I had a Bernese Mountain Dog, about 120 lbs (55 kg) of floof. We never lived in a property with a yard or garden, it was always either a townhouse or apartment.

I had a Bernese Mountain Dog, about 120 lbs (55 kg) of floof. We never lived in a property with a yard or garden, it was always either a townhouse or apartment. I understand what makes you think that big dogs in an apartment can be cruel, but I think that it's identifying the wrong problem. Dogs need the right type of exercise and stimulation. Some of this is breed specific, the Aussie/Great Pyr mix up thread would probably have needs closer to my parent's Border Collie who needed (and got) double digit miles per day of movement. A Bernese Mountain Dog has lower energy needs. As apartment dwellers we made sure that he walked many times a day, often in wilderness areas (an advantage of the PNW), but also often in dog parks, beaches, etc. I've seen people who have gardens/yards assume that allowing their dog access to the yard is sufficient, rarely if ever walking them. The key, as with almost all dog or pet issues, is the owner attitude, and has little to do with apartment vs house