Which of these popular dog breeds are best suited to apartment living?
dachshund, rottweiler, poodle, boxer, yorkshire terrier, bulldog, beagle, golden retriever, german shepherd, labrador retriever
yorkshire terrier ... and maybe the dachshund and beagle, if you walk them a lot
Dachs love to be walked and will go for 5 or 10 miles no problem. Some small breeds don't even like to walk at all. In my experience, boxers and shepherds are quiet at times but they must be able to run and roam free for exercise so keeping them in an apartment is not really a very good life 4 them
chiweenie
You forgot Greyhound! Yes.. a 60lb couch potato. Very low energy and most don't bark.
When my boyfriend got a greyhound, I was like "What are you doing? We live in a 600 square foot studio!" But she's been the greatest apartment dog. She hardly ever makes noise and she sleeps 90% of the time!
Whatever kind you want, provided you're giving them plenty of exercise, both mental and physical. A lot of smaller dogs are much higher energy than you'd expect, while a lot of giant breeds require very little physical activity at all. A dog isn't going to care if you have 3000 square feet or 300 provided their needs are being met, so it's all about getting a dog that fits in well with your life outside of home.
When I get a request from a guest, I google the breed + the word temperament. I get a lot of valuable info that way. Some web sites will tell you specifically if a breed isn't suitable for an apartment. These are often hunting dogs that need a lot of physical and mental stimuli to feel tired and sleep while they're home. Be aware that dogs that are high energy and are medium to large size, need more than just several walks a day. They need lots of running, playing ball etc. With a little dog, you can play fetch with him in your living room. With a larger dog, you'll need a back yard so in other words, high energy small dog can be accommodated much more easily in an apartment than a high energy large dog. If a dog is low energy, laid back like an English Bulldog for example, you'll have no problem hosting them in an apartment.
Big breeds actually! I've read a few different articles about temperament/behaviors of different dogs and have found most extra large breeds to best for apartment living. The bigger they are the more mellow and lounge-y they get :)
Hello! Great Dane momma here!! We have had 4 and each has been a serious lounge lizard~ They do require some outside time for regular exercise but for the most part they enjoy relaxing indoors and keeping an eye on their people :) ( My Great Dane, Sunday is lounging next to me as I type this!!)
When I lived in apartments, there was always a size issue no matter
what breed it was. Also Sheperds has been a big problem to them as well. Hope that was some what helpful.
Small dog breeds don't need as much exercise as bigger dogs. They tend to do well in apartments because you don't have to give them as much room to romp around. I would also suggest a non/low shedding dog like a poodle.
king charles cavaliers are wonderful and so are lhasa apso and Shih Tzu. They're small but do have some energy to them and aren't couch potatoes all day but are okay with smaller environments.
Rottweilers are great apartment dogs. They don't require the energy release that a German Shepherd or Doberman. I've had rotties for over 15yrs and lived in a apartment for 2yrs with a couple and they loved it. Not that being in a house with a yard and having exercise could hurt. Lol
I believe most dogs are suitable for apartment living. It depends on your ability to walk them daily and train them. They need to be highly socialized to pets and people. I have had dobermans and Mastiff in apartments. Giant Breeds are pretty lazy so they actually do well. Dogs that are high strung with a lot of energy, are going to give you more run for your money, requiring a lot more mental and physical work to keep them calm. Another factor is age. Sadly many owners are having problems with large/Giant breeds in rentals period. I try to get people to think of the life of the dog. I would think I would look at training ability with potty training because one breed listed is notorious to have potty training issues. So, a lot goes into this.
A skunk. If they are legal.... ;)