Common Weim wisdom says that Weimaraners and apartments don’t go together. A fenced yard is a MUST for an active breed like the Weimaraner. Right? Well yes, this is the perfect scenario. But don’t be so quick to dismiss the apartment dweller.
The whole thing about Weims needing a huge yard to run in because they need SO much exercise? If you think that you can put a Weim in a yard and he will run around exercising himself, think again. An unexercised Weim is a bored Weim, and he isn’t going to exercise himself, he is going to dig holes, terrorize and bark at whatever passes him by, jump the fence and generally be a nuisance.
Repeat after me: Weims are time intensive not space intensive. Yard or not, they need physical exercise and mental stimulation. And sorry, your yard can’t give your Weim those things. Only you can — whether you live in a home with a yard or an apartment.
Click for larger image
This is not to say that there aren’t issues to think about when living in an apartment with a Weim (especially a puppy!):
- Crate training can be noisy for a few weeks even longer if it isn’t done properly.
- Potty training can be stressful if you aren’t on the ground floor (lots of us have done it, but it means many midnight mad pajama dashes!)
- More planning needed for dog walking and exercise.
- Weims aren’t that BIG but they sure can thump around!
- Make sure about size requirements and try to gauge the size of your future dog. The size variance of Weims is pretty huge, from medium to horse.
- Find out about security deposits! Your dog will probably damage your apartment/condo in some way. You need to puppy proof like you’re expecting a toddler on steroids.
- If you are in an apartment now and contemplating a Weim pup, will the breeder take your puppy back if anything happens or there are extenuating circumstances? Hopefully this doesn’t happen, but you never know!
It is about understanding the breed and meeting your Weimaraner’s needs, not really about where you live!
Photo courtesy of Trailing Friday.
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This is exactly what I was considering when I had several apartment people contact me about puppies. It’s not that it is impossible, but it’s a total PITA to raise a puppy in an apartment.
Exactly. And truth of the matter is, most people are lazy. On the other hand, it can really force some disciplined behaviors from owners too, so in some ways it can be good for certain personality types. I once raised and potty trained a pup while on a show circuit for 3 weeks staying in motels. I was so paranoid about potty accidents that I was hyper-vigilant, but that pup sure got potty trained fast!