Question
I recently heard about the mix/designer breed known as the Italian Greagle, an Italian Greyhound and Beagle mix. They are very beautiful dogs, with the elegance of the Italian greyhound but with a slightly more filled out build. My question is how much the Italian greyhound genes minimize the beagle's persistent vocalization? In other words, are they quiet enough for apartment living or do they retain too much of the beagle genes?
Answer
The problem here is - it's next to impossible to say for sure. Breed characteristics are ... to paraphrase a wise man 'more like guidelines'. There is absolutely no guarantee that any dog you get will be barky - or not.
You can improve the odds a little by going for a known quantity - adopting a dog with a history. There are no shortage of dogs in need of re-homing, either via rescues or privately. Although you should be wary of the ones that are looking to turn a profit on the transaction - they're less likely to have the best interest of you and the dog in mind.
However you need to be prepared to work with your dog and an ongoing commitment to optimising behaviour. That's not a small thing, but it's true of any dog. Some dogs are more laid back than others, but they all benefit from plenty of attention, training and exercise.
So I would suggest strongly that you don't think in terms of "Is this (breed of) dog quiet enough to have in an apartment" - because all of them can be. But none of them will be, unless you're prepared to take the time and commitment necessary.
Which means:
proactively attend training for both your benefit - your dog has to learn how to speak your variety of 'human' and you have to understand their variety of 'dog'.
Take time to train and reinforce positive behaviours, and avoid negative. (Training 'don't bark' is difficult).
Look up separation anxiety, and consider it - it's often a factor in dogs annoying neighbours, because they do miss 'their' human. This can lead to whining and barking.
Commit to regular exercise regime for your dog. There is an adage - a tired dog is a happy dog. So be prepared for an hour of walkies morning and evening. (Chances are, you won't need so much, but you need to be prepared for the possiblity - or even more)
I am personally of the opinion that negative reinforcement - such as bark collars - aren't a good thing to go for, as they can have some potentially unpredictable consequences. Consider for example - your dog sees a (potential) threat and barks to warn it off. And the collar "punishes" them for doing that. Have you just taught it not to bark, or have you just taught it that that thing definitely is a threat, and so they need to be more aggressive next time? Dogs don't stop pulling on a lead that is choking them, because the stress reinforces their need to 'fight back'. You can quite easily create the same situation accidentally with a 'bark collar'.
Answered By - Sobrique