Is There Such Thing as Dog that's GOOD for an Apartment?

Many dog breeds make good apartment dogs, but first you must find out who they are.

Pick an apartment dog whose activity level matches your own. If you’re an active person and plan on jogging every day with your dog, you can choose a high-energy dog breed. With a lot of exercise, a high-energy dog can be happy in an apartment. But if you’re a couch potato, look for a pup that prefers resting over going for runs.

A dog’s temperament is also critical in determining whether or not he’ll be a good apartment dog. For a dog, an apartment community is a pretty stimulating place — there’s a lot of people coming and going, and there’s a constant hum of interesting noises. A good apartment dog is one who can handle all that stimulation without getting overly anxious. Anxious dogs are barkers, and that could cause problems with your neighbors.

The top four apartment dogs are:



Winnie



Yorkshire Terrier
Because of the small size of a yorkie, they are able to get plenty of indoor exercise without the need for much outdoor exercise. They love cuddling and are the ultimate lap dogs. As an added bonus, they can be easily trained to use the bathroom on indoor "puppy pads."



Zoe



Mastiff
Mastiffs are of course my favorite. Have you ever noticed the dog on our billboard on Interstate 24? That was my English Mastiff Zoë who died a couple of years ago. Mastiffs actually make good apartment dogs because they are very low energy. These gentle giants are very calm and rarely bark, making them suitable for busy apartment communities. With short walks every few days and daily indoor playtime, Mastiffs can be happy apartment dogs.

Greyhound
Despite being known as athletes, these mellow dogs make great family pets and enjoy nothing more than lying around on the couch all day. They do require regular walks, but they don’t need excessive daily exercise.



Smokey



Basset Hound
Thanks to their mild temperament and inactive indoor lifestyle, Bassets are a good apartment dog breed. Basset Hounds love the outdoors, and while they can be OK without a yard of their own, they need regular outdoor exercise to be happy and healthy.