په ښار کې سپي څنګه ژوند کوي؟

There is an opinion that dogs do not belong in the city. Like, it’s a mockery to keep a dog, especially a large one, in an apartment and walk it twice (or thrice) a day. The opposite opinion: it doesn’t matter where the dog lives, in a metropolis or outside the city, with a beloved owner, paradise and in a small apartment. How do dogs live in the city and are they really not adapted to life in the metropolis?

How to understand if a dog is happy in the city?

To understand whether dogs are doing well or badly, one can turn to the internationally recognized concept of assessing animal welfare – the 5 freedoms. It contains the minimum standards for pet care that every owner must ensure.

In particular, the dog must be given the freedom to carry out species-typical behavior. That is, in simple terms, a dog should be able to behave like a dog. And first of all, she has the right to full walks and communication with relatives.

In the photo: dogs in the city. Photo: flickr.com

How to walk the dog in the city?

A walk, contrary to a fairly common belief, a dog needs not only for the “toilet”. It is also an opportunity to get new impressions, change the environment, provide physical and intellectual stress. This means that you need to offer your pet new routes, give the opportunity to sniff, study the environment, get acquainted with the marks left by relatives, as well as run and play. This is a pledge and an extremely important component of the physical health and mental well-being of the dog.

Unfortunately, sometimes in the vicinity of city box-houses it is very difficult to find a place where a dog can satisfy the need for a full-fledged high-quality walk. And the care of the owner is to find an opportunity to provide the pet with the appropriate conditions.

The duration of the walk should be at least two hours a day. This applies to any dog, regardless of size. These two hours can be divided into two or three walks, different or equal in duration – as you prefer. However, there are dogs who need longer walks – everything is individual here. Of course, two or three walks a day is the norm for an adult dog, with a puppy you need to walk more often.

Can a dog only walk on a leash? Maybe, but it is better if the length of the leash is at least three meters. This gives the dog the opportunity to move far enough away from you to explore everything that interests him, and you will not constantly pull him.

Does a dog need to socialize with other dogs if it lives in the city?

It is important to find a way to allow the dog to communicate with fellow tribesmen. Not all dogs need wild games – some just need to wag their tails from a respectful distance, or sniff and disperse. This is normal, the main thing is that the dog has a choice.

Communication with relatives should be safe for both your dog and other animals. If a dog does not know how to communicate safely with fellow dogs (for example, due to insufficient socialization in childhood), this is a problem that is worth working on.

And, of course, you should not let your dog to animals whose owners are against such communication. Even if, in your opinion, they violate the rights of their pet, it is their choice – they may have a good reason to stay away from other dogs (for example, the animal was recently sick). It is still worth observing the ethical code of the owner. 

So the question of where the dog lives, in the city or in the countryside, is not fundamental. Another important one: can you provide her with the necessary conditions for a fairly comfortable, and therefore happy life?

In the photo: a dog in the city. Photo: pexels.com

And if the owner lives in a country house, but at the same time his dog sits for days on a chain or in an aviary, or can “walk” only on ten acres of land and goes out of the gate only on major holidays (or even does not go out at all), it is much more unhappy than a city dog, which has the opportunity to walk a sufficient time, communicate with relatives and live a full dog life.