apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I've had a Havanese for four years now in my Brooklyn apartment. One of the best dogs I've ever had. Lives comfortably in a small one bedroom and loves to play with little kids.

I have a westie and he is the perfect size for my condo in Chicago.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels!!!!!!!!!

I have a mutt. I think there is nothing better then a mixed breed dog. Mine is a Chihuahua. She does great in the apt and because she is a mix she is a little more tolerant then a regular little chi. she doesn't yap and is bigger then a pocket book dog.

oh, and she was a rescue from Puerto Rico.

Another vote for a mixed breed. Better yet, a mixed breed rescue dog!

I have a medium sized chihuahua (9 lbs). I love that she is not tiny and delicate. She is independent 1/2 the time and cuddly the other 1/2. She is easy to train and loves to learn new tricks. (She even knows a hand command for 'quiet'.) If you are considering a chihuahua know that these dogs need to be socialized and walked outside daily!! I love her to death.

I also agree with Monica, those Cavalier's are pretty awesome. I'd love to have one someday.

Shiba Inus would also be a good bet. They're the smallest native breed from Japan. Imagine those tiny Japanese apartments, and you'll understand why Shibas have become excellent apartment dogs.

Mixed breeds are great, too, but remember that not all rescue dogs are mixed. There are lots of pure-breed dogs (adults especially) sitting in rescue shelters and foster homes waiting for a new family.

In fact, your best bet for an apartment is any older dog. With young dogs, there are a lot of unknown variables. Breed traits are just a guideline - you can't be sure what they will grow into.

If you get an older dog, it's easier to pick one whose lifestyle already matches your own.

I have a Beagle in a condo. Beagles are known to bark a lot, but trust me, there are other dogs that bark way more than she ever does in the complex. I worked with her a lot when she was young she she would not bark all the time. She does have barking spells here & there. Over all, she is the perfect size for a small space.

My amazing current dog is a rescue (that would be my #1 vote). I think the whole "which breed is best" idea is silly. Do the research on dog ownership, go to a few shelters, find a dog you like, if you think it's perfect, bring it home; if you think you need a trial run, see if you can foster it. That said, some breeds do have predisposed habits (working dogs need to stay busy, etc.). My next dog will be a rescued greyhound, or any other big dog. Big dogs, in my experience, tend to be lazy and quiet-perfect for an apartment or working person. If I was a LL, I would only accept dogs 30 lbs and OVER-seriously!

Mies, I second the older dogs!

I have a boxer-pit mix rescue dog and he's such a lazy dog. Sometimes I have to almost drag him down the sidewalk to get him to stroll. Perfect for apt dwelling.

i have had 2 lakeland terriers over the course of the last 14 years (both are still alive and doing well) and they are perfect! they dont bark, they love the indoors and they love when i can take them on runs outside. really the best, well mannered, calm and friendly dogs ever.

French Bulldogs -- small spaces are great for them, means less time for them spent looking for you, since they must always be by your side ;o)

My sister has 2 beagles. I would never keep one in an apartment or condo. They were bred to track and bark. Some people in a building down from me had one, briefly. Most working dog breeds are bad choices in apartments.

When I got divorced I ended up moving into an apartment with a little furry dog (breed unknown, most likely a love child) and a border collie mix. The little dog did fine, the border collie needed a lot of walking. I now live in a condo that backs up onto a national forest. We literally walk out the sliding glass door into hundreds of acres of forest. The dogs and I got spoiled!

An old girlfriend's brother lived in a high rise in Chicago, and they had a tiny dog that was litter box trained. First I had heard of that.

Rescue greyhounds for sure. Key highlights:

- they're usually 2-5 years old and therefore are already crate-trained so you won't have to worry about housebreaking your puppy while living on the 20th floor.
- they're sprinters, so they're easily tired out and they sleep a lot.
- they have fairly low key personalities (in general) so aren't hyper-excitable (the complete opposite of a Jack Russell)
- they've been well socialized with other dogs and people (handlers, trainers, owners, vets, maintenance staff, etc) and are not aggressive (in general) so crossing paths with another dog or person in a narrow hallway or elevator should have less drama.
- I had one that I never heard bark, which will surely keep your neighbours happy.

We have a rescued rottweiler (was sold as a bait dog when he was 3 weeks!!!!) He has always known large open apartments until our last two which have been less than 400 sq.feet and he has been great in them. He loves his small spaces and is both quiet and protective of us as we live in a not so great, but up and coming section of Cincinnati, (Over the Rhine the largest historical district in the country). But he has done exceedingly well in these spaces and I would recommend one for anyone as long as their landlords allow for it, don't get me started on BSLs. Thanks.

-cheers-

When I visited Spain (exchange program, but only 2 weeks), I noticed all the dogs there were tiny because the apartments were tiny. When a Spanish student came to stay with my family, he said our Australian Shepard (about 40 lbs) was the biggest dog he'd ever seen. When I lived in Boston, though, I noticed that everyone would come out to walk their dogs at night (when the tourists were gone) and the dogs were HUGE- Mastiffs, etc. And those apartments had to be tiny, too. So I think we have a lot of preconceptions, but I'm guessing it has less to do with the apartment and more with the person.

Now I'm in LA and want a dog, but I have a hard enough time finding a place that will accept my cats. I always say you need three things for a dog: time, money and space (ie, someplace that allows dogs), and I just haven't had all three at the same time yet. Someday.

We have 700 sq ft living space and two mastiffs. (And they are BOTH rescues, thank you!) The older weighs 165; the younger should top out around 120 or so. We are in Seattle and had the hardest time finding a place to rent -- most had a weight limit of 35 pounds! That's not a dog; that's a cat! People don't realize what extra-large dogs tend to do most: SLEEP. Our guys go to the dog park, run around, and in 20 minutes are done for the day. And what they don't do? Bark incessantly or scratch at the door, neurotic for their owners to return.

Big dogs forever! : )

I have a whippet/lab mix and I highly recommend. Originally I wanted a larger, more lab-ish dog, but now that I have the smaller framed whippet, I realize it's exactly what I need in my 650sq ft apartment. She's crazy hyper outside, but calms right down inside, and loves to cuddle and sleep on her bed/the couch. . .the perfect jogging companion, and the perfect indoor pet. . .

a great dane and st.bernard? seriously? those guys are huge and would take up so much room. i think they would need a bigger space with a yard.

I'm seconding the french bulldog!

Any dog can be suited to apartment life. Even huge ones. You don't need to worry about size/breed.

AT, can you help GET RID this misconception?! The shelters are full of people who dump their large dogs when they move to smaller digs because "there is no room".

A 130 pound dog can live happily in a 400 square foot apartment if she's walked enough.

DWF (hug!) You're awesome :)

monica, i agree! i love that particular breed, they're wonderful.

HOWEVER, i personally believe that you should never buy based on breed, i believe you should ADOPT from a shelter or pound based on mutual like and personality.

Rottweilers are great! We just rescued a 5 month old, and he is the smartest, sweetest, most chill dog ever. And since I live in Baltimore in a somewhat sketchy area, I must say I like the added sense of security. Even though if someone tried to do something he would probably just lick them to death.

Don't get me wrong, I love small dogs too - however I have noticed more and more that the small dogs on our walks in the park (and in obedience class) are the ones who act aggressive.

I second DWF although I am not sure how you all fit in your space. ;)
I am on my second st bernard. Both rescues, both adults when we got them and they are the BEST ever. They are laaaaaaaazy dogs and just want to hang out. Sit in your lap, lay on your couch, Maybe sniff the yard, maybe walk around the block. That's it. They're great for small spaces. I think low energy is key for small spaces (and for my sanity)

Big Dogs for ever ever!!!

Adult rescues. They are usually housetrained and you know what you're getting in terms of temperament.

You can only generalize about breed personalities up to a point. Each dog is different, with it's own unique personality. I have a 6 lb. Maltese, and on the plus side, she's litter box trained, so I don't have to take her out all the time and on rainy days, she can get plenty of exercise running around the apartment. On the other hand, she's a barker and she has lots of energy. Smaller dogs do tend to have more energy than bigger dogs, but like I said, a small dog can play inside. A St. Bernard, not so much.

Add greyhound to your list. Like whippets they are content to laze around most of the day they just need a daily walk of around 30mins.

indiasoup, I agree with you to a point... I chose to have 2 Cavaliers own me because their breed traits and overall personality suit my lifestyle to a T. They are laid-back, affectionate and don't need much room or exercise to be happy. I live in a townhouse and a daily walk and a few games of tug-o-war every day keep them fit and happy. Granted, they are spaniels so given the chance they will romp and chase squirrels with absolute abandon and glee when given the chance, but they can't scamper around outside everyday they don't complain.

Most purebred dogs do have specific traits and I always encourage people to choose a dog based on personality and how well they mesh with your lifestyle. For instance, I am absolutely NOT the appropriate owner for a feisty terrier or a working breed (border collie etc...) and I would never consider owning one because I'm not willing to totally change my current lifestyle to cater to their exercise needs because I'm a lazy bum!

So, in conclusion, you should always pick a dog based on personality first and then breed second.

We have a little pug in our high rise condo. He does really well but we do walk him several times a day and often a weekend trip to the dog park. Pugs will trick you though--they're not like bulldogs or other lazy pudgy dogs. They have A LOT of energy and love to run. But they're really the only dog for me.

I very much second the older dog and greyhound rescues. I have rescued a greyhound and they are unbelievably sweet. I also have an old dalmation, a breed usually known for being high-energy, who is more than content lying around all day, as long as we go for fun walks. That's the key I think! Try to know the dog, at least a little.

Yay dogs.

terka27-

Actually Great Danes are awesome inside small apartment dogs. I've had several! They are the laziest creatures ever :-) Gigantic babies. I currently have a miniature dachshund and Great Dane and my mini dach has 10x the energy of our Great Dane. All she likes to do is lay around, preferably in your lap... and she will if you sit on the floor. I think she thinks she's the mini dach (yes, I've seen the Ugly Dachshund). They are terrific, because they have huge hearts and should only be taken on a 30min- 1hr long walk each day. Too much exercise can cause a heart attack. They aren't hyper-chew-dogs who need lots of space.

Rotties are terrific too (I've had a few of those). Lazy bums actually. I love Rotties. They aren't hunters and therefore don't really like fetch. When we tried to play fetch with them, they would look at us like "Seriously?! Why don't you get it yourself, idiot!"

Don't underestimate the laziness of large breeds.

GREYHOUNDS, for all of the reasons previously mentioned!

But be prepared to answer the constant silly questions, such as:
-"Why is your dog so skinny; don't you feed it?"
(Yes, my dog is well-fed, and would actually be very unhealthy if over-fed)
-"Do you race your dog?"
(Um...no, it's called retirement.)
-"Is that a Whippet?"
(Nope, Whippets aren't 75 lbs.)

I live in a 500 sq ft studio with a rescued Pitbull Terrier and Boxer/Rottweiler mix.

Call me crazy but I wouldn't change a thing!

I, too, prefer the larger breeds. The Gentle Giants over the yappy and nippy little ones. I truly believe that so many landlords have it all wrong!!! The well-behaved large dogs are so much calmer than the under-30 lbs-dogs...

I grew up with dogs, from small mutts to large pure breeds, and I loved them all. My last one was a HUGE (110 lbs!) female Golden Retriever, and she was the BEST dog I'd ever known - after she turned 3 y.o., that is. Until then she was a destructive, wild maniac (in a house with a yard. She pretty much destroyed both, despite of all kinds of training...). I had 2-3 horrible and 7 wonderful years with her (the latter in an apartment, with a roommate and her dog) and had pretty much forgotten about all the "growing pains" - until I saw "Marley and Me". ..It's been about 7 months since my fur-baby passed away, and I am now ready for a new dog. Because of my last 7 yrs of wonderful experience with my "gentle gian Golden" I wanted to get another Retriever. But after reading/seeing "Marley and Me" the old repressed memories came rushing back... (I still live in an apartment, but no roommate or any other pets. I live in Los Angeles and work in walking distance of my pretty generous-size apartment. I LOVE daily long walks, hiking, etc., No kids, just active, social lifestyle. And my BF/LP works from home, so the doggy would not be home alone, just no active play-time at all hours until I come home from work.) I still want at least a medium - if not large - size dog, but perhaps a little lower energy level than the Retrievers... I also would prefer to rescue than to buy from a breeder - but then again, I prefer a young one without the memories of abuse and neglect, and I really want to have a good idea what to expect as far as the temperament and looks go...*I* want to be able to teach and mold into a sweet and friendly "gentle giant" vs. a "neighborhood terror.".. .
I've been thinking about Schnoodles (Standard or Giant, NOT Mini).
Any suggestions as to are they sweet and smart? Where can I find one?
(P.S. If I find a good breeder, I want them to be local, somewhere in So-Cal. I do not want the puppy to have to go through the stress of being flown in from a far...)
Thank you.

Adult rescues are great! You know what you are getting. Mine is a long hair chihuahua rescue who is now 15 years old. She doesn't bark, chew, or have inappropriate bathroom habits. I order bed pads for her because they are more absorbant and cheaper and don't have that perfume smell that puppy pads have. Chihuahuas are great because they take up less room AND have less mess! I wouldn't want to clean up the urine and poop of a 130 lb dog! Or even a 30 lb dog! Smaller dogs equals smaller mess!