5 Tips For Pet-Friendly Apartment Living
Apartment living offers its residents access to many of life’s modern conveniences. With little home maintenance, easy access to stores and shops, and community amenities, it’s no surprise that apartment living is becoming increasingly popular! But one aspect that can be a difficult transition is taking care of pets in an apartment. If you live in an apartment with pets, here are a few pointers to help you both enjoy apartment living as much as possible!
Learn The Neighborhood:
Just because you don’t have your own yard doesn’t mean there’s no place for Fido to run around! Charlottesville has a plethora of dog parks as well as dog-friendly paths and trails for you and your dog to enjoy! Such as:
Discover what’s in your neighborhood and make a routine of visiting these parks to help get your four-legged friend plenty of exercise.
Keep A Routine:
Creating a routine can assist your pet in adjusting to apartment living more smoothly. Try to feed your pets at the same time every day, play around the same time, and take them outside at the same times each day. This can help your pet learn when it’s playtime, when it’s potty time, and when it’s time to settle down. Establishing a routine can help potty breaks go faster and to avoid accidents, since your pet knows when to expect their next walk.
Provide Entertainment:
One of the most common causes of destructive pet behaviors, such as chewing on doors or tearing at carpet, is boredom. Keeping your pet entertained while you are at home and away is an excellent way to prevent boredom, anxiety, and potentially destructive behaviors. Take your dog for a walk around the neighborhood before leaving work to help them burn off excess energy. Leaving them a chewy bone, Kong toy, or puzzle ball with food inside is an great place to start with them occupied while you are away. If you need to crate your dog before leaving the house, keeping a favorite toy or bone in the crate can help them enjoy the time more. Long stretches of boring crate time may cause anxiety and crate avoidance, making crate time even more difficult for both of you!
If you have a cat, provide them with their own scratching post or cat tree to climb on in order to avoid clawing on furniture or curtains. Playing with your cat nightly before you go to bed can help reset their ‘hunting clock’ and avoid those 3AM zoomies!
Equip Yourself:
Many tools and gadgets are making pet-friendly apartment living easier than ever. Poop bag holders for Fido’s leash make sure you never forget your bags. Self-cleaning litter boxes help eliminate pet odor and the task of cleaning out the litter box. Washable couch covers make keeping the furniture clean a piece of cake! While you might not need every new gadget at the pet store, finding a few tools that make apartment living with pets a little easier can be a worthwhile investment!
Top Up On Training:
Training can do a lot more than just improve your pet’s behavior. It can also teach you how to communicate with your pets, how to recognize when something is wrong, and how to better understand your pet’s specific needs. Training is as important for the pet parent as it is for the pet!
Training can not only reduce unwanted behaviors like barking, jumping, destructive tendencies, aggression towards other animals, and much more; but can also help your pet be happier and more confident, once they know you understand their wants and needs.
Many pet stores offer training classes, as well as private lessons and self-teaching guides and tutorials online. Consistency is essential when developing a new habit! To achieve the best results, make training time a part of your daily routine.
If you share an apartment with a pet, keep in mind that it is their home as well as yours! Following these suggestions can make your cohabitation as purr-fect as paw-sible!
Looking for pet-friendly apartments in Charlottesville, Virginia? Look no further than Brookdale Apartments! Brookdale provides spacious, pet-friendly apartments in the heart of Charlottesville.