Are Broholmers good apartment dogs? (Why?)

It still holds the common myth that large dogs need a house with a garden and are unsuitable for an apartment. But is it true? In this article, I will discuss whether Broholmers can be kept in an apartment or whether a house with a garden is necessary.

Broholmers can be kept in an apartment without a garden without any problems if there is enough space inside the apartment for a big dog bed. Broholmers do not need a lot of space in an apartment or house. They need a retreat with a dog bed and just enough space that they can easily move around the rooms to eat, etc. An apartment is a place where Broholmers come to rest and relax. The action takes place outside on walks in the forest.

Can a Broholmer live in an apartment?

If your apartment has enough space for an appropriately sized dog bed, you can easily keep a Broholmer in the apartment. The important thing is that a dog, no matter what breed, has a place where he can retreat and have his peace.

It would be best if you remembered that Broholmers are huge dogs and belong to the Mastiff-type breed. Males can reach up to 75 kg with a height at withers of 80 cm. But also, the females get a stately size of 70 cm and up to 55 – 60 kg.

So it would be best if you had a big dog bed* with a firm place. If you can offer this, and your apartment is big enough that a Broholmer can easily reach his food and water bowl and does not bump into something every time he turns, it is no problem to get a Broholmer if you “only” have an apartment.

How much space do Broholmer need?

Broholmer don’t need much space in an apartment or a house. Like all dogs, Broholmers sleep most of the day and lie in their dog bed or next to you on the couch.

An apartment is not for dogs to satisfy their urge to move there and run around non-stop, but that is a resting area.

Since Broholmers belong to large dog breeds, they need a large dog bed in which they can lie comfortably.

We have a house, but our dogs stay on the first floor all day and thus only have access to the living-dining room and the kitchen, where they are fed. So it’s not huge space-wise, either. And we have three dogs.

Broholmers are calm and relaxed dogs!

A significant advantage of Broholmers is that they are not aggressive but calm and relaxed dogs, which is why they are suitable for living in a house. Typical Mastiff-Type breeds.

They are well-balanced dogs who spend most of the day lying contentedly in a corner.

This is only true if you keep your Broholmer busy enough. If you don’t keep your Broholmer busy enough, it can happen that even a calm Broholmer barks more. This can lead to problems in an apartment with direct neighbors.

But basically, this is always true for every dog breed.

Broholmers are generally cuddly and love to lie next to you on the couch.

Is the apartment on the first floor?

It becomes problematic if you have an apartment on the top floor and no elevator. Like all large dog breeds, Broholmers are prone to HD/ED and should have as little stair climbing as possible.

Even though Broholmers need less exercise than many other breeds, you still need to take them out at least two to three times a day, even if it is to pee.

Daily stair climbing can then negatively affect their health, and you can’t just carry a 50 kg sheared dog downstairs like a Chihuahua.

Stair climbing is not always harmful. It is much more about the fast stair descent. If your Broholmer “runs” down the stairs impetuously, there is a shock to the joints every time, which can damage them.

So you would have to train your Broholmer to run down the stairs slowly and in a controlled way. Going upstairs, on the other hand, actually has a positive effect because going upstairs slowly and in a controlled way is good muscle training, and well-developed muscles protect the joints.

Advantages house with garden!

We don’t have to fool ourselves. A house with a garden is always a bonus and has only advantages.

It starts when you get your Broholmer puppy and try to housebreak him. You then have to take him out every couple of hours so he can get loose.

If you can just let him out in the yard for a little while (especially at night), it’s more convenient than taking him out the door.

Also, if you are sick and can’t manage a proper walk, your Broholmer could get loose in the garden in an emergency.

But be careful! A garden is no substitute for a walk!

Unfortunately, many dog owners think it is enough to send their dogs into the garden. After all, he can “play,” run around, and pee there.

A garden is perfect, especially in summer when you can spend time with your dog in the garden and enjoy the summer.

Broholmers still need daily exercise and activity in nature to keep them happy and content. If they are exercised and content through daily walks, you can keep Broholmer in an apartment without a garden.

Related Broholmer Posts:

• Do Broholmers shed heavily?

How to keep your Broholmer busy in an apartment!

We don’t have to fool ourselves. There are days in between when you don’t have time for a long walk. Be it because you are sick, have essential appointments, or it is raining so hard that no one wants to go outside.

There it is essential that you mentally occupy your dog in the apartment to satisfy him. For this, I have put together a few possibilities for you here:

• Train your Broholmer basic commands like “sit,” “down,” “stay,” etc. Learning and executing basic commands is a great way to simultaneously keep your dog busy and trained. And you don’t need much space to do it.
• A chew toy like a Kong* that you can fill with liverwurst will keep your Broholmer busy for quite some time and tire him out.

Sniffing and searching games are very tiring for dogs. Just hide some treats and let your dog search for them. Because of the size, you are certainly somewhat limited there. But a sniffing carpet* is a great alternative.

Conclusion: Keeping Broholmers in an apartment?

It’s a common misconception that you can’t keep large dogs like the Broholmer in an apartment. Dogs need sufficient exercise and mental activity in nature. When that is given, they spend most of their time lying in their dog bed and sleeping. Whether the dog bed is in a 50sqm apartment or in a 150sqm house is then no matter.