Feel guilty. What do other apartment dwellers do? Now that summer is upon us I've really been enjoying everyone's action shots and videos of your babies running off leash outside in your fenced in yards. It's making me feel guilty though. Living in an apartment I don't have a fenced in area. My parents have a beautiful yard but it's not fenced. I take him out regularly for walks. At times he gets real rambunctious and runs circles around me and I encourage it so he has the ability to run himself out. If he gets a case of the yorkie zoomies inside again I just encourage it. I know they need to let off steam. Every night we play piggy fetch inside till the point where he won't go anymore. So I know he gets plenty of exercise. I just feel bad about him not having the experience of running around off leash outside. Would be easy to just go out in the yard and run around with him on lease to simulate that feeling of freedom, but I have a bad right knee(3 surgeries and will probably have a replacement before I meet my maker) and plantar fasciitis in my left foot that the doctor refuses to operate on. (well maybe these $300 custom orthotics in my sneakers will help lol) Believe it or not I'm only 44 lol. I have thought about spending the $25 membership to get a tag to use the city's dog park, but I hear so many down sides to dog parks here on the forums. For those who do not have access to a safe fenced area to let your yorkies "run free" what do you do? Am I over reacting maybe? Is it plenty of exercise, now how it is achieved that really matters? I just know that Bentley would have a blast "running free" so I feel so bad he does not have that opportunity. |
For the first 3 years of my Shelby-Dale's life, we lived in a place (not an apartment) that didn't have a fenced in yard. He has always had a lot of energy and needed exercise. I got him a treadmill ;) |
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Or, if you have enough open area in one of your rooms, set up an obstacle course/agility course. As long as Bentley gets exercise, no need to feel guilty. :) |
I agree with the others. You should not feel guilty about not letting your Yorkie run free. I can tell you right now that I will NEVER let Bella run free for security reasons--I simply don't have a safe place to do it. It sounds like Bentley is getting plenty of exercise, so you have nothing to feel guilty about. I would feel much guiltier if I let Bella run free and something happened to her. |
We always went to the dog park when we lived in an apartment with Couver. We love our dog park. There is a small dog side and my two enjoy going there. |
I live in apartments to don't worry!! Your not alone. :);):p |
I would check out the dog park -- make sure there's a small side. I hear of a lot more issues with dog parks on the big dog side, to be honest. We've never had an issue in our small side. Jackson is kind of 'eh' about the dog park now (he still will play every now and then, but he more enjoys wandering and sniffing, and smelling butts, haha!) but I still enjoy taking him. We also have to pay (it's in a state park). I find parks where people have to buy are generally run better. It'd be worth looking into. Also, you say your parents have a lot of land... I have a 50 foot long rope lead (I got it at Petsmart) ... it gives him the feeling of freedom, but still hooked up to something in the case of him running away or something. We really like it. I have 3 acres and I just let him drag it when playing fetch or frisbee. I can't imagine Jackson not being able to run free every once in a while, but honestly, I think he'd be okay with long walks, etc, too if we had to. I just have to walk him a LOT in order for him to actually be 'tired' to it's easier to let him run. We can do 4 miles and he wants more. I'm also very lucky to have my father's house which is awesome for him -- fenced in, pool, other dogs, etc. Very lucky my dad has the house he does! And also our dog park came in handy a lot more when he was younger, when he really needed to wrestle and play with other dogs. |
I don't know how it is there. I also live in an apartment and when the weather is nice I go to a near park. It's a large green park where people go to walk their dogs or to pick-nick or to run. I go with them to the side that is more calm and empty and let them loose to run a bit. Now I only let Nena run and I keep Rufus on the flexi-leash so he can walk faster but isn't completely loose. And when the weather sucks, I just play catch with them and that's how I drain their energy. |
oh I have never thought about not having space to let the babies run free, however it certainly sounds like Bentley is getting enough excercise. No need to feel guilty. |
You sound like a wonderful Yorkie mama! While we have a fenced yard, Joey and Ralphie only run when they see some type of intruder. You can teach him to play fetch inside and give him a treat when he returns the object to you. Once they learn the game, they will work for kibble. Dog parks can be fun, just make sure it’s for small dogs, large breed puppies can hazardous because they are generally so clumsy. |
I have a very small yard, and unsafe at this point in time. I use a Flexi-leash on walks to give them some feeling of freedom. It takes a bit of practice to learn to use one but worth the effort. |
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I think I will check out the park. He's just turned 6 months and that's the minimum age that you can bring a dog in. They do have a small dog side so that's covered. Hopefully with being a paid park 1) not that crowded 2) well maintained. |
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