@BanjotheBetaDog-I agree with @Sunyata completely. You are overthinking this and reading too much into might just be a transition phase for Banjo as he settles back into a routine with you. From reading your posts, I believe Banjo and you have a strong and unique bond It's obvious that you love him very much and that you make him a priority in your life. I believe that what is most important is the bond between the human and the pooch. Quake's first pet parents had a yard and another dog for him to play with and also children but their bond with Quake was not strong and they did not want to spend the time with him so it was best that they rehomed him. I live in a condo and Quake loves having pooch friends in the building and human friends as well. He does not have a yard or a furry companion but he has my complete love and devotion just as Banjo has your love and devotion. I also make sure that Quake has physical and mental stimulation daily just as you do for Banjo. That being said, if things in your life are changing such that you would no longer be able to make Banjo a priority, then maybe it would be time to think about rehoming him but only very careful thought. It would be sad for you to have regrets afterward.

He spends his day sitting in a little cage just waiting for someone to come play with him and take him out. He is kind, sweet, and wonderful.... this is the life I have subjected him to? =(

Can I come slap you?

You know what's a horrible owner?

My neighbor, who locks their golden retriever in an expen out on their deck when they ARE home....the expen is only big enough for the dog to lay down in.

How is potty schedule? They open the front door, let him out to the bush near the curb 5 feet away then call him back. He gets no exercise, no love, and probably gets fed crap food.

I don't think I am a bad owner. I know how good he has it, but.... it just reminds me of the girl I broke up with a few years ago. I loved her... a lot. Which is why I couldn't stand in her way when the job of a lifetime (helping children in africa learn to read and get drinking water) was presented to her. We broke up because I knew happiness (for her) was somewhere else.

I feel this way now. As if I am just being selfish keeping him.

@zandrame an expen doesn't lay out well in my apartment. I have been better about puppy proofing and when the new furniture (delayed... grr) comes in, I am going to start uncrating him more. In my current layout he can get from the couch to the counter with no effort. In the new layout, thats not an issue.

ETA:

@lauratherose I am torn with what Banjo would love more... me, or more freedom. In the short term, that's obviously me, but in the long term, what will provide him a happier life?

@BanjotheBetaDog-I forgot to mention that some dogs don't really like being left alone in a yard. Quake's first pet parents were angry at him because he escaped several times from their fenced yard!!! This is why I say that the special bond between you and Banjo is of utmost importance and not a fenced yard and another furry companion for him. In addition, your love and dedication to giving Banjo a life filled with love and care is what sets you apart as a Pet Parent. See how it works out with super puppy proofing your condo and uncrating him for short periods of time. I so much hope it works out well for you and Banjo!!

@BanjoThe BetaDog please don't feel that you're not doing enough because you are! More than most people in fact. We have a yard, not huge but a cute yard with space to run around, but Yuki spends most of her day indoors and that's by choice. As much fun as Banjo had with his buddies, he probably doesn't mind being an only child, most shibas don't. He'll have more space when he isn't being crated as much, and if you're still concerned maybe see if there's a good doggy daycare near you that he can attend a few times a week. I obviously don't know you, but from your posts it sounds like you really love Banjo, and I'm sure he's attached to you. Try not to over analyse things, I think you're driving yourself nuts.

First of all, the older he gets the more likely it is that he will not want to play with other dogs or run around that much in a garden.
I was also going to suggest doggy day care if that is possible?

You are a great shiba parent!

You are beating yourself up. You are giving Banjo a better life than 99% of dogs in this world. It is about quality time and not quantity of time in a big yard or house. He has good quality time with you.

Incidentally, we moved from an urban apartment like yours to a suburban house before we got our now 7.5 month old shiba. So we have small fenced yard and larger house for him to run in (compared to an apartment). Well, the fenced yard is good, honestly, for pee breaks but we still have to be out there with him supervising him, so how is that much different than walking him down the street or at the park on a long lead? BTW, my back yard is tiny, only about 15 feet by 40 feet. As far as a large house goes, our shiba only has free run of half the downstairs, which probably gives him ~800 sq ft. So, again, how is this an improvement over the space of a one bedroom apartment? And oh yeah, my puppy lives in a crate when we aren't home. I suspect it will be ages before he can have free reign.

So, take a deep breath, have a relaxing beverage of your choice and give your dog a huge hug. He loves you man and you are an awesome parent.

I hear you bro. Whenever I'm away a few days Ratchet is happy to see me, at first, then it's like "you heartless baster, leaving me hear alone."

Yeah, dogs are weird. :)

Adding on to it... YOU'RE SUCH A GOOD OWNER to even consider this.

However, don't let your sense of altruism deprive you of happiness and letting go of everything you love just because you THINK (keyword is think) that the other person/dog would be happier without you.

The biggest thing to consider is, would Banjo ever be able to find someone else who will love him and bond to him equal to or more than you? You're leaving that to chance..

You might be giving him to people who are like my ex-roommates. Yeah, my friend has a big house, lots of money, but she leaves her dog in her room for 10+ hours a day, never walks her dog, and that dog lives in its own filth. She never bothered to housebreak her dog, and it just soils the floor to the point where the wood has water damage... Her dog is neurotic and an attention-starved little yappy shit.
But on the outside? My friend looks like a perfect upstanding citizen who loves her dog (I don't doubt she loves her dog but my god she treats it horribly).

A possible solution is maybe making some friends in your area, and offering to switch off on watching dogs? That way Banjo will have a buddy to play with every few days?

I think you are over thinking this but you are coming from a good place. Please do not rehome your shiba.

I live with my shiba in a 1 bedroom apartment as well. My boyfriend and my cat also live in this apartment but we are all happy and have a blast. I give Kobe a great life and everything I do revolves around him.

Sometimes I take him to my parents house for the weekend so that we can have a mini vacation. They haven yard where kobe can run around freely. Everytime We come back he always seems to be in a slump as if he is bored now but then he bounces back quickly to his regular happy self.

If I go on vacation and Leave him at my parents house with their big yard they always tell me that he misses me like crazy and whines looking for me

I was shocked to read this as I absolutely LOVE all your posts!!

I can give you a slightly different perspective on this topic as we are living it:

Fen is my 21 year old daughter's dog. He is 18 months old and is bonded to her, as well as myself and my husband. My daughter has a tiny apartment with just a porch and no yard. She works and goes to school so Fen was crated or left on the porch quite often when he was with her, so, while she is looking for a bigger home, he lives with us (and has off and on since she got him). We live in the country and have a HUGE piece of property, other dogs, a huge fenced yard and Fen has humans around him almost all day long. He is never alone. He STILL misses Jade (my daughter). He goes through bouts of depression even now (and he has been with us nonstop since June). When she came up in July for 2 weeks he about lost his puppy mind he was so happy to see her, and when she left he was depressed and super clingy for about a week. The only reason he is happy here with us is because he was bonded to us as well - I went with Jade to see Fen the first time, I went with her to bring him home, my husband and I have been here ever since he was a tiny puppy. I can honestly say, that if he were to go to another house, yard, dogs and all but NO bonded human he would be heartbroken.

Have you read "The Hidden Life of Dogs"? It's a book by an animal anthropologist that talks a lot about pack mentality and anthropomorphism. I agree with everyone else in that you are WAY over thinking this! Now I will say that, the reason we have Fen is that we don't want him in a crate all day in my daughter's apartment, and the reason she let us keep him is for the same reason, but none of us would ever consider rehoming him. That's like giving up a child for adoption! How do you know what kind of a home Banjo would go to? My personal opinion is that you should keep Banjo and find ways to provide enrichment activities. Example: Fen LOVES sitcoms. Honestly. Hates cartoons, loves sitcoms and nature shows. When I do have to leave him alone I put out his blanket, let him pick a toy and put on the TV for him. I watched him one day after leaving to see what he did after I left (I have a little window I can look in and see the bedroom). He sat there and stared at the door for about 30 seconds, then turned around, went in the room, climbed on the bed, grabbed his toy and watched TV. LOL Jade also bought him some puzzle toys - he figured them out pretty quickly, but he did love them!

Also, you said your apartment didn't have a layout for an expen? The one Jade bought for Fen (which is now his puppy jail LOL) folds away completely, really easily and has panels that fold in any direction AND attach to his crate. Perhaps you could consider that, then you could put it out during the day while you are gone, then fold it up at night?

Just my opinion of course =) I am new to Shibas (dogs in general) and am by NO means any type of dog expert (I am a dog novice), so my opinion is purely personal so take it for what it's worth. =) I think Banjo is with YOU for a reason and you should see it through =)

I've decided in the back of my mind, if someone who I knew 10000% loves him like me and would provide the life I think he should have, I would give him to them. That would be someone like my parents, my sister, etc. but the pool is small. Anyone I've known less than 15 years is immediately disqualified.

@BanjoTheBetaDog-I'm happy that you and Banjo are still a duo!!!