Best apartment dog breeds that don't bark much

If you live in a flat or apartment, one of the first questions is usually about noise. You don't want a dog whose barking upsets neighbours, wakes the baby next door, or gets you a knock from the housing association. It's a completely fair thing to think about before you bring a dog home, and the good news is that some breeds are, on the whole, quieter and calmer indoors than others.

But breed is only a rough guide, not a guarantee. Two dogs of the same breed can have very different personalities, and how much a dog barks has as much to do with its individual temperament, training, exercise and how settled it feels as it does with its genetics. A naturally "quiet" breed that's bored, understimulated or anxious will still bark. A supposedly "vocal" breed that's well exercised, confident and given a job to do at home can be remarkably settled.

This guide looks at the breeds generally considered calmer and quieter indoors, why dogs actually bark in the first place, and what you can do - whatever breed you choose - to help a dog feel relaxed and quiet in a smaller home.

Why barking is about more than breed

Barking is a completely normal way for dogs to communicate, and every dog will bark sometimes. According to the RSPCA, a dog may bark to express how they're feeling - for example when they're excited, frustrated, bored or scared - and barking is one of the main ways dogs communicate with us and with each other. Excessive barking, though, usually points to an underlying need that isn't being met.

PDSA vets note that dogs bark for several distinct reasons: to alert their owners to something they've seen, heard or smelt; because they're afraid of something unfamiliar; because they're bored and want attention; or because they're distressed at being left alone. That last point matters enormously for flat living, where barking is most likely to become a problem for neighbours during the hours you're out at work.

This is why "quiet apartment dog breeds" is a slightly misleading way to think about it. A breed prone to calm, low-key behaviour is a sensible starting point, especially if you're choosy about noise. But the breeds on this list are quieter on average - not silent, and not immune to barking if their needs aren't met.

What causes excessive barking in a flat or apartment

Before choosing a breed, it's worth understanding what actually drives problem barking, because the same triggers apply whatever dog you end up with.

• Separation-related distress. The RSPCA cites research showing eight out of ten dogs experience stress when left alone, and may show this through barking. In a flat, this is the single biggest cause of noise complaints, because the barking happens with no one home to notice or intervene.
• Boredom and under-stimulation. A dog left alone for long stretches with nothing to do, or one that isn't getting enough physical or mental exercise, will often bark simply because it has energy or frustration with nowhere else to go.
• Alerting. Dogs bark to tell you about things they've noticed - footsteps in a corridor, a lift arriving, a neighbour's dog. In a block of flats, there are more of these triggers than in a house with a garden, which can mean more alert barking unless it's managed.
• Fear or anxiety. Loud, echoing communal areas, unfamiliar people passing the door, or a lack of early socialisation can all make a dog more reactive and vocal.
• Genuine medical issues. PDSA vets recommend a vet check as a first step if barking starts suddenly or gets worse over time, since pain, hearing changes or other health problems can all show up as increased vocalising.

Because separation-related barking and boredom are so often the real driver, choosing a naturally calmer breed and putting in the training groundwork both matter. Neither one on its own tends to be enough.

The quietest dog breeds for apartment living

With that context in mind, here are breeds generally recognised as calmer indoors and less prone to constant barking - useful starting points if noise is a real concern.

Small and toy breeds

• Basenji. Genuinely unusual among dogs: the Kennel Club's breed standard describes the Basenji as "barkless but not mute," with its own noise being "a mixture of a chortle and a yodel" rather than a conventional bark. The standard also notes the breed is intelligent, independent, affectionate and alert, though it "can be aloof with strangers" - worth knowing if you want a dog that greets visitors enthusiastically.
• Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. The Kennel Club's official breed standard describes the temperament as "gay, friendly, non-aggressive; no tendency to nervousness," and the general appearance as "active, graceful and well balanced, with gentle expression." Bred for generations as a companion and lap dog, Cavaliers are widely considered one of the calmer, more biddable toy breeds indoors.
• Bichon Frise. A small, cheerful companion breed, generally considered adaptable to indoor life, though like most small companion breeds it still needs proper exercise and mental stimulation to stay settled rather than becoming an alert-barker at the window.
• Shih Tzu. Another breed developed specifically as an indoor companion, typically calm and affectionate, though - as with any small breed - individual dogs vary, and some can be surprisingly vocal if under-socialised.

Calmer larger breeds

Size isn't actually the deciding factor for apartment suitability - energy levels and noise tendency matter far more, and some larger breeds are genuinely well suited to smaller homes.

• Greyhounds. Despite their sprinting speed, greyhounds are known for spending large parts of the day resting quietly, and rescue and rehoming charities frequently place retired racing greyhounds into flats and smaller houses successfully, provided they get a couple of short bursts of exercise a day. They're not a breed known for nuisance barking.
• Basset Hounds. Laid-back and famously unhurried, Basset Hounds are generally mellow indoors, although as scent hounds they can bay or howl rather than bark in a conventional sense if something catches their interest outdoors.

A quiet breed on paper is still a dog with its own needs. The calmest Basenji or Cavalier will still bark, howl or whine if it's left alone too long, bored, or anxious - the breed just gives you a better starting point, not a guarantee.

Breeds that need more thought before a flat

Some breeds were developed specifically to vocalise - to alert farmers to intruders, flush game, or warn off predators - and that instinct doesn't switch off indoors. This doesn't mean these dogs can never live happily in a flat, but they typically need more consistent training, exercise and enrichment to stay quiet, and may not be the easiest starting point if you're a first-time owner short on time.

Terrier breeds bred for vermin control, herding breeds bred to control livestock with their voice, and some of the smaller "watchdog" companion breeds tend to fall into this category. If you've fallen for a breed known for being vocal, it isn't a dealbreaker - it just means training, exercise and management need to be a priority from day one, not an afterthought.

Setting any dog up to succeed in a smaller home

Whatever breed you choose, the same principles apply, and they matter more in a flat than almost anywhere else, because there's less space to absorb noise and less of a garden to burn off energy.

• Build a predictable routine. The RSPCA recommends establishing regular routines for feeding, play and exercise, which helps dogs anticipate what's coming and reduces anxious or attention-seeking barking.
• Meet exercise needs properly. Under-exercised dogs are more likely to bark out of frustration or boredom. Our Dog Walking Calculator can help you work out roughly how much daily exercise your dog's breed and age actually needs, which is often more than people expect, especially for working and sporting breeds.
• Provide enrichment when you're out. Puzzle feeders, snuffle mats, and safe chews give a dog something to do instead of watching the door or the window for things to alert-bark at.
• Manage what your dog can see and hear. If communal corridor noise or a view of the car park triggers barking, blocking that sightline, using white noise, or changing where your dog naturally settles can make a real difference.
• Never punish barking. Both PDSA and RSPCA are clear that punishing a barking dog tends to make things worse, because the barking is usually a symptom of stress, fear or an unmet need rather than defiance. Reward-based training that teaches a dog what to do instead - such as settling on a mat - works far better than telling a dog off.

Separation anxiety and flat living

Because so much problem barking happens when dogs are left alone, it's worth taking separation-related distress seriously from the start, particularly in a flat where there's nowhere for the sound to go unnoticed.

Dogs Trust notes that dogs showing separation-related distress may vocalise - barking, whining, whimpering or howling - alongside signs like restlessness, destructive behaviour, or toileting indoors despite being fully house-trained. Their advice is to build a dog's confidence at being alone gradually, through structured "settle" training and short, positive absences that slowly increase in length, rather than leaving a dog to "just get used to it," which tends to make things worse rather than better.

If you already know you'll be out at work for a full day, it's worth being realistic before you commit to any breed: very few dogs are happy being left alone for eight or nine hours regardless of temperament, and a flat with thin walls will make any distress vocalising far more noticeable to neighbours than it would be in a detached house.

If you're getting a rescue dog

Rescue and rehoming organisations rarely rule flats out, and they're often a good route to a dog whose actual temperament - rather than breed stereotype - is already known. Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, for example, assesses flat-living applications individually rather than by blanket rule, noting that many of their dogs have gone on to live happily in flats, matched on the individual dog's energy level and temperament rather than breed alone. This is arguably a better approach than choosing by breed name: a calm, well-socialised adult rescue dog of a "vocal" breed may suit a flat far better than an anxious, under-socialised puppy of a "quiet" one.

If you're considering a rescue, be upfront with the charity about your living situation, working hours, and any noise restrictions in your building - they'll usually be able to match you with a dog whose known behaviour fits, rather than leaving you to guess from breed traits alone.

When to get extra help

If you already have a dog that's barking more than you'd like, or you're worried about a new dog settling into flat life, don't wait for it to become a bigger problem before acting.

• See your vet first if barking has started suddenly, is worsening, or is paired with other changes in behaviour - PDSA vets recommend ruling out pain, hearing loss or other medical causes before assuming it's purely behavioural.
• Ask about a referral to a qualified clinical animal behaviourist if barking is linked to anxiety, fear or separation distress. The RSPCA specifically recommends this route for working out the root cause and building a proper plan, rather than trying to suppress the symptom.
• Dogs Trust runs a free Behaviour Support Line for anyone struggling with a dog's separation-related behaviour, staffed by trained advisors who can offer tailored, practical guidance over the phone.
• If you're not sure a dog is a good match for your lifestyle before you commit, our Pet Ownership Quiz is a useful way to think through exercise, time and space honestly before bringing a dog home.

*This is general guidance, not a substitute for advice from your vet, who can assess your individual pet.*

Sources

• PDSA — vet Q&A on why dogs bark and how to help (pdsa.org.uk).
• RSPCA — advice on managing excessive dog barking, including separation-related stress (rspca.org.uk).
• Dogs Trust — separation anxiety: signs, causes and how to help (dogstrust.org.uk).
• The Kennel Club — official Basenji breed standard (royalkennelclub.com).
• The Kennel Club — official Cavalier King Charles Spaniel breed standard (royalkennelclub.com).
• Battersea Dogs & Cats Home — dog rehoming FAQs, including flat-living matching (battersea.org.uk).