Raising a Dog in the City

In Chapter 1, we mentioned that his willingness to serve man has put the dog in a position of dependency. The degree of dependency varies according to where the dog lives. And this leads us to the often-asked question: "Should dogs be kept in the city?"

The subject of keeping a dog in the city has many sup­porters and objectors. The supporters say dogs don't mind where they live, just so long as they can be with their mas­ters. And to back up their claim, they point to the thousands of dogs that seem to enjoy urban life. When it comes to the objectors, the arguments range all the way from cruelty to animals to the statement that dogs are sanitary nuisances. Pro or con, both sides have some convincing arguments.

There is no question but that city life imposes restrictions on people and dogs. Neither the space nor freedom of move­ment found in the country is available in the city. The mod­ern city is a conglomeration of steel, glass, concrete, brick and asphalt; all formed into buildings, sidewalks and streets—all erected in limited space. Ground and floor space are costly commodities in the big cities. There are no "wide-open spaces" in the cities, except in the parks. And these are usually out-of-bounds for dogs. Unfortunately, very few backyards remain in the cities, and empty lots are turned into parking places until the owners decide to erect another apartment house or skyscraper.

True, some apartment houses have spacious grounds, beau­tifully landscaped. But they also have no dogs allowed signs. While you may keep a dog in the apartment house, you can­not take him into the grounds. The alternative, of course, is to walk and exercise the dog on the sidewalks. But even here you run into restrictions. In most cities, you must keep your dog on a leash. He may not run loose. If he does, he runs the risk of being picked up by the dogcatcher. Or, if he manages to elude the dogcatcher, he faces the ever-present danger of being struck by a car or truck.

All of this appears to strengthen the arguments of those who think dogs shouldn't be kept in cities. However, there is a middle-of-the-road aspect to this matter of raising a dog in the city. It can be done and successfully if you will recognize the limitations imposed by city life.

If you plan to raise your dog in the city, you must take three important factors into consideration. They are 1) the selection of a suitable breed or mixed breed, 2) proper train­ing for the dog in how to get along in the city and 3) provid­ing the dog with adequate exercise as an outlet for excessive energy.

SELECTION OF A SUITABLE BREED

A comparison of the various breeds, including size, weight, disposition, has been covered in the chapter on selecting your dog. In general, the very large dogs, such as the St. Bernard, Irish Wolfhound and Great Dane, are not recommended lor city life. Nor are the Sporting Dogs, such as the Irish or Eng­lish Setters, Pointers and Retrievers. Both the very large and sporting dogs need plenty of space and exercise, usually more exercise than the average city dweller can or will give them.

You will see these breeds in the city. People keep these dogs for various reasons: to scare muggers and burglars away, as a symbol of status (the biggest car, apartment, television, etc.), and simply because they like big dogs. We have no quarrel with the reasons for wanting a big dog, only the im-practicality of the project. Unless you are the rugged type, willing to take long walks in the rain and snow, forget about the big dogs.

Boxers, German Shepherd Dogs, Doberman Pinschers, Col­lies and dogs containing mixtures of these breeds are popular in cities. They are not small dogs, but manage to adapt to city life providing they get enough exercise and what we're going to call "survival training." And by "survival training," we don't mean defense against the atom or hydrogen bombs or disease. We mean survival against the forces that work against the dog's chances of getting along in the city.

Every year, hundreds of city dwellers get a puppy of a large breed or mixture and attempt to raise the pup in the con­finement of a cramped city apartment. It works out well while the puppy is young and small. But when he grows up, races around the apartment to the annoyance of everybody, the luster of owning a dog soon rubs off. Eventually, the dog has to go and the owner frantically looks around for a new home for the dog or else turns him over to the local humane society.

The above is not an extreme example. When the writer was manager of the Bide-A-Wee Home for Animals in New York City, he saw many dogs brought into the shelter because they were too big for city apartments. And from reports, Bide-A-Wee is still getting these unwanted dogs. Since Bide-A-Wee has the policy of never destroying any animal unless incurably ill, these big dogs that were evicted from city apartments spend their days in the Bide-A-Wee shelters. Some of them may be lucky enough to get a home in the country.

The small, medium-sized and toy dogs make the best city pets. These dogs take up less space and don't need the lengthy and vigorous exercise periods required by larger dogs. Re­gardless of breed or size, all city dogs need to be taught how to get along in the city. There is more to city living than get­ting enough exercise. If that was all that was necessary, city dogs could get exercise on portable treadmills. But city life has more complex problems.

TEACHING YOUR DOG HOW TO GET ALONG IN THE CITY

The threat to the city dog's survival comes from non-dog owners, property owners and dog haters. In some cities, feel­ings run high between those who own dogs and those who do not. Civic organizations (the "Keep-Our-City-Clean" kind) constantly agitate for more anti-dog legislation. More and more landlords refuse to rent their apartments or houses to people who own dogs (it used to be children), and the places where dogs can live are becoming scarce. If dogs can adapt to city life, why all this prejudice and discrimination?

Basically, it all narrows down to the irresponsible dog owner. He's the type who gets a dog for himself or family, doesn't bother to train the dog and then, when the novelty of owning a dog wears off (or the work involved in the care of the dog is too much), lets the dog shift for himself. There are many of these irresponsible dog owners. And by their neglect and nonfeasance, they provide ammunition for the dog haters and property owners. By continuing to disregard the laws and the rights of their neighbors, these irresponsible dog owners bring disrepute down on the heads of all dogs.

The only way for you and your dog to escape the labels of irresponsibility and nuisance is for you to teach your dog how to get along in the city. You will not be able to convert dog haters into dog lovers, or convince them that dogs should live in the city. But you can help reduce the number of com­plaints that might eventually lead to more and more anti-dog laws.

When you've taught your dog obedience and good man­ners, you've already taken a major step in his city survival training. An obedient dog is rarely a nuisance, as long as he is under your control. But the average city dweller is not home all o£ the time. And this is when the city dog gets into trouble. Barking, howling, racing up and down the apartment —these are some o£ the objections to keeping dogs in the city.

A noisy dog in an apartment may be living on borrowed time. The chronic barker and howler will bring quick and loud complaints from irate neighbors. Very often these com­plaints will be followed by a letter from the landlord asking you to please keep your dog quiet or get rid of him. Or you may get a summons from the police or local S.P.C.A. When this happens, you can hardly blame the neighbors.

Dogs that bark or howl when left alone are the result of poor training or the lack of it. They may also be special be­havior problems. Oddly enough, many people neglect to teach their dogs to stay alone. Their dogs will be models of efficiency when it comes to heeling, sitting and fetching the newspaper. But when the owners go out for even a half hour, their dogs soon let the whole neighborhood know they have been left alone. One thing is certain, noisy dogs can have a very short stay in the city!

Our dogs have come to crave human company. They have become so attached to people that when left alone, they are miserable and discontent. See this in action the next time you visit a supermarket parking lot. Observe the dogs left in the cars while their owners are shopping. These dogs keep look­ing anxiously out the car windows, sticking their noses out through the crack of an opened window and in general show­ing signs of agitation. They may also bark, howl or climb all over the car seats. Part of the trouble is being cooped up in the car, part is from being left alone. Fortunately, the shop­ping trip is comparatively short. But for a dog shut up in an apartment, time creeps along.

Put yourself in the dog's place. He sleeps all or most of the night. Then comes morning and his owner goes out to work. The dog tries sleeping some more, then wakes up full of energy. He will not get any outdoor exercise until you come home, so he tries to work off his excess energy by loping around the apartment or vocalizing.

You will have to make every effort to get your dog to stay alone without making a fuss. Start when he's a pup. Teach­ing him to sleep in his own bed, and not in yours, is a step in the right direction. However, asking the pup to stay alone at night and most of the day is a big request. In time, he may get used to it.

The best approach to teaching the pup to stay alone is when you are home. Put him in another room for an hour or so each day. Give him one of his favorite toys or a shinbone, then leave him alone. When he howls or whimpers, ignore him for awhile. Then, if he persists in howling, go to him and tell him "No!" Be stern about it and let him know that you are displeased. From this point on, reprimand him every time he cries. Gradually increase the time the pup is placed in a separate room and when you let him out, make a big production and praise him. That way, he'll get the idea that when he stays alone without making any noise, you will be pleased. When he howls or whimpers, you will be displeased. Be patient and don't expect the pup to learn this lesson in one or two fifteen-minute lessons.

Teaching the older dog to stay alone is more of a problem. A bad habit is difficult to break. But you've got to do some­thing about it. In training the older dog to be quiet when you are out, you will have to use some subterfuge. You've got to fool him into thinking you've gone out. Put him in an­other room and close the door. Give him a toy or bone. Next, slam the front door, then tiptoe over to the room where the dog is waiting. The minute he barks or howls, rap sharply on the door and give him a loud, stern "No!" or "Quiet!"

You might as well brace yourself for a long session. Teach­ing the confirmed barker or howler to stay alone is going to take plenty of patience. You will spend a lot of time outside the room, ready to rap on the door. If it cures the dog, it will be worth all o£ the time and effort. Remember, your alter­native is giving up the dog.

Some dogs cannot be trained to stay alone, no matter what technique you use. These are problem dogs and their han­dling is discussed in Chapter 9. If you want to keep such a dog in the face of complaints (and other than moving to the country), you will have to make special arrangements to have the dog walked. Have a neighbor (a sympathetic one) or a friend come and take the dog out several times, if you plan to be gone all day. In some cities, professional "dog walkers" are available. The cost of keeping the dog adds up, but you are faced with a choice of keeping the dog quiet or getting rid of him.

Loud and excessive barking while you are home can also lead to complaints. Your dog should be taught when and when not to bark. The dog that keeps barking long after he's alerted you to the ringing of the telephone or doorbell is a pest. Once he's alerted you, his job is done. Teach him this fact. When the telephone or doorbell rings, give the dog a pat on the head or a word of praise. Then tell him to be quiet. He'll soon learn to bark a warning until you've been alerted, then stop.

By using the basic obedience commands and teaching your dog to be quiet in the apartment, you will have improved your dog's chances of surviving in the city. Disobedient, un­mannerly and noisy dogs are a prime reason why people object to dogs being kept in the city.

DOG SANITATION

Another vital part of your dog's city-survival training is to see that he doesn't create a sanitary nuisance in the apart­ment or street. This matter of dog sanitation in the city has given the dog haters and those opposed to dogs being kept in the city plenty of ammunition. It is also a reason why dogs are banned from most apartment houses and hotels. Soiled sidewalks, streets and other public places have been the cause of violent arguments between dog owners and non-dog own­ers. In some cities, the dog sanitation problem has precipi­tated some strong laws governing dogs in the city.

Soiled sidewalks, streets and park paths cannot be blamed entirely on stray dogs. In most cities, the strays are kept to a minimum, the minimum being those dogs wily enough to escape the nets of the dog catchers. But as a rule, strays are promptly rounded up and impounded. No, the great majority of sanitary nuisances are committed by dogs with homes, aided and abetted by their irresponsible owners.

Despite laws requiring dog owners to take their dogs into the streets, many dogs are allowed to use the sidewalks and cross-paths. Not long ago, New York City's Sanitation Depart­ment received more than 8,000 complaints of dogs soiling the sidewalks, streets and other public thoroughfares. Sanitation inspectors issued summonses to the owners of offending dogs (when they could catch them), but these failed to alleviate the problem. The Sanitation Department soon found itself in the middle of a big squabble. On one side were the dog owners who claimed they were being persecuted. On the other side were irate civic organizations clamoring for a clean city. The Commissioner of Sanitation was faced with a contretemps: he liked dogs, yet it was his duty to keep the city clean.

The Commissioner called a conference of interested par­ties. He invited the civic organizations to present their views. And he invited dog authorities, dog owners, dog organiza­tions and anyone else with an interest in dogs. All were asked to help solve the problem without resorting to stringent legis­lation.

All kinds of corrective measures were tossed around at the conference, from imposing stiffer fines to erecting "dog com­fort stations" around the city. One of these dog comfort sta­tions was set up outside the A.S.P.C.A., but failed to attract any dogs or owners. The idea was impractical to begin with and the resulting structure was poorly designed and costly.

Most dogs objected to using it and owners were too lazy or indifferent to take their dogs to the station. Furthermore, in a city the size of New York, with more than 350,000 dogs, the number of these comfort stations needed would send the tax­payers' blood pressure skyrocketing.

There was one valuable observation that came out of the conference, one that everybody present agreed upon. It was this: if the city dog owners wanted to prevent a mass exile of their dogs, it was up to them to control their dogs in public places and to clean up the mess when an accident occurred.

Accidents will happen and dogs are not always able to get to the street in time. This is especially true of dogs that are confined all day in an apartment. They "hold it in" and then can't make it to the street. If this happens to your dog, clean up the mess. Nobody would object to this. But when people look the other way when their dog commits a nuisance of this sort, tempers boil.

When you take your dog out for a walk, take him into the street and make him walk there until he has had a bowel movement. Keep him in the street and close to the curb, not on it! After he's done his business, you can let him up on the sidewalk or take him for a romp in the park (if allowed). It wouldn't be a bad idea to take the dog out armed with a dis­posable plastic bag and scoop. Or, if you prefer, there are elongated tongs on the market made especially for this pur­pose. Some of the dog magazines carry advertisements on these gadgets.

The dog sanitation problem in the city is not confined to the outside. Poor sanitation within the apartment house can also be a source of complaints. Soiled newspapers should not be rolled up and put out in the hall to permeate the atmos­phere with odors. Nor should they be thrust into open boxes or cans. Get a metal can with a tight lid and use it just for the dog's soiled papers. If the apartment house has an in­cinerator, make frequent trips and dispose of the soiled newspapers. A liberal use of deodorants will help keep down ob­jectionable odors in your apartment and the hall. When you take these precautions, the neighbors can have no cause for complaints.

EXERCISING THE CITY DOG

The city dog, unless he is ill or very old, needs to be taken out at least twice a day. This exercise period is a must and it should not be offered as a reward for being good while you are out. Dogs are affected mentally and physically by their confinement and will store up excess energy. Unless you give the dog ample exercise, he'll get rid of this energy by chewing the rugs, gnawing on the furniture, racing up and down the apartment, and other erratic behavior.

Toy and small dogs do not require the vigorous exercise needed by the larger dogs. But they still need to be taken out, if only to "shake a leg." Otherwise, these small dogs will be­come fat, lazy and may develop into behavior problems.

A ride down in the elevator and a quick trip out to the street to evacuate his bowels is not exercise for the dog. It might be for an old or infirm dog. But for the average healthy dog that has been penned up all day, this quick trip wouldn't even get him out of breath. Your dog should have an outing of at least a half hour each trip, longer if possible. During these outings, the dog should have a chance to run and jump. Admittedly, there may not be much of an opportunity to allow the dog to run in the average city. Running him on the leash will help, but he'll have to keep his speed geared down to yours. If there's an empty lot nearby and you can use it, take along a ball or stick and let the dog chase it. He'll get plenty of exercise this way and he'll enjoy the game. Or, if the roof of your apartment house has a guard or parapet, and you have permission, take the dog on the roof and exercise him.

In the absence of a roof playground or empty lot, you can still exercise the dog by getting him to jump. Hold a stick or ball over his head and encourage him to leap for it. This is good exercise and will help release his pent-up energy. Be sensible about the form of exercise. Select a game or exercise that is well within the dog's ability to perform. Don't tax his strength or yours. There's no point in forcing an old or obese dog to run and jump to the point of collapse. Nor should a pregnant female be made to play rough or hazardous games.

Make the exercise period a time of fun. It can also be a time when you and the dog momentarily forget the restric­tions of city life. When you do make them pleasant, the dog will look forward to these outings. He will learn to save his energies for the exercise or play periods, instead of squan­dering them by raising a rumpus in the apartment while you are at work.

There is a place and need for dogs in the city. Some dogs adapt very easily to city life, others never do adapt and are misfits. As long as you recognize that there are restrictions in raising a dog in the city and try to compensate for them, the chances are you will be successful as a city dog owner. The city dog is totally dependent on you. In your hands are the means to help him to adjust to or become a casualty of urban living. To answer the question posed at the beginning of this chap­ter: it all depends on how you keep a dog in the city.

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