Are Shelties Good Apartment Dogs?

Shelties are a great dog to bring home to your family. Their friendly disposition and high energy makes them the perfect pet to have around your family. They are also really intelligent and seem to get along with most dog owners without a problem. Because they are such a great dog to have around, many wonder if Shelties are good apartment dogs or not.

Let’s take a closer look at why a Sheltie may not be considered a good apartment dog and some of the steps you can take to help your Sheltie get adjusted to living in an apartment if you need to keep them there.

Are Shelties Good Apartment Dogs?

Your Sheltie can live in an apartment, as long a there are no limitations on the weight or type of animal who can live in the specific type of apartment that you choose. Because the Sheltie is friendly and likes to be around other people, most landlords who allow animals in an apartment are just fine with allowing this breed to live inside the apartment.

Shelties are not always the best dog to keep inside of an apartment. Pet owners will need to put in some extra work to help take care of the dog and make sure their Sheltie is comfortable and getting their energy out. Some of the reasons why a Sheltie may not do as well in an apartment includes:

• They shed a lot: This is going to require a lot of extra cleaning for you in the apartment. You do not want to trash up the apartment or you will never get the deposit back. Proper grooming and taking the Shelite outside can help with this issue.
• There is a lot of foot traffic all around the apartment. This can get your Sheltie excited and they may bark or get agitated in the process. Your Sheltie is going to struggle with being quiet and not barking at everyone who walks by, and there will be lots of people walking by. If you want to have them in the apartment, you will have to train them on how to behave.
• Les space: Apartments are often a lot smaller than your home and there isn’t room to move around as much. While the Sheltie is a smaller dog, they still need room to bounce around and use all their energy. This little dog will take up a lot more space than you would imagine. They may feel pretty cramped up in an apartment with all of that energy.
• No play area or backyard: This limits how much space the Sheltie will have to move around and get that energy out. You will need to help your Sheltie get that energy out in other ways. Some apartments do have little areas that you can take your dog to run around and utilizing one of these can make things a little bit easier.

Because of these reasons, it is sometimes difficult to keep at Sheltie in an apartment. You may need to get a little bit creative to help take care of the Sheltie and give them the best life possible in an apartment. There are ways to train the Sheltie to help them get comfortable in the apartment. Lots of attention, training, and exercise can help solve a lot of these problems and will make the Sheltie more adjusted to this smaller space.

Where is the Best Place for a Sheltie to Live?

While Shelties are able to live in an apartment with the right kind of care and training, it is often best to pick somewhere else to live when you want to have a Sheltie as your pet. Your Sheltie has a ton of energy and likes to run around most of the day, which can be surprised when you consider their small size.

Many Sheltie owners at least have their own home with a nice backyard for the dog to run around. This provides benefits in two ways. It allows the Sheltie room to roam and run around outside to wear out energy, even if the pet owner can’t take a walk right that moment. And having more room inside the home gives the Sheltie more room to wander and look around compared to what they can do inside an apartment.

The more space you are able to give to your Sheltie, the better. They have endless energy and need to wear that out, while also gaining enough attention as well. Having a good dog park around can help, a backyard, and plenty of room to roam and have fun are all good options if you plan to keep a Sheltie around your home.

How Do I Make the Best of Apartment Living with a Sheltie?

Just because you live in an apartment does not mean that you can’t get a Sheltie. You will simply need to make sure to take extra precautions to help the dog be comfortable and to wear out that energy so the Sheltie will be able to thrive, even in an apartment. Since the Sheltie is a smaller sized dog, it is easy to get them in as long as pets are allowed. But there are a few different things you will need to do to help the Sheltie feel at home in a small place.

There are ways that you can train your Sheltie to help them adjust to living in apartment. It will not happen overnight and the pet owner needs to remember there is quite a bit of work they need to do to help their dog be comfortable. Some of the things that you will need to do include:

Lots of Exercise

While living with a Sheltie in an apartment, there will be limited amount of space for your dog to run around and wear out energy. And there is not necessarily a ton of space inside the apartment to play catch and wrestle around, especially with the noise considerations. That means the pet owner will need to be very observant on how much exercise they give their Sheltie to keep them active.

Your Sheltie will need a lot of activity if you want to keep them in the apartment. Get ready for long hours in the park, lots of walking, and a lot of attention. If you do not provide your Sheltie with an outlet for all that energy, they will start to destroy the apartment and make a big mess all around.

Training

There are several types of training that need to be done to help your Sheltie to adjust to living in an apartment. First, you need to complete some training to help eliminate the vocal behavior of your Sheltie. You do not want them barking and howling all day long when you are gone or they will get you kicked out of the apartment. Consider getting potty training done as soon as possible to in order to prevent issues with this later.

Socialization

Your Sheltie will need socialization to do well in an apartment, especially if you plan to leave them home alone while you go to work. There are different ways that you can encourage socialization in an apartment including taking your Sheltie for walks, inviting others to the apartment to hang out sometimes, and taking your dog to the dog park to meet others and get to play around.

Proper Grooming

Make sure to take care of the grooming of your dog as well. They need to receive regular teeth brushing, hair combing, nail trimming, and baths. When they feel clean and get that attention from you, they will do better inside of an apartment.

Mental Stimulation

Pet owners need to remember that their Sheltie is really smart and they will need some kind of mental stimulation each day. Failure to do this will result in the Sheltie looking for more attention and getting into more trouble when you are gone.

Your Sheltie in an Apartment

While Shelties can live in some apartments and are the right weight for it, it is often best to consider a different type of dog if you plan to stay in the apartment for long. Shelties like to be active and run around, and an apartment can really limit how much this is able to happen. If you still want to have a Sheltie in an apartment, make sure to provide them with lots of exercise, attention, and care to help them adapt to this smaller living arrangement.