Just because you live in a small home or apartment doesn’t mean you can’t have a dog. There are many small and toy breeds that make excellent pets for small homes. But even small dogs like variety and exercise, so it is important that you are prepared to spend time with your dog, take her for walks and ensure that she gets the best care. Once you have made that commitment to yourself, you can choose which breed of dog is most suitable to you and your lifestyle.

Small dog breeds make the cutest puppies, and one of the cutest small dog puppies around is the Maltese. This popular small dog breed generally grows to no more than six or seven pounds in weight, and has a beautiful white coat. The Maltese is a very ancient dog breed and has a strong constitution, though it should not be kept in very hot areas, due to the thick coat. The Maltese enjoys walks and is very playful. A great companion if you want a lively little pet and will enjoy the grooming chores.

Another delightful long haired small dog breed is the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. This lovely small dog is as courtly as its name and weighs about twice as much as a Maltese. The King Charles is a friendly and sociable small dog, well known for giving a lifetime of loyal attachment. This is the ideal dog if you prefer to lead a quiet life.

Top of the line in long haired small dog breeds is the Lowchen, as long as you enjoy spending long hours brushing, and don’t mind the hefty price tag. The beautiful `Little Lion’ dog can cost around $1000. A true indoors dog, the Lowchen is no exercise fanatic but owners have reported `separation anxiety’ to be a problem, so don’t get this dog breed if you are away for long hours every day.

If you want a pet with a shorter coat, try the Miniature Fox Terrier. This lively little dog will need lots of exercise, and appreciates having a collection of toys. Fox terriers can be yappy, so your pet may need to go to obedience school if she annoys the neighbors. This is a healthy and low maintenance dog breed, suitable for the owner who just wants to enjoy having a pet without all the grooming fuss.

A more sleek and elegant short haired pet is the Italian greyhound, and if you want a pet that enjoys exercise, this is the dog breed for you. Owners report that the Italian greyhound is a very well behaved dog, but prone to stress, so it is not a suitable pet where there are small children. This dog breed grows to a height of about 15 inches but is very lightweight – around 5 pounds.

The Welsh corgi is one of the classic small dog breeds, and very popular with Queen Elizabeth II of England. They will be popular with you, too, if you want a playful, affectionate pet. The Welsh corgi comes in two breeds, the Cardigan and the Pembrokeshire. The Pembrokeshire is smaller and more popular than the Cardigan, but both make faithful pets for small homes.

Finally, there is the ultimate small dog breed for apartment living – the toy poodle. Naturally popular in Europe, the toy poodle is somewhat high maintenance regarding its fluffy coat, but a surprisingly undemanding pet. Toy poodles love to play and appreciate having their own toys, but they are easy to train and adapt to their owners. Like most pets, the toy poodle prefers company to being left alone, but if you spend a lot of time away from home, perhaps you should think twice about getting a pet anyway!

Type of Breed- Each breed has its unique characteristic and has been specifically bred for a particular job. Thus, picking a sporting breed or hunting breed will show their inherent characteristics and might keep chasing cats and other pets. Other dog breeds that might not suit your modern lifestyles include herding dogs, working and guarding dogs.

Types of Sizes- Never pick a puppy due to its cute looks or size as small pups of large breeds look very tiny but grow up very large ion size. For very small sized apartments, toy or miniature dog breeds work best while those in a large apartment or middle sized house can go in for small to medium sized dogs. However, if you have a large yard and big house, large to medium size dogs work well.

Concerns on Health – Knowing all the health concerns related to the dog breed that you are interested in becomes essential. It is best to buy your pet puppy from a reputable pet dealer to make sure that your pet is healthy. However, as all dog breeds have some genetic health issues, check with the dealer before buying.

In case you have a breed of dog which is long haired and which has lots of hairs then you are aware of the problem of mats and the tangles on the skin of your dog. In case the balls of hairs are left unattended, then might lead to complete skinning of the skin coat to resolve the problem. This also leads to skin ulcers, and other skin related problems. In case you want to avoid all this, then plan for a proper grooming of the dogs skin.

Level of Required Exercise – The amount of exercise that each dog breed requires is not based on size alone. It is known that some small and medium dog breeds require heavy exercise while other large breeds are calm dogs that do not require high amounts of exercise.

Experience with dog breeds – Your experience as a dog owner can help you with many breeds as some are naturally stubborn and dominant. You can seek advice from breeders and vets to decide if the breed you are looking for is challenging to work with or not.

Child Friendly Breed- With children at home or if you are planning to have kids, it is best to pick child friendly breeds as some dogs are not good with kids around. Many dog breeds love to have children around, so keep that in mind while picking a new puppy.