15 Dog Breeds that Don’t Shed
While all dogs may be our best friends, they aren’t always the easiest to have around due to the shedding factor. If you’re looking for a pup that won’t leave your furniture and clothes covered with pet hair, there are several breeds out there that don’t shed.
In this article, we will explore 10 dog breeds that require minimal grooming and won’t coat your house in fur all day long. Read on to discover which low-shedding four-legged friend is perfect for both your lifestyle and home!
Coton de Tulear
Named after the city of Tulear in Madagascar, history has it that Coton de Tulear was a pack of dogs that survived a shipwreck and swam across the Malagasy channel without help from human beings.
Who would have thought that cute cotton puppies have the tenacity to beat the ocean in their own game? The puppy coat is known for its soft voluptuous hair, which should not be confused with furs.
Experts label them hypoallergenic, meaning you can rest assured that they won’t trigger your allergy. It’s a sweet coincidence that Coton de Tulears are celebrated annually in the same month this article was published (November 26th, to be specific).
If you are looking for an intelligent but playful companion, you can find one in a Coton de Tulear. They are not the snobby type that resents a gentle touch. They love meeting new people; hence you don’t have to be afraid of them grunting when your family or friends visit.
One of my favorite characteristics of the Coton de Tulear is that they are great swimmers, so do not hesitate to bring your pet to the beach or swimming pool (if allowed).
Experts recommend bathing the Coton de Tulear once a week to maintain their cute and wholesome look. Don’t forget to comb and brush their coat to give them a decent look.
You don’t have to worry about them littering your furniture or carpeting with their hair as they do not shed.
Life Expectancy
They can live for up to 16 years when properly taken care of.
Common Health Issues
Luckily for owners, Cotons barely experience the chronic illnesses witnessed by other dogs. However, they are prone to skin allergies resulting from bacterial infections. Plus, if their ears are not cleaned properly and regularly, they might develop ear problems.
Some of the illnesses you should prepare for are progressive retinal atrophy, dysplasia, and luxating patella. As a Coton owner, it’s advisable to learn more about the above-mentioned diseases and take them to the vet regularly.
Level of Owner Experience Needed
The Coton de Tulear is a rare breed, making it expensive and difficult to find. You don’t need to be an experienced dog owner to own one.
Bichon Frise
Bichon Frise, the curly-haired dog, owes its name to the French language. In English, Bichon Frise means fluffy white dog. If you need a cuddly little companion, the bichon frise is the perfect pet for you.
According to history, Bichons were formerly trained as sailing dogs or herding dogs in Spain, but they were ‘converted’ into lap dogs by French people.
Although the Bichons were first introduced into the US in 1955, they are ranked as the 40th most popular dogs by the American Kennel Club (a globally respected registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the USA).
Described as merry and curious by the AKC, bichons have lots of love to give. They are curious, playful, and clingy. They can also be jealous and attention-seeking.
Life Expectancy
While the Bichons Frises’ lifespan was documented as 21 years, it is absurd to expect newer generations of Bichons to maintain that lifespan decades after countless series of inbreeding. The current life expectancy for the Bichon frise is 15 years.
Common Health Issues
The leading causes of death among the Bichon Frises include cancer, unknown causes, and hematologic causes.
The common minor illnesses are skin allergies, diabetes, cataract, heart diseases, patellar luxation, and liver diseases.
Shih Tzu
The problem with toy dogs is that they often get in the way of your work and usually don’t understand when you need “me time.” But the Shih Tzu is a different breed of toy dog that is as clingy as they are independent.
Shih Tzus are hypoallergenic dogs. Their coats tangles easily, and owners must brush them every three days.
Originally from Tibet, the Shih Tzu is known as the lion dog. One would wonder what got a friendly, calm, and playful nickname related to a dreadful predator.
Tibetan legend has it that the Buddhist God of learning had a dog that could shapeshift into a lion when needed. The name Shih Tzu means little lion.
Life Expectancy
The average lifespan of the Shih Tzu is 12 years. But they can live up to 18 years
Common Health Issues
The Shih Tzu requires regular grooming as their coat tangles without proper care. The popularity of the Shih Tzu has given professionals the luxury of time and access to properly detail the likely or hereditary diseases found in this dog breed. The diseases span from mild to chronic: eye issues, brachycephaly, heart diseases, ear disease, hair tangling, and skin allergies.
Level of Owner Experience Needed
Anyone can own a Shih Tzu. However, the negligence of many dog owners has greatly dented the average lifespan of the dog breed to 12 years. Constant grooming and health checkups are essential.
Yorkshire Terrier
The Yorkshire Terrier matches your request if you are shopping for small companion dogs that could fit inside a purse. The hypoallergenic weighs 7 pounds at most.
The Yorkshire Terrier is clingy, energetic, and playful. This dog is not for people who lead extremely busy lifestyles, as the Yorkie is prone to separation anxiety when left alone. The prominent way around this is to get two dogs.
As its name suggests, the Yorkie originated in Yorkshire. They migrated from Scotland to Yorkshire alongside Scottish workers in the mid-19th century.
Life Expectancy
The lifespan of the Yorkshire Terrier ranges from 13 to 20 years.
Common Health Issues
Yorkies are pretty delicate dogs. They purge when fed foods outside their regular diet because of their fragile digestive tracts. Also, due to their tiny size, they don’t fare well when given anesthesia.
Serious health problems in Yorkshire Terriers include portosystemic shunt, cataracts, bronchitis, keratitis sicca, and lymphangiectasia.
West Highland Terrier
Friendly to everyone except rodents and vermin, the west highland terrier is a dog that deserves to be namedropped on our list. Like the Yorkie, the Westie hales from Scotland. The medium-sized terrier loves socializing but resents rough handling. It is quick to jump after prey. The Westie is quite popular in the United Kingdom and has been featured prominently in popular TV shows and ads.
Life Expectancy
You can expect the Westland Terrier to live for about 12 to 26 years. The average lifespan for a Westie is 11.4 years.
Common Health Issues
The most common disease among this dog breed is craniomandibular osteopathy, westie jaw, or lion jaw. The genetic disease causes the dog’s jaw to overgrow, impeding daily activities like chewing and swallowing. Another genetic disease found in Westies is globoid cell leukodystrophy.
Like the lion’s jaw, globoid cell leukodystrophy hampers physical movements like walking and causes tremors. Other diseases found in Westies include white dog shaker syndrome, skin allergies, hydroxyglutaric aciduria, and luxating patella.
Their independent nature makes them a good fit for first-time dog owners.
Maltese
Crowned as the first human companions by Stanley Coren, the Maltese dog is your best option if you’re looking for a lap dog. While they might not be suitable for hunting, enrolling a Maltese dog in a competitive competition doesn’t harm the fragile creature.
Guess where this affectionate toy dog haled from! Your guess is as good as mine — Malta. The Maltese dog is related to the Bichon, Haven else, and Bolognese dogs, so if you have a thing for these three cuties, you might like this type of dog.
The Maltese dog is genetically linked to two of the first dogs domesticated by humans: pomeranian breeds and spitz-type canines.
It also does not shed, yet you might cut its coat in case you don’t like its coat to reach long lengths. The Maltese dog is cute with an undercoat or overcoat. It has a glossy and whitish coat that often gets stained with its tears.
It is normal for their coat to get stained by their tears. You can clean up the red stain using facial wipes. The major diseases that plague the Maltese dog include bacterial and viral infections, many of which can be easily prevented by vaccination. Some genetic diseases that might arise include patella dislocation, cryptorchidism, and hydrocephalus.
First-time owners prefer the Maltese dog because it is a fast learner. Plus it is friendly, easy-going, and very sociable.
Life Expectancy
Maltese dogs that are properly fed and catered for can live for 12-15 years.
Common Health Issues
The diseases commonly battled by Maltese dogs include luxating patella, collapsed trachea, white dog shaker syndrome, colon inflammation, skin allergies, hip dysplasia and reverse sneezing. The chronic ones include congestive heart failure, hydrocephalus, liver shunts, and patent ductus arteriosus.
Portuguese Water Dogs
The Portuguese water dog is the perfect dog breed for fishermen or sailors. When taught, the Portuguese water dogs can herd fish into fishing nets, ring back lost tackles, and serve as couriers.
Although the Portuguese water dog is still a rare breed, they have gained massive popularity across the globe because of Bo and Sunny (The official pets of the Obamas).
You can train PWDs to alert people with hearing disabilities when a visitor arrives or when the phone is ringing. They are chronic workers and you should not left them on their own for long periods so they won’t become destructive.
They are friendly but not couch potatoes. Keeping them in a state of latency can cause them to grow out of shape. Talking to them on a workout trip or while swimming can help them stay fit.
Portuguese water dogs are natural swimmers like the Spanish water dogs and poodles because of their webbed toes.
PWDs are obedient and intelligent. They love working, especially near water.
Life Expectancy
The lifespan of a PWD is between 10 to 14 years.
Common Health Issues
Certain diseases are genetically linked to Portuguese water dogs, meaning they are prone to such illnesses. These genetic illnesses include progressive retinal atrophy, cataract, distichiasis, hip dysplasia, juvenile dilated cardiomyopathy, and GM1 storage disease.
Bedlington Terrier
The Bedlington Terrier can be anything you want, including a gun dog, companion dog, Badger dog, or rat dog. It can run fast on water and land.
The Bedlington Terrier has the semblance of a sheep. The companion dog got its name from a mining town in North East England in 1825. They do not shed and possess minimal odor.
Life Expectancy
The average lifespan of the Bedlington Terrier is 13.5 years.
Common Health Issues
Many health issues that might arise in other breeds are non-existent in the Bedlington Terrier. However, it is prone to copper toxicosis. The autosomal recessive disease is triggered by the excessive pileup of copper in the liver of the Bedlington Terrier.
Other diseases discovered in Bedlington Terriers include cataracts, retinal dysplasia, and epiphora.
Poodle
Our list won’t be complete without the addition of the Poodle. The Poodle is one of the most popular dog breeds, but many don’t know they are hypoallergenic. Depending on where you are from, you can go by the German name, Pudel, or the French version, Caniche.
Also, it’s original, depending on who you ask. The French claim it originated from France, while the Germans claim it originated from Germany.
Regardless of its origin, pet lovers universally agree that the Poodle is an athletic breed that is intelligent, high-spirited, and friendly.
Life Expectancy
The lifespan of poodles ranges from 12 to 15 years.
Common Health Issues
There are over 50 major health disorders linked to the Poodle breed. The Poodle is shockingly prone to many diseases because of inbreeding.
Irish Water Spaniel
The Irish water Spaniel beats other spaniels when it comes to height. Its origin needs no mention, but its breeders left no breeding records.
While Irish water spaniels are not aggressive, their terrifying bark can infer otherwise. An untrained Irish Water Spaniel can become naughty and cultured.
Life Expectancy
The lifespan of the Irish Water Spaniel ranges between 10 to 23 years.
Common Health Issues
IWS dogs are prone to canine hip dysplasia and otitis externa.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a hypoallergenic dog that doesn’t shed, any of these 10 breeds might be a good fit for your family. Do some research on different types of dogs to find the perfect match for your lifestyle and personality.
Once you’ve found the right breed, visit your local animal shelter or contact a reputable breeder to bring your new furry friend home.
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