This is just one case, of course, and not to be taken as a general rule, but I live in an apartment with my 1-year-old berner, Sammy. I've lived in an apartment the whole time I've had him. I've found that it works out just fine- Sammy is not a dog to run around the house on his own for exercise- he tends to be pretty calm and lazy in the house, and though he follows me everywhere I go, I don't at all have the impression that if I lived in a large house, he would take the effort to "use up" that space, so to speak. He really is a dog that likes to be where his people are, and so I don't really see how it would benefit hi to have a larger house- he's certainly not going to get exercise in the house by walking laps of the house on his own! I take him outside often, and he loves playing at the dog park, and going for walks, particularly in the winter. My experience with this breed is that the amount of attention you are able to give is more important to them than the amount of space you are able to give. He does certainly bump into things, but he does that outside as well, and it doesn't seem to bother him at all!