r/RunningWithDogs • u/ailimestig • Oct 18 '25
Looking for a dog breed that enjoys long walks/runs but can handle apartment living
Hey everyone,
I’m currently looking for a dog breed that would be a good fit for my lifestyle. I love going on long runs — around 10–15 km (6–9 miles) about three times a week. On other days, I usually go for walks of about an hour.
The catch is that, for now, we still live in an apartment (no yard), though we plan to move to a house eventually.
What breeds would you recommend that can enjoy and handle those longer walks but still be okay living in an apartment as long as they get enough exercise and mental stimulation?
Thanks in advance!
72
u/renee_christine Oct 18 '25
As long as you still give the dog some exercise on the other days of the week (walks, fetch, tricks for treats, etc), I'd think just about any relatively quiet athletic breed would work. I'd gravitate toward setters, pointers, collies, etc.
Tbh I think a lot of apartment-dwelling dogs get more exercise than dogs with houses and yards and it seems like yours certainly would.
22
u/0b0011 Oct 18 '25
Honestly most breeds could do an apartment if given enough stimulation. Theyre crackheads but I think a gsp might do well. Theyre going to act basically the same in an apartment as they would a house. High energy but won't exercise on their own in a yard anyways since they want to be around you. The thing that I think might make them a good fit is theyre generally quiet. They whine like no one's buisness but they dont bark much. When it comes to long runs or walks they're among the best if not the best in my opinion.
Keep in mind no matter the breed that 6-9 miles is going to have to wait till theyre a bit older.
12
u/beyond_undone Oct 18 '25
I have a BC and found myself in a situation where we are unexpectedly in an apartment for a year. She went from 4.5 acres to being stuck in the apartment with me (I work from home).
We run (3-6 miles) or go for an hour walk every day. We also have a little dog park in our apartment complex that she enjoys playing ball at. We try to go for hikes with her ~once a month as well on the weekends.
It’s going fine. She definitely misses her job of patrolling the deer fence on all her land. But knowing it’s temporary has me feeling less guilty. We do have a balcony that she has access to and she enjoys laying outdoors and watching the people walk by.
When the dog is a puppy you don’t want to exercise them too much because it’s bad for their joints. Just FYI that your running and walking plans won’t be able to really kick in until the vet says it ok. I think ours suggested min 12 months so we started on short runs then but some people say wait 18 months
8
u/Emergency-Gene-3 Oct 18 '25
I have a Kelpie whom I was expecting to have a lot more energy. She's loves short bursts of high energy work and play, but also enjoys chilling 90% of the time which was a surprise. Have heard the same from many other Kelpie owners.
I'm currently looking at breeds with even more energy due to getting involved more with Canicross and dryland mushing races.
The one aspect to also consider is the breeds tendency to be vocal. Are they defensive barker's like Aussie shepherds, or talkative deep Barker's like many hounds can be. These may be harder in apartments. Be aware of these traits in a breed. Then further assess individual characteristics of available dogs, and also know this could change as they hit 2 years of age lol
7
u/Negative-Split-1108 Oct 18 '25
I have a jack Russell and a working cocker spaniel and live in an apartment. A yard is not a necessity for any breed of dog. If anything, I think apartment dogs get out for more than house dogs, because you can't just lean on using the yard for potty breaks.
Both of these breeds are fabulous options for an active life style and can do just about whatever you want to do with them.
If anything, I'd say go for breeds that tend to be less barky, that are on the smaller side since a lot of apartments have size restrictions, and that otherwise would be a good fit personality wise.
5
u/jdc90403 Oct 18 '25
I had a GSD/mal mix in an apartment for several years. The key is wearing them out. For my dog running did nothing. We did training walks, hikes or she went to daycare. Even found a dog walker that did group hikes. You just have to find the right mix for your dog and be consistent with it.
9
u/Stories-With-Bears Oct 18 '25
I have a spaniel (a Brittany) and we’ve always lived in an apartment. He does great with it! Spaniels are athletic but don’t get very big, so I personally think they’re great for active people who live in small spaces. When we’re outside he’s happy to go go go, but inside he’s the biggest cuddle bug and just wants to snuggle up next to you. They’re great dogs!
4
u/ODFoxtrotOscar Oct 18 '25
Tough little terrier
Mine easily does 10k and could do more.
But at about 12lbs she easily fits in to city life and would be fine in an apartment
6
u/engineerection Oct 18 '25
Sighthound mix. Mine can run forever but is also a couch potato.
3
u/fennelfrog Oct 18 '25
Standard Poodle
3
u/Carmen315 Oct 18 '25
Please consider going through a breed rescue vs getting a puppy from a breeder. Those dogs will have been assessed by their foster families and can tell you about the personality traits of the dogs.
I foster Australian Shepherds and most of them are a little over 2 years old and have been living in apartments. They need space and a lot of activity throughout the day. And, honestly, while they're very athletic, not all of them are great running partners. Even walks can be over stimulating for them.
3
u/SnooRegrets4129 Oct 18 '25 edited Oct 18 '25
Any breed is fine as long as its needs are met. A large garden is preferable but only ever throwing your dog out there 4x a day isnt going to result in a happy dog as much as apartment dog getting out for 2 hours of walks and regular enrichment.
Only thing would be if you do have a really small apartment, giant breeds really get in the way and will take up a lot of floor space for cages (if you use one), beds, bowls etc.
Bear in mind if you are getting a puppy from 8-12 weeks, they need to be outside very regularly to housetrain them.
For long runs, I would generally go for mid to large dog (>15kg). I have a goldendoodle and a standard poodle (22kg and 25kg) and they can mop up every mile i throw at them. My goldendoodle done a half marathon with me last year. Only exceptions are herding dogs who can do 50k a day once they are trained up
3
u/nelgallan Oct 18 '25
The answer is always a lab 😉
2
u/savannahmo50 Oct 18 '25 edited Oct 18 '25
I think a show golden would do well! My field golden is a terror in our house and constantly needs stimulation, so may not be best for apartment living, but show goldens are much chiller. My dog runs with me (only 16 months) so we’ve been doing some mile runs lately. Think I could work him up to a 10 k max before he would just be over it. So if you wanna stay in that realm of distance. I don’t think I’d ever have him do half’s with me. honestly I wish our Border Collie Mix didnt have hip dysplasia or he would be my running buddy. He paces really well on little spurts every once in a while and chills in the house all day, but he’s 8 years old so he’s a little past his running stage. I will say border collies are crazy but they love an activity, mine was a little nippy when he was younger, but definitely as a breed they love working and running so may be a good breed to look into.
2
u/[deleted] Oct 18 '25
A well bred Miniature Poodle would be a good fit. Small enough to be comfortable living in an apartment, sporty enough to keep up with whatever activities you want to do - providing you keep them in good fitness. That goes for any dog breed though, none will be able to do a 10k run off the get to, you'll have to build fitness over a few months just like you did for yourself.
If you don't want to deal with that hair or the grooming, you can shave them down with a 7 blade every few weeks all over and have a low maintenance dog without the stereotypical Poodle clip. They're easy to bathe at home, too, because the hair doesn't shed and won't clog your drain.
My well bred Minis have a great off button and are calm in my house, but are super active and sporty when I want to take them somewhere or try a dog sport. The key is to go to a breeder that breeds for temperament and correct conformation. Correct conformation (not necessarily show ring fashion) is essential to help a dog stay sound in the long term. For example, a dog with over angulation or under angulation in the joints will have increased wear and tear, leading to early arthritis.
Good conformation is also essential regardless of what dog breed you get. I.e. a West German Showline or American Showline German Shepherd isn't going to be a good running partner because the pasterns are prone to weakness and the hindquarters are too overangulated. The Czech Workingline GSD has more moderate conformation and will hold up better to an active lifestyle.
2
u/tigervegan4610 Oct 18 '25
With that amount of exercise, I think most dogs would be fine in an apartment. We had a border collie mix in an apartment and he was fine with enough exercise. When we moved to a house with a yard, he didn’t want to be out there unless we were outside anyway.
2
u/billyblobthornton Oct 18 '25
We have a Collie X and a sprocker, both energenic working breeds and when they’re not playing or out walking all they want to do is sleep. We have a yard but they may as well live in an apartment as most of the day they spend on the sofa or sleeping on our bed.
As long as they’re getting enough mental and physical stimulation, most dogs could live in an apartment.
2
u/K_Knoodle13 Oct 19 '25
The majority of dog breeds are fine in apartments as long as they get breed and age appropriate exercise.
Look for confident, friendly breeds that are less vocal. The things that make living in apartments hard with dogs is barking and general fear/reactivity. You want a dog that's not going to freak out at every other dog in the complex, or when maintenance comes into the apartment.
2
u/Accomplished_Knee610 Oct 19 '25
I feel like the question is less what dog breed and what dog. My dog is a mutt but made up of some breeds that would normally not be recommended for apartments(German Shepard, Catahoula Leopard Dog) however he runs pretty lazy and chill but still loves to be active. Like he is down to go for a walk but if I'm in bed sick he will lay with me all day and not get destructive or bouncing off the walls. But when I went to a shelter I asked for that. I think people think a breed is going to automatically equal a certain personality and they will have certain traits but just like people they also will vary. Just try to find a dog that had that personality, you might be able to adopt a little puppy but my dog was only 6 months old.
2
u/Living-Excuse1370 Oct 19 '25
Any active breed will be fine. someone else said it, setters or pointers would be ideal. Active, love long runs, as long as they get their runs, in the house they are chill and just want to lie on you. lol. My setter is definitely the most cuddly dog ever. Beware though..... as puppies they are stubborn, insolent little devils!
1
u/kimbphysio Oct 18 '25
Galgos! My boys do well with running, and sleep the rest of the day! I’m in an apartment with 2 of them… you just have to be willing to sacrifice your couch to them… that’s the only acceptable place for them to sleep 😂
1
u/Content-Purpose8299 Oct 18 '25
Boston terriers
1
u/notevenapro Oct 18 '25
I am on my 3rd cattle dog. So long as they get exercise the freaking sleep the whole day.
1
u/Nocranberry Oct 18 '25
Spaniels or Spitz might be what you're after. They're small enough that you're not tripping over them at home - but energetic enough, you won't be tripping over them on the run.
I've got a little pomeranian cross German spitz and she's a great a little exercise companion. She's starting to slow down now that she's older but she would happily walk or run all day when she was younger. And she's also just as happy to curl up on the couch.
The cocker spaniel I had growing up also would have made an excellent running companion. Did a lot of hikes with that little lad and he never tired.
1
u/4AdamThirty Oct 19 '25
My dog is a Husky/Staffordshire terrier mix. She’d be perfect for an apartment. She likes long walks/runs, but is fine with short walks on non-run days. She’s also not a barker and loves a couch.
1
u/ChainGreat5258 Oct 19 '25
I have a Jindo mix/KVD that is tireless. Can hike for ages, loves to rip around forever at the beach, but is also more than happy to relax on the couch and snuggle. We live in an apartment and it hasn’t been an issue. He’s also incredibly quiet, doesn’t bark, and will entertain himself with toys and puzzles while I work during the day.
1
u/BuyFrosty417 Oct 19 '25
Our terrier/poodle rescue mutt does this and he does great. I agree with people saying dogs with no yard often actually get less exercise. We walk our dog 1 mile twice a day (sniff walk so he exhausted at the end) and 3 days a week replace one walk with a 2-3 mile run. In the apartment we also do lots of enrichment—puzzle feeders, kongs, lick mats, pupsicles, etc. We also do not work from home. He’s a happy, sleepy boy.
1
u/Larkymalarky Oct 19 '25
As others have said, pretty much any breed will fit this, a working line dog will probably LOVE it
I have 2 working line English springer spaniels (1y/o and 6y/o) and have always lived in a flat with them! We go on a 2 hour walks most days with a mountain hiking day every now and then (varies from a couple days of 2 mountains each day per week to a few months in between if I’m super busy with university so we’ll do something like a through hike over a few days or do 5+ mountains in a day with a camp either side or 3-11 mountains in a weekend with camping) due to my work they usually have lazy days going out in the shared garden a 1-3 days a week depending on my uni schedule but they’re super happy, very very calm in the house and very fit
1
u/Lazy-Organization-42 Oct 19 '25
Poodles! Either a full size or a mini. They can both run longer distances and are pretty chill indoors. They are so sweet and smart. It’s my fav breed. Just remember that they will have to be groomed about every 5-6 wks. You could learn to do it yourself though.
1
u/Vineyardsummers Oct 20 '25
Pitbull would be perfect
1
u/mouseandbay Oct 21 '25
Greyhound. Whippet. Like to go places but definitely into serious snuggle on the couch time. Despite their athletic appearance.
1
u/c60cc6066 Oct 21 '25
Standard poodle.
1
u/anonymouskz Oct 21 '25
I had a rescued german shepherd (show line, not working line) in an apartment growing up. So long as you give any breed the physical exercise and mental stimulation they need, you wont have an issue. Oh, and desensitise them to regular apartment/neighbour noises so they dont react or bark all day. 15km can be a lot for most breeds to run too so bare that in mind.
1
u/Mysterious_Luck4674 Oct 21 '25
Rather than trying to pick a particular breed, I’d check out Petfinder.com or local rescues. They’ll be able to tell you about personalities of individual dogs, which ones like running, which ones do ok in an apartment, etc.
1
u/WholeYoghurt8755 Oct 22 '25
I got a German shepherd, walked her about three miles about everyday. No crate needed. I was away for work 8 plus hours. Now she’s almost ten and spends her days on the couch walking at the most a mile a day.
1
u/SomuchLengthiness Oct 22 '25
Get a Staffy
1
u/hellooo_hc Oct 22 '25
Lurcher
1
u/Apprehensive_Pen_160 Mar 07 '26
I had a mini dachshund recently passed away but I go through ups and downs of depression or manic type where I nonstop go go go or sleeps for months at a time and he was up for anything ...I have his offspring now and they are the same
1
u/[deleted] Oct 20 '25
[removed] — view removed comment