Recently, someone asked me if Airedales could live in apartments. I’ve always had a backyard for my dog to run around in, so I decided to do some research on the subject.
So, can Airedales live in apartments? Airedales are not recommended for apartment life. These dogs are very hyper and they need to be able to explore to keep themselves entertained.
Because of how inquisitive they are, Airedales don’t do well in cooped-up places. In an apartment, where they’re not able to roam or run to burn off their curiosity and energy, they tend to get restless and bored (which can lead to destructive behaviour). Because of this, I wouldn’t recommend getting an Airedale if you live in an apartment. In the following guide, I talk about the pros and cons of having an Airedale within your apartment, and then talk about some ways to make your life easier if you have to go this route. Then, I talked about some breeds that are easier to have in an apartment.
Airedales in Apartments
In general, Airedale’s aren’t built for spending time in apartments. However, that doesn’t mean that they’re completely hopeless; below is a list of pros and cons for having an Airedale in an apartment.
Benefits
As I said, I wouldn’t recommend buying an Airedale if you live in/will be moving into an apartment. With that being said, if your living situation demands that you share your apartment with one of these dogs, there are a few benefits that you can look forwards too:
Hypoallergenic
One of the big draws of the Airedale breed is the fact that they’re hypoallergenic, meaning that they cause lower levels of allergies in people who are sensitive in dogs. This is especially important in an apartment because of the enclosed nature of the space.
When people say they’re allergic to dogs, what they’re really saying is that their body has a negative reaction to a certain protein produced by animals of the canine breed. When their body comes in contact with this protein, it produces antibodies similar to those produced when fighting an infection, this leads to the stuff nosy and itchiness that accompany many dog allergies.
The more of this protein that a person comes in contact with, the more negative their reaction will be. Apartments tend to be smaller than houses, which means that there’s a higher concentration of allergens per square foot. Because of this, it can be especially important to get a hypoallergenic dog when living in an apartment.
Airedales spread fewer allergens around, which grants them hypoallergenic status (however, it’s important to note that ‘hypoallergenic’ does not mean ‘non-allergenic’; your Airedale can still cause allergic reactions). Airedales have less of an effect on people with allergies for three main reasons:
- They have hair, as opposed to most dog breeds who have fur. This means that the Airedale spreads less dander into the air.
- Airedales don’t drool a lot. As drool can coat surfaces in allergens, this limits the spread of Airedale allergens.
- Because of their thick, wiry coat, Airedales shed very little (especially when brushed properly). Less hair = less substance to react with.
Low Space Demands
Now, I know that this seems counterintuitive to what I said earlier, but hear me out. When Airedales are hyper, they need a lot of space to run around and burn off their energy. However, when they’re calm, they’re actually pretty low-space dogs.
By this, I mean that they tend to not need to be right next to you all the time in order to be happy. In small apartments where space is a premium, this can be a handy. You won’t have to worry about your Airedale curling up on your lap or stretching across the couch every time you go to sit down.
This is because, like a lot of humans, Airedales tend to enjoy their personal space. I have an entire article about how these aren’t exceptionally cuddly dogs, and they’re more likely to find their own space on the floor than they are to want to be right next to you.
Now, I love cuddling with my dog as much as the next person, but I also like being able to sit down with my laptop and not have to worry about him trying to crawl into my lap. Airedales allow you to do this.
Issues
I’ve been an Airedale owner almost my entire life, and I’ve done a lot of research on them throughout the course of writing this blog. Even with all that knowledge, I couldn’t come up with more than two benefits that the Airedale provides to living in apartment, which really leads to the conclusion that these just aren’t apartment dogs. In the next section, I break down some of the reasons for this.
Personality
Really, the first and foremost issue with having an Airedale in your apartment: their personality doesn’t fit with it. Airedales were raised to be utility and hunting dogs; until about 90 years ago, that’s all that they were. That doesn’t leave a whole lot of time for the breed to adjust to urban life, and so many of the traits that made Airedales great farm animals are still with them today.
Airedales are high-energy dogs that possess a certain degree of wanderlust. They like to roam and explore, and thy get bored of repetitive tasks very quickly. To burn off an Airedale’s energy, you can’t mak them run laps or walk the same route; you need to find a way to mentally challenge them. These dogs are very intelligent, and they love problem solving.
Because of this, it takes a decent amount of commitment to keep an Airedale entertained, and it’s much harder to do in an apartment. Without a yard, these dogs won’t be able to run around and play a much as they should be, leaving them with lots of energy. Additionally, you don’t have as much space to play with your Airedale. That’s an issue, because one of an Airedale’s favourite things to do is to play with their owners.
Of course, you can still take your Airedale for walks, runs, and to the dog park, but even that becomes much harder in an apartment. Besides, even if you get them out twice a day (say, once to the dog park and once for a walk), that’s only a maximum of three hours that your Airedale will get to be outside. The rest of the time they’ll be cooped up in a familiar apartment with nothing to interest them, nowhere to explore, and no way to burn off their energy.
Aside from jut not being fair to your dog, this also poses a bit of a risk to your household. When Airedales are bored, they tend to burn off their energy in destructive manners. This can involve biting/chewing your furniture or possessions.
So, because of how high-energy and curious they are, Airedales don’t do well in an apartment. Having a house with at least an average-sized lawn where they can run, explore, and play is much better for your Airedale.
Regulations
You might also hit some issues trying to bring your Airedale into an apartment with you because of their size. Airedales are medium-sized dogs and tend to weigh from 45-65 pounds. As a standard rule, many apartments don’t allow dogs over 25 pounds, so you might not be able to bring your Airedale with you in the first place.
Keeping Your Airedale in an Apartment
If you live in an apartment, I wouldn’t recommend bringing an Airedale to live with you. However, I also know that life is rarely this simple; things can pop up unexpectedly, and you may find yourself moving into an apartment with your Airedale in tow. If that’s the case, the next part of this guide is dedicated towards helping you manage your Airedale (and preventing your possessions from being destroyed).
Exercise
Obviously, exercise is really the only way for you to keep your Airedale to burn off all of their energy and be satisfied staying indoors for the rest of the time. I would recommend trying to get them out of your apartment at least three times a day, and playing with them several times as well so that they get to spend time with you.
Out of all the exercise options out there, the best one available is definitely going to the dog park. This is like having a massive backyard for your dog to explore; they’ll be able to run around to their hearts’ desire, checking out new sights and smells without having to pull on a leash. Additionally, they’ll be able to interact with other dogs, which helps with their socialization and will allow them to play lots.
In terms of scheduling your Airedale’s day, I would recommend the following:
- Morning: it’s essential to get your Airedale out first thing for a walk in the morning, so that they can go to the bathroom. If you’re the type of person who jogs I the morning, this can also be a good way to get them some exercise.
- Lunch/afternoon: Most people will be away at work for this time, so your Airedale will be home alone. If possible, arrange for someone to swing by and interact with them (more on this later) so that they have a break in the monotony.
- Evening: This is when I would recommend taking your dog to the dog park. It will be full of other dogs for them to run around and play with.
Doggy Day Care
A great way for your Airedale to get a little bit more exercise during the day when you’re away is to enroll them in some type of doggy daycare program, if financially feasible.
Not only will this let them burn off some energy, but it’ll also socialize them with other dogs and humans. This is especially important for the Airedale, who can tend to be suspicious of strangers if they don’t have a lot of exposure (especially as a puppy).
Hiring a Walker
If there’s no convenient doggy day care, or if that’s simply not the route you want to go, hiring your walker is an excellent choice. I would schedule them to come sometime around lunch; this provides a break in your Airedale’s day, which will stop them from getting restless and causing damage to your apartment.
Grooming
Another important element of having an Airedale in your apartment is to make sure you’re properly grooming them. This limits the shedding in your apartment, and helps keep your Airedale cool.
In terms of grooming, Airedales are considered medium-maintenance dogs. They should be brushed once a week, and as long as you keep up this schedule, brushing should only take about 10 minutes. Doing so will pull the dead hairs off of the Airedale, which limits their spread within your apartment.
Dogs Similar to an Airedale
So, it’s probably been made pretty clear throughout this article that Airedale’s aren’t the best dog for an apartment. Below are 4 dogs that have some similar traits to the Airedale but fare better for life in a highrise.
Welsh Terrier
I’ve always found the welsh terrier to be both adorable and hilarious, because they’re literally just a miniature Airedale. They look exactly the same, but they’re about half the size of an Airedale; other than that the breeds are exceptionally similar.
Now, because they’re both terriers, Welshies aren’t the best apartment dogs out there, but their size makes them more manageable than an Airedale. They’re easier to wear out, and they tend to do less damage than an Airedale will. They also have the same hypoallergenic properties to the Airedale, making them ideal for people who may be sensitive.
Poodle
Poodles, which are one of the most common dog breeds in the world, are similar to Airedales in several ways: they’re playful, intelligent, hypoallergenic, and the standard poodle is roughly the same size as an Airedale will be.
Where poodles differ, however, and where they make their case for apartment living, is in their patience (or, rather, lack of restlessness). Poodles are known to adapt very well to their owner’s schedule, so they know when they should be sleeping/resting (when you’re away) and when they can afford to be a little more hyper (when you’re home).
This lowers the chance that the poodle will tear up your apartment like an Airedale will if they get bored. Additionally, poodles aren’t as curious as Airedale’s are, so they’ll be okay going on the same walking/running route, or even entertaining themselves at home with a toy.
Another great benefit to poodles is that they come in three different sizes, so you can tailor them to your own personal preference. Standard poodles are 50-65 pounds, Miniature poodles are 15-20 pounds, and Toy poodles are 7-10 pounds.
Barbet
This one’s a little out of left field, hey? The Barbet is a slightly more obscure dog breed that originally came from France, where they were used to retrieve waterfowl for hunters.
Despite their utility-dog past, these shaggy-looking guys adjust fairly well to apartment life, and they have a decent amount in common with the Airedale. Both of them are medium-sized dogs that don’t shed, and they both have a stubborn streak in them.
Compared to the Airedale, however, the Barbet has lower exercise needs, which means they’re less likely to get bored and cause damage. These dogs are still high-energy, but they aren’t quite as hyper as the Airedale can be. They’re also easy to train and should be able to adapt to apartment life fairly well.
One thing to be aware of with the Barbet is that they don’t tolerate being alone very well. Because of this, it’s especially important that you get them a companion or sign them up for some kind of doggie daycare.
Greyhound
I know that this one seems weird. Why is the fastest dog in the world a good choice for living on the 13th floor of some urban building?
The truth is, greyhounds are a very stop-and-start dog. They’re sprinters; when they run, they run, but once they’ve burned their energy, they’re happy to just curl up on the couch and fall asleep. As long as you get your greyhound at least an hour of exercise during the day, they’ll be more than content inside your apartment.
Greyhounds share a similar size and temperament to the Airedale, although they’re a little more sensitive and tend to want to spend more time with you. One thing to be aware of is that they do shed a fair bit, so you’ll need to spend more time cleaning up than you would with an Airedale.