Nothing compares to the love and joy you will enjoy once you’ve brought a new dog to share your life.
Whether you’re looking for a newborn puppy or a slightly mature dog, there are some breeds that won’t work if you’re living in an apartment.
So what are the worst dog breeds for apartment?
While each dog is unique and will adapt to their environment, there are specific categories, like outdoor dog breeds such as Border Collie or sizeable dog breeds such as Briard that are not recommended for first-time owners in apartment.
Learning about the worst dogs for apartments will help you pick the ideal pooch to share your life.
Table of Contents
Airedale Terrier
This is a hard-working dog with a special personality. The largest of all Terriers is native to Yorkshire and is one of the smartest and most confident dogs. It doesn’t shed much and is affectionate towards the family.
Buying the right toy is essential to keep your dog happy. It doesn’t respond well to harsh training and can hold a grudge towards the person who showed aggressive behavior.
Why is the Airedale Terrier a Bad Dog for Apartment Living
- This dog needs a lot of daily exercises.
- It prefers to live in a big yard where it can run freely.
Alaskan Malamute
This dog appreciates challenges that keep it occupied. It’s one of the oldest breeds and is suitable for an experienced dog owner. It’s exceptionally affectionate with the family and is even friendly towards strangers.
People usually get impressed by this dog’s looks because it looks like it’s half dog half wolf. Although the size of the dog might scare off an intruder, this is not a typical watchdog.
Why is the Alaskan Malamute a Bad Dog for Apartment Living
- This dog has a lot of energy and needs to run in a big yard.
- It sheds heavily.
Australian Cattle Dog
This dog was bred by Australian settlers to take care of their cattle and is still used as a herding dog. It’s a loyal dog and is always protective of its family. However, it’s not recommended for a novice owner.
This is not a couch potato but is considered to be a true shadow dog. This dog loves its owner and doesn’t prefer to be separated from him or her.
Why is the Australian Cattle Dog a Bad Dog for Apartment Living
- This dog has a lot of energy and needs regular exercise sessions.
- When not allowed to run and play, the dog will start displaying destructive behaviors.
- Unless raised with other puppies, smaller animals, and kids in the house, the dog’s natural instinct of catching prey and biting might take over.
Beagle
This dog is happy and sensitive. It generally gets along with other pets and thinks of everyone as a new friend.
It can pick up scents very well, so it’s a number one scent hound. As a result, you should be careful because your dog might do anything to chase a scent they find interesting.
Why is the Beagle a Bad Dog for Apartment Living
- This dog needs regular exercise sessions throughout the day.
- It usually barks or howls, especially when it’s bored.
- When left in a confined space, the dog can display destructive behaviors.
Belgian Malinois
This dog is an excellent athletic companion and is usually trained to work as a police dog. It’s a quick and alert dog, so it will respond faster to threats. This pooch is quite sensitive and doesn’t respond to harsh training.
Why is the Belgian Malinois a Bad Dog for Apartment Living
- This dog doesn’t work for a first-time dog owner.
- It needs lots of exercises and will prefer to run in a big backyard.
- It sheds constantly and will shed twice a year heavily.
Blue Lacy
Give this dog a job to do, and it will feel happy and content. It’s an expert watchdog and can be an excellent family pup. It doesn’t trust strangers easily, and it can learn to please with positive training.
Why is the Blue Lacy a Bad Dog for Apartment Living
- This dog needs an experienced owner with lots of time for training.
- It loves to run in a backyard and doesn’t get along with smaller pets.
- It sheds heavily.
Border Collie
This is a prime herding dog with lots of stamina and energy. If you’re interested in canine sports, this dog will be your perfect companion because it excels at agility and obedience competitions.
It will work for you if you want an active dog that will keep you on your toes all the time, and you need to make sure that it has a job to keep it busy.
Why is the Border Collie a Bad Dog for Apartment Living
- The dog sheds heavily.
- It features supernatural amounts of stamina and energy and needs regular exercise to prevent destructive behaviors.
Briard
Lots of pet owners fall in love with this dog’s shaggy coat. It was mainly bred as a working dog and was used in World War I by troops to carry messages or medicines. Today, this pooch makes a great family dog that enjoys following you around the house while you’re doing your daily chores.
Why is the Briard a Bad Dog for Apartment Living
- It loves to run and play, but shouldn’t be left alone for a whole day in the backyard.
- This dog usually barks at children, people, and other pets, trying to control the flock, as part of its job as a herding dog.
Dalmatian
Best known as the star of 101 Dalmatians, this dog loves to be part of the family and enjoys his humans’ companionship. If you’re looking for a jogging partner, this dog can be your best companion.
This pup is highly intelligent, and early training is essential to keep the dog under control. It’s a sensitive pooch that doesn’t respond to harsh training. Some dogs can be quite stubborn, so you need to pay special attention to regular training and early socialization.
Why is the Dalmatian a Bad Dog for Apartment Living
- In the past, this dog was bred to run alongside carriages, and need lots of exercises to stay mentally and physically motivated.
- It sheds heavily and needs daily grooming to keep the coat in good shape.
- It can become too excited when it’s around its people and can easily knock kids and furniture pieces when it’s running around.
English Springer Spaniel
This athletic dog excels at agility competitions. It’s enthusiastic and always eager to please, so you can have more fun with this dog as an owner.
Although it might bark at strangers, it’s not a typical guard dog. It needs lots of human interaction because it gets bored easily.
Why is the English Springer Spaniel a Bad Dog for Apartment Living
- This dog needs room to run, so it might knock down pieces of furniture.
- It sheds all year long.
German Shepherd
This popular dog excels at anything that it’s trained to do. It works as a guide dog, assistant to the handicapped, and as a police dog. It’s a faithful pup that doesn’t enjoy being left on its own for extended periods.
This dog is usually aloof of strangers and needs crate training, so it can learn to be happy away from their owner.
Why is the German Shepherd a Bad Dog for Apartment Living
- This dog needs to run, so it will feel confined in an apartment.
- It sheds all year long and will shed twice a year heavily.
German Shorthaired Pointer
This enthusiastic dog will bark at strangers, but it’s not necessarily aggressive. It likes to please and will work hard to make its owner happy. Because it’s a people-oriented dog, it doesn’t like to be left on its own for extended periods.
Why is the German Shorthaired Pointer a Bad Dog for Apartment Living
- It’s a high-energy dog and needs regular exercise.
- It barks a lot and can be quite annoying if you live in a small apartment.
Siberian Husky
This dog has a beautiful coat and will usually try to escape if you don’t give it much attention. It’s quite popular and is very intelligent. It has a mind of its own and won’t try very hard to please its people.
Why is the Siberian Husky a Bad Dog for Apartment Living
- This dog can become destructive indoor and outdoor when not given enough attention.
- It needs regular exercise.
- It enjoys howling, so it can be annoying when you’re living in an apartment.
Vizsla
This is an ideal companion for active owners. This pooch is quite affectionate and is usually called Velcro Vizsla because it stays attached to its people. This is a low shedder and learns tricks fast.
Why is the Vizsla a Bad Dog for Apartment Living
- It whines and moans, so it can be annoying.
- It prefers to run in a big yard.
- This dog chews, so you need to give it enough toys to protect your possessions.
Weimaraner
Native to Germany, this dog was bred to be an all-around hunting dog. This pup has a strong prey drive and will always test your boundaries. It’s not recommended for a first-time pet owner and can be quite aggressive towards smaller animals.
Nevertheless, it’s an intelligent dog and can learn quickly. If you’re able to keep up with this pooch, then it might be the right one for you.
Why is the Weimaraner a Bad Dog for Apartment Living
- It has high stamina and needs to run a lot.
- It’s challenging to housetrain.
Final Thoughts
Dogs are special creatures, and finding the right dog for you might not be an easy task. You need to make sure that you can keep up with your pup and that they don’t mind your lifestyle.
