Downgrading from House to Apt

[143julz]

Good luck with your move..

RileyDC lives there I'll tell her about your thread, hopefully she'll be able to give you some local info

[RileyDC]

Originally Posted by Deuce

Hey all! Fall of this year I'll be headed back to the States, to the DC area!

On one hand I'm happy to be getting back to the "homeland" but on the other, yikes! DC! traffic, angry people, and tiny apartments!

Currently I'm living in a one bedroom guesthouse with a huge yard for Rizzo to run and chase things in. After checking my housing allowance rates against housing costs in the area that allow pets, looks like I'll be moving to a tiny studio or 1 bedroom apartment

I'll have to try to find a place near an off leash park area so Rizzo can have his running free time, but if I cant, how can I make sure he's still getting enough exercise? Will 2 long walks a day(am/pm), plus walks for potty purposes do? Plus the inside play time?

Rizzo is indoor/outdoor trained so he has access to potty pads while inside, but they won't be supplementing going outside to go potty.

Has anyone gone from having a huge yard to none? any tips?

Plus any information about the DC area would be great to have, such as groomers, vets, dog walkers, parks, and places that allow doggies. I've been doing some research, just started this weekend. I'm thinking about living on the VA side in/around Alexandria but haven't decided for sure yet. I want to live near a public transportation stop, I don't plan on dealing with the traffic woes every day of the week, I'd rather be able to take a couple metros and maybe a bus to get to/from home everyday instead.

Thanks in advance for any help!

Hey There!! I'm right in the Middle of the City.
I'll PM you, tomorrow with a list of things, in and around the area, tomorrow.

[chestermama]

chester and I live in 500 sq feet and he does his short walks and inside play time and course he is almost 9 years old too, they are pretty adaptable

[kdhawks]

Levi and I moved from a house with a huge, fenced-in backyard to a third-floor apartment. He adjusted fine and is just as happy in our apartment as he was in the house.

Levi is both outdoor and pad-trained as well, but we still try to take him out every four hours. He prefers to go outside, and I like for him to get walks and fresh air. We go to off-leash dog parks, visit friends with fenced-in yards, and play lots of fetch down our longest hallway. My brother's bigger dog lives with us as well, and he and Levi play and run and wrestle all day long. He gets constant exercise; it's just not as mindless as letting him play in a fenced yard all day.

I feel your pain on the non-refundable pet deposits.

[Deuce]

Yeah, I will miss the opening the door in the morning and watching him do his zoomies while I eat my breakfast. But as long as he's happy.

I've been looking around at things to do in DC, the list goes on and on, I really think I'm going to like it there

One day I can be in the city, the next at the ocean, another at the lake, and I can even go hiking still! It's going to be fun...I hope. The job on the other hand, lol...

[Britster]

Originally Posted by Deuce

Yeah, I will miss the opening the door in the morning and watching him do his zoomies while I eat my breakfast. But as long as he's happy.

I've been looking around at things to do in DC, the list goes on and on, I really think I'm going to like it there

One day I can be in the city, the next at the ocean, another at the lake, and I can even go hiking still! It's going to be fun...I hope. The job on the other hand, lol...

Ya know, it's funny... I am always talking about wanting to move, etc, and then I sit back and I do take for granted all the great things we have to do around here. What's sad is I went into DC for the first time in, like, forever a few weeks ago and it's SO close to me. I don't even hardly go into downtown Annapolis, lol. I fail.

[sweet_tikka]

Oh dear, Tikka came to us from a house with a big fences yard, unfortunately we are in an apartment, so BIG change for her! We take at least one long walk a day, and one shorter walk. I also am allowed a yard line right outside of my window so I put her out on that to go potty and have some fresh air... I wouldn't do that in DC though too many people/theifs!

But yeah as far as exersise def. at least two good walks and/or a good stint at the dog park should be good enough, Tikka is usually worn out by bed time... but I found out that if we miss any play/walk time she will be up until 4am!! Good luck with that.

Let me know how the pottying goes... Tikka wouldn't go on a leash when she came to us because she was used to have a yard to roam :/ we're getting better though!