i agree with what people are saying about them being vocal. We live in a house and i still worry about how loud Kiba gets sometimes. Like maybe our neighbors think we secretly torture our husky b/c she just cries so loud sometimes. It really depends on the dog i think. Kiba just hates being alone so any time we leave the house she will cry for a bit. or if were in the house but shes not with us, she cries too

I thought I'd go ahead and give me experience. I live in an apartment with two dogs, Yuki a siberian husky and Cloud an american eskimo. Yuki is about 31 pounds, but still growing, and Cloud is 20 pounds. Definitely check into the black list. I was lucky where I live now, but when I was calling around apartments, most of them went 'oh no we can't have wolf/husky breeds' when I mentioned I was planning on getting a siberian husky puppy. I almost caved in and lied that she was a mutt, but with that mask and those eyes I don't think anyone would believe me lol. Cloud and Yuki do fine in an apartment. I just recently switched jobs to where I live a minute down my street. I am gone 8 hours max, but am home for a 30 minute lunch break. Both are crated while I'm gone. Both get 30 minute walks in the morning and in the evening, and we go to the dog park a /lot/ which they love! Having a husky in an apartment is doable. Yes, sometimes I wish I had a yard and didn't have to get out the leashes every time we were just going out to potty, but I wouldn't live life without my pups <3

I'm in an apartment with my new pup and I debated and weighted the concerns just like you which is awesome! As long as you are dedicated and determined it can work.

Ours is still young, almost 14 weeks. We put her crate in our bedroom which is at the very back of the apartment so if at any time she does get vocal it won't reach the apartment hallway etc.

What floor are you on? The higher the more difficult potty training may be. We are on the 2nd floor with a good hallway walk before even reaching the stairs to go down. for the first while we had to carry kyra outside all the way until she could hold it just enough to make the full walk. Honestly I couldn't imagine having to walk out then wait for an elevator and walk more before the pup could pee if your on a really high floor like 12 for example. That's hard on the pup if they really need to go. Kyra has learned that if she really needs to go and can't hold it shell actually ask to go out to the balcony for what I call an emergency pee lol we try and redirect her if we can tho.

For exercise we have planned for the dog park, play dates with friends, walks etc.. And if there's a day where both my boy and I work and no one can help out we have looked into daycare that way she isn't locked up all day without socialization or exercise.

As she is getting bigger though we are realizing we want a place with a fenced back yard for her to play, it sucks taking her outside around the apartment with other dogs and no fence because she is constantly leashed and literally doesn't have much freedom and you can tell she just wants off to run for a bit on her own lol.

Good luck with your decision, I hope your apartment allows a husky

I'll give my experience as well.
I have Sheba who is an 8 month old, Kennedy who is around 2, and I also had a Standard Poodle for awhile. While my lease stated NO WHERE that I couldn't have three dogs, Prancer (the spoo) had severe issues. He was a rescue (from the dreaded Craigslist) that had the most severe separation anxiety I had ever dealt with. Long story short, after getting complaints from everyone in my apartment building, I was forced to either make him stop barking or get rid of him. I knew he needed a lot more rehabilitation before he could just "stop" barking, so I had to make the most horrible decisions a pet owner has to make, and I sent him to a rescue. I stayed in touch the whole time he was there, and I even got to see a picture of him with his new family.

As for Sheba the Siberian, she was LOOOUUDD at first, like all puppies. It was touch and go with her for awhile too. So make sure your landlord is a fair person (not like mine was obviously) who won't pounce on the opportunity to make your life miserable. As for how she lives in an apartment; mine is MUCH smaller than yours and she does wonderful. She just needs two walks a day and plenty of play and training time. You can make it work if you stick to it.

Senden wrote:

Anyway, what do people think? Could a Husky potentially be okay under apartment life in these conditions?

Based on all you have stipulated, I would say absolutely. I am not going to give a lengthy response, you've received plenty of that already. We lived in a 2 bedroom apartment when we first adopted our husky and it worked out just fine. I walked my sibe before work (6:30 am), came home and walked him on my lunch break (12:00 pm), then walked him when I got home from work in the afternoon (3:00 pm), and another final walk at night (7:30 pm). I live with my husband so he is/was able to take the dog out in the event that I didn't feel well or was incapable of doing it myself.

As far as getting an adult into a heavy exercise regimen faster as has been mentioned, keep in mind that even an adult will need to be conditioned and worked up to a heavy regimen if they are not accustomed to the amount of exercise you intend to do with them. But they will definitely be able to work up to it much faster than a puppy for sure.

I'm currently living with 2 huskies in my apartment.

Definitely recommend looking for a rescue husky who's a little older. My pups are around 3.5 and 5 years old, so they don't have as much puppy energy. This helps them be very well behaved inside.

We usually run 2 miles a day, and walk an additional 1.5-2 miles (spread out over 2 walks). So they get a very similar routine to what it seems like you have planned. It definitely seems to tire them out most days.

I crate trained both dogs and they both adapted to it within 1-2 days. I'm gone usually around 6-8 hours a day, and they do fine. Crating gives me peace of mind knowing they wont remodel the apartment while I'm gone, or get into any electricals. This is especially nice on days when we haven't gotten as much exercise as I would have liked.

Like someone else said, look into nearby dog parks. It's nice to watch my apartment huskies get some good off leash play time. Gives them a different experience than our leashed runs.

I've also found a great local day care that encourages play between their dogs all day long. If I'm ever busy or not feeling well, I can drop off the pups there and they'll be pooped afterwards.

There are so many ways to exercise and tire a husky, having a fenced yard is just one of them.

All this being said, it takes a little extra effort to keep a husky in an apartment. But for me it's been completely worth it.

I also have a husky in an apartment, he is 11 months.

Things with Ghost are going okay, We worried about that issue too, particularly because some people kept saying that we were irresponsables for having a husky in a small place. So I kind of felt bad at the beggining, now I don't feel so much because we take Ghost for walks at least 3 times a day - morning, afternoon and evenings. When it's summer he goes out more, or the walks tend to be longer.

At mornings, my father walks him at least for an 1:30m. At night we meet some friend that also have dogs, and let them play without leash. Ghost really shows off then and runs like crazy. In 20 or 30m exercise with those other dogs is loses more energy than in walks with us. Anyway he always walks for an hour at least.

It's is also good that you teach him tricks, that tires them too and stimulates their mind, plus they learn pretty fast.

You SHOULD really be careful, because if he doesn't get the exercise he needs, he will start talking (making woo woos) or howling. Ghost does that to tease us when he has alot of energy in him and decides that he wants to play.