Dogs can be high maintenance for many reasons. More often than not, the most high-maintenance dog will be a puppy, regardless of breed. Puppies are babies. They may be weaned from their mothers, but they rely on you to teach them everything from obedience to potty training to socialization and beyond. As any new puppy parent knows, they test your patience and can drain your savings.
Once your dog reaches adulthood (or young adulthood), they may require extra grooming. Most dogs should be brushed a few times a week. Some breeds require daily grooming sessions, frequent baths (complete with post bath blow outs) or regular visits to a professional groomer to keep their coat in tip-top shape. This is high maintenance because it takes up time, energy and funds. If you want to groom yourself, there’s also a learning curve and you’ll have to hold yourself accountable instead of relying on the groomer to take care of things.
High energy dogs are also high maintenance. These are the dogs who seem to be at the dog park every single day, no matter the time, with boundless energy. They need multiple daily walks or runs to keep them happy. If kept indoors and alone for too long, these dogs become destructive or depressed. They have energy to burn and are usually highly intelligent. It’s possible these pups won’t do well in apartments and should live in homes with yards (with durable fences to keep them safely contained).