Looking for the breed

[Flatcoatluver]

[QUOTE=.powerful]I love field dogs, retrievers, setters etc. I *love* the english setter but I am completley crushed that it barks a lot and commonly has seperation anxiety. [QUOTE]
I have a english setter purebred and have had them all my life, every single english setter we have had no barking problems, thay actually never barked, only to warn you of something. They do have anixiety probelms but if you keep on going aww or something it will make it worse. you can see my english setter in my sig.

[areias]

Hmm...what about a standard poodle? They are very active, are fairly quiet, and great all around dogs, as long as you can keep up with grooming. Greyhounds sound good too. Or perhaps a Samoyed, or Keeshond?

In general, Newfies are great. They are large and enjoy being out and about. St. Bernards are good, but they can be a little high strung and nervous. I have met good and bad Bernese Mt. Dogs, a lot that have problems with strangers. Do you have enough room for dogs that large? Be prepared for drool and hair. Good luck with whatever you choose.

[HollywoodNVegas]

While a greyhound is a good choice many rescues will not adopt one to a home without a fenced yard or who is not home regularly during the day.

I am a Newfie owner and they are a wonderful breed. I don't live in a huge dwelling and provide her with plenty of exercise. I am also an obedience instructor which plays a lot into her activities. They are very even tempered and such loves BUT when you get a dog of immaculate size, you need to consider several things:
1) Larger dog = more food. I have a Lab and a Newfie and my Newf eats double what my Lab does per day.
2) Grooming can be expensive. I brush her every day or every other day to prevent matting. She is also professionally groomed every 6 weeks, costing around $60 each time. If you don't take good care of their coats, I have seen people with $100 grooming bills.
3) Going to a reputable breeder is imperative. Newfs and other XL breed dogs can suffer from various issues - patella luxation, hip dysplasia, etc. Even going to a reputable breeder does not necessarily deplete the problem.

Basing a dog breed on ability to go off leash is not always the smartest move. Some dogs develop that capability, some never will. Having trained many German Shepherds, I have seen an incredible number that are not able to be off-lead regardless of training. Some dogs will not, in the long run, fit the generalized breed temperament.

Exercising a dog is imperative especially without a fenced yard. Regardless of the breed, I would consider activities like agility or tracking to keep your dog happy. Dogs who are bored can be destructive regardless of the breed.

Some breeds you may want to consider:
ENGLISH Cocker Spaniel (not the American)
Australian Shepherd
Flat-Coated Retriever
Setter family
Collie
Sheltie

No matter what you choose, look into the hidden costs you will need to consume and decide whether or not you can afford the breed generally speaking.

[ESS-lover]

English Springer Spaniels come in two categories Bench and Field - field are definate hunters and the bench have had some of that bred out for conformity's sake.

They are medium sized, usually calm indoors, loving and people oriented - absolutely lousy guard dogs (might lick an intruder to death but that's about it). They are eager to please so very trainable (important in an apartment/condo), friendly to people if well socialized, and do well romping for an hour or two a day (I take mine to the dog park where he can run and play off leash for about an hour a day).

Cowboy and I have just completed level 2 of obedience - he has done very well and knows all the basic commands. ESS do not do well on their own (love to be with their people) - but do crate well (suggested until at least 2 yo) and the love and wiggles when they come out even after 10 minutes is incredible.

BTW, I am in an apartment with one and it is a good match.

[ParNone]

I have 2 Smooth Collies and wouldn't recommend them for your situation. They are incredible dogs. So very trainable, friendly, playful, reliable in the house, good off leash, do not need excessive exercise. They're just about perfect in every way. Except barking wise. With training, they're not really excessive barkers, but the decibal level is unbelievably loud and it can be high pitched. I would think in a Condo setting, that could be very annoying to your neighbors.

I actually would recommend the Cavalier. Not sure what influenced your "not special" observation, but there have been several in Oz's agility class that I've fallen in love with. They've all been so friendly and well behaved. Very trainable. Not barkers at all, that I noticed. Good off leash, playful and very devoted and loving to their handlers. They seem as happy to be lap dogs as they are agility dogs. Great all around dog. They're definitely on my small dog list to get someday.

Par...

[Majestic]

I thought I had some comment to this post, it disappeared.

[senorita02]

so did mine