I love dogs and would love to have a dog for my kids and I, the only problem is a live in an apartment and work during the day. My brother has a rat terrier and his dog is very wild and needs to take walks very often, she is only 3 months so that might have a lot to do with it but I still feel she's the wrong type of dog if you have an apartment. What's the best type of dog to buy if you live in an apartment and can only walk them 2 or 3 times a day?
I am inclined to say that there is no perfect dog type for apartment living. It really depends on the individual animal. Besides maybe some of the excessively large breeds any animal can be apartment living worthy as long as they have the temperament and demeanor. You will want a calm animal who is not easily excited and that doesn't make a lot of noise.
I think you need to keep small dogs in your apartment, maybe a chihuahua, dachshund, Pomeranian or poodle. One or two would be enough. If you try to raise big dogs, tendency is they'll feel cramped and constrained within the limited space of your apartment. Big dogs are ideal if you own a home with a pretty vast lawn. They like to run around and have an outlet to their excessive energy.
Here's the problem: Small dogs are yappie and will annoy neighbors. Plus they need to go out more often because they have smaller bladders. You really need to research the breeds, they are bred for different reasons. For example, malamutes and dalmatians were bred for endurance. If you keep either in a small space, prepared to have your home ripped apart. They need room to run. There are other dogs that do not need such room and may not be as vocal. There are quizzes online that will help you decide. then check out the top two or three breeds to research for the fit. Personalities are extremely different, but physical traits are not. If a dog has a reputation for being bad with kids--heed those warnings. I know an akita that was raised with kids, and one day gave the boy 40 stitches to the face. A malamute would let a child do anything and not care. Do some research, and good luck!
I have a 9 year old rat terrier and he fits in our apartment very well. He has enough energy to tear around the park but is mellow enough to sit on the couch with us and watch TV. Your brother's rat terrier might just be hyper because she's a puppy.
