Dogs shouldn’t be only for people who live in houses.
After all, there are many dogs that would rather prefer being in an environment where they don’t have to run a lot.
Here is your guide to the best dogs for apartments!
Table of Contents
What Are The Best Dogs For Apartments?
English Bulldog
By their heavy size Bulldog’s in their nature cannot handle much activity outside.
Bulldogs are small dogs that are prone to need the least amount of activity in comparison to other dogs.
Bulldogs are also very friendly with other animals and humans. They are one of the friendliest dog breeds and are good with strangers, children, cats, and other dogs too.
You won’t have to worry about them attacking anything in your apartment community. But, bulldogs can develop many health issues.
If you are curious about what other health issues bulldogs have, check out this list.
Pug
Pugs are like bulldogs because they have very little exercise needs.
They prefer being indoors and aren’t great for physical activity.
This is due to their flat faces causing difficulty breathing.
They are very friendly with other animals and humans. Cats, dogs, children, and strangers are all welcome to interact with pugs.
In fact, pugs actually have high social needs and love to be around other people/dogs/cats.
Same as bulldogs, pugs have many health issues. For the full list of health problems see this article.
French Bulldog
French Bulldogs are great indoor dogs that won’t cause trouble around your apartment. They have low needs for exercise and have brachycephalic syndrome.
This syndrome is what causes difficulty breathing. This makes french bulldogs a bad candidate for a running partner.
If you have kids or have many other animals in your community french bulldogs might not be for you.
They have a reputation to be less friendly with cats, dogs, and children. But, are very friendly with other adult strangers.
French bulldogs don’t have as many health risks as the two previous dog breeds. But, they still have several common health risks. They are all in this article.
Boston Terrier
Boston terriers are great dogs for apartments. But, they still need much more physical activity than the previous three breeds.
They are very friendly dogs when around other people and animals. They do tend to be territorial.
Yet, they still remain friendly with other cats, dogs, children, and strangers. This makes them great for families too.
As far as health issues go Boston Terriers can get several health issues.
Boston terriers full list of health issues here.
Beagle
Beagles are also great dogs for apartments, but they need a lot of physical activity.
They are part of the hound dog breed group, which are former hunters that used to run around outside all day.
These dogs are very friendly with children and strangers.
They are not territorial, so they won’t challenge any new members of the family or new house guests. They are also friendly with other dogs and cats.
They don’t have as many health issues as bulldogs, but they still have several.
For a full list of health problems in beagles check out this list.
Shiba Inu
Shiba Inu is a great fit for apartments, and they need a good amount of physical activity.
The Shiba Inu doesn’t like to sit around and is perfect if you are looking for an athletic companion.
Shiba Inus don’t get along well with others.
You must train your dog to play well with others at a young age. If you don’t, Shiba Inus will get territorial when other dogs, cats or strangers are around.
These dogs have some unique health problems. If you want to learn more about their health problems look at this.
King Charles Spaniel
King Charles Spaniels will do it all, they will cuddle with you all day on a rainy day. Or run around and play games in the park.
They love to follow around their owners and are full of love for their family.
Besides being friendly with their owners. These dogs are friendly with other cats, dogs, and children too.
They are great family animals but don’t expect them to be a watchdog. They prefer hanging out with the family over watching the house.
These dogs are known to have several health issues. If you need a full list of their health conditions learn more here.
Shih Tzu
A Shih Tzu is the most ideal dog for apartment living. These dogs are small and don’t need much physical activity.
With the added bonus of being hypoallergenic. If you are curious about what other hypoallergenic dogs or what it means check this out!
These dogs are territorial, but if you train them right it is not an issue. Shih Tzus aren’t great if you have small children.
This is because small children might play too aggressive and the Shih Tzu might bight back. But, Shih Tzu are friendly with adult strangers.
Shih Tzus are friendly with other dogs and cats. In fact, Shih Tzus should get lots of social interaction with other dogs.
These dogs have quite a few health issues that might develop over time. If you want a full list you can find out all their health issues here.
Chihuahua
Chihuahuas are good for apartments based on their size and lack of need to exercise.
But, you should know this dog barks a lot. If you live in an apartment, it would be wise to teach them to control their barking at a young age.
If you have young children this dog is not good. Small dogs like the chihuahua will bite when someone gets too aggressive with them.
Yet, these dogs are friendly with other dogs and cats.
They aren’t known to be too aggressive when meeting new people. But, you should teach them not to bark when encountering new people.
These dogs have many health issues that could occur over time. If you would like a full list, follow this link.
Greyhound
Generally, when you think of the best dogs for apartments, you might think of smaller dogs being the better option, but that’s not always the case.
Gentle and quiet is requisite when it comes to apartment dogs, and Greyhounds fill that role perfectly.
They’re affectionate, intelligent, even-tempered dogs that’ll fit perfectly for apartments.
Apartment or not, they’re all-around great dogs that fit well for just about any living situation.
Physically, they’re 27 to 30 inches tall and weigh roughly 55 to 90 pounds. As you can tell by their weight, they come in a wide range of sizes.
Their coats are similar to Whippets in their texture and overall feel, but they tend to be more of a solid color or a combination of two.
Greyhounds have an average lifespan of 10 to 14 years.
Biewer Terrier
This dog’s small size alone makes them one of the best dogs for apartments.
Unlike Greyhounds, Biewer Terriers are tiny and light dogs. In fact, their size might make them appear unnoticeable at times.
Overall, they’re knowledgeable, affectionate, loyal, and energetic dogs. You won’t find a better dog when it comes to living in small living areas.
Physically, they’re 7 to 11 inches tall and weigh somewhere between 4 to 8 pounds. They tend to have a mixture of colors for their fur, such as white, black, gray, and brown.
Coat-wise, they have a wide range of texture attached to it from being short and curly to being a bit thinner and longer.
Biewer Terriers have an average lifespan of 12 to 15 years.
German Spitz
Besides having a great name, German Spitz’s are fantastic dogs that are well-suited for apartments.
They’re devoted, lively, attentive, trainable, and robust dogs that’ll make any person’s life a lot better.
With their trainability, you can have them get used to small living quarters like an apartment very quickly.
Physically, they have a wide range of sizes they can fall under. They’re anywhere from 7 to 22 inches in height, while weighing 7 to 44 pounds.
Coat-wise, they tend to be very fluffy dogs. They have a wide range of colors they can fall under, such as black, tan, white, or a mixture of multiple colors.
German Spitz have an average lifespan of 13 to 15 years.
Bedlington Terrier
Bedlington Terriers are some of the most unique looking dogs. Their exquisite posture and eye-appeal make them a fantastic dog to adopt regardless of their ability to live in an apartment.
They’re affectionate, intelligent, and good-tempered dogs that make them a perfect candidate for apartments.
Height-wise, they’re medium-sized dogs in the range of 15 to 18 inches in height. Weight-wise, they’re roughly 17 to 23 pounds.
As noted, their coats are incredibly unique, being light and sheepish texture to it.
They tend to be a combination of white and gray, with one being more than the other.
Bedlington Terrier have an average lifespan of 12 to 14 years.
Italian Greyhound
Yes, Greyhounds have a similar breed to them regarded as Italian Greyhounds.
Similar to Greyhounds, Italian Greyhounds are mischievous, intelligent, agile, and athletic dogs.
They’re perfect for apartments because of their natural gentle and creative nature that suits them well.
Height-wise, they’re a bit smaller than standard Greyhounds being 13 to 15 inches tall. Plus, they only weigh 7 to 11 pounds.
Their coat is identical to standard Greyhounds being light, thin, and a grayish color.
If you’re looking for a smaller Greyhound, an Italian Greyhound is the way to go.
Italian Greyhounds have an average lifespan of 12 to 15 years.
Chinese Crested
Outside of their incredible eye-catching appearance, Chinese Cresteds are fantastic dogs.
They’re affectionate, lively, alert, and sweet-tempered dogs that fit well for an apartment’s living situation.
Physically, they’re tiny. They’re only 10 to 13 inches tall, while only weighing 5 to 12 pounds.
On top of their size, and calm nature for love, they’re a perfect candidate for an apartment.
Coat-wise, they have a very thin body coat, but a thick furry neck.
Chinese Crested have an average lifespan of 13 to 15 years.
Basenji
Basenjis are one of the best dog breeds in the world and without a doubt one of the best dogs for apartments.
They’re affectionate, intelligent, energetic, and curious dogs.
Although their energy might be detrimental when it comes to an apartment, as long as they get enough outdoor time, they’ll be fine.
Physically, Basenjis are roughly 16 inches tall and weigh somewhere between 20 to 26 pounds. They’re essentially a perfect sized dog, and they’ll fit well with just about any living situation.
Their coats are remarkably similar to a Boxer being light and a shade of brown, white, and gray.
Basenjis have an average lifespan of 12 to 16 years.
Lowchen
Lowchen’s are brilliant, friendly, active, and playful dogs that are without a doubt one of the best dogs for apartments.
Although they might seem to needful of the outdoors and long walks, they’re surprisingly okay when it comes to living in an apartment.
Just make sure you take them outdoors enough.
Physically, they’re 12 to 14 inches tall and weigh 8 to 18 pounds. Their fur is usually very long and a bit thick, but they have a wide range of texture and appearances.
They’re generally either brown, black, gray, white, but can be a combination of multiple colors.
Lowchens have an average lifespan of 12 to 14 years.
Manchester Terrier
Like most Terriers, Manchester Terriers are fantastic dogs. They’re alert, active, and discerning dogs.
Although they keen attention and staying active, they’re very gentle when it comes to their living situation.
Physically, they’re 15 to 16 inches in height and weigh anywhere from 12 to 22 pounds.
They tend to be a dark shade with a hint of brown and a very light texture to their coat.
Manchester Terriers have an average lifespan of 14 to 16 years.
Brussels Griffon
Outside of their sophisticated appearance, Brussels Griffons are great dogs.
They’re intelligent, alert, and sturdy dogs that’ll suit well for an apartment because of their size.
Like most small dogs, they don’t require a ton of maintenance, but make sure you give them the proper love they deserve.
Physically, they’re 7 to 10 inches in height and weigh roughly 8 to 10 pounds.
As you can imagine, they’re incredibly small dogs, and it might be challenging to see them at times, depending on where they hide.
However, don’t let their tiny size sway you from your decision. Their coats are very short, with a hint of curls.
They tend to be a shade of tan and brown, with a lean toward one or the other.
Brussels Griffons have an average lifespan of 12 to 15 years.
Final Thoughts
That’s it for our list of the best dogs for apartments.
There are plenty of great dog breeds that can comfortably live in an apartment.
Just make sure you take plenty of time to decide which type of dog is best for you.
