Imagup General Magazine 2024
If you’re an animal lover discouraged from adopting a dog simply because you live in a small apartment, you’ll be thrilled to know that some dog breeds can thrive in smaller living spaces. While it’s still highly recommended to take your dog for regular walks, irrespective of the breed, these are the best dog breeds for apartment dwellers.
1. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a pint-sized pup that can acclimatize well to smaller indoor spaces. Beyond fluffy, floppy ears and large adorable eyes, this dog breed is known to mimic their owners’ vibe. So, if you’re a laid-back homebody, you can expect the same from your Cav Spaniel.
Cavalier Spaniels don’t need large beds or kennels, but they do need a nutritious diet. With this, you can sign up for dog food delivery with a quality brand.
2. Pug
Pugs are popular among apartment dwellers due to their smaller size and peaceful nature; Pugs prefer to lay back and relax. This breed’s short stature and lower energy levels make them perfectly suited to small indoor spaces.
However, Pugs thrive in social situations, and they are great family pets, so it’s advisable to visit your local dog park often if you decide to adopt a Pug. 3.
3. French Bulldog
The French Bulldog is a breed that’s become particularly popular more recently. But beyond becoming a trending pet for its adorable features, French Bulldogs are also an excellent choice for pet parents living in smaller apartments.
These pups are active, although they are easy to train and have peaceful personalities.
4. English Bulldog
English Bulldogs have been a popular choice of breed for security and companionship. These staunch medium-sized dogs might be pretty intimidating, but despite their muscled build, English Bulldogs are exceptionally placid pets.
5. Boston Terrier
Boston Terriers need quite a bit of daily exercise, especially if they live in a small apartment. Nevertheless, the smaller size of this dog breed still makes them suitable for apartments. Moreover, a Boston Terrier can adapt well to a small living space with daily walks.
6. Havanese
A Havanese is an excellent choice if you’re searching for a pup that resembles a teddy bear. These placid pups are irresistibly fluffy, and they are the perfect companions for apartment dwellers as well. Havanese dogs are also great with children and other dogs.
7. Shih Tzu
The Shih Tzu dog breed is undeniably glamorous. However, you must be prepared to invest quite a bit into routine grooming to keep a Shih Tzu looking its best. Nevertheless, these laid-back dogs aren’t interested in running around all day, making them ideal for small apartments.
8. Dachshund
Dachshunds will happily spend every second of the day lying on their owner’s lap. These lovable long dogs are calm and relaxed enough to live in small spaces. Moreover, Dachshunds don’t need much grooming due to their short coats. But because these dogs have extremely short legs and can’t jump well, preparing your home with soft steps is advisable.
That said, Dachshund pups have additional health needs due to their long spines. It’s not recommended to encourage these dogs to jump, and you might need to afford extra vet care as they grow older.
9. Maltese
Maltese are fluffy white pups with short floppy ears and a family-friendly personality. Their small size makes them an ideal breed for small spaces. However, Maltese pups are known to bark constantly when bored and frustrated. So it’s crucial to take your Maltese for daily walks.
Nevertheless, this dog breed is pretty intelligent, so puppy training will be relatively easy, even for new pet parents.
10. Bichon Frise
The Bichon Frise is another tiny dog breed that can thrive in a small apartment. These curly-haired pups need a bit of brushing and grooming, but they are pretty calm and extremely smart. Bichon Frise puppies will pick up on training reasonably fast, so house and obedience training will be much less frustrating if you choose this cute dog breed.
11. German Spitz
The German Spitz is a tiny ball of fur that resembles a fox when it comes to breed features. Their fox-like expression is enough to make any animal lover melt. But due to their energetic and playful nature, German Spitz dogs will need quite a bit of attention.
German Spitz pups can develop a tendency to bark a lot if they become bored. Moreover, a restless Spitz will also become destructive.
12. Chinese Crested
The Chinese Crested and Chinese Crested hairless breeds are popular choices for animal lovers who suffer from allergies. But aside from being hypoallergenic pets, this breed is loyal and lovable. You might battle to train your Chinese Crested pup at first, but these dogs are low-maintenance in general.
Other dog breeds that are considered hypoallergenic are Yorkshire Terriers, Schnauzers, Toy Poms, and Shih Tzus. These particular hypoallergenic breeds can also adapt well to small environments.
13. Yorkshire Terriers
Yorkshire Terriers and miniature Yorkshire Terriers are most well-known for their picture-perfect aesthetics. These tiny pups don’t need as much grooming as other long-haired breeds like the Shih Tzu.
While these handbag-sized dogs are great for smaller apartments, they are also known to bark constantly when untrained. But once you get on top of training your Yorkie pup, these lap dogs are peaceful, playful, and relatively low-maintenance.
Tips To Choose A Breed
Tons of small dog breeds can adapt well to a small apartment. But when choosing a breed, it’s essential to consider more than aesthetics and breed size.
Some small dog breeds, like Jack Russels, are incredibly active and attentive. So you shouldn’t make your choice based on size alone. Beagles, Norfolk Terriers, and Norwegian Lundehunds are other tiny dog breeds with a lot of energy.
Aside from energy levels, it’s also vital to consider grooming needs. Some dogs need more grooming and brushing than others, and not every pet parent has time to manage high-maintenance pups like Shih Tzus, Yorkies, Pomeranians, and Toy Poms. With this, dog breeds with longer and fluffier coats will have more grooming needs than dogs with short hair coats.
