Before rescuing a dog in a big city like Pittsburgh, it’s important to research your surrounding area to learn if it’s pet-friendly. When living in the hub of a city, homes or apartments generally have little or no garden for the pup to play or exercise in, and the residences can be small.
Many pet parents in an urban environment take their dogs virtually everywhere during off-hours to acclimate them to new experiences and different scenes, socialize with new people and other animals, and enjoy all that the city has to offer pets.
Pittsburgh, in particular, has a range of parks as well as walking trails for sufficient exercise, but they also offer stores and shops, treat bakeries, cafes, breweries, and restaurants that open their doors to dogs. The many activities keep a city dog active and free from boredom.
Are you and your pup new to Pittsburgh or city life? A puppy will need time and adequate training to acclimate to an urban atmosphere; it can be quite a transition from a dog’s natural environment. Let’s explore a few tips to help your dog, and you become seasoned city dwellers.
Training To Overcome City Challenges
Large cities like Pittsburgh present an entirely different vibe for a dog than their natural environment. The busy city streets, loud sounds, and tempting smells, crowds of people are a lot of distractions to navigate and still follow commands and maintain good behavior.
The bustling and cramped atmosphere requires pups to be tethered, preventing them from their natural instinct to explore the new things they’re being exposed to. This can become stressful and overwhelming for a pup while frustrating a pet parent.
City life can become much easier to manage with a few tips from a professional and qualified dog trainer; please see website for a reputable and reliable training program in the Pittsburgh area. Instructors like this help pet parents focus on making what the city offers work favorably to meet the puppy’s needs.
Here are some training tips to help you overcome the common city challenges when it’s a new environment for you and your pup.
The potty breaks
Many times, in the hub of a large city, homes and apartments have little to no garden for pets to have their potty breaks. If there is a small area of grass, you can use this as a dedicated space for the puppy to do his business. He’ll learn that when he comes here, it’s strictly to pee or poo.
Scheduling breaks periodically so the canine hops up and goes out for his break on command is a positive start, but these must be frequent for young puppies; they can’t hold their bladder.
Over time, you’ll grow familiar with their behavior and body language to know when it’s time to go out. You can also work to train your dog to get his leash or even ring a bell when he has to go – skills that take time, consistency, and patience.
If you have no garden, no patch of grass where your pup can go at any time of the day, you may have to establish an indoor space. Several absorbent products are available to create a space where dogs are relaxed and feel comfortable using the potty.
The benefit is that these produce little to no smell and are easy to clean up. Some include
- Indoor dog potties: Structures with drainage systems involve emptying urine into a tray.
- Living grass pads: Grass pads are disposable and have a pleasant texture. They absorb the waste and are then tossed out once saturated.
- Fake turf: These absorbent pads can be reused and are simple to clean. They provide dogs with a genuine grass-like texture.
- Pee pads: These disposable pads come in packages of multiple.
Services are available that provide replaceable products like pee pads and grass surfaces on a scheduled monthly or weekly delivery to ensure you have one when you need it.
These are a natural potty method for your dog, so time and patience will be necessary, along with using positive reinforcement. You can schedule potty times as if you were going out, but take them to their indoor space, and if they go, reward their behavior.
Despite having an indoor potty, dogs must be able to get outside into the fresh air for daily walks to exercise and rejuvenate. They should never be isolated to the indoors. Visit Special Training and Skills That Every City Dog Needs – Vetstreet | Vetstreet – for guidance on training and skills for the city dog.
Boredom
A cramped household offers little stimulation for a puppy while you’re away at work. Instead, the noises and people coming and going can create much stress. It’s essential to offer sufficient distraction for your dog to be entertained until you return.
A few enrichment activities will keep the canine physically active and mentally stimulated. A pup must be engaged to prevent boredom, which can result in destructive behavior. When the dog is busy, he will grow tired and relax, allowing better results with training. Some tips include the following:
- Line a muffin tin with favorite treats and top these with either familiar toys or tennis balls.
- Plant treats throughout the apartment. Dogs have an incredible sense of smell and will search tirelessly to find them all.
- Lick mats
- Use a towel to roll treats into or a snuffle mat.
- Lick mats
- Feeder toys
- Sufficient exercise
Adequate exercise can be challenging in a busy city, considering the heavily trafficked streets and crowded walkways. The constant pausing and restarting is inefficient for a dog that thrives on daily workouts in addition to mental stimulation for overall wellness.
An apartment-sized dog could benefit from a doggy treadmill, which provides good exercise but shouldn’t replace getting outside daily. You can also create agility obstacles using a range of household items such as pillows, dining chairs, brooms, and on. Read here for tips on living in the city with your pup.
Final Thought
Pittsburgh offers many outlets for pets to enjoy the city, but urban living comes with some degree of difficulty when you have a furry friend. With a quality and qualified trainer and a few helpful hints, you can overcome the challenges for a comfortable and enjoyable big-city life.
