I've had quite a few dogs (and cats) in my life. I prefer the small, smart breeds that can be trained easily and require no grooming. I would recommend the toy fox terrier but they do shed even though they have short hair. I had a toy poodle that was just incredible and so smart. I just had him cut real short about 4 times a year.
My suggestion would be to figure out the dog you want and see if a breeder is retiring one already trained and used to living indoors. I would also train it to use the pee pad as well as go outside.
Shelter dogs are great but you need to make sure it will be compatible in your home. I think having a dog is a great idea but I'd stay away from puppies.
Here's a picture of me with Monet, my Toy Poodle and a picture of the dog I have now, Ace, a Toy Fox Terrier. They both topped out at about 7 pounds.
Dogs can be trained not to bark and it's quite simple. I even trained a Schnauzer not to bark and they are famous for barking. One way is to put a bunch of coins in a jar and, when the dog barks, shake the jar just enough to "break the bark cycle." If you get a smart breed, it'll be a whole lot easier to train and handle in your environment.
There are some breed/people matching tests online. Mine always say either Italian Greyhound or Toy Fox Terrier. I've had Italian Greyhounds and they are tiny couch potatoes but very hard to potty train unless you are willing to use the pee pad pretty much full time.