This Opinion article is part of a Narcity content series. The views expressed are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
Adopting a dog was always going to be an impulse decision for me, it was just a matter of when the urge would strike.
I’m not a planner — I had no clue how to bring a puppy into my Toronto one-bedroom. When my partner and I adopted our eight-month-old puppy last summer, I simply welcomed the impending canine chaos with open arms and way too much baby talk.
In hindsight, it was a deeply irresponsible thing to do. But hey, at least now, I can be the guinea pig for that nagging “get a dog” voice in your head.
I get to save you from the mistakes I made and show you that you can totally adopt a doggo in a small Toronto apartment, so long as you take heed of these six things I wish I’d known before I did.
1. Put all sentimental knick-knacks on the highest shelves
Your dog doesn’t know those vintage Toronto Maple Leafs cards they happily destroyed have been in your family for three generations, or that your great-grandfather gifted them to you as a graduation present. So, as heartbroken as you may be about losing them, it’s ultimately on you for proudly displaying them within your furry companion’s reach.
Between my partner and me, we’ve lost four sentimental items to the curious wrath of our pup, Lucky, because we failed to puppy-proof our apartment before bringing her home.
If I could go back now, I’d have fully reorganized our apartment before bringing a dog into it, putting anything of sentimental value on the highest real estate available. I would definitely make sure the layout of our apartment was better suited to accommodate her — something we’ve done since — like removing unnecessary furniture to create a makeshift play space and investing in a garbage bin with a real, secured lid.
If you’re someone who loves to assign meaning to every little knick-knack, I highly recommend taking these cautionary steps. You’ll save yourself and your new puppy a whole lot of grief.
2. Dogs have boundaries
Physical touch is both my and my partner’s most prominent love language. We smother each other, and we definitely smother our poor dog — and that’s been fine, for the most part. However, just like us, sometimes Lucky wants to be left alone.
If we’d been more aware of her boundaries going in, I’m sure we both could’ve avoided getting warning-nipped for being too clingy. A quick YouTube search would’ve taught me how to read her body language cues, I just never bothered to look it up.
To save you from making the same mistake, some of the stress signals you should be on the lookout for include lip licking and yawning, a tucked tail, moving away, growling or teeth baring, ears back or flattened, and body stiffness.
3. They’re a lot smarter than you think
I know dogs are “smarter than they look” or whatever, but never in a million years did I think one would try to train me.
Here’s a colourful example: My girl Lucky scratches at the front door in the middle of the night, begging for what seems like an emergency bathroom break. My groggy self leaps into action. She promptly invades my side of the bed and snuggles up to my partner. Duped, I retreat to the couch for another night of solitude.
This pattern has gone on for so long that my dog now uses what I call the “old scratch and sniff” to get all kinds of things she wants — which, as it turns out, is mostly snacks. I’ve typed “how to train my dog before she trains me” into search engines so many times that every ad I see now is related to it.
My point is, you should be aware that you’re bringing a life form that’s more than intelligent enough to contend with you into your home when you adopt a dog. So, if you’re looking for something that will just blindly follow you around and shower you with affection, I would suggest some kind of extensive therapy instead.
4. Keeping an eye on them is still hard
Toronto one-bedrooms come in all shapes and sizes. Ours is 600 square feet, give or take. It’s far from a shoebox — in fact, by Toronto standards it’s a palace — but it can still feel cramped with two humans, a couple of birds and a dog trying to coexist peacefully.
Before we adopted Lucky, I figured the one benefit of bringing a dog into such a small space would be that it’d be easier to keep an eye on her. But I was wrong. We spend a good chunk of our day locked in the bedroom so that she doesn’t eat her sisters while I’m working, and even from a few feet away she manages to dredge up and make a mess out of things I didn’t even know we had.
My advice? Stop rationalizing and be prepared for the significant responsibility that comes with getting a dog. You can make it work in a tiny apartment the same way you can make it work in a big house — you just need to stay vigilant, stop wearing headphones, and assume every rustling noise you hear is bad news.
5. Make sure you have a dog park nearby
If you own a house in Toronto, congratulations — you’ve made it! And I mean that with the utmost sincerity. But for those of you who, like me, haven’t seen a backyard since high school, make sure you have a dog park nearby before bringing a dog home — especially if they’re young.
I knew I’d need to walk my dog regularly when we adopted her, but I didn’t realize that a few brisk strolls around the block wouldn’t cut it — unless the plan was to warm her up to destroy the couch.
Dogs, especially larger ones in the prime of their lives, have a lot of energy that needs expending. Going on a 45-minute walk every couple of hours just isn’t realistic while trying to keep a roof over your head, so having a nearby dog park is a lifesaver.
Luckily, dogs are so common in Toronto that no matter what part of the city you live in, chances are there’s an off-leash area within walking distance. Fifteen to 20 minutes of intense play at the dog park can wear your dog out for hours — at least, it does for Lucky.
I even take her at the same time every day to ensure she plays with dogs I know she’s friendly with to reduce stress. It’s become one of my favourite parts of the day.
6. You’ll socialize with your neighbours more
Not to brag, but I was crushing it at social distancing long before COVID-19 made it popular. I worked remotely, kept my social circle airtight and made just enough money to restring my guitars and pay rent. I could’ve been the GOAT. Sadly, adopting a dog crushed that dream.
I know my neighbours now! I didn’t plan to or want to; Lucky forced me to.
You see, as it turns out, people love dogs way more than they like people. They love talking to them and petting them like there’s no tomorrow. And when you’re the one holding that object of overwhelming affection, you’re obligated to say something to the person fawning over your pet, and that “something” eventually becomes banter. Before you know it, that stranger you’d been avoiding making eye contact with in the hallway for years is inviting you over to watch the Leafs game, and now you’re friends.
Here’s my warning to you: If your friendship roster is already full, don’t get a dog. You’ll make them everywhere you go, and it’ll improve your life and remind you that you have more in common with the strangers around you than you think — at the very least, you both love your dog.
Moving a dog into a Toronto apartment definitely comes with its fair share of taxing pitfalls, but a little puppy-proofing and a few reality checks are hardly a bad trade for all the new friends and experiences you’ll gain for taking on the responsibility.
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