Well I live downtown Toronto, I live in an apartment (they allow animals) The longest the dog would be alone for would be around 3 or 4 hours. I would walk the dog atleast twice a day... so what dog breed would be the best for me??
2006-09-29 20:04:25 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
tea cup poodle
Good For Apartment Life
This is a list of breeds that are considered "Good" for apartment life. If you do not see a breed listed here, it does not mean that it cannot live in an apartment. This list only covers the breeds considered "Best" for apartment life.
2006-09-29 20:06:27 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Depends if you want a puppy or adult dog. With a puppy, the best one would range from a small/toy to a medium sized, such as the size (but not hinting or suggesting, though there is nothing really wrong w/ it) of a shetland sheepdog. Do not, by any means, get a cattle dog or other herding dog. This comes from experience. I adopted a 6 month old cattle dog mix and it would never stop running around. I ended up getting rid of her due to the fact that she kept escaping through the front door and not coming back for about two hours, this includes the chasing after her part. I knew that she was probably just wanting to play, but it was not fun.
If you want an older dog, get one that seems laid back. I personally live in an apartment and have a pomerainian (sp) and had a labrador/chow mix. The latter one was about 85 lbs and was the most laid back dog I ever owned. He didn't get in the way of anything, he just laid there. He was excited about going out for walks and other stuff, but he was good for where I lived. Plus, he didn't bark at all.
There are pros and cons. Puppies (I have one now in fact) tend to chew on anything when they are teething and won't stop until 5 or 6 months of age. You also have to housebreak them. Adults are all done with that stage and are more prone to instincts that they have developed, such as hatred towards a gender. The best advice I can give you after all that is to go to a shelter or breeder and get to meet various kinds of dogs.
2006-09-29 20:34:00 · answer #2 · answered by koneko-chan 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Depends on what type of dog you like: long hair or short? Small or Medium? Lazy or lively? Heavy shedder, moderate or light?
I live in an apt. in Vancouver and we have 3 dogs: A 10 yr. old med. LabX, and 2 Shih-tzus. They all do well in apts. We even have a few neighbours that have Rotties and Labs and as long as they get a couple good dog walks a day, they do well too. Some of the smaller breeds tend to be pretty yappy, but the Shih-tzus are relatively quiet (they just give a warning bark when they hear a noise or someone at the door) and I love the fact that they aren't heavy shedders (my labX sheds enough for all 3 of them).
Check out this site. Maybe it can help you choose the perfect dog for you based on your answers to their questions: http://www.petnet.com.au/selectadog.html
2006-09-29 20:49:40 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ideal dogs for busy, single working men and women staying in apartments are small dogs with short coats (toy dogs) go to a dog lover or kennel and see some before you buy, also read the traits of each breed
Caution: Remember buying a dog is a life time commitment as the dog maybe with you for the next 10 to 15 years, it is inhuman to put him down if u don't need him or turn it over to a pound or as a stray, you will end up hurting yourself more so Think again before u buy one.
2006-09-29 22:03:07 · answer #4 · answered by Rahul 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know sometimes people assume only smaller dogs make good apartment companions, but there are many larger breeds or mixes that are couch potatoes and do just as well. I'd focus on finding the temperment you are looking for over the size.
It sounds like almost any breed that isn’t extremely vocal or has super high exercise requirements would likely work for you. I am sure you will make some dog very happy and hope you consider seeing what local shelters and rescues have to offer. Goodluck!
2006-09-29 20:22:22 · answer #5 · answered by the_bad_cats 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Miniature breeds are always a great option if your not into the super tiny yapping dogs. Look into Miniature Boxers or Pinchers. An elderly friend of mine had a Miniature Boxer for many years and got along well with a couple walks a day and a bit of indoor exercise/play time plus she was small enough to cuddle on her lap while she watched her soaps on tv. Remember to pick something not too wiry EX:Dalmatians need lots of room and attention as do most Labs and German Shepards that I have known. Try going to a humane society and play around with a few different breeds, one on one activity should help you get an idea as to what you need to steer clear of and the ones to concider. I lived for about a year in an apartment between construction of my home with two Dalmatians and it was tough.
Whichever breed you decide on I would like to recommend that at least to start with, to train your dog to stay in a wire crate while your not home. You should make sure you get the biggest crate you have room for as I have seen some people who stuff large dogs into medium or even small crates! This will help you keep any "accidents" to a minimum and will give the dog his/her very own personal space that they don't have to share. Be sure to leave appropriately sized chew toys or bones in the crate while your gone for amusement so he/she won't get bored and bark or chew on their bedding. I have a 2yr old Rottweiler that started out that way and he prefers to sleep in his crate at night and if I'm gone for a few hours I feel secure to know he won't be chewing up everything in sight.
Check out www.DrFosterSmith.com for some great crates and bedding along with many dog supplies, reasonably priced too!
Good Luck to you and I hope you find the perfect friend you're in search of :)
2006-09-29 21:26:08 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jack Russell. They are a small, friendly dog but can be a little yappy. On the other hand, Cocker Spaniels are beautiful dogs. They are friendly, loyal and hardly bark at all. No nuisance to the neighbors. Don't opt for pocket size dogs. They yap all the time you're not there, each time they hear or see something move sets them off and they just do not stop. Believe me, my next door neighbors have one. I have had to ring the local council on more than occasion to have the owners do something about the constant barking.
2006-09-29 20:15:19 · answer #7 · answered by eddie_schaap 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Probably a small dog since you live in an apartment. Any of the small breeds make good pets. I'm partial to Spitz and Westies. They have great personalities. I have a Lhasa Apso and we dearly love him but he barks a lot to alert us that perhaps a cat strolled by, the mailman is down the block, or the neighbors are thinking of getting in their car. But he's very friendly when people come over. I guess it's a matter of taste, but they sure are lots of company.
2006-09-29 20:09:33 · answer #8 · answered by phoenixheat 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It really kind of depends on if you want a lap dog
or a playfull dog or smart dog , a hairy dog or what.
I personally have a chihuahua & a austrain shepard & a boxer.
The large dogs are outside & the Chi is inside.
I would probably recomment a retriever for a big dog. or a minicher pinscher for a small dog. Both are very smart & can be trained easily.
Good luck
2006-09-29 20:11:20 · answer #9 · answered by tinybell 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Perhaps go to your local dog shelter and see what is there. They will be able to advise you if any of the dogs there will suit. Also you will be able to give a second chance to one. There may also be one there who has come froma na apartment and knows the drill on living in a confined space and is toilet trained.
I would suggest either an older pup (over 5 months) to an adult dog.
2006-09-29 20:35:12 · answer #10 · answered by Feline Female 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋