28 Non-Shedding & Hypoallergenic Dogs (Because You’re Allergic but Desperate for a Pet)
I've always gravitated to low-maintenance dog breeds and am proud to say I've spent my life with some of the country's most popular dog breeds. (What's not to love about a bulldog and a poodle?) And so far, I've been lucky to not become allergic to these little friends—roughly 30 percent of people in the U.S. are allergic to dogs, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Maybe it's because I was lucky enough to be raised with dogs (The New York Times reported several studies found children living in homes with pets have fewer allergies in general as adults) or maybe I'm just lucky, but after watching my new housemate suffer with pet allergies, I thought, well, a non-shedding dog will fix all this, right? Not so simple, as I was to learn.
Meet the Expert
Dr. Kathryn Primm practices veterinary medicine at Applebrook Animal Hospital in Ooltewah, Tennessee. She is Fear-Free Certified, following a set of veterinarian, animal training and grooming practices that care for pets’ physical and emotional wellbeing. She is the author of Tennessee Tails: Pets and Their People.
Non-Shedding vs. Hypoallergenic Dogs
First of all, the label “non-shedding” is a tad misleading. All dogs shed a little bit. Non-shedding breeds simply shed less. This doesn’t mean you won’t find any dog hair in your home, but anyone who doesn’t want to vacuum constantly or find dog hair literally everywhere should consider a non-shedding breed. Further, the term hypoallergenic doesn't mean allergy-free; it means allergy-reduced. (Note to feline aficianadas: the same holds true for hypoallergenic cat breeds.)
Another thing I learned was that animal allergies are a condition that can develop over time. Dr. Primm was several years into practicing veterinary medicine when she developed an allergic reaction to her patients—that's right, animals. "I tested VERY positive for dog, cat and horse allergies—my favorite animals and all of my patients are among them," she says. "Not only my patients, but my passion makes me sick! I cannot live happily without animals, so the question is: “Can I live healthy with them?" Dr. Primm's allergist explained that some animals do have less reactivity—hypoallergenic means the breed’s fur doesn’t collect as many allergens, so that if and when the dog does shed, fewer particles of dander or saliva are dispersed into the air. However, while there is no magic dog breed that is 100-percent hypoallergenic, ongoing treatment by her allergist has helped Dr. Primm continue treating animals as well as being a pet owner.
What Causes Dog Allergies?
While it’s easy to blame runny noses, itchy eyes, and sneezing fits on dog hair, it’s actually the stuff dog hair collects that causes allergic reactions. Think: dander (dead skin cells), urine, saliva and pollen. As dogs shed their hair, these items linger in and around the home. This is why non-shedding and hypoallergenic dog breeds are popular with folks who are allergic to canines but love them too much to stay away.
Interestingly enough, since pet dander is composed of proteins specific to a particular pup (in the urine, saliva and skin), VCA Ark Animal Hospital says it is possible that a person’s immune system can handle one animal but not another. This means two distinct poodles could cause different reactions in a single person.
Breeds that fall into the non-shedding and hypoallergenic categories cause fewer reactions in people known to be allergic to dogs. Many of these breeds have long hair, wiry hair or almost no hair. Always remember that each person and each dog is different; you may have to meet a few before you find “the one.” Start with this list of 28 dog breeds, separated into small, medium and large categories.
The 20 Cutest and Smallest Dog Breeds for Itty-Bitty Apartments, Easy Airplane Travel and More
Small Dogs
1. Shih Tzu
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Height: 9 to 10.5 inches
Weight: 9 to 16 pounds
Personality: great with kids, charming, cuddly
Activity Level: low
Shedding Factor: hypoallergenic
Life Expectancy: 10 t0 18 pounds
Often—surprisingly—referred to as the “Lion Dog,” the Shih Tzu is a ball of affection. As with the other tiny titans on our list, a long coat requires consistent grooming attention; trimming it short works well, too.
2. Maltese
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Height: 7 to 9 inches
Weight: 7 pounds or less
Personality: fearless, stubborn, playful
Activity Level: high
Shedding Factor: hypoallergenic
Life Expectancy: 12 to 15 years
Similar to the Havanese, Maltese coats can grow super long or be trimmed short. It’s totally up to your discretion. If you choose long, be sure to brush daily to avoid snarls.
3. Coton De Tulear
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Height: 10 to 11 inches
Weight: 9 to 15 pounds
Personality: devoted, playful, funny
Activity Level: high
Shedding Factor: hypoallergenic
Life Expectancy: 15 to 19 years
Coton is the French word for cotton, which should tell you everything you need to know about how soft these pups are. It’s recommended to use a quality doggy conditioner when brushing a long Coton de Tulear coat.
4. Bichon Frise
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Height: 9.5 to 11.5 pounds
Weight: 12 to 18 pounds
Personality: social, curious, smart
Activity Level: high
Shedding Factor: hypoallergenic
Life Expectancy: 14 to 15 years
Delightful family members, bichon frises are like bouncy, hypoallergenic marshmallows. They don’t shed much, either. Brush and bathe often!
5. Xoloitzcuintli
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Height: toy (10 to 14 inches), miniature (14 to 18 inches), standard (18 to 24 inches)
Weight: toy (10 to 15 pounds), miniature (15 to 30 pounds), standard (30 to 55 pounds)
Personality: calm, alert
Activity Level: high
Shedding Factor: hypoallergenic
Life Expectancy: 13 to 18 years
The American Kennel Club lets us know this breed is pronounced “show-low-eats-QUEEN-tlee.” There are three different sizes to choose from: toy, miniature and standard. Xolos have been around for almost 3,000 years, and the hairless varieties have no hair at all, just skin. Unlike some of the other hairless breeds on our list, the Xolo’s skin is tough and tight-fitting.
6. Chinese Crested
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Height: 11 to 13 inches
Weight: 8 to 12 pounds
Personality: peppy, affectionate
Activity Level: medium
Shedding Factor: hypoallergenic
Life Expectancy: 13 to 18 pounds
Yes, these tiny creatures look like something out of Star Wars, but they are super affectionate and can live up to 18 years old (hello, lifelong companion!). Hairless Chinese Ccested pups are accented with small puffs of hair on their heads, tails, and feet, but are covered in sleek skin everywhere else. All owners of hairless dogs should be prepared with dog-friendly sunscreen in the summer and warm puppy jackets in the winter.
7. Yorkshire Terrier
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Height: 7 to 8 inches
Weight: 7 pounds
Personality: confident, protective
Activity Level: high
Shedding Factor: hypoallergenic
Life Expectancy: 11 to 15 years
Ah, Yorkies. The hair on these tiny, feisty animals is actually more like human hair than dog fur. If you let it grow long, you better be combing it every day and giving them a top knot.
8. Affenpinscher
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Height: 9 to 11.5 inches
Weight: 7 to 10 pounds
Personality: loyal, affectionate, amusing
Activity Level: medium
Shedding Factor: hypoallergenic
Life Expectancy: 12 to 15 years
Star Wars character, take two. The Affenpinscher is an adorable little pup with coarse fur that grows slowly. Trim occasionally and be ready to be bossed around a bit—these dogs know what they want.
9. Havanese
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Height: 8.5 to 11.5 inches
Weight: 7 to 13 pounds
Personality: friendly, playful, obedient
Activity Level: high
Shedding Factor: hypoallergenic
Life Expectancy: 14 to 16 years
With the Havanese, we begin our journey into “small, white, hypoallergenic dog” territory. There are lots to choose from, like this little bugger who is energetic, silky soft, and doesn’t bark much.
10. Border Terrier
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Height: 12 to 15 inches
Weight: 13 to 15.5 inches
Personality: plucky, trainable, loving
Activity Level: high
Shedding Factor: hypoallergenic
Life Expectancy: 12 to 15 years
Notice a trend here? Terriers are known to have wiry coats which make them ideal hypoallergenic and low shedding choices. The border terrier is double-coated, meaning wiry hair on top, soft fur underneath. Get ready for lots of brushing come summer, but minimal allergens year-round.
11. Lhasa Apso
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Height: 10 to 11 inches
Weight: 12 to 18 pounds
Personality: affectionate, good with children and other dogs
Activity Level: needs mental and physical stimulation
Shedding Factor: non-shedding
Life Expectancy: 12 to 15 years
Even though these pups don’t shed frequently, they require regular baths and brushings to ensure a healthy coat and skin (even if you decide to clip their fur short). Lhasa Apsos have old souls and though they learn quickly, they can be stubborn and unfriendly with strangers.
12. Italian Greyhound
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Height: 13 to 15 inches
Weight: 7 to 14 pounds
Personality: alert, affectionate, friendly with strangers
Activity Level: medium
Shedding Factor: hypoallergenic
Life Expectancy: 14 to 15 years
Note: Regular greyhounds are not hypoallergenic. Italian greyhounds have short, sleek coats. Be sure to wrap them up when it gets cold outside, as they have almost no body fat.
13. Schnauzers
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Height: miniature (12 to 14 inches), standard (18 to 19 inches), giant (25 to 27 inches)
Weight: miniature (11 to 20 pounds), standard (35 to 50 pounds), giant (60 to 85 pounds)
Personality: willful, enthusiastic, protective
Activity Level: high
Shedding Factor: hypoallergenic
Life Expectancy: miniature (12 to 15 years), standard (13 to 16 years), giant (12 to 15 years)
Miniature, standard and giant schnauzers are all hypoallergenic, low-shedding dogs. Like border terriers, schnauzers are double-coated, so may require extra brushing.
14. West Highland White Terrier
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Height: 11 inches
Weight: 15 to 20 pounds
Personality: perky, curious, amusing
Activity Level: high
Shedding Factor: hypoallergenic
Life Expectancy: 13 to 15 years
Westies are perfect for folks who need a hypoallergenic breed that always looks like it is smiling. They are independent, ready for anything and fairly straightforward to groom.
15. Poodles
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Height: toy (under 10 inches), miniature (10 to 15 inches), standard (over 15 inches)
Weight: toy (4 to 6 pounds), miniature (10 to 15 pounds), standard (60 to 70 pounds)
Personality: smart, loyal, protective
Activity Level: high
Shedding Factor: hypoallergenic
Life Expectancy: 10 to 18 years
Miniature, toy and standard poodles are some of the smartest canines around. These are great dogs for anyone with a taste for adventure, bold style and allergies.
Medium Dogs
16. Puli
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Height: 16 to 17 inches
Weight: 25 to 35 pounds
Personality: smart, affectionate, lively
Activity Level: active, barks if under-exercises
Shedding Factor: non-shedding
Life Expectancy: 10 to 15 years
Bred as herding dogs, Pulis developed a thick, corded coat to protect them from brutally cold winters outdoors. Today, their coats can be clipped short, brushed out or corded. Though they hardly shed at all, keeping a Puli’s coat corded does require interacting with their fur often or spending lots of time at the groomer’s. The Puli Club of America offers tons of info on grooming this gorgeous canine.
17. Peruvian Inca Orchid
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Height: 16 to 20 inches
Weight: 18 to 26 pounds
Personality: affectionate, wary of strangers
Activity Level: high
Shedding Factor: hypoallergenic
Life Expectancy: 11 to 12 years
Another hairless pup, the Peruvian Inca orchid comes in gorgeous shades like golden-brown, pinky-white, and spotted. Like the Chinese crested, these unique dogs have small tufts of hair on their heads, almost like miniature mohawks.
18. Lagotto Romagnolo
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Height: 17 to 19 inches
Weight: 28 to 35 pounds
Personality: smart, playful, easy to train
Activity Level: medium-sporty
Shedding Factor: low-shedding
Life Expectancy: 15 to 17 years
These water-loving dogs were originally used in Renaissance Italy to find truffles. Their waterproof coats rarely shed, but do require weekly brushings to make sure they don’t mat or snarl. The Lagotto Romagnolo’s full-body curls are actually more like human hair than doggy fur.
19. Basenji
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Height: 17 inches
Weight: 24 pounds
Personality: intelligent, regal
Activity Level: high
Shedding Factor: hypoallergenic
Life Expectancy: 13 to 14 years
These dogs have very short coats and are often compared to cats for their self-grooming tendencies. What they lack in allergens they make up for in energy—get ready to exercise frequently.
20. American Hairless Terrier
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Height: 12 to 16 inches
Weight: 12 to 28 pounds
Personality: alert, confident, protective
Activity Level: high
Shedding Factor: hypoallergenic
Life Expectancy: 14 to 16 years
Surprise! One more hairless breed on our list, though this dog doesn’t have any tufts of hair sprouting anywhere. The AKC notes its skin is warm and soft to the touch, so go all in on the snuggling.
21. Bedlington Terrier
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Height: 15 to 17.5 inches
Weight: 17 to 23 pounds
Personality: protective, playful, cuddly
Activity Level: high
Shedding Factor: non-shedding
Life Expectancy: 11 to 16 years
While the Bedlington terrier’s tightly curled coat doesn’t shed, it does grow fairly quickly and requires a nice haircut every month or so. Other than that, these dogs have a friendly disposition and make great family pets.
22. Kerry Blue Terrier
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Height: 18 to 19.5 inches
Weight: 33 to 40 pounds
Personality: alert, animated, affectionate
Activity Level: high
Shedding Factor: non-shedding
Life Expectancy: 12 to 15 years
Looking for a stunning slate blue coat that won’t leave a trail everywhere it goes? Say hello to the kerry blue terrier. These pups do require routine haircuts and regular brushing (you don’t want that gorgeous blue-grey fur to end up in knots), but wreak minimal havoc in the shedding department.
23. Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier
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Height: 18 to 19 inches
Weight: 35 to 40 pounds
Personality: devoted, independent, bouncy
Activity Level: medium
Shedding Factor: non-shedding
Life Expectancy:
Replace the kerry blue terrier’s curly blue hair for wavy golden locks, and you’ve got yourself another non-shedding terrier from Ireland. Its silky coat—including those adorable bangs—needs frequent brushing.
24. Spanish Water Dog
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Height: 17.5 to 19.75 inches
Weight: 40 to 49 pounds
Personality: exuberant, analytical, vigilant
Activity Level: high
Shedding Factor: hypoallergenic
Life Expectancy: 12 to 14 years
At first glance, this breed may look like an allergy sufferer’s worst nightmare. However, the corded curls rarely shed and are not to be brushed. Routine trims are all you need to keep these pups well-groomed.
25. Portuguese Water Dog
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Height: 20 to 23 inches
Weight: 42 to 60 pounds
Personality: eager to please, good with children, loyal
Activity Level: high
Shedding Factor: hypoallergenic
Life Expectancy: 11 to 13 years
Similar to the Spanish water dog, the Portuguese has buoyant curls. Shedding is more frequent (particularly as the weather warms), but the coat is hypoallergenic and can be trimmed down to about an inch.
Large Dogs
26. Irish Water Spaniel
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Height: 22 to 24 inches
Weight: 55 to 68 pounds
Personality: determined, strong swimmer, loyal
Activity Level: high
Shedding Factor: hypoallergenic
Life Expectancy: 12 to 13 years
If an '80s hair band was a dog, it might be the Irish water spaniel (or the Afghan hound below). Check out this furry head—full of hypoallergenic hair! The coat is also waterproof.
27. Afghan Hound
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Height: 25 to 27 inches
Weight: 50 to 60 inches
Personality: social, peaceful, good with kids
Activity Level: high
Shedding Factor: hypoallergenic
Life Expectancy: 12 to 18 years
Talk about a showstopper. The Afghan hound’s coat is luxurious and long. Be prepared to brush and wash a ton—especially since these dogs love frolicking around outdoors.
28. Bergamasco
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Height: 23.5 inches
Weight: 70 to 84 pounds
Personality: serene, watchful
Activity Level: medium
Shedding Factor: non-shedding
Life Expectancy: 13 to 15 years
Astonishingly, the Bergamasco does not shed, despite its lengthy, wooly coat. Like Pulis, a matted coat is normal. Unlike Pulis, clipping or shaving Bergamascos down isn’t wise. Their coat helps them regulate body temperature. Folks allergic to wool may want to steer clear, though.
Tips for Handling Dog Hair
The Asthma and Allergy Association of America recommends not touching your eyes or mouth—basically, hands away from your face—without washing your hands after you've touched dog hair or fur. That's because the mucus membranes of your eyes and mouth can become inflamed when they come in contact with the irritating pet protein that's found in dander (which is carried by hair and fur). Additionally, that same redness-causing pet protein can be carried by urine or pet saliva, which is also present in hair or fur.
