Photo by Avi Naim on Unsplash
Article provided by Pet Scoop – Fort Collins, CO Pooper Scooper
People living in apartments have many reasons for choosing this type of living arrangement. Some people live this way because they like the convenience of having neighbors nearby, while others may just need a smaller space as they live on a budget. Either way, many renters have pets as roommates.
Dogs have been our constant companions for many centuries, and new research shows they could have accompanied humans as far back as 40,000 years ago. This makes it all the more likely that if these ancient dogs could live in caves, they could certainly survive living in an apartment environment.
Research shows that many larger breeds of dogs can thrive in smaller spaces. When I was younger, I used to think that one of my neighbors, who lived in an apartment with a really big dog and very small patio, was cruel to have such a large animal in such a tiny environment. But now I know better.
My new neighbor walked their big dog religiously, taking it to the park every day. It turned out that many large breeds are also big-time sleepers, nicknamed “mat dogs” because they spend so much time sleeping on their owners’ mats.
While dogs spend a lot of time sleeping—as much as 50 percent of their day—there are still some signs of health problems that owners should watch for. These include sudden or abrupt changes in behavior, such as the previously active dog becoming lazy, or vice versa.
While a typical dog needs about 12 hours of sleep a day, working dogs like police dogs or farm hounds can get by on far less.
