Different breeds do better in different living situations and that is why you need to vigilante when it comes to knowing a bit about dog breed behavior before you bring a new one home. For instance you do not want to cage up a Whippet in a 500 square foot apartment. You also don’t want to make your dashed with its long sensitive spine walk up a 50 stair grand staircase each day. It is a bad idea to bring a yappy Jack Russell into a condo full of senior citizens. A Chihuahua could get crushed underfoot in you need to match the breed to the living space
If you live in an apartment. then you need a smaller quiet dog that does not smell, can be left alone without barking and that needs a moderate amount of exercise. Breeds that fit the bill are Affenpinschers, American Water Spaniels, Bedlington Terrier, Bichon Frise, Brussels Griffon, Cairn Terrier, Cardigan Corgi, Cesky Terrier, Chinese Shar Pei, Coton de Tulear, Daschund, Dandie Dinmont Terrier English Bull Dog, Miniature Poodle, Papillon, Pug, Shi Tzu
If you live in a condo then you can accommodate any of the dog breeds listed for living in an apartment and add a few of the slightly larger quieter breeds such as the Dogue De Bordeaux, Italian Greyhound, Norwegian Lundhehund and Standard Poodle to your list of potential pets. Make sure however that there is dog park nearby for these pets to get some exercise in. You should avoid the really noisy dogs as condo associations can be very strict about pets that are disturbing the other condo owners. Make sure you dog is well trained before you move into any kind of community where others can frequently encounter your pet.
If you live in a suburban area you can accommodate any of the dogs listed in the answers to #1 or #2 as well as the American Cocker Spaniel, the Bearded Collie, Bouvier Des Flanders, Briard, Cavalier King Spaniel, Collie, Dachshund, Irish Setter, Irish Terrier. These dog are larger or have more of a need to roam, jump or dig around in a back yard. Once again dog obedience training is a good idea because suburban areas tend to be full of children who might tease your pet or chase it. The last thing you need is a litigation because of a dog bite.
If you live on a farm you can have any dog that is listed in this article as a pet and more. However the more fragile toy breeds such as the Chihuahua, Brussels Griffon, Japanese Chin, Papillion and Yorkshire Terrier may be too fragile to withstand a lot of action. Lapdogs can also become prey to other animals on large farms and in rural areas with coyotes and other predators. Other pets or children that are too enthusiastic can also trample them. The slightly larger dog is happier on a farm. Delicate little chi chis are happiest in someone’s arms.