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Greyhound
Big on paper, but a retired racer spends most of the day asleep and is usually content with two short walks, which is why so many do well in flats with room for a large bed. Dogs from racing kennels are used to a fixed routine, and that often helps them settle while you are out, though stairs and shiny floors can be new to them.
The real trade-off is prey drive: plenty need a muzzle around small pets and should stay on the lead outside fenced areas. Grooming is a weekly wipe-over; painful corns on the pads are the problem to watch.
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Whippet
The Greyhound's smaller cousin keeps the same habit of sleeping through the day, in a body that fits a two-seater sofa. Indoors a Whippet is quiet and rarely barks, then wants a daily chance to sprint flat out somewhere safely enclosed, so find a secure field or park near you before committing. The thin coat and skin mean a jumper in winter and the odd stitched tear from brambles. Expect 12 to 15 years and little grooming beyond a weekly brush.
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Tibetan spaniel
Bred as a companion and lookout in Tibetan monasteries, this small dog behaves more like a cat than most breeds: it likes a high perch by the window, keeps itself occupied and is less clingy than many toy dogs. That window habit has a downside in a block of flats, because it will announce visitors and passing dogs, so teach a quiet cue early. An hour of walking a day is plenty, the coat needs brushing a couple of times a week, and the breed has few widespread health problems, though breeders should DNA-test for an inherited eye disease.
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Lhasa Apso
A good choice for someone who wants a small dog with its own mind rather than a shadow. Lhasas were kept as indoor watchdogs in Tibet, so they are self-possessed, happy to doze while you are out and wary of strangers, which can mean a bark at the door that needs early training.
The long coat is the real commitment: daily brushing, or a short puppy clip from a groomer every six to eight weeks, which adds a regular bill. They often live well into their teens, and parents should be tested for progressive retinal atrophy.
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Poodle
Choose the Toy or Miniature size for a flat; the Standard is a bigger, busier dog. Both smaller sizes are clever, low-shedding and adaptable, and the brain needs as much work as the legs: ten minutes of training or a puzzle feeder before you leave does more to head off boredom barking than an extra walk.
The coat never stops growing, so budget for a professional groom every six to eight weeks for life, the cost many owners underestimate. Generally long-lived and sound, though breeders should test for an inherited eye disease, and Toys are prone to slipping kneecaps.
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Shiba Inu
The most independent dog here, and the one to think hardest about. A Shiba is clean, quiet most of the time and usually copes well with a few hours alone, which makes it tempting for anyone working long days. It is also stubborn, rarely reliable off the lead and given to a piercing scream when it objects to being handled, so it suits a patient owner more than a first-timer hoping for an easy companion. Twice a year the double coat sheds in clumps for weeks; the rest of the time a weekly brush is enough.
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Italian Greyhound
Picture a Greyhound shrunk to around five kilos, with the same love of sleep and soft furnishings and a short coat that barely sheds or smells. It is quiet and light enough for a top-floor flat, but it is not the toughest dog here: young dogs can break a leg jumping off a sofa, the teeth need daily brushing, and many refuse to go out in the rain, which makes house training slow. Of the sighthounds on this list it is the most likely to want company, so it suits a household where someone is home at lunch.
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Chihuahua (dog breed)
Around half an hour of exercise a day is enough, the lowest need on this list, and many live well into their teens. A Chihuahua is bold and loyal and can learn to accept time alone, but it often bonds hard with one person and barks at noises, so socialise it early with neighbours and other dogs.
Health is where to be choosy. Dental disease is very common in such a small mouth, kneecaps can slip, and the Royal Kennel Club has added the breed to its breathing-test scheme, so look for parents with longer muzzles and avoid merle colouring, which carries hearing and sight risks.
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Shih Tzu
Bred for centuries purely as an indoor companion, a Shih Tzu is calm, sociable and undemanding about exercise, and many settle happily into a home with quiet hours in the day. The flat face is the honest caveat: breathing, eye and dental problems are common, and the breed is now part of the Royal Kennel Club's breathing-test scheme, so ask to see the parents' grades and choose a puppy with open nostrils. The coat needs daily brushing or a short clip every couple of months.
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