Best dog breeds for apartments
Updated 2026-11-06 · 18 breeds
Apartment life suits a dog when its size, exercise needs and noise level fit the space. A small dog is not automatically an apartment dog, and some large calm breeds do well in flats, but most of the breeds below are small to medium, relaxed indoors and happy with a few walks a day.
How we chose: We picked breeds rated apartment-friendly in our profiles: lower exercise needs, easy to keep clean and generally content indoors.
French Bulldog
A compact companion breed with bat-like ears, developed from small English bulldogs in France.
Small · Low energy · 10–12 years · Exercise 30 min/day · Grooming Low
English Bulldog
A stocky, wrinkled breed with a calm temperament, originally bred for bull-baiting in England.
Medium · Low energy · 8–10 years · Exercise 30 min/day · Grooming Medium
Dachshund
A long-bodied, short-legged hound bred to follow badgers into their burrows.
Small · Medium energy · 12–16 years · Exercise 40 min/day · Grooming Low
Silky Terrier
A small, silky-coated toy terrier developed in Sydney from Australian and Yorkshire terriers.
Small · Medium energy · 12–15 years · Exercise 40 min/day · Grooming High
Australian Terrier
A hardy little terrier bred by early settlers to control rodents and snakes.
Small · Medium energy · 12–15 years · Exercise 45 min/day · Grooming Medium
Pug
A small, wrinkle-faced companion breed with ancient roots in China.
Small · Low energy · 12–15 years · Exercise 30 min/day · Grooming Low
Shih Tzu
A long-coated lap dog bred as a companion for Chinese royalty.
Small · Low energy · 10–16 years · Exercise 30 min/day · Grooming High
Chihuahua
The world's smallest breed, named after the Mexican state of Chihuahua.
Small · Medium energy · 14–16 years · Exercise 30 min/day · Grooming Low
Pomeranian
A fluffy toy spitz, scaled down from larger sled-dog ancestors in Pomerania.
Small · Medium energy · 12–16 years · Exercise 30 min/day · Grooming High
Yorkshire Terrier
A tiny, long-haired terrier bred in Yorkshire mills to catch rats.
Small · Medium energy · 11–15 years · Exercise 40 min/day · Grooming High
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
A gentle toy spaniel once favoured by English royalty.
Small · Medium energy · 9–14 years · Exercise 45 min/day · Grooming Medium
Italian Greyhound
A miniature sighthound, slim and graceful, long kept as a companion in Italy.
Small · Medium energy · 13–15 years · Exercise 45 min/day · Grooming Low
Whippet
A slim sighthound sometimes called the poor man's racehorse.
Medium · Medium energy · 12–15 years · Exercise 60 min/day · Grooming Low
Maltese
A tiny, white-coated toy dog long kept as a lap companion.
Small · Medium energy · 12–15 years · Exercise 30 min/day · Grooming High
Bichon Frise
A cheerful white powder-puff of a dog from the Mediterranean region.
Small · Medium energy · 14–15 years · Exercise 40 min/day · Grooming High
West Highland White Terrier
A small white Scottish terrier bred to hunt foxes and rodents.
Small · Medium energy · 12–16 years · Exercise 45 min/day · Grooming High
Scottish Terrier
A sturdy, wire-coated terrier from the Scottish Highlands.
Small · Medium energy · 11–13 years · Exercise 40 min/day · Grooming Medium
Mexican Hairless Dog
An ancient, largely hairless breed (the Xoloitzcuintli) revered in Mesoamerica.
Medium · Medium energy · 12–15 years · Exercise 45 min/day · Grooming Low
Tips
- Check your lease and building rules on pets and size limits first.
- Plan for two or three walks and some play every day, even for low-energy dogs.
- Barking matters in shared walls: practise being alone early and give puzzle toys.