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Good Dog for Apartment Living

#61
I would not recommend a greyhound. I used to foster them a few years back and although they are great indoor dogs/couch potatoes, they're not really very good outdoor dogs...as in for hiking and stuff. They have very thin skin which tends to rip in the bushes and briars and it's also difficult to teach them to come when you call. Especially if there's a squirrel half a mile away and they take off after it. Also as someone else mentioned, a lot of them are not trustworthy around cats, though some are fine.

My suggestion would be something like an Australian Shepherd. Very loyal, very easily trained, small enough for an apartment, not hyper but are active outdoors. Personality very much like a Golden Retriever or Lab but smaller. Just make sure you get the AKC variety not the working lines, those tend to be more hyper.
 
#62
A note about dog size. One good thing about small dogs is that they're not tall enough to get stuff off counters. Also, they don't knock people down if the dog jumps up. They eat less food. They don't drool like the big dogs (drooling is a big problem for me).

Frankly, Great Danes are a terrible choice for apartment living. They just take up too much room. They need a ranch. They're droolers, too.

Greyhounds or whippets are pretty mellow but, as others have said, they need major exercise and, if they get loose, they'll be three blocks away before you can blink.

If I got a second dog, I'd look at a corgy.
 
#65
Apartment size cool dog? Sheltie.

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#67
Munjibunga said:
A note about dog size. One good thing about small dogs is that they're not tall enough to get stuff off counters. Also, they don't knock people down if the dog jumps up. They eat less food. They don't drool like the big dogs (drooling is a big problem for me).
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More importantly, if Fido suffers a demonic possession and goes into a beserker rage, it's good to know that you can take him in a fight! :p
 
#70
mgauge said:
I live in an apartment and SHih tzus are the best apartment dogs.. THE BEST. My buddy is even litter box trained (yes there is dog litter out there).

Shih Tzu, all the way. Hes been with me for ten years
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My sister's Shih Tzu, Dudley, just passed away last year. She had him for 13 years. He was an awesome little dude. Very sweet and mellow. He did really well when left alone. He was also litter-trained and would just play with his toys and nap while she was at work.
 
#74
Definitely NOT a Border Collie - mine is awesome but he's insanely energetic.

And Definitely not a Lab. We rescued one about a year ago and we seriously have to hoover up the hair it sheds on a daily basis. This is where the ____doodles are great. Unfortunately most people hear the word poodle and immediately think of tiny dogs with stupid haircuts. That's not the poodles they use for these cross-breeds. They use Standard poodles which are much bigger than you think (not much smaller than a greyhound). They don't have fur as such, they have a fleece like a sheep, so it doesn't fall out. I wouldn't be so quick to overlook these dogs for an inside dog.

Whatever you get, be prepared to spend HEAPS of time training it as a puppy. Someone already mentioned crate training and I can't see any around it for an apartment dog - you'll have to read up on it. It's not cruel at all - and if you think it is you're thinking like a human and not like a dog. That's the no 1 mistake people make with puppies. To train a dog, you have to think like a dog, and believe it or not 80% of what you learn at puppy preschool is aimed at the owners and not the dog. Once the owners are trained, teaching the dog is easy!
 
#76
IMO and IME the perfect dog for apartment living MUST have these characteristics:

1) SMALL. 25 pounds or less.
2) NON-SHEDDING. Terriers or similar non-shedding dogs only.
3) QUIET. If they bark, put a bark collar on them. Period.
4) No high exercise requirements.

Terriers fit reasonably well, but some are continually barky and high energy. Not the right fit for most people.

We discovered the Lhasa Apso breed, and they're strong contenders. I've had a miniature Schnauzer and a Scottie, both of which worked out well.
 
#80
anyonefortennis said:
Agreed - We have one in my condo along with the Sheltie and she is super high energy. She does well because we keep her entertained and sharp (she is doing flyball these days).

Here's one of my favorite shots of Ella
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Haa, I know that "squint" well :) Ours pulls that squint when he knows he's done the wrong thing... how can you stay mad at a face like that? :)

Ours is obsessed with flyball, fetch in general, and we eve try and take him to round up sheep once in a while. We didn't even have to teach him how to do it, it came to him naturally and instinctively. DEFINITELY not an apartment dog!

You remind me of something that's relevant to the OP - male dogs are usually more boisterous than girls. Un-neutered dogs of both sexes are more boisterous that neutered dogs. Keep this in mind.

Oh and one good pic deserves another.... Here's my Toby relaxing. You gotta love the default Border Collie smile they all seem to have :)

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