Apartment Approved Breeds

If you live in a small space, you might wonder what kind of dog would be suitable for your lifestyle. You want a dog that is adaptable, quiet, and low maintenance, but also friendly, playful, and loyal. Fortunately, there are many dog breeds that can thrive in apartments or condos, as long as they get enough exercise and attention. I’ll be talking about a few of the best dog breeds for those who are living in an apartment. These dog breeds are low shed, infrequency to bark, and are overall very cuddly and cute breeds!

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Weighing at between 13-18 pounds (that’s 5.9-8.2 kg) the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel makes for a perfect apartment dog with its low shedding and playful personalities. This dog does bark some but with enough mental stimulation and training you could train this breed of dog to not bark as much. They’re all about the cuddles and they enjoy being outdoors with their owners going on adventures. They can live up to 15 years!

The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel make perfect apartment dogs because, unlike other dogs their size, they’re considered pretty average, but still require a fair bit of exercise. They require at least 30 minutes of exercise per day whether you’re walking or throwing a ball at your local dog park. Their floppy ears make them very cute to your neighbors, and their infrequency to bark will make sure your neighbors aren’t disturbed should your upstairs neighbors decide to be extra noisy. They’re playful, endearing, and affectionate, making them cuddly little lap dogs. They require frequent brushing and may require the occasional professional groom but they’re relatively low shed, which is not only great for your vacuum but is also great for allergies should you or your guests have any mild allergies.

As cute as those floppy ears are you should watch out! Those cute floppy ears make them prone to ear infections frequently, which is characterized by itchy, red (inflamed) ears that will sometimes carry an odor to them if you allow it to go on too long. Other symptoms include:

• head shaking
• swelling
• brown/black (ear wax) or yellow discharge
• scabs in the ear (from all that scratching they’re doing)
• pain when you rub or touch the infected ear

The floppy ears will hold the moisture if you don’t dry it out properly after a swim or a bath or it can be caused by allergies, and more. Most ear infections can be treated safely at home, but sometimes (like in the case of allergies) vet intervention is required.

This breed is, unfortunately, plagued by a few genetic conditions including:

• patella luxation
• hip dysplasia
• mitral valve heart disease
• syringomyelia
• eye conditions including retinal problems and cataracts

Your vet can help you look out for these symptoms by having regular evaluations of the patella, hip, cardiac exam, and ophthalmologist evaluation, especially if you notice something is suddenly different about the way your dog walks, a sudden onset of a cough, a sudden cloudiness in the eyes, or a sudden dislocation of the knees.

However, none of these conditions should dissuade you from adopting a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, as these are one of the most cuddly and lovable spaniels.

Coton de Tulear

The Coton de Tulear is a very fluffy breed of dog, weighing in at around 8-15 pounds (3.6-6.8 kg) making their small size perfect for apartment living. They shed very little and have the friendliest and most playful personalities for such a tiny dog. They can live up to 19 years!

This breed is generally quiet, though can sometimes grunt and occasionally bark when they’re having a lot of fun. They’re very intelligent, people pleasing, and affectionate making this breed easy to train and because of their people pleasing nature they will often “dance” to make you happy. Their infrequency to bark won’t disrupt your neighbors, which means you won’t get notices from your landlord about your noise level. They do, however, require some moderate amount of exercise, so taking your pup out for long walks is a must, and on rainy days you should throw a small ball to keep them from becoming destructive. You should plan to have them walk in total up to 30 minutes a day, depending on the age and health of your Coton. Some people have split this up into several times a day (between 2-3 times) which means each walk should be around 10-15 minutes.

A Coton’s coat is fairly long and should be brushed regularly to keep away the mats. Having a metal comb is a must to get the tangles out, just like how you brush your hair every day so should you brush your dog’s fur every day. Regular professional grooming is also a must to keep that fur looking tidy and keeping it out of your puppy’s eyes and to remove excessive ear hair, as the ear hair can hold in ear wax and moisture and cause an ear infection.

Coton’s generally has very little health issues that could be passed down genetically, which is very unusual for popular dog breeds. There are some health issues that could arise from old age such as cataracts. This is something that your vet can diagnose should your dog’s eye suddenly become cloudy.

Other Dog Breeds for Apartment Living

Other breeds that are perfect for the apartment are:

• Bichon Frise: A fluffy white dog that is loyal, happy, and playful. It has a low-shedding coat that needs regular grooming.
• Bulldog: A medium-sized dog that has a low energy level and a calm temperament. It is loyal, jovial, and friendly with everyone.
• French Bulldog: A small dog that has a wrinkled face and bat ears. It is adaptable, charming, and funny. It doesn’t need much exercise but likes to play with toys.
• Maltese: A small dog that has a long white coat that doesn’t shed much. It is lively, sweet, and intelligent. It likes to learn tricks and be pampered.
• Pug: A small dog that has a flat face and curly tail. It is comical, loving, and mischievous. It doesn’t need much exercise but likes to be around people.
• Whippet: A medium-sized dog that has a sleek and graceful appearance. It is quiet, gentle, and affectionate. It likes to run fast but also likes to nap on the sofa.

Deciding on a dog breed

Deciding on which dog breed is right for you is no easy task. You need to understand what you’re getting yourself into. It’s a huge decision! There are a few things to take into consideration before deciding on a dog breed. Take into account:

• Apartment restrictions
  • Most apartments have a weight restriction and a handful will have a breed restriction, so make sure you understand the apartment rules and restriction for owning a dog (or any pet really.)
• Size of apartment
  • a big dog may not do well in a small apartment
• Grooming needs
  • this can eat into your spare cash, but only the best for our fur babies!
• Activity level of the breed
  • you should also look into what the original breeding of the breed was meant to do as some breeds were meant for hunting, which means they will have a higher energy level than a breed that was bred simply to look cute.
    • Looking into the original breeding will also let you know how inbred the breed is and the health issues that have arrived because of the inbreeding.
• Shop or Adopt
  • I don’t believe in shop-shaming people, after all I didn’t exactly adopt my own pup, but I paid way less than what most people would have paid for a Golden Retriever. If you shop, you should find a reputable dog breeder, one who can show you the genetic conditions each of the parents had and can prove it through genetic testing. Adopting, however, is beneficial to your local rescues, who are overwhelmed with dogs at the moment! Adoption fees will be easier on your wallet, which means you can buy more toys for your furry friend!

Conclusion

Living in an apartment doesn’t mean you can’t have a dog; it just means there may be some restrictions that keep you from getting a big dog. There are many dog breeds that can adapt to small spaces and low activity levels, as long as they get enough love and attention from their owners. Coton de Tulear and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel are two popular small breeds that can make wonderful apartment pets, but they are not the only ones. Always do your research and find the best dog breed for you and your apartment living.