Is a terrier for me? help me find the right breed

[pandabear]

:pomwag: hi, im pandaBear i need some advice i want a dog that can walk with me, a dog to alert but not an over barker. a dog to cuddle with a dog to play catch with a fun dog a low maintenance but pretty dog. an active but not hyper dog a dog that can relax too? i live in an apartment but dont want anything under 25 lbs. help thnks

[Luciann]

oh my not sure...have you looked as a schnauzer?

[Sheryl]

I have to say that any terriers I have known would not make great apartment dogs because they bark too much. My sister has a Wirehaired Fox Terrier and a friend of mine has a Mini Schnauzer and they are both go go go. The FT should have sound effects... boing-a boing-a boing-a because she bounces like she's on springs! ALL THE TIME!!

Not that they are fool-proof, but what about one of the on-line breed selectors?
Showdog.com has one that you also rate how important each character is:

http://www.showdog.com/Breeds/breedselector.aspx

Iams has one:

http://www.iams.com/iams/breed-information.jsp

So does Animal Planet:

http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/dogselectorindex.do

Also, I would encourage you to think about adopting an adult dog...that way, you already know how hyper/laid back he/she is, how much of a barker, if they like to fetch/play/etc.

Have you thought about a corgi?

[TimberWolf]

In general, I'd say a terrier has a lot of energy, so if you are not looking for a hyper dog, a terrier is probably not the dog for you.

You may want to consider a more medium sized dog and one not bred for herding such as a border collie. Those are high maintenance. Golden Retrievers are not known to be super hyper, but they are large dogs. They will lounge happily but can play a mean game of Frisbee. For an apartment, however, you may want something smaller. One thing you may want to consider is, if you decide on a larger breed, you may only need to take him or her out on more walks and to a dog park for exercise. But, if you have a busy life, getting a medium sized dog may be your best bet. ...Maybe something in the non-sporting breed, hound, and even some working breeds might fit the bill.

[Sheryl]

Another thing I thought of... you could contact a local rescue (perhaps one that someone you know has had a good relationship with, or one that is recommended by someone you know), and let them know that you are looking for a dog that fits your criteria. There might be some perfect mixed breeds out there that fit the bill. I know of rescues that are more concerned that they match a dog's personality with what people are looking for rather than just a specific breed or 'look'.