Apartment friendly dogs?

[longdoglvr]

The thing is,I am planning on moving to an apartment some time in the hopefully not too far distant future...have been trying to find info on small dogs less likely to be barkers...I am disabled and so cannot handle a large dog or go for long walks, short ones OK...I would be home with the dog 99% of the time and will be on a limited budget so anything that requires regular grooming appointments is not good...also I am not a fan of cutsie foofy dogs...just not my style, no offense to those who are...right now I am living with my parents and have a wonderful basset hound, co-owned with them...but she would not be able to come with me as she is really too large for me to handle walks much and has pretty expensive vet bills...she is my second rescue dog and I think rescue dogs are the best, but this is the trouble...both have had fairly major health issues and it seems it is often difficult to get an honest health history...and I will barely be able to afford my own medical expenses so I need a healthy dog

For those who would say "get a cat" or "don't get a dog"...The thing is I NEED a dog...I am one of those people who just has to have a dog around for their mental health...I have always had a very strong connection with dogs (even ones I have never met before will follow me around or come right up to me) and prefer their company to humans 98% of the time...so I have to have a dog...but it has to be one that doesn't need a ton of exercise and is small enough for me to handle & bathe/groom myself and will do well in a studio apartment and not be all vocal making for bad neighbors...any thoughts? It seems all the dog breeds I have come up with on those "choose your ideal breed" sites are difficult to find, uncommon breeds :confused:

Thanks...Sandi ;)

[Carol]

I believe there is always a way if you are committed to giving the dog a good life. You will adapt to a lifestyle and routine that will work for you.
I know someone with a dog in an apt. who is a very responsible owner and she lives on the 5th floor. She has a balcony and this is crucial for someone who is handicapped and takes a while to get going to get outside.
She has half of her balcony covered in plastic and shavings etc as a potty area for her dog. She cleans up the poop right away and changes the shavings regularly to keep problems away. She walks her dog as much as she can and keeps it stimulated mentally.
Dogs can be trained to go in a specific area so this works for her. Her chosen dog is a cocker spaniel but there are lots of medium sized dogs that would be happy and healthy in an apartment.
Good Luck and congratulations for giving this some thought and research.

[KatzNK9]

Have you considered a Basenji? They are barkless dogs & although they are really a medium sized dog, they're not too big for an apartment but would require exercise & walks.

[longdoglvr]

Have you considered a Basenji? They are barkless dogs & although they are really a medium sized dog, they're not too big for an apartment but would require exercise & walks.

I often see this suggestion online...about the whole Banseji "barkless dog" thing...but I can tell you, our neighbors have a Basenji and while indeed he does not bark, he often does a loud mournful somewhat spooky yodeling thing...rather like someone torturing a loon...but thanks for the suggestion...my main concern is a dog that can get by in a small apt. with limited outdoor walks...frequency is not a problem, just distance...I walk with a cane but no wheelchair or anything that restrictive...but my biggest concern is the quiet thing...I had neighbors when I was living in an apt back in my twenties that would bang on the floor if I had the stereo set to 1...I just don't want to alienate neighbors or landlords etc.

[Carol]

Casey, my cocker spaniel very rarely barks....usually only if another dog is here and it barks. She would be fine in an apartment. She loves to be where I am so when I move from room to room, she is always looking for another place to lie down so I am in her sight.
She loves to go for walks and gets excited when I put my hat and coat on. But, she is content to go outside for a quick potty duty and wait until I am ready to go for a real walk. When we walk she is like a bloodhound so she is easy to walk because for her it is an investigative journey. She picks up messages from every post, pee stain and hydrant. Every so often she gets frisky and wants to run, especially if she spots another small/med dog. She is the perfect dog for me as a senior and we will grow old gracefully together.
Right now, she is under my computer chair as I type. Perfect.
Lots of people ask how expensive to groom. Well, last year I had her groomed once, shaved is more like it. It has just now grown in finally and I could do the same again to save money but I won't. But the point is, you can clip them really close and they love being like that and it saves on the number of times necessary per year.
Some kind of dog with the nature of a cocker spaniel would very easily fit into aprtment living lifestyle.