Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Pets

Join our community on the Pet forum to discuss anything related to pets.

Original poster

Dog lovers help please - a good dog for apartment living

54 replies

teafortwo · 15/05/2009 20:37

Me, DH and DD (aged 3)love dogs and we have always said we will get one when we get a house in the country.

A friend of mine sent me an e-mail that said "Living is not waiting for the clouds to go away but learning to dance in the rain."

I found it rather lovely and it made me wonder about our longing for a dog. If we wait until the perfect moment maybe we will never get one.

So we have started researching for good breeds for apartment living.

We live in a friendly town, in a tiny apartment but within walking distance of a woodland.

During the afternoon when I am at work and dd at school we would employ a dog sitter - as I wouldn't want to leave any dog for a long time alone.

So.... any ideas for the perfect breed for us?

Thank you for your time and thoughts they mean a lot.

OP posts:
Original poster
teafortwo · 15/05/2009 20:50

We are passionate about

Setters (me)

Bassett Hounds (dh)

Anything wih four legs and goes woof woof (dd)

Our ideal dog for all of us is....

A female Sussex spaniel...

but I would be nervous of having one in an apartment due to their love of barking!!!!

Any ideas????

OP posts:
bella29 · 15/05/2009 20:51

Many breeds would suit, as would mutts - but I do understand it can be difficult to get a rescue to rehome to a family with young children.

Don't let anyone tell you you can't have a dog in an apartment: it sounds like you would provide a very good home.

Best of luck

Original poster
teafortwo · 15/05/2009 20:59

Thanks Bella!

Me and dh both grew up wih dogs but it would be our first time having a dog and being the ones in charge.

I think perhaps we shouldn't have a rescue dog as our first dog firstly because of dd being so little which could make things tricky and secondly because we need experience with a 'normal' dog before trying to care for one with ishooos iyswim.

So..... What breeds are great for apartment and family living then????

OP posts:
Original poster
teafortwo · 15/05/2009 21:06

So far we have considered...

Cocker Spaniel - but I worry about the lack of space and their desire for fields. It doesn't feel fair.

British Bulldog - but they are too slobbery and I worry about the health issues with the breed.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - but dh says he doesn't have a 'click - I love you' with them.

Hmmmmm.....

We really aren't keen on getting a little snappy thing (sorry for anyone who loves tiny energetic dogs)!

Would a Sussex spaniel be happy in an apartment... or is this daft wishful thinking?

OP posts:
MaryHuff · 15/05/2009 21:21

How about a Maltese?

chegirl · 15/05/2009 21:48

I would go for a cross breed. They are hardier and you can pick the bits of breeds you like.

I wanted a very small dog but not an annoying girly one. I also required that he was pretty and not weird and bulgy headed.

I wanted a chiauaua (but cannot spell) but thought they would be too fragile for my rowdy household. I looked around for Chi crosses and eventually got a Chi x Pommeranian.

He is a lovely dog. He is feisty but not yappy, he doesnt need a lot of exercise but likes going for walks, he is fantastic with my kids (youngest only 17mths). He is a game little thing but loves a cuddle.

I WUV him (sorry )

Original poster
teafortwo · 15/05/2009 21:50

Do you have a Maltese MaryHuff???

OP posts:
MmeLindt · 15/05/2009 22:03

Did I hear someone mention Maltese?

TeaforTwo
Our dog is a Maltese/King Charles Spaniel and she is just fab fab fab.

She is gentle, absolutely adores children, friendly and affectionate. She is incredibly loyal, follows me around from room to room and is happiest curled up beside us.

The other dogs from the same litter are similar in temperament (but much larger than Daphne)

We keep her hair trimmed and as she does not shed, we have no problems with allergies etc.

MmeLindt · 15/05/2009 22:06

oh, I forgot to mention, she is content with just one walk a day (ca. one hour in the morning, school run then out in the fields) and can even go a day without a walk if need be. Today it rained all day so she refused to go out

She is quite the "cold tattie", we have to watch her in winter as she gets cold really easily. My friend has knitted her a DaphneCosy.

Doodle2U · 15/05/2009 22:08

Border Terrier - not too big, not too small, barely lose hair, will walk for miles but happy to chill and wait for their walk. Best dog I've ever had.

Original poster
teafortwo · 15/05/2009 22:10

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maltese_(dog)

The puppy cut ones are pretty cute - and they seem to have a good character - which is VERY important to me!

Chegirl - I am scared of going for a cross because they are less predictable.

I would be scared of getting a dog who craves space and doesn't like children and won't stop growing!!!! It would break my heart to have to have our darling dog re-homed. Which is why we are being so careful about the type of dog we choose in the first place.

I would go for a cross like that if I lived in a place that was great for any kind of dog... but we are dancing in the rain

OP posts:
Original poster
teafortwo · 15/05/2009 22:12

funny Mmelindt - I was thinking about Daphne! And wondering if she was a Maltese!

OP posts:
LuckySalem · 15/05/2009 22:12

Hey,

It sounds as though you could provide a really good home. Dont give up on rescue dogs as although a few of them won't rehome where there are kids alot would.

Can I suggest you go to this website rescues register and start a thread explaining what you could offer. You'll find in no time at all that there are lots of rescues offering you lots of dogs.

I honestly dont think there is a specific breed for you as its all down to the dog not the breed so if you fancy it, I'm on there!!

whooosh · 15/05/2009 22:13

A whippet!
L
They love sleeping! Very gentle with children but are happy with a once a day mad rush around.Obviously need to be taken out more often to wee/poo but are really soppy.Minimal moulting issues too.Ours lived very happily in a house with 3 cats.
Greyhounds too but may be a little big for an apartment.

hatwoman · 15/05/2009 22:14

I always say it...will say it again (I'm really rather boring) check out petplanet.co.uk - you can do a quiz about your situation/requirements/what you can give a dog etc and it comes up with suggestions. it also has excellent breed profiles for most breeds

MmeLindt · 15/05/2009 22:15

Just to warn you, a pure bred Maltese will set you back around ?1500 to ?2000.

A Maltalier will be a lot cheaper. We paid CHF 500 for our puppy.

LuckySalem · 15/05/2009 22:18

A lot of whippets have ALOT of energy although some are content to sit around alot will develop some bad behaviour through boredom.

Again i'd suggest either going to your local rescue or joining some sort of site like that one (if not that one) and looking at individual dogs not at breeds.

Original poster
teafortwo · 15/05/2009 22:19

doodle - do Border Terrier's have that terrier 'killer instinct'?

I used to walk a terrier (patadale) and I found her desire for trying to and actually killing things quite hard to handle emotionally...

I need a gentle dog...

OP posts:
MmeLindt · 15/05/2009 22:21

Or have a look for Bichon Frise

They look similar to Daphne, just the hair is curlier.

Another dog that looks similar and has great temperament is the Coton

These are the kind of dogs that we see a lot of in Geneva. They are good for city living.

All of them look best, imo, with a puppy cut.

whooosh · 15/05/2009 22:21

I know I will get flamed for this but the terrier mentality is not always a good mix with childnen.......or indeed apartment living.

LuckySalem · 15/05/2009 22:22

Hmmm, some terriers can be a little nippy around children but again some are brilliant.

I'm gonna keep sayin it see the dog not the breed.

hatwoman · 15/05/2009 22:22

we have a border terrier across the road and when he sees our dog he turns from this rather cute cheeky looking chap into a gremlin. or tasmanian devil. it's quite amusing coz our dog doesn;t even acknowledge his existence. which sends him even wilder

Doodle2U · 15/05/2009 22:26

I asked VET for advice before I decided.

She said ;-

a) Get a puppy, so the dog grows up with the children

b) It's very noble to go for a rescue dog but with children, the risk is too high.

She then listed some breeds, including the border terrier and said a lot of vets have BT's.

If you get a puppy and work hard on socialising - around other dogs, children, walking at night with car headlamps, around sirens, in crowded places etc etc and do all of this in the first 16 weeks of his life - any dog will work for you!

As salem says - see the dog, not the breed.

Doodle2U · 15/05/2009 22:28

Maybe a better way of saying it - you get out what you put in.

hatwoman · 15/05/2009 22:29

I agree - I think that in many many cases snappiness isn't down to the breed, but rather shortcomings in socialisation and training