Apartment living
Apartment dogs for people who work
Working and sharing a flat with a dog can go really well together — with a plan. These breeds cope better than most with quiet hours at home. None of them, though, is a dog you can leave for a full working day, every day, without help.
- Every breed here scores at least moderate for flat living and above average for coping alone.
- We sorted by how well they handle time alone first, then by how easily they settle in a flat.
Flat dogs that handle quiet hours
Basenji
Clean, athletic and famously reluctant to bark. A Basenji replaces barking with independence, climbing and inventive escape plans.
- Tolerance of being alone
- High
- Apartment suitability
- High
- Barking
- Very low
- Exercise needs
- High
- Typical yearly cost
- €1,200–€2,100
Lhasa Apso
Self-possessed, watchful and loyal on its own terms. A Lhasa is less eager to please than its small size suggests.
- Tolerance of being alone
- High
- Apartment suitability
- High
- Barking
- Very high
- Exercise needs
- Low
- Typical yearly cost
- €1,200–€2,100
Chinese Shar-Pei
Quiet, reserved and loyal to a small circle. The skin and eye care behind the famous wrinkles can be medically demanding.
- Tolerance of being alone
- High
- Apartment suitability
- Moderate
- Barking
- Low
- Exercise needs
- Low
- Typical yearly cost
- €1,600–€2,900
Chow Chow
Aloof, quiet and physically substantial. A Chow offers loyalty without constant affection and needs careful early socialisation.
- Tolerance of being alone
- High
- Apartment suitability
- Moderate
- Barking
- Low
- Exercise needs
- Low
- Typical yearly cost
- €1,600–€2,800
Miniature Pinscher
Tiny, athletic and independently minded. A Min Pin needs secure doors, real training and respect for its terrier-like drive.
- Tolerance of being alone
- High
- Apartment suitability
- Moderate
- Barking
- Very high
- Exercise needs
- Moderate
- Typical yearly cost
- €1,000–€1,800
Shiba Inu
Independent, fastidious and self-contained. A Shiba respects you rather than obeys you.
- Tolerance of being alone
- High
- Apartment suitability
- Moderate
- Barking
- Low
- Exercise needs
- Moderate
- Typical yearly cost
- €1,200–€2,000
Greyhound
A sprinter that sleeps most of the day. Quiet, clean and surprisingly well suited to calm homes.
- Tolerance of being alone
- Moderate
- Apartment suitability
- High
- Barking
- Very low
- Exercise needs
- Low
- Typical yearly cost
- €1,100–€1,900
Miniature Schnauzer
Bearded, bright and quietly self-important. A terrier brain in a tidy, low-shedding coat.
- Tolerance of being alone
- Moderate
- Apartment suitability
- High
- Barking
- High
- Exercise needs
- Moderate
- Typical yearly cost
- €1,200–€2,000
What a working week really needs
Around four hours is a kind upper limit for most adult dogs, and puppies need company far more often. For an eight-hour day, plan on a dog walker, doggy day care, a flexible employer or a neighbour who loves dogs. In many cities a midday walker costs €15–25 a visit, which can add €3,000 or more to a year — often more than the dog itself.
Independent breeds like the Basenji, Shiba Inu and Chow Chow tolerate time alone better, but they are not the easiest companions: strong-willed, and not naturally eager to please. The dogs themselves cost around €1,000–2,900 a year in our data, before any daytime help.
Please don't choose from this list if…
- You'll regularly be away eight hours or more with nobody to break up the day.
- This would be your first dog and you're hoping for an easy, eager learner — several of these are independent thinkers.
- Paying for a walker or day care on busy weeks isn't possible.
Questions people ask us
How long can a dog be left alone in an apartment?
For most adult dogs, around four hours at a stretch is kind; some manage a little more, puppies much less. Longer days need a walker or day care, whatever the breed.
What is the best dog for someone who works full time?
Often an adult dog rather than a puppy, from a breed that copes well alone, with a walker at midday. The quiz lets you enter your real hours and shows which breeds fit them.
Is it unkind to have a dog if I work?
Not if the dog's day is planned: a good walk before work, company or a walker in the middle, time together in the evening. What harms dogs is long, empty days — not a working owner.
Your week is the other half of the match
A list can only get you so far. The Find My Dog quiz sets your home, your hours and your limits against every breed, and shows you the reasoning behind each score so you can judge it for yourself. It takes two minutes and it's free.
For when your dog comes home
DoggMatch+ helps with the practical side of the first year: training week by week, food portions worked out from your dog's weight, a care calendar and a printable Dog Pack. It's entirely optional, and everything on this page stays free.
See what DoggMatch+ includes