12 Best Low-Shedding Dog Breeds — our top picks
Standard Poodle
Standard Poodle: very low shedding and very high grooming needs — a coat that stays on the dog instead of on your sofa. Intelligent, athletic, and hypoallergenic. The original Poodle size, bred for water retrieval with exceptional trainability. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Standard Poodle needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Miniature Poodle
Miniature Poodle: very low shedding, very high grooming needs and small-sized — a coat that stays on the dog instead of on your sofa. Medium-sized Poodle with all the intelligence and athleticism in a more manageable size. Excellent family companion. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Miniature Poodle needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Toy Poodle
Toy Poodle: very low shedding, very high grooming needs and very small-sized — a coat that stays on the dog instead of on your sofa. Smallest variety of Poodle with intelligence and athleticism in a tiny package. Hypoallergenic and highly trainable. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Toy Poodle needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Maltese
Maltese: very low shedding, very high grooming needs and very small-sized. Ancient toy breed with flowing white coat and gentle demeanor. Playful and affectionate companion dog. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Maltese needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Bichon Frise
Bichon Frise: very low shedding, very high grooming needs and small-sized. Cheerful white powder-puff with hypoallergenic coat. Playful and adaptable companion with minimal shedding. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Bichon Frise needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Portuguese Water Dog
Portuguese Water Dog: very low shedding, very high grooming needs and medium-sized. Curly-coated Portuguese fishermans dog. Intelligent, athletic, and excellent swimmer. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Portuguese Water Dog needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier: very low shedding, very high grooming needs and medium-sized. Irish terrier with silky wheaten coat. Happy, friendly, and less aggressive than most terriers. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Maltipoo
Maltipoo: very low shedding, high grooming needs and small-sized. Maltese and Poodle cross creating small, affectionate companion with reduced shedding. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Maltipoo needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Schnoodle
Schnoodle: very low shedding, high grooming needs and medium-sized. Schnauzer and Poodle cross combining intelligence with low-shedding coat. Comes in multiple sizes. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Schnoodle needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Miniature Schnauzer
Miniature Schnauzer: low shedding, high grooming needs and small-sized. Small, spirited terrier with distinctive beard and eyebrows. Alert, friendly, and adaptable companion known for intelligence and low-shedding coat. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Miniature Schnauzer needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Shih Tzu
Shih Tzu: low shedding, very high grooming needs and small-sized. Flowing-coated toy breed bred to be a companion. Friendly and outgoing with all people. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Shih Tzu needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Yorkshire Terrier
Yorkshire Terrier: low shedding, very high grooming needs and very small-sized. Small terrier with silky coat and big personality. Brave, determined, and sometimes bossy despite their tiny size. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Yorkshire Terrier needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
How this ranking works: each of DoggyQ's 321 breeds is scored on the traits that decide this particular question — the same trait ratings shown on each breed's own guide page, so you can check the reasoning rather than take a ranking on faith. Read more about our methodology, or take the free quiz for a ranking based on your own answers.
Popular breeds that are a poor fit for low shedding
Shiba Inu
The Shiba Inu is a popular choice, but very high shedding put it at odds with low shedding. On top of that, the Shiba Inu sheds heavily enough that cleaning becomes a daily routine.
Siberian Husky
The Siberian Husky is a popular choice, but very high shedding put it at odds with low shedding. On top of that, the coat is real work — the Siberian Husky needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Bernese Mountain Dog
The Bernese Mountain Dog is a popular choice, but very high shedding and large-sized put it at odds with low shedding. On top of that, the coat is real work — the Bernese Mountain Dog needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Not sure which breed is right for you?
Take the free DoggyQ quiz and get a personalized match from 321 breeds based on your lifestyle, home and preferences — plus a full report on what living with that breed actually costs.
Find your perfect matchFrequently asked questions
- What is the best dog for low shedding?
- Based on temperament and care needs, the Standard Poodle ranks as the top choice for low shedding, followed by the Miniature Poodle and Toy Poodle.
- How was this list of dogs for low shedding chosen?
- Each breed is scored on the traits that matter most for low shedding — such as energy, size, grooming and temperament — using DoggyQ's breed database. For a recommendation tailored to your exact situation, take the free quiz.
- Which popular breeds are a poor fit for low shedding?
- The Shiba Inu, The Siberian Husky, The Bernese Mountain Dog all rank near the bottom for low shedding despite being widely chosen — usually because the traits that make them appealing elsewhere work against them here.