City Dog: An Insider's Guide for New Urban Dog Parents

Introduction

Are you a city dweller who wants to adopt a dog and not sure where to start?  Or have you recently adopted a dog and would like a simple plan to help your dog adjust to city life?  Perhaps you're moving to a city with your dog and are not sure what to expect? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you’ve come to the right place!

I’m Christina - a dog lover and urban pet parent. In the Spring of 2024, I adopted my rescue pup Thor and brought him home to live with me here in New York City. Even though I grew up with dogs in the suburbs, I quickly learned that having a dog in a big city is a different animal! This is mainly because we live in a small apartment in a densely populated neighborhood that’s constantly buzzing with activity.

In my experience, being an urban pet parent requires a slightly different approach than having a dog in the ‘burbs. There are resources and practices around having a city dog that I was not aware of until I had one! Things I wish I had known about and planned for before I brought Thor home.

I’m a small business owner with a busy schedule. Due to Thor’s unique situation, I rushed to adopt him and did not do a lot of homework or planning ahead of time. I ended up having to figure a lot of things out “on the fly” after I brought Thor home. This made the acclimation period more work than it needed to be because I was doing the prep work and acclimating him at the same time.

I needed a way to integrate Thor into my life that was practical and easy. Initially, I sought some professional advice and adapted it into an overall plan that keeps Thor happy and healthy while also meshing well with my lifestyle.

The end result is that I developed an acclimation plan and routine that gradually introduced Thor to an urban environment while giving him what he needs to be happy and healthy. It worked better than I imagined it would! Thor loves city life and has adjusted beautifully. We regularly receive compliments from people on the street about how well behaved he is while out on our walks. The point here is if I can do it, so can you.

There is valuable information in this course that you won't see compiled all in one place.  I made this course free as a gesture of good will to all current and hopeful urban dog parents.  The only thing I ask in return is for you to leave a review because it helps me to improve the content and learning experience.

What you’ll learn

This course is perfect for first-time urban dog parents because it’s taught by one. I created it so that I can share what worked for me so you don’t have to figure it out all on your own. I’ll give you tips and simple steps that you can use to integrate your new dog into your life that are easy to put into practice and really work. Many of these practices you can continue to do for the lifespan of your dog.

I will cover some of the less frequently discussed yet important topics that are key to plan for when bringing a new dog into your urban lifestyle. Things that I had never thought about before I had a dog in the city - the practical, day-to-day aspects of urban dog ownership including how to:

· Research the dog policies in your area and resources that can help you comply

· Navigate the common spaces where you live with your dog

· Set up a simple routine that minimizes urban stressors and helps your dog adapt

· Identify and screen companies that can provide urban dog care when you need it

· Develop a plan for socializing, exercising and transporting your dog in the city, and

· Find dog-friendly types of transportation in your city

A lot of these practices can also be used outside of your city; I’ve just found they work particularly well in an urban environment.

By the end of the course, you will be able to…

· Find resources to help you comply with local dog rules and regulations

· Navigate through tight public spaces in your apartment building with your dog with ease

· Build your own network of urban dog care professionals

· Apply different strategies to help your new dog acclimate to city life

· Develop a plan for socializing, exercising and transporting your dog in the city

How this course is taught

I designed this course for busy city dwellers like you – I kept it short (under an hour) and simple (covers the essentials). Each course module is 5 minutes or less. I use one highly visual PowerPoint slide to cover the key points in each module and also provide real-life examples of things I do regularly with Thor that really work.

For example, in the course overview, I demonstrate how I use a “homemade“ slow feeder with Thor. I explain what a slow feeder is, where I heard about it, what the purpose of it is, show you how I use it with Thor and the results. It could not be easier to set up and use and it works consistently well. I’ll also talk more in-depth about our off-peak routine and how we navigate the common spaces within our apartment building as well as lots of other topics.

At the end of each segment, I also provide optional readings that you can find online to further enhance your learning. I’ve also included a few checklists to help you stay organized as you go through some of the initial stages of dog adoption and acclimation.

Benefits

My goal is to help make having a dog in the city feel within reach for those who have not yet adopted a furry friend and enjoyable for those who are still finding their footing with their new city pup.

If you’re a busy urban professional like me you’ll appreciate the simplicity of my approach. Each course segment breaks concepts down into manageable steps that are easy to follow. You’ll gain knowledge and practical tips that are simple to put into place from day one that work. Things that will make the acclimation process easier and set the foundation for some practices that you can use over the long-term.

We’ll learn how to go from a tentative city dweller who is thinking about adopting a dog into a confident urban dog parent who’s got a gameplan and resources lined up for their new dog.

By the end of the course, you will be more prepared for your new dog. Every dog and dog-parent relationship is a little different- the idea is that you can take my process and adapt it for your own new pup. I’ll help you plan and provide guidance on things to put into motion in advance that will help make your life easier. You’ll also have an action plan that is easy to follow because it was developed by someone who was in a similar situation recently.

From my perspective, if you prepare ahead and have a plan from the start, things will fall into place more easily. You’ll have more peace of mind knowing that you’ve got it covered.

I’ll also make myself regularly available to answer your questions about the course and other urban dog parenting questions you have. I may also provide additional resources depending on your questions.

So please sample the free previews to get a sense for the practical tips you’ll learn in this course and join us as we help you embark on your city dog journey.