Best Apartment Dogs in Australia: What Works

What makes a dog good for an apartment?

Four things, in this order.

1. Barking. Noise is what generates complaints from neighbours and strata committees, and in the worst case it is how apartment dogs end up back in rescue. It is also the trait least related to size. RSPCA Australia lists boredom, excitement, distress, territorial defence, fear and anxiety among the reasons dogs bark too much, and a shared corridor gives a watchful dog plenty to react to.

2. Settling. A dog that can lie quietly for an afternoon is comfortable in a small space. A dog that paces needs somewhere to pace. This is temperament, and it is exactly what a foster carer can tell you.

3. Exercise and toileting. Every dog needs walks, but in a unit every toilet trip is a scheduled outing, at 6am and in the rain. That makes an already house-trained adult far easier than a puppy.

4. Floor space. The thing size actually predicts comes last. Most adult dogs spend much of the day asleep and do not use space the way people imagine.

Why Greyhounds are often the best apartment dogs

The Greyhound surprises people. Under the Dogs Australia standard it stands 69 to 76 centimetres at the shoulder, and the standard describes it as “intelligent, gentle, affectionate and even tempered”. Greyhounds As Pets WA, a Western Australian Greyhound adoption program, says Greyhounds often sleep up to 16 to 20 hours a day, generally need only a short daily walk of around 20 minutes, and adapt well to small homes and apartments without needing a backyard.

The Whippet offers a similar profile in a medium frame. Its standard calls it “an ideal companion”, “highly adaptable in domestic and sporting surroundings”, with a “gentle, affectionate, even disposition”.

The trade-offs are real. Sighthounds were bred to chase, so ask the rescue how the dog behaves with cats and small animals, and expect to keep it on lead outside fenced areas. Lead and muzzle rules for pet Greyhounds also differ between states, so check yours. Retired racers come into adoption as adults; see the Greyhounds listed right now.

Apartment dog types compared

Sources checked 9 November 2026. Unit fit is our editorial summary of those sources, not a rating from the breed bodies. Individual dogs vary.

Small apartment dogs: quiet beats tiny

Plenty of small dogs make lovely unit dogs. The catch is that small and quiet are different traits. Companion breeds such as the Cavalier and Maltese were bred to keep people company, while other small breeds were bred for different jobs, and some individual dogs are quick to bark at every door slam in the building.

So judge the dog in front of you. Ask the rescue what it does when someone walks past the door, when the intercom buzzes and when it is left alone for a few hours. Our small dogs listings show the shelter notes for each dog. If barking does become a problem, RSPCA Australia recommends a vet check and a reward-based behaviourist, rewarding quiet behaviour, and no punishment, which can make barking worse.

The dogs that struggle in apartments

High-drive working breeds. Kelpies, Border Collies, Cattle Dogs and similar dogs were bred to work all day. Without a job and plenty of exercise they find their own, and in a unit that usually means noise or chewed doorframes. Kelpie and Cattle Dog crosses are common in Australian rescue, so the breed is easy to find; the right home is the hard part.

Flat-faced breeds. They look like the obvious small-space choice, but RSPCA Australia says brachycephalic breeds such as Pugs and French and British Bulldogs commonly have lifelong breathing problems, may be unable to exercise normally in warm, humid weather, and have a higher risk of heat-related illness. A top-floor unit in a hot summer is a real risk for these dogs.

Puppies. Not a breed, but the hardest version of apartment life. A young puppy needs to go out many times a day, including overnight, and will cry while it learns to be alone. In a house you open the back door; in a unit you carry the puppy to the lift. If you are set on a puppy, plan the toilet route, talk to your neighbours before it arrives, and choose a lower floor if you can.

Strata, body corporate and renting rules

This is the one place where size can decide the outcome. Check two things before you fall for a particular dog: what your strata or body corporate by-laws say, and, if you rent, whether the landlord will approve the pet.

• NSW: NSW Fair Trading says by-laws that ban all pets are not valid, and an owners corporation can only refuse a pet that causes unreasonable interference. It cannot charge a pet bond or fee, or require insurance.
• Victoria: an owners corporation may have its own rules about pets in common areas, which renters must follow (Consumer Affairs Victoria).
• Queensland: body corporate approval can take longer than the landlord's 14 days to answer, and a body corporate committee decision can be disputed through the Office of the Commissioner for Body Corporate and Community Management (RTA).
• Western Australia: if strata by-laws prohibit pets, a tenant's pet request is automatically refused (WA Consumer Protection).
• SA, Tasmania, the ACT and the NT: strata or body corporate rules still apply on top of the tenancy rules.

Our renting with pets guide sets out each state's landlord rules, deadlines and pet bond limits in full. Get both approvals in writing before you apply for a dog. RSPCA Australia lists landlord permission among the first things to sort out, and many rescues ask renters to show it.

Why an adult rescue dog suits apartment life

An adult dog takes away the two problems apartments make worst. It is usually house-trained already, and it is past the crying and chewing of puppyhood. Just as important, it comes with information. A foster carer can tell you whether the dog barks at the door, whether it settles when left, and how it copes with lifts, stairs and strangers in the lobby.

Do not overlook senior dogs (our senior dog adoption guide explains the upside) and low-energy dogs either. An older dog that wants a sunny spot and two strolls a day can be the easiest unit dog of all. Mixed breeds count too: judge a Greyhound cross or a small terrier cross on its own temperament, not its label.

Not sure a dog suits your space? Try our dog or cat quiz or the what dog breed am I quiz, and see best family dogs if children share the flat.