[Klipsan]

What dogs are good for small homes/apartments? Specifically apartments..

I'll be moving out in a month and want a dog, but not sure which breed is suitable.
I'm used to high energy breeds such as pitbulls and huskies, so I dont want to get a lazy little thing just because im in a smaller area. I still want to take it for regular walks, but not sure about leaving it home alone in such a confined space.

Any thoughts?

 

[Cali]

Very few small dogs are lazy. You'll have to check with your apartment complex on what breeds aren't allowed- pits and huskies are on most of those lists. Can you tell us a bit more about your lifestyle?

 

[bouvlove]

Just a couple of questions first,
would you prefer a larger or smaller breed?
what are your grooming requirements?
and how often are you not at home?

We need to know more about you lifestyle

 

[Klipsan]

Very few small dogs are lazy. You'll have to check with your apartment complex on what breeds aren't allowed- pits and huskies are on most of those lists. Can you tell us a bit more about your lifestyle?

I live in the UK, btw- limits on breeds arent common (i think its just down to common sense).
Funnily when I search 'apartment dogs' in google, it gives me lists titled 'low energy breeds' which isnt what im after. I understand not all small breeds are low energy, but I honestly have no idea as I normally go for larger dogs
I live with my partner, normally one of us is home- we both have creative jobs which means that our hours are never fixed. Im highly outdoorsy', and will happily walk a dog once a day for 30mins to a couple hours. My partner isnt outdoorsy at all..

edit// I live in city outskirts, so although the countryside isnt far away, the streets are normally quite busy. As for grooming, Ill be happy with any level of maintenance.

 

[fawkese1]

ditto cali... you might want to check out these threads:

http://www.dogforum.com/general-dog-discussion/how-choose-right-breed-11760/

http://www.dogforum.com/general-dog-discussion/considerations-before-buying-puppy-11762/

 

[Fuzzybunny]

I have two Shepherds in an apartment and I strongly believe that if you're willing to put in the time required you can have any breed assuming the apartment complex is o.k. with it. I exercise my dogs a lot, do classes to keep them stimulated, and as a result I've never had an issue with being in an apartment.

 

[seebrown]

I'll just throw in here that a high energy breed is usually not ok with just a one hour walk a day. I had a high energy breed who I ended up rehoming, and he needed 3+ hours of stimulation a day (running, walking, training, etc.). If you don't want your dog to be your life during all non-work hours, I'd stick with a moderate to low energy breed (esp. since it sounds like your partner won't be doing a lot of energetic things with the dog). Most breeds (except maybe brachycephalic types) can keep up with or outpace humans, even low energy breeds.

 

[Blue pup]

First of, thanks for seeking advice, most people just buy a dog on impusle and end up being a bad match.

How much will you be willing to exercise the dog? Do you prefer a low-shedding dog? How much training are you going to do?

I must agree with seebrown that walk just isn't enough for most high energy dog breeds, right - high enery which from some dogs can be up to 3h+ of blood pumping work and mental work too

 

[Fuzzybunny]

My two Shepherds are high energy and they require about 3 hours of exercise. I'm in an apartment without a problem because I give them what they need. Typically 1 hour in the morning before work, 1 hour when I get home from work, and then 30 minutes to an hour in the evening. So I guess the question is, "How much time are you willing to devote to your dog?" This will help in determining which breed is best.

 

[Luananeko]

If you like huskies, you might want to do some research into Alaskan Klee Kais. From what I've heard, the breed was bred to be an "apartment sized husky", so it would be one way to get the husky aspects you love while still being able to keep it in an apartment. I do believe they still need a fair investment into exercise and mental stimulation, so you'll have to do your research and evaluate whether you can commit to that or not. They may be a harder breed to get in the UK too, not sure how common they are over there...

Otherwise, I agree with the others about looking into lower energy dogs, as those tend to be better bets at living in apartments. Greyhounds and Great Danes come to mind as good apartment dwellers as far as the larger dogs go.

 

[Dobergirl]

What about a Lhasa Apso?

 

[Red]

It is possible to have a high energy dog when living in an apartment, but as others have said, you *need* to be prepared to put in a lot of exercise (at least two hour-long walks, probably more depending on the dog), training and mental stimulation.

Me and my bf live in a small 1 bedroom ground floor flat with no garden, but we have a 1 year old border collie x springer spaniel. He has about 3 hours off-lead exercise a day, has plenty of things to do in the house, and we crate trained him to help with his separation anxiety - we can leave him for 3 - 5 hours now

It's definitely possible to have high energy breeds in an apartment, you just need to be aware that it's going to be a lot more effort and quite time consuming

What about a whippet or a greyhound? They can take part in exercise and are athletic, but are calm and chilled in the house. My friend has two greyhounds and it's amazing how fast they can run outdoors, but inside they're complete couch potatoes

Do you have any dog breeds you were thinking of / leaning towards?

Red