Many people dream of having a big dog, but they often believe large dog breeds cannot live comfortably inside small apartments. Because of their large size, people think they need huge space, backyard or large home.
But that is absolutely wrong, Some big dog breeds are very gentle, calm, quite, and actually made for small apartments.
These apartments friendly dog breeds love to spend most of time indoor, some wants to sleep while other wants to stay near their owners.
In countries like the United States, Australia, England and across Europe even smaller urban homes are now looking for a calm large dog breeds because of their gentle temperament, and protective personalities.
In this blog, we will explore the top best big dog breeds that are excellent for apartments, including low-energy giant breeds, quiet family companions, and large dogs that adapt well indoor living.
Can You Have a Big Dog in a Small Apartments?
There are some big dog breeds who are apartment-friendly because of their calm temperature, and gentle towards kids.
Many Americans and European families are looking for emotional connection, companionship, and protective nature.
Every dog breeds must provide regular training, daily attention, daily walks to keep them healthy and mental stimulation.
Many big dog breeds are calmer, quieter, and more relaxed Indoors than many other dogs.
What Makes a Big Dog Apartment-friendly?
First of all we have to understand that not every big dog breeds is suitable for small apartments but there are few personality traits that help them adapt well into smaller spaces.
Calm Temperament –
One of the best things is a dog who has calm temperament, these large dog breeds love to stay relaxed, they don’t bark excessively, or become destructive indoors.
Calm big dog breeds mostly enjoy resting besides with their owners for long hours.
Low Energy Levels-
Many giant breeds require less activities than smaller energetic dogs. These low energetic dogs are easier to manage and excellent for small apartments.
Trainability-
Training play a key role because every trained dog is gonna be adapt faster in small apartments, and creates an gentle, calm, and friendly behavior in homes.
Top 7 Best Big Dog Breeds for Small Apartments-
1. Great Dane –
Great Danes one of the best choice for small apartments, because these dogs are generally calm, and usually prefer resting besides their owners rather than running around the house.
Many people doesn’t know that this dog breed can actually adapt very brilliantly in small homes, their quite personality and low barking tendency make them one of the best apartment-friendly big dogs for modern families.
As we all know this breed are huge in size but they are being loving emotionally and attacked with owners, you should provide them proper training and daily walks to keep them happy.
Pros-
- Calm indoor behavior
- Quite and affectionate personality
- Surprisingly apartments-friendly
- Loyal family companions
Cons-
- Needs enough floor space
- Expensive food costs
- Shorter lifespan
- Can accidentally knock over objects due to size
2. Greyhound –
This breed are stay quiet and gentle personalities which makes a dog perfect for apartments living. They are actually one of the laziest and calmest large dog breeds.
They mostly stay calm inside home and they are surprisingly famous racing dogs, you should provide regular walks and short exercise session.
Because of their relaxed nature and low barking habits, the Greyhound are considered one of the best big dogs for small apartments.
Pros-
- Extremely calm indoors
- Quite and gentle
- Low indoor activities
- Adapts well to apartments
Cons-
- Sensitive to cold weather
- Needs regular outdoor walks
- Can be shy around strangers
- Strong chasing instinct outdoor
3. Bullmastiff –
Bullmastiff are big dog breeds who are so powerful and excellent in protecting homes, they are loyal, relaxed and peaceful, perfect for families who lives in small apartments.
This breeds are known for their low exercise needs and calm indoor behavior, they love to spend time with owners and prefer relaxing indoors.
Their gentle and quiet personality makes them perfect choice for families looking for both protection and loving companions.
Pros-
- Protective yet calm
- Quite indoor behavior
- Loyal family companions
- lower excercise
Cons-
- Large body needs space
- Heavy drooling in some dogs
- Early training is important
- Can become stubborn sometimes
4. Clumber Spaniel-
This breed are low-energy breed, their relaxed personalities, affectionate behavior, and quite indoor lifestyle.
Their calm temperament and indoor-friendly nature make them good for families who are looking for small homes.
Pros-
- Relaxed Indoor personality
- Low-energy lifestyle
- Quite and affectionate
- Good for small homes
Cons-
- Heavy shedding at times
- Needs regular grooming
- Can gain weight easily
- Less common breed availability
5. Newfoundland –
The Newfoundland are giants fluffy dog breeds are mostly famous for their loving and gentle nature, they are large in size but still have calm temperament and emotionally connected with owners.
This dog breeds are generally kind and playful around kids, they stay well behaved when proper training and grooming provided. That is why they are one of the best big dog breeds for apartment living.
Pros-
- Extremely gentle personality
- Great with kids
- Calm indoor behavior
- Loyal emotional companiship
Cons-
- Heavy grooming needs
- Large food expenses
- Can drool frequently
- Needs cool environments
6. Standard Poodle –
The Standard Poodle is one of the smartest and most adaptable large dog breeds in the world. They are highly intelligent, quickly learn commands and known for their calm behavior, these breeds are best for families that lives in small apartments.
Also this dog breeds are low-shedding curly coat, which makes them easier to manage for families who are busy and wants cleaning homes.
Pros-
- Highly intelligent breed
- Low shedding coat
- Easy to train
- Great family companions
Cons-
- Frequently grooming required
- Can become bored easily
- Needs mental stimulation
- Professional grooming costs
7. Bernese Mountain Dog-
Bernese Mountain dogs are huge in size with an calm and gentle personalities, they have fluffy appearance and emotional companiship these breeds are wonderful with kids.
However, they are large dog breeds but very easily adapt in apartment living when they receive daily walks, emotional attention, they can become best companies for apartment living.
Pros-
- Affectionate family dog
- Calm indoor personality
- Gentle and emotional companionship
- Beautiful fluffy appearance
Cons-
- Heavy seasonal shedding
- Needs regular grooming
- Sensitive to heat
- Shorter lifespan in some cases
Best Large Dog Breed for Family in Small Apartments –
One of the difficult thing is to find a large dog for small apartments, so many families are looking for big dog breeds who is gentle, calm temperament, and emotionally connected with family. There are some giant breeds that adapt very well to apartments life.
The Great Dane is one of the best choice for families who are looking for kind, loyal, and protective large dog breeds, they spend most of their time with owners after training and quickly adaptable in small apartments.
Newfoundland dogs are another excellent choice for families because their gentle, and calm personality with both owners and children can creates emotional connection.
The Standard Poodle is perfect for small home or apartments, they are very smart and very easy to train and low-shedding large dog breeds, they can easily adapt in small apartments.
One of the important thing is every dog must need proper training, daily grooming and regular exercise to keep them healthy and happy in small apartments.
Things to Know Before Getting a Big Apartment Dog –
After bringing a large dog breed for apartments living, family has to take some big responsibilities because every dogs requires proper care, daily attention, and enough physical and mental stimulation to stay healthy and happy.
You should provide regular exercise, because every dog breed still needs exercise, daily walks, to help in weight management and improve emotional well-being.
Also, one of the important things is to give them advanced grooming. Many giant breeds require regular brushing to manage shedding and keep their coats healthy.
There are fluffy breeds like Bernese Mountain Dog and Newfoundland these types of breeds need more attention and brushing 3-4 times a week.
Big dog breeds needs high nutrition, they eat significantly more food than small dogs, and monthly costs can become expensive, especially for giant breeds. It is mandatory to provide them with more food to help their joints and muscles stay strong and active.
You should must provide them with higher training, to learn commands quickly and understand how to live and behave kindly in small apartments. So choosing the right apartment-friendly giant dog should always depend on your lifestyle, availability of space, and ability to provide long term training and care.
Best Big Dog Breeds for Apartment Families in the United States and Canada –
Large dog breeds are becoming very popular for families that lives in apartments, in the United States and Canada, in modern cities where people want calm and loyal indoor companions. Many families now looking for a big dog breeds that gives the family both protection and emotional connection.
In colder regions of Canada and northern part of the United States, fluffy dog breeds like the Newfoundland and the Bernese Mountain Dog are extremely popular because they are comfortably work in cold temperatures, their calm temperament and gentle nature makes them perfect for families in the United States and Canada.
In the United States, there some urban lifestyles in cities like New York, Toronto, and Chicago, apartment-friendly large dog breeds such as the Great Dane and the Greyhound are mostly preferred because of their calm and gentle personalities and love to spend most of time with owners.
American and Canadian families choose calm big dog breeds because they provide emotional connection, gives good vibes, these breeds are extremely gentle, this is why they wonderful for families.
Pros and Cons of Big Dogs in Small Apartments-
Pros-
- Calm emotional companions
- Protective family behavior
- Loyal indoor pets
- Strong emotional bonding
- Quiet relaxed personalities
Cons-
- Large food expenses
- Space management challenges
- Grooming requirements
- Daily exercise still needed
- Apartment restrictions
- Elevator and stair difficulty for older dogs
Frequently Asked Questions?
What are the best big dogs for small apartments?
Great Dane and Bullmastiff are some of the best large dog breeds for apartment living.
Can large dogs live in small apartments?
Yes, calm large dog breeds can adapt very well to apartment but regular excercise and grooming must given.
Which big dog breed is the quietest indoors?
Greyhound and Great Dane are known for being the quietest and relaxed dog breeds.
Are big apartment dogs good for families?
Yes, many calm giant breeds are generally calm, and protective family companions.
Living in a small apartments and dreaming of big dog breeds is good because there are many large dog breeds who are perfect for small apartments because they are generally calm, gentle and easily adapt in small homes. Proper training, regular excercise and attention must needed for them. Also explore our latest blog on Top Calm Big Dog Breeds for Families and also read.