If you’ve ever had a Shetland Sheepdog or a Golden Retriever, you know that some dogs can do some serious shedding. However, not all breeds of dogs shed their hair.

Instead of shedding their coat once or twice per year, some breeds of dogs have hair that doesn’t shed. That doesn’t mean that they are easier to groom! Most non-shedding breeds of dogs need regular haircuts to keep their coat manageable. 

Regardless, even though you have to trim their hair, non-shedding dog breeds don’t end up leaving a coating of hair across your floor, which is a good thing! So if you’re looking for a small dog breed that doesn’t shed, stay tuned for a few great choices. 

Shih-Tzu

The Shih-Tzu is a very popular and common breed of dog, but did you know that they do not shed regularly? This breed drops a small amount of hair, but they do not shed their coat seasonally like some other breeds of dog. 

This doesn’t mean that you do not have to maintain the Shih-Tzu’s coat. You should use a flexible wire brush to comb through your dog’s coat at least once or twice per week. Additionally, you will need to brush the fine hairs around the face and ears more frequently to prevent tangling. 

Overall, this breed requires frequent grooming, but offers plenty to its owner in return. The Shih-Tzu is a loving, gentle, friendly dog that wants nothing more than to cuddle up in its owner’s lap and take a nice snooze. Bred as a lapdog, when raised well and trained properly, the Shih-Tzu can make a wonderful pet for the whole family. 

Yorkshire Terrier (Yorkie)

Another extremely popular breed of dog, the Yorkie might drop the occasional hair, but generally does not shed. The amount of work involved in grooming this charismatic little breed varies based on how you keep their coat.

If you let the coat grow out, you must brush their hair daily to prevent tangles and mats. If you frequently have a groomer clip the dog’s coat, you don’t have to brush them out as much. 

Regardless of the length of their coat, you must brush the fine hairs around the dog’s face and ears daily to prevent tangling and dreadlocks. Your groomer should also trim the hair above the eyes so that it does not irritate the dog or cause eye infections. During your daily grooming of the face, you should ensure that no hairs droop into the eyes or face. 

These dogs take a bit of work and professional grooming, but they are great companions with spunky personalities. Yorkies love to please, and their intelligence will astound you. They enjoy learning new things and playing with their owner. With proper training and socialization, they can make great pets… just make sure they are getting enough mental stimulation! 

Chinese Crested

A nearly hairless dog certainly can’t shed on your couch! In fact, of all the small breeds out there, this one probably sheds the least! The Chinese crested might look a bit outlandish, but it has one of the easiest grooming regimes around.

With no hair on the body, you don’t need to worry too extensively about brushing; simply use a comb to clean up the hair on the head, ears, and legs to prevent tangles. 

Unfortunately, being hairless does come with its setbacks. With this breed you must watch out for sunburn and skin irritation that can occur because their skin is not protected by a coat of hair.

In addition to pet-safe sunscreen, you should also make sure to provide protection from the elements, as colder weather can chill them quite easily. 

This friendly little breed will happily let you know how thankful they are for your care. They enjoy affection and love to spend time with their owner.

However, you should not expect a couch potato. Though this breed isn’t quite off-the-walls, they do well with high-energy endeavors like agility. 

Toy Poodle

This classic little breed of dog has a wiry coat that does not shed frequently. Their curly hair does require maintenance, however. To maintain their coat, you must have a professional trim their hair every month or month and a half. Though some owners do learn to trim and groom their pet’s coat. 

Daily and weekly grooming varies based on how short you trim your dog’s coat. Poodles with shorter coats only need to have the hair on their ears and face groomed regularly. With longer coats, you must brush their hair from root to end to prevent matting and dreadlocks. 

If there’s one thing this breed is known for, outside of its curly coat, it’s their intelligence! These little dogs love to please, and they love to learn. You must keep your toy poodle mentally stimulated to keep them happy. One great way to do so is by teaching them new things. This breed is also highly energetic and agile, and does well in agility. 

Maltese

Our final non-shedding breed of small dog is the Maltese. This little dog has luxurious silky hair that does not shed. Many owners like to use bows and barrettes to style their Maltese’s coat. Though the breed does not shed, their hair does require frequent grooming to keep it healthy. 

Many Maltese owners keep their pet’s coat long. This, of course, means frequent brushing to prevent tangles, knots, and mats.

They also need extra grooming on the fine hair of their face and ears. You should also frequently clean the area around their eyes, as they can develop tear stains on their white fur. 

This breed is extremely outgoing and intelligent. However, they can have a quite stubborn disposition. Their intelligence also lends to excessive barking when they do not receive enough mental stimulation. Additionally, when not properly socialized, they can also aim their barking at strangers and dogs.

Thankfully, you can address these types of details using our Ask The Trainer, to ensure you socialize and train your puppy properly.