All non shedding dogs need regular grooming. This article will help you pick a non-shedding dog breed, which grooming needs are manageable for you. Read more
Non shedding dogs are most suited to households with allergy sufferers, as they produce much less dander – the most frequent cause of human allergies to dogs. According to a paper published in 2018 in Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Research, allergies to dogs affect 10%-20% of the population; between 1 to 2 in 10 people in your circle of family and friends is most likely allergic to dogs. To further reduce shedding dander, they need regular grooming; this article will highlight the grooming required for each breed.
It doesn’t matter if you’re hoping for an extra-large boy, a little pooch, or something in between—the following list includes different dog breeds in all three sizes!
We used the following parameters to classify our furry friends below:
● Small dog breeds: Less than 22 lbs. and less than 13 inches
● Medium dog breeds: 24–60 lbs. and 13–23 inches
● Large dog breeds: More than 60 lbs. and taller than 25 inches
10 Small Non-shedding Dogs
If you live in an apartment and want to take a tiny pup home, you can pick one of the following breeds.
1. Bichon Frise
● Coat type: Double, long, and curly
● Grooming frequency: Daily
Taking care of a Bichon Frise’s lovely coat can be tricky.
Since it’s curly, it’s prone to tangles if you don’t brush it with a soft-bristled brush every day. Plus, the shed hair, while minimal, can get caught up in the undercoat, so brushing is the way to get rid of stuck hair.
As for bathing, make sure to thoroughly wash your Bichon Frise’s coat once a month.
2. Chinese Crested
● Coat type: Hairless or powderpuff (short or medium)
● Grooming frequency: Once a week (hairless) and daily (powderpuff)
Chinese Crested dogs look low-maintenance because they only have hair on their heads, legs, and tails. However, that’s not entirely the case.
The hairless variety will need special care because its exposed skin can be subject to sunburn, irritation, and dryness. So, it’s important to consult a vet about the best grooming routine that’ll keep this dog’s skin in ideal condition.
As for the powderpuff variety, it’ll require daily brushing as its soft layer of hair can get matted easily.
2. Affenpinscher
● Coat type: Wiry (short or medium)
● Grooming frequency: 2–3 times a week
Another small dog that doesn’t shed is the Affenpinscher. Yet, you’ll spend a lot of time grooming this little boy!
Ideally, you have to brush his wiry coat several times a week to ensure it doesn’t form challenging knots.
Because the coat doesn’t have a fast growth rate, you’ll need to give it a trim every three months or so.
3. Maltese
● Coat type: Long and silky
● Grooming frequency: Daily
The Maltese dog is an adorable good boy that you may want to take home because of his non-shedding status. But you must be prepared to take special care of his silky coat.
He requires gentle brushing every day, bathing and ear cleaning every couple of weeks, and applying a suitable coat conditioner to maintain its shine.
4. Miniature and Toy Poodle
● Coat type: Long and curly
● Grooming frequency: Daily
A miniature or toy Poodle’s grooming requirements can be a bit much.
If you’ll be keeping this dog’s hair long, daily brushing is the way to prevent the hair from matting near the roots.
For a hassle-free life with a miniature Poodle, a lot of pet parents prefer to keep the coat trimmed short. A trip to the groomer once a month for a professional trimming after a bath is a must.
5. West Highland White Terrier
● Coat type: Double and medium-length
● Grooming frequency: Daily
The West Highland White Terrier is a little show dog that can easily win the hearts of millions thanks to his amiable personality and lovely coat.
To keep his coat in good condition, you must comb it every day to loosen any dead hairs that might get stuck in it.
Then, a visit to the groomer is a requirement every month for a bath and a trim.
6. Bolognese
● Coat type: Long and wavy
● Grooming frequency: 3 times per week
What’s better than the cute Bolognese dog as a low-shedding companion for people with allergies?
More interesting is the fact that this dog only requires brushing three times a week, which may be less if you keep the coat trimmed short.
Even with long coats, Bolognese dogs will only require you to trim the hair around their eyes for visibility.
7. Havanese
● Coat type: Double, long, and silky
● Grooming frequency: Daily
The Havanese has a long, soft coat, which automatically translates to gentle daily combing to keep matted hair at bay. You also want to get rid of any loose hair that may have nestled in the undercoat.
To shorten the frequency of grooming this dog, you can opt for a shorter trim and keep it maintained by visiting the groomer every 4–6 weeks.
8. Scottish Terrier
● Coat type: Double, medium-length, and wiry
● Grooming frequency: Weekly
A Scottish Terrier needs hand stripping on a weekly basis, but you should do it monthly if it’s a puppy. This is to make it easier to gently brush the wiry topcoat.
Otherwise, you can always take your dog to the groomer for a coat trim once every two months.
9. Lhasa Apso
● Coat type: Long and silky
● Grooming frequency: 2–3 times a week
We like the Lhasa Apso dog because he’s fluffy, has a goofy personality, and has a low shedding frequency. Just get ready to meet its long coat’s needs!
Whether you’ll be keeping the hair long or trimmed, two brushing sessions a week is recommended. Then, a bath should be in order every two weeks, so you should alternate bathing and brushing at weekly intervals.
10. Brussels Griffon
● Coat type: Double, short or medium-length, and wiry
● Grooming frequency: Weekly
The rough-coated version of the Brussels Griffon dog needs weekly brushing of his wiry coat. You can even trim your pup’s coat to make taking care of it a more straightforward task.
Regular bathing, nail clipping, and teeth cleaning are essential, too.
10 Medium-sized Non-shedding Dogs
Many medium-sized dogs are low-shedders, and here are our ten favorite pooches!
1. Basenji
● Coat type: Short and fine
● Grooming frequency: Every 1–2 weeks
A Basenji can be the perfect fit for people who don’t want to concern themselves with long hair that can get easily tangled. Because this breed has short, flat hair, you’ll only need to brush yours after a bath.
Better still, Basenjis don’t need frequent bathing—only once every two weeks should do.
2. Irish Water Spaniel
● Coat type: Medium-length and curly
● Grooming frequency: Weekly
An Irish Water Spaniel may be just what you need if you want a cute dog that doesn’t have to follow a demanding grooming schedule.
You’ll just need to brush his curly coat every week, give him a trim every 8 weeks, and maintain the cleanliness of his ears, teeth, and nails.
3. Lagotto Romagnolo
● Coat type: Double, medium-length, and curly
● Grooming frequency: Once a month
One of the most low-maintenance dogs when it comes to grooming is the Lagotto Romagnolo.
Professionals advise against brushing this good boy’s curly hair in between monthly grooming sessions. Otherwise, unraveling the topcoat’s ringlets will cause the rough undercoat to mat more tightly.
Just leave it to the groomer to do all the work—trimming the coat, bathing, and taking care of the dog’s ears and nails.
4. Peruvian Inca Orchid
● Coat type: Smooth and short (almost hairless)
● Grooming frequency: 1–2 times per week
The Peruvian Inca Orchid dog is almost hairless, but the patches of soft, fine hair will need weekly brushing after bathing.
What you should focus more on is the exposed skin, as it’s prone to sunburn and irritation. Therefore, make sure to apply sunscreen to it if you intend to take your dog outside.
While indoors, it’s best to wipe your dog’s skin with a soft piece of cloth dipped in warm water daily.
5. Portuguese Water Dog
● Coat type: Tight and curly or loose and wavy (long)
● Grooming frequency: Weekly
Without a doubt, the Portuguese Water Dog is one of the best non-shedding dogs you can get. However, grooming this boy is a big deal!
He needs brushing once or twice a week, occasional baths, and a trim each month or so to keep his coat looking fresh and clean.
6. Spanish Water Dog
● Coat type: Curly or corded and medium-length
● Grooming frequency: Once every 2 months
You’re not allowed to brush the Spanish Water Dog’s curly coat between full grooming sessions.
Just bathe him when the coat starts getting dirty.
Plus, if you want your dog to have the trademark corded coat, you’ll have to wait for more than two months before taking him to the groomer.
7. Tibetan Terrier
● Coat type: Double and long
● Grooming frequency: Weekly
His coat sure looks intimidating, but the Tibetan Terrier is easy to groom.
He’ll require full-body brushes twice a week, a bath every two weeks, and a visit to a professional groomer for a trim every two months.
8. Bedlington Terrier
● Coat type: Medium-length and curly
● Grooming frequency: Weekly
The Bedlington Terrier is a unique dog breed with fast-growing hair.
As a result, you’ll need to comb his curly hair once or twice per week, give him a trim every couple of months, and bathe him occasionally.
9. Kerry Blue Terrier
● Coat type: Medium-length and wavy
● Grooming frequency: Weekly
To get rid of loose hair, you must brush your Kerry Blue Terrier once a week and give him a full groom every two months or so.
Also, make sure to trim his nails every week and keep his ears always clean.
10. Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier
● Coat type: Medium-length and silky or wavy
● Grooming frequency: Daily
The Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier should receive a daily dose of gentle brushing with a pin brush, followed by careful combing with a fine-toothed comb.
Whatever knots are left should be hand-smoothed.
As for bathing, you should only do it when the dog gets dirty.
10 Large Non-shedding Dogs
There’s a multitude of large non-shedding dogs, too, as you’ll see right below!
1. Giant Schnauzer
● Coat type: Double, medium-length, and wiry
● Grooming frequency: Weekly
The Giant Schnauzer requires weekly brushing of his double coat, regular clipping to prevent mats, and bathing on occasion.
Because not all pet parents know how to deal with a coat that has both soft and wiry hair, we recommend you leave all the work to experts.
2. Briard
● Coat type: Double, long, and wavy
● Grooming frequency: 2–3 times a week
Briard dogs are giant buddies that need extra care; so make it a habit of brushing the hair of yours a few times each week.
As for bathing and trimming, the frequency of those is usually monthly.
3. Greyhound
● Coat type: Short and smooth
● Grooming frequency: Weekly
A Greyhound is the easiest to groom because his short, fine hair only requires weekly rubbing with a damp cloth. A full-fledged bath can happen every couple of weeks or so.
However, you’ll need to keep his nails in check, as they grow quite fast.
4. Komondor
● Coat type: Long and corded
● Grooming frequency: Once every two weeks
The coolest thing about a Komondor dog is that you should never brush him, but bathe him every couple of weeks to keep the coat healthy.
When the coat starts to get too long, you can visit the groomer for a neat trim.
5. Bouvier des Flandres
● Coat type: Double, medium-length, and rough
● Grooming frequency: 1–2 times a week
A Bouvier des Flandres needs periodic brushing sessions to prevent the matting of his coarse hair.
As for bathing, you’ll only have to do it every three months or so, followed by a clean trim. Nails should be trimmed at a two-week interval.
6. Cane Corso
● Coat type: Short and smooth
● Grooming frequency: Weekly
The Cane Corso is a low-shedding dog that needs brushing on a weekly basis. During the shedding season, which only yields a few hairs here and there, you can amp up the brushing frequency to daily.
Bathe your dog occasionally and trim his nails once they get too long.
7. Saluki
● Coat type: Short and smooth
● Grooming frequency: Weekly
Saluki dogs are simple to keep in perfect shape by combing their smooth coats every week.
They don’t even need to get into the bathtub that often—only when exceptionally dirty!
8. Afghan Hound
● Coat type: Long and silky
● Grooming frequency: 2–3 times a week
The Afghan Hound requires thorough brushing several times a week to get rid of annoying tangles in his coat.
You should also bathe yours regularly to keep his coat shiny and healthy. A trim is a good idea every month or so, too.
9. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
● Coat type: Double, medium-length, and wiry
● Grooming frequency: Weekly
It’s recommended that you brush or comb your Wirehaired Pointing Griffon’s coat once a week to get rid of loose hair that can get stuck on his outer wiry coat.
Occasionally, you’ll have to trim the hair around his ears and feet, as it tends to get too long.
As for bathing, only do it when it’s necessary, like if your pup hops into a muddy puddle!
10. Belgian Malinois
● Coat type: Short and smooth
● Grooming frequency: Once every 1–2 weeks
The Belgian Malinois isn’t a 100% non-shedding dog, but his shedding is low. So, when it’s not his shedding season, you can only brush him on occasion.
However, daily brushing is a must to remove dead hair when he starts shedding.
Bathing is okay every month or so, depending on how adventurous your dog is!
What to do next?
Are you wondering if you can afford a dog? Go to our guide how much does a dog cost per year. Is bathing your dog a struggle? Check out our guide on how to bathe a dog for useful tips. Is your dog likely to catch fleas or ticks? Head to our flea and tick prevention for dogs article.
