Low-shedding puppies, and what "hypoallergenic" really means
Although no dog is truly hypoallergenic, because the proteins people react to come from a dog's saliva and dander and are carried on its hair, some breeds shed far less than others. This guide walks through the breeds that shed least, with puppies from those breeds listed on Puppy Connection right now.
What does hypoallergenic mean for a puppy?
When breeders and families call a puppy hypoallergenic, they usually mean it comes from a breed that sheds very little. Allergists use the word more strictly. The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology says no breed has been shown to be fully hypoallergenic, because the proteins people react to come from saliva and dander. Less shedding still means less hair carrying them around the house, and the breeds below shed the least.
Which breeds shed the least?
On AKC's five-point shedding scale, where 1 means no shedding, the Toy, Miniature and Standard Poodle, the Shih Tzu, the Maltese and the Yorkshire Terrier all score a 1. The Havanese, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, the Pomeranian, the Dachshund and the Boston Terrier score 2.
Low shedding usually means more grooming. Poodles, Shih Tzus and Maltese score 4 for grooming and Yorkies score 5, because hair that stays on the dog needs brushing and clipping.
Poodles
All three Poodle sizes share the same tightly curled coat and the same AKC scores, so the choice between them comes down to size.
Toy Poodle
AKC scores it 1 of 5 for shedding and 4 of 5 for grooming.
Miniature Poodle
AKC scores it 1 of 5 for shedding and 4 of 5 for grooming.
Standard Poodle
AKC scores it 1 of 5 for shedding and 4 of 5 for grooming.
Small breeds
These small breeds grow long or wiry coats that hold on to their hair, so expect regular brushing and trims.
Yorkshire Terrier
AKC scores it 1 of 5 for shedding and 5 of 5 for grooming, the most frequent.
Miniature Schnauzer
AKC scores it 3 of 5 for shedding, and lists it among its breeds for people with allergies.
Doodles and other crosses
A cross has no breed standard of its own, so its coat depends on what each puppy inherits from its parents. In a genetic study of about 1,500 dogs from 124 breeds, the low-shedding breeds carried the furnishings gene, which gives the beard and eyebrows, and a doodle that misses it grows what breeders call an improper coat. Ask a doodle breeder whether the parents have been tested for furnishings.
Teddy Bear (Shichon)
A Shih Tzu and Bichon Frise cross, and AKC scores both parent breeds 1 of 5 for shedding.
Cavapoo
A Cavalier and Poodle cross, so a puppy can take after the low-shedding Poodle or the Cavalier.
Mini Bernedoodle
A Bernese Mountain Dog and Miniature Poodle cross, and the Bernese scores 5 of 5 for shedding, so coats in a litter can range widely.
Munchkin Bernedoodle
A Bernese and Poodle line bred small, so each puppy's coat follows its own parents.
F1b Mini Goldendoodle
A Goldendoodle bred back to a Poodle or Golden, and the Golden scores 4 of 5 for shedding, so ask about the parents' coats.
No F1b Mini Goldendoodle puppies are listed right now. New litters appear on the F1b Mini Goldendoodle page as breeders add them.
If someone in the house has allergies
Talk to an allergist before you commit, and spend time around the breed, or better the parents, before putting down a deposit. A low-shedding breed is the best place to start, and meeting the parents shows how your family does around them.