The WoW Style

Choosing the perfect four-legged companion is never easy. Optimally, the hardest part is picking the one breed you like, but let’s be honest, most of us is just isn’t that lucky, neither was I.

Some people are allergic to most dogs, some cannot afford to buy a purebred puppy. For me and my flatmate, the problem was that we lived in a tiny tiny apartment, in the downtown area. Having owned dogs in all my life before moving to the city, I missed not having a lovely, tail-wagging, little family member a great deal when I got home every day.

Looking for an apartment dog? Yes, please!

It took some time, but I finally made up my mind to not let living in a small apartment prevent me from having a furry companion in my life…And oh lordy lord was it the best decision of my life!

Soon my flatmate and I embarked on the quest of finding a that we like and can live in an apartment. Normally, people have many options at this point. Adopt a dog? Or buy a purebred puppy? And if purebred, then designer dog or a regular purebred? Since my flatmate Kate, had no experience with dogs, we decided to look for a purebred puppy, so training them won’t be a problem. We found plenty enough purebred puppies from good,reputable breeders, now we just had to some asking around and pick one.

She was not a fan of Chihuahuas, Bichons or Shih Tzus to say the least, but since I prefer the more traditional looking dog breeds, I didn’t mind ruling them out too much. What I did not expect however is that how many more breeds were still left, that are comfortable in apartments!

Size matters – or does it?

When it comes to apartment-compatible canines, the breeds that spring to anyone’s mind are Chihuahuas and other teacup-size breeds. On one hand people are right to think so, due to their small size, these dogs require small amount of exercise, which makes them life in an apartment easy. However, there are a few more factors than body size that matter when considering a breed condo-compatible.

Besides small body size, low level of energy, shortness of legs, intelligence, adaptability and waddling movement are attributes that make some pooches a good candidate. Let’s take the Havanese, a very adaptable breed, that doesn’t mind living in a small place, or the Bulldogs, whose short legs and waddling movement prevent them from moving as fast as other breeds.

Eventually, Kate and I ended up with four possible options, those I’m going to tell you about. We did rule out Boston Terriers, Bulldogs, Afghan Hounds, and a few others, simply because we personally didn’t fall in love with them. But hey, don’t let our preferences deter you! Rule number one always is, that it has to be love at first sight, both when choosing a breed and a puppy from a litter.

Dachshund

The first breed that we came across was the Dachshund. Those big eyes and playfulness could win over everybody, no surprise we liked them from the first minute. Dachshunds come in many sizes, from Teacup (XS) to Standard (M), to better visualize it, check out this size chart. Whichever size you pick, due to their short legs, they only need very little exercise.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

These silky little toy dogs are the number one choice of tens of thousands of people just in the United Kingdom. They are not just “compact” but also affectionate to children, generally friendly and easy to train. Even though their low level of energy, they can easily be the comedian of the family at any time.

Greyhound

Yes, Greyhounds claim the title of the fastest breed of all, but much to my surprise, Greyhounds can easily live in apartments. Yes, they require exercise, more than the other breeds in this article, but they are highly adaptive and (this might be shocking) have very low level of energy. If you manage to provide a daily exercise, they will be as chill as a dog can get! Although the Greyhound was my personal favorite, I also didn’t rule out the Afghan Hound, their silkier, more unique cousin.

However, at the end of the day, Greyhounds are just easier to groom. Greyhounds are a good fit for children as well, if you live in a flat, I can honestly recommend checking out this breed.

Poodle

Poodles were our fourth option and (spoiler alert) our final choice. We had to make this decision, so truth to be told, these curly coated goofballs are just all around great, better than all of the other breeds I’ve mentioned here. There are many reasons to get a Poodle, they are intelligent, well-mannered, affectionate, don’t shed and the list just goes on!

We picked a Miniature Poodle and named her Tensei. Luckily, Poodles only have a few possible hereditary diseases and since we got Tensei from Wuuff, she arrived having gotten all her vaccinations too. Ever since then, she has been making our everyday apartment life as happy as possible.

Mastiff

Last but not least, here is an honorable mention, the biggest dog you can have in your apartment without destroying it, the Mastiff. Mastiffs, or as I like to call them, gentle giants are not meant for apartments, however they can adapt to apartment life without a problem. They have a moderate need for exercise, but being lazy is their one and true element. On top of this, you bet your Mastiff will be the perfect companion and guardian of your children!

Don’t neglect exercise!

With all this said about all of these breeds, I want you to remember, the importance of walking your pooch at least once a day. Even the smallest dog can destroy your apartment if they are not exercised at all.

In our situation, one of us could always take the dog for a walk, this is the first and most important rule of having a four-legged friend in your apartment. If you’re someone who lives alone and works day and night, you should try making time for a dog in your life, or don’t get one at all.