Apartment living
Bigger dogs that cope well in a flat
Living in a flat doesn't mean you have to choose a small dog. Some larger breeds are wonderfully calm indoors and happy to doze most of the day. The real questions are stairs, lifts, hallways and how you'll manage a big dog in shared spaces.
- Every breed here is medium-sized or larger, moderate or low in energy, and scores at least moderate for flat living.
- We sorted by flat suitability first, then by energy.
Larger breeds with calm indoor manners
Whippet
A sofa dog with a sprinter's body. Quiet, affectionate and remarkably easy to live with.
- Size
- Moderate
- Apartment suitability
- Very high
- Energy
- Moderate
- Barking
- Very low
- Typical yearly cost
- €1,000–€1,700
English Bulldog
Affectionate and comical, but the familiar shape can make breathing, movement and temperature control genuinely difficult.
- Size
- Moderate
- Apartment suitability
- High
- Energy
- Very low
- Barking
- Low
- Typical yearly cost
- €1,900–€3,400
Greyhound
A sprinter that sleeps most of the day. Quiet, clean and surprisingly well suited to calm homes.
- Size
- High
- Apartment suitability
- High
- Energy
- Low
- Barking
- Very low
- Typical yearly cost
- €1,100–€1,900
Basset Hound
A gentle household clown governed by an exceptional nose. Low speed does not mean easy recall or low medical care.
- Size
- Moderate
- Apartment suitability
- Moderate
- Energy
- Low
- Barking
- Very high
- Typical yearly cost
- €1,300–€2,300
Chinese Shar-Pei
Quiet, reserved and loyal to a small circle. The skin and eye care behind the famous wrinkles can be medically demanding.
- Size
- Moderate
- Apartment suitability
- Moderate
- Energy
- Low
- Barking
- 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.
- Size
- High
- Apartment suitability
- Moderate
- Energy
- Low
- Barking
- Low
- Typical yearly cost
- €1,600–€2,800
Rough Collie
Gentle, observant and eager to cooperate. A Rough Collie is softer than many herders but still needs training, brushing and company.
- Size
- High
- Apartment suitability
- Moderate
- Energy
- Moderate
- Barking
- High
- Typical yearly cost
- €1,400–€2,400
Space matters less than you think — stairs matter more
A Greyhound or Whippet will happily curl up in a corner for hours; what they need is a proper outing to stretch their legs now and then. The everyday challenge with a bigger dog is logistics: getting an ill or elderly dog down four flights, fitting into the lift, and passing neighbours calmly in a narrow corridor.
Larger dogs eat more and cost more to treat. In our data these breeds run from about €1,000 a year for a Whippet to €3,400 for an English Bulldog, with the Chow Chow and Shar-Pei at around €1,600–2,900.
Please don't choose from this list if…
- You live several floors up without a lift — carrying a 30 kg dog in an emergency isn't realistic.
- Your lease limits dog size or weight; check before you fall in love.
- You'd struggle to hold a strong dog on a short lead in a stairwell.
Questions people ask us
Can a Greyhound live in an apartment?
Very often, yes. Retired racing Greyhounds are famously calm indoors and sleep much of the day. They do need a safe place to run now and then, and many can't be trusted off the lead near small animals.
What size of dog is too big for an apartment?
It depends more on energy and your building than on size. A calm large dog can suit a flat better than a restless terrier. Giant breeds are harder because of stairs, lifts and room to turn around.
Does a big dog need a garden?
A garden is handy, but it's no substitute for walks. Plenty of big dogs live happily in flats with good daily outings.
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