10 Necessities for Apartment-Dwelling Dog Owners

Whether your apartment is big or small, owning a dog doesn’t have to be a challenge. Even if your furbaby is on the larger side, it won’t matter as long as you have the right stuff. Below are 10 must-have supplies and accessories for dog owners who live in an apartment.

Sometimes, people long for a pet but put off getting one—especially a dog—if they live in an apartment. Even if space is limited, if you want a dog and your building allows them, you don’t have to put it off. Armed with the handy canine accessories below, starting your new pet-parent adventure will be a breeze.

A Training Crate

Whether you own a home or live in an apartment, it’s always important to keep your dog from tearing up your home or having accidents while you’re gone or asleep. It’s even more important when you’re living in an apartment that you’ll be moving out of someday, especially if you hope to get your deposit refunded.

This particular crate comes with a cover, perfect for quieting noisy dogs because the dark makes them think it’s night, which is time for bed in many households. Pick the right size for your dog, which means one that allows your dog enough space to turn around and lie down comfortably.

Potty Grass

For apartment dwellers living in high-rise apartments, it’s not always possible to get your pooch to the ground floor in time for a much-needed potty break, which makes potty grass come in extremely handy. Of course, no matter what type of apartment building you have, potty grass may be useful in potty training as well.

Rather than have your dog become accustomed to doing his business on a potty pad, which may resemble clothing and lead to future accidents, the potty grass is more similar to an actual trip outside. Pick from small, medium, or large, depending on the size of your dog.

Walking Accessories

Without a backyard to get exercise in, your apartment dog is going to need daily walks or runs. It’s not always convenient to visit a dog park. That means you need not only the proper leash but means to hydrate your pooch while you’re out.

Here are a couple of worthwhile investments:

Doggy water bottle: When you head out of the apartment building to take your dog for a walk, you might be gone for a little while. It’s important to keep your pet hydrated, so be sure to bring some water along. The True Love dog water bottle is equipped with its own bowl area, making it easy for dogs to quench their thirst.

A Hands-free leash: Aside from keeping your hands free for talking on the phone or picking up poop, this hands-free dog leash comes with a pouch to carry poop bags and it opens you up for easier dog walking time with a stroller in tow or while you’re jogging. You can also use it as a traditional leash.

Toys

Busy toys are important for bored dogs, and being cooped up in an apartment all day while you’re at work gets pretty boring for a dog. Here are some wonderful toys that will help keep your pooch busy while you’re away:

Kong: The standard Kong comes in different sizes for different sized dogs. The convenient wide hole in the bottom makes it so that you can fill it with treats, peanut butter, or the spray-in Kong treats that are available in pets stores. Trying to lick out all of those tasty treats will keep your dog busy for a while.

Snuffle Mats: These double as a way to slow down fast eaters and to keep them busy when you’re not around. Dogs like to sniff things out, and that’s just what they’ll do with this product.

Puzzle Toys: There are all sorts of puzzle toys on the market for dogs. The idea is that somewhere in the puzzle treats are hidden, and your dog has to take the time to sniff out those goodies. This particular toy from Outward Hound requires dogs to sniff out which plastic bones have a treat under them, then learn to lift the plastic part to get to their snack.

Cleaning Supplies

Dogs get stinky, leave fur everywhere, and they sometimes have accidents. Not only do you want to keep your apartment clean while you’re living in it, but you also want the best cleaning products to spruce up the place when you’re moving out.

That’s why you’ll need all the following items:

A compact vacuum/carpet cleaner: Your basic vacuum cleaner isn’t always going to cut it when it comes to cleaning up pet messes. Sure, it may keep the fur under control, but if your dog has an accident, you might want a wet/dry vac on hand, and preferably one that’s the right size for apartment life.

Stain and odor remover: Defend your apartment from getting stinky with Sunny & Honey’s enzyme cleaner. Whether you’re fighting a sticky poop accident or you forgot to give the dog a bath last month, this little bottle will help make furniture and carpets smell better, and it comes in three different scents.

Hard Floor Cleaner: Accidents happen all over the house, especially with puppies and senior dogs. Smells seep into hardwood floors and linoleum just as well as they do carpets, so be sure to get a cleaner that will keep the rest of your floors smelling fresh as well.

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Dogs belong in apartments, too. As long as you equip your home with the right supplies, both you and your doggo will be living your best lives.