Does anyone have good suggestions for a small to medium sized dog – that can live in a 1000 sq ft apartment and run for distance? Possibly a beagle?
A beagle will not be able to run long distances. They are fast, but no endurance in my experience (even if you keep them thin).
Dogs that I know can run for distance: Weimaraner, Greyhound (maybe Italian? – smaller), Dalmatian.
Looking for a dog that runs and is okay with a smaller apartment is a bit contrasting in values. Don’t worry about the size of the place so much if you know they are going to be getting run everyday. A beagle wouldn’t be bad, but they can be ‘barky’.
If you want a companion, find one that will best fit the running conditions. Mutts and rescues can be great. If you live in a warm climate find a dog that can tolerate running in the heat. I can’t take my Weimaraner running over 3 miles when it’s over 65 degrees. Look for a dog that doesn’t have a smooshed face; meaning it can breathe easily. (Pugs and Bulldogs don’t make good running companion). A lighter coat would also help. Much like a human runner, look for one that is light for it’s size.
Besides a rescue mix, I’d recommend something along the lines of a Brittany, Viszla, female Boxer, or what I imagine my next dog to be, a Rhodesian Ridgeback (which might be too big again). Greyhounds are also big, but are lazy indoors.
I recommend going to a rescue, petfinder.com is a good place to look for one,and telling them your exact situation and needs. And they will be able to find you a dog that suits you. I got my two medium sized dogs from a rescue and live in a townhome (a bit bigger than yours) but with no yard. One is a lab whippet mix and is a good but not great runner (was a little faster in his younger years), depending on how fast you want to go (he would be good for someone running 9-10min mile pace). The other is an English Pointer and is a great runner, can run fast and for a long time. They are both high energy dogs so in addition to running they also need frequent walks and a lot of play time. Having two is nice because they can chase each other around the house, wrestle, play tug o war, etc. I have never known beagles to be good running dogs but I do know they bark a lot. Again a rescue can help as often dogs are in foster care for a little while so they know some of the dogs habits. Good luck with your dog search!
Yes, the apartment/good runner is a tough combo, it just means you need to take responsibility to exercise a dog thats going to want to run that distance.
I recently got a Parsons Terrier which is a longer legged version of a Jack Russel Terrier and she is pretty awesome. I run her short distance at the moment- up to 8 miles and she is still ready for more. My vet said that even being conservative, at a year she would be fine up to 2 hours running. I have buddies who had theirs running alongside for 4 hour mtn bike rides. (his dogs are 13 and still healthy dogs) They are smaller so not as much worry about hip or overuse injuries.
They have a ton of energy, but I live in a small apartment, and Mili knows when it is time to chill, and is not destructive at all in the house. My brother Paul has a Vizla and he was a great running buddy, but only after a few years breaking him in. He is about 50 lbs and his limit is about 90 minutes then his joints start to hurt. But… that dog “turns off” when you leave. We could leave him in the house for 10 hours and when we come home he will not have moved all day. Kinda weird 
Good luck, anyway you go just give them exercise wether or not you feel like it or not, or they’ll make you pay
Whatever you do, just don’t purchase the dog from a pet shop. Rescues are a good place to start. However, I’m definitely not against purchasing from a reputable breeder. You get the certainty of lineage and physical guarantees(not just in the “guaranty” sense but also physical predictability). However these days everything’s a crapshoot. I have a female Siberian Husky who weighs in at 42lbs. She runs with me regardless of weather(in WI that could range from 0-95) and never had any issues(hot or cold). Came from a breeder with a working background and health guarantees(including cataracts and OFA certs).
Labrador Retrievers are also a good choice for shorter haired preferences but look for field trial lines(they are smaller and last way longer). The AKC version of a Lab Retriever is rather huge. Just watch out for hip dysplasia among poorly bred lines.
At the end of the day however, I would also look at your lifestyle beyond running. Frankly, most breeds(obviously not all) can keep up with most people who run as long as acclimation is taken into consideration. Just remember not to pile on the miles too young.
Re-iterating everyone elses statement…RESCUE DOG…
Running dogs. Hounds are driven by scent - so you may want to run, they may want to smell EVERYTHING and no matter what you say, the nose wins. I have a border collie / bernese mountain dog mix (about 67 pounds) that used to run up to 13 miles with me and would NOT stop to pee, poop or smell. She knew the various routes, she wanted to be in the lead, enough said - she ran and ran and ran. Last summer she was diagnosed with diabetes so she no longer runs with me.
The issue of the small apartment. I wouldn’t be concerned with that as long as you exercise the dog by running several times a week and on off days, walk the dog at least twice a day to wear them out. A tired dog is a good dog.
I’m not going to get into the bred dog vs. rescue dog conversation, but if I were in your shoes I would go border collie. Very very gentle dogs, smart and loyal, great runners, generally run around 35 lbs.
Just 2c about the apartment thing. So long as the dog is getting the exercise that it needs an apt. is fine. My hubby and I have 2 large dogs who lived in a 1 bedroom apartment(maybe 700sqft) with us for several years before we had a house. So long as they got their 3 walks a day they were the biggest couch potatoes inside.
As for a runner any of the sporting breeds will work, but don’t forget that each dog is different. Case in point the dog I adopted as my ‘running partner’ - a weimeraner that hates to do anything beyond a trot. As the others have said please consider rescues, if you want a pure breed most can be found at breed specific rescues and need homes too.
Disagree with you Center. Border Collies are great dogs, but one of the worst apt dogs. They are so smart and such hard workers the tend to get bored if they don’t have a job to do.
Yes I am sure there are exceptions to the rule, but ask the border collie rescue people what is the main reason collie dogs get rescued and it is city life for a country dog.
If seen a handful of them do quite well in small houses and condos here (1000 - 1200 square feet), but your point is not lost, they like to be a working.
I’ve had a female English Pointer for 5 years now. She is the perfect running buddy and house dog as long as you take her out for exercise (running, fetch, etc.) AT LEAST 4 times per week. You can see the energy build every day she does not get out. After a solid 60+ minute run, she’ll sleep the next 20+ hours without moving…until she hears the sound of her collar jingle. 
She is ~40 pounds and thinks she is a lap dog (and I let her be more often than not) She’ll last as long or longer than you as long as she gets water in warm (65F+) conditions on a regular interval (every 10-20 minutes and more frequently when it’s hot). Very happy and friendly and one of the most important things about a house dog…SHE IS SILENT other than an occasional yawn or during an exciting doggy dream.
There are a few pics here: http://www.trikirkracing.com/fun/
My golden runs easily 6-7 miles without breaking a sweat, but he can’t run in hot weather. As a bonus he will swim in open water with you, too
A good friend of mine has an English Springer Spaniel that runs 50 miles per week with him. Great dog!
My golden runs easily 6-7 miles without breaking a sweat, but he can’t run in hot weather. As a bonus he will swim in open water with you, too
Yah. Retrievers are awesome! If you look closely, they have webbed toes for swimming. (Really.)
I have a rescue female Vizsla (we’ve had two other Vizslas too - both males). Got the males when I was into mountain bike racing - I’d take them on 22 mile RIDES and they’d be back at the truck waiting to go for more. I could not wear them out.
Our current female we think is about 8 and I just took her for a 16 mile trail run with 5,300 ft. of climbing and descending. She ran the whole thing with me - with a freakin’ stuffed animal in her mouth the whole time!
Only kind of dog I will ever own. Loyal, smart, short-haired (yet soft), and very athletic. Same as a couple of others have said though - if they don’t get to run about 4 times a week, then not a good thing.
Edit: webbed feet too!
Note, I am a qualified expert on dog breeds. I have have done dog adoption/purchase counseling for over 20 years. I am also a competition obedience trainer, coach and instructor. I have worked with almost every AKC breed over the years.
Dogs do not RUN at human pace. They trot. Dogs that are bred for endurance work trot all day long. Depending on the dog, they will do a steady brisk trot in the 7 - 9 mm range. Dogs RUN to sprint. Dogs built to run,like greyhounds, do not have as much endurance. Dogs, like people, are individuals and there are always exceptions of course, but the average holds true.
Rescue and purebred both have their positives and negatives. Purebreds MUST be obtained from a reputable breeder who is more concerned about the puppy’s health and happiness than the money. They should know their stock, do genetic testing and guarantee the health. Absolutely no pet store dogs or even casual backyard pet breeders. Common purebreds are also readily available for adoption. Rescues can be a gamble when it comes to health, but all dogs can have health problems.
The best trotting dog is not a breed so much as a physical type. They are medium size, square looking from the side view or slightly leggy. They have straight legs when viewed from the front and rear and the rear legs have a nice curve when viewed from the side. They have a medium to slim muzzle and a moderately deep chest. They have a good “reach” when they trot. (means they cover ground with big strides). It really boils down to he individual dog in many cases. Not all dogs are going to be athletic, but most love to run.
A high energy dog is ok in an apartment if it gets good exercise. That means more than once a day and 7 days a week. Nervous energy dogs do not do well in apartments if left alone. Many Border Collies as well as other herding breeds and terriers have nervous energy.
My favorite “running” breeds in the* mid size range* include Vizlas and Spaniels in the sporting group. Beagles in the Hounds. Aussies and Border Collies in the Herding group. Dalmations were bred to follow carriages and are ideal endurance dogs but they have lots of health issues. Poodles and poodle mixes can be very athletic. The very popluar breeds are harder to predict, as the individuals often vary from the original standards of the breed. This has happened to both Labs and Goldens, both of which were originally bred for water work and sprinting. The arctic sled dogs are endurance dogs extraordinare, but very limited to running in temps under 65 degrees.
If you want any help feel free to contact me via pm. I have helped a few STers in finding running partners.
My golden runs easily 6-7 miles without breaking a sweat, but he can’t run in hot weather. As a bonus he will swim in open water with you, too
Thats very impressive, unless you taKe into account dogs don’t sweat.
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Since we got him as a puppy, my dog has always lived in an apartment or condo. He is healthy, happy and does not have any behavioral issues.
If you go with a resuce it would probably be adviseable to look for a dog that had previously lived in an apartment or is fairly you. Otherwise, my understanding is that if you get a dog as a puppy it can adapt to apartment living. Just be sure not to take it running until it is old enough that is bone structure is fully formed.
As far as fast dogs, my buddy has a Samoyed and that dog is crazy fast. Good luck!
I’ve got a Cattle Dog/Blue Heeler and am crazy about her. She was 10 when we adopted her but loved to run with me. I didn’t get to take her for more than 5 miles because of her age but she was a great companion when she did go out. She’s over 13 now so a 20 minute walk is about all she can handle.
I’ll look for another rescue heeler or heeler mix when I become dogless again. I love my Golden and would like another but for super long runs, I think a heeler would hold up better. They are extremely smart, tough as all get out and can get into trouble but if you get them out every day you won’t have a problem.