Yes, this is my question. I mean I know, it would be ideal, but most townhouses in my area do not have fully fenced in areas that dogs can roam around freely in without supervision--both sides of the yard has a fence then it is tree lined and has a little gate. However, there are many parks and areas like that where I could take the dog to exercise and things like that. I am not getting a Golden at the moment, this is just something that I wanted to know.

The main issue to me is: if your Golden (or whatever dog you may consider getting...) needs a fair amount of exercise--how are you going to do that?

You may not have a big yard--but even a small one may work as long as he gets the exercise--in other words, you may have to supplement the 'yard time' with walks, etc.

Just my thoughts,

SJ

Goldens for the most part are high energy dogs, and they do need to run. I don't think you need to have a large yard, but you should have a place like a dog park or something like that where they can run off leash safely.

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Brady - TT CGC TDI


Chip 4/10/1997 - 5/27/2008 -- Waiting at the Bridge -- Mom and Dad miss you!!

Lucky mostly lays down and chews sticks in his big yard. That is what he did when we had a little yard too.

His exercise was owner driven not yard driven...and mostly that was walks.

Lucky would have been a perfect "apartment" dog.

It's not absolutely necessary to have a huge yard. The important thing is that you are making sure that your golden is getting plenty of exercise. This can be from going for walks, hiking, swimming, or running around and throwing a ball at a dog park. You can even start agility training. The size of the yard is much less important than the activities and exercise that you provide for your dog.

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yeah..Maggie lives in a 1 bedroom condo in DC...HOWEVER...I'm a college student, so she gets a 2 hour walk every afternoon AND either a long hike in a wooded park or a day at the doggie beach and/or 1 hour of pure top speed running after a frisbee in the baseball field across the street..so...do they NEED a big yard, no, but they DO need a lot of walks.

A yard does not exercise the dog. An owner does. :-)

I live in apartment and don't have any yard at all, but my dogs get plenty of exercise with walks and off-leash time in local areas where I can safely un-leash them. In fact, my dogs probably get more exercise than friends who have yards b/c they tend to get lazy about just letting the dogs outside and hoping they exercise themselves.

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"Quiz" (Golden Retriever) 12/31/03 - 3/20/13
U-CD, Can. CD Tanbark's Number Two Pencil, CDX, JH, AX, AXJ, OF, JS-E, RS-E, GS-E, NAC, WCDex, SRD
I loved being this dog's partner! Watch him shine!



"Zoie" (Whippet)
Donmar-Valair Second Wind, CD, RE, MC, ASCA-CD, Th.D.
#1 AKC Obedience Whippet for 2004 / AKC and ASFA FCH Pointed

I do have a yard, but Rookie gets almost none of his exercise in the yard. We walk the neighborhood. For off-leash running, we go to the park at the end of the street every day. And there's a dog park that's a little over a mile away where we go three times a week. The yard is convenient for letting him out to pee, but definitely not necessary for exercise.

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Rookie, born 3/18/07

Regardless of the size of yard you have you need to walk and exercise your dog every day. We have a fairly large yard but Pippa does not on her own go out and run laps,etc. and tire herself out. She loves her walks and this is the source of most of her exercise. Running, chasing a ball, etc. in the yard are just additional bits of activity each day.

So to answer your question I would say no, Goldens do not require a large yard because that is not going to be the source of their exercise.

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Goldens need exercise, but not necessarily a yard as others have mentioned. They can be hiked, biked, swum and walked. You can toss a tennis ball or a Retriev-R-Trainer for them.

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Golden moments shared with
Casey, Faelan, Towhee & Brady too !

and forever in my heart, my golden Bridge boys
Rowdy & King