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10 large dog breeds that don't shed...much
The following list of large non-shedding dogs shed very little to unnoticeable hair. These dogs will require more attention to grooming but are ideal for those who don’t want the extra hair around the home.
Table of Contents
Bouvier des Flandres
The Bouvier des Flandres originates from Flanders, Belgium, and is considered a herding dog breed. The original purpose of the general farm activities. Some of the work involved cattle droving, cart pulling, and sheep herding was common too. This breed was also called Toucheur de Boeuf, Vlaamse Koehond, and Vuilbaard.
The Bouvier has a powerful build and its rough coat gives it a rugged look. It has a heavy beard and double coat, which can be black, grey brindle, or salt and pepper in color. The majority of the hair loss will be captured within the double coat and will require brushing from the matting. This dog also requires their coat to be trimmed every 3 to 5 weeks for presentation
Impressive in size, the male weighs 80-120 pounds with a height of 23-28 inches, and the female is 60-80 pounds with a height of 22-27 inches. The average life expectancy of this dog is 10-12 years.
The Bouviers is a rational animal, and protective by nature. They are also gentle and loyal, which makes this blend of qualities a great family pet, and a great guard dog too. Not bred for aggression, but demonstrates control, intelligence, and accountability. This is an even-tempered, fearless, and loyal dog, which makes them a great guard dog and easier to train.
These dogs are natural protectors, and not required to be taught this. They should be exposed to socializing at a young age to prevent shyness. Teaching Bouviers properly starts at a young age, otherwise, communication can be more challenging. Responds well to other dogs usually if they are raised with other ones. This giant matures slowly in body and mind, you can expect it to mature around 2-3 years of age.
Afghan Hound
Afghan hounds are considered elegant and graceful, with a long silky coat, and a mild personality. This dog was originally used to hunt small game. These Hounds are very fast, and their sharp eyesight helps them spot objects at a distance.
Even though these dogs shed very little, constant grooming will keep their coat in ideal condition.
The Afghan originates from Afghanistan and goes by many different names. Its names are Barakzai Hound, Eastern Greyhound, Persian Greyhound, Da Kochyano, Ogar Afgan, Sage Balochi, Tazhi Spay, and Tazi.
Reaching heights of 24-29 inches, this dog certainly qualifies as a tall dog. The average weight for an Afghan is 44-60 pounds. The fine, long textured coat requires lots of care and grooming. Like many Sighthounds, they typically don’t get along with other small animals.
Obedience is not one of their top qualities, and rank last on being able to understand and obey commands. Repetition is necessary, and may still prove to be a challenging task.
Even though these dogs are popular in Europe and America, they are rarely used today for hunting. However, Afghan’s are very popular with sports and confirmation showings and can be seen as frequent participants in lure coursing.
FUN FACT:
This ancient dog breed is so old which has made it difficult to identify where it originated from.
Komondor
Originating from Hungary, this mop looking is quite the attraction. Their body is complete with this matted, heavy corded coat. A Komondor’s coat can take over two days to dry. Shedding is minimal with this dog, and most of its molting while they are still a puppy before their corded coat fully forms. Their think coat was known to protect them from animal attacks.
It’s not uncommon for the Komondor to reach over 30 inches tall, and is considered one of the largest breeds of dogs. The average height for females is 25.5 to 27.5 inches, and the males are 27.5 to 31.5 inches.
The Komondor male typically weighs 110 to 132 pounds, and the female weighs around 88 to 110 pounds.
The Komondor is designed to guard livestock. Under normal situations, they have a calm and steady temperament, but this changes quickly in the event of any trouble. They were bred to independently make decisions and will defend fearlessly.
Family pets are not a problem for the Komondor and are usually protective towards them. But, if any animal trespasses, they will show a complete intolerance to them. Hungarian breeder’s once said that Komondor’s will let you in, but won’t let you leave or escape.
They tend to sleep during the day and are not suited well for an apartment.
FUN FACT:
Beck released an album in 1996, Odelay, which featured a Komondor on the album.
Saluki
The Saluki originates from Fertile Crescent, and this breed of dog is considered an Arabian or Persian Hound. These dogs were developed by Sighthounds, which are dogs that primarily hunt with sight instead of scent.
The average Saluki male was 23 to 28 inches, weighing in at 35-65 pounds, and females are slightly less.
You will see a smooth feathered coat, but it depends on the breed’s gene pool.
Their coat comes in a variety of colors including cream, red, white, fawn, black/tan, grizzle/tan, and tri-colors.
The Saluki is considered to be the oldest known domesticated dog by The Guinness Book of Records. They believe this dog emerged back in 329 BC. Saluki was deeply respected, royal pets, and mummified after death. You can find carvings in Southern Iraq, Sumer, which closely look like Saluki, and are dated back to 7000 BC.
While there are other dogs (Greyhound) that can outrun the Saluki with short lengths, they’re considered to be quicker over longer distances. Reaching remarkable speeds of 42.8 mph, it’s an impressive animal with noticeable stamina.
These breeds are considered difficult to train, and not likely to return back to their owner after being released from a leash. You will need to be patient and gentle when trying to train a Saluki. They normally like soft toys and prefer not to retrieve balls or play rough games.
Saluki’s enjoy chasing live small moving objects, which is a result of their hunting instincts.
Since these dogs tend to be quiet and calm as an adult, they can be considered a possible candidate for apartment living. Life expectancy is 12 to 14 years of age.
FUN FACT:
Saluki’s take pleasure in living a life of luxury.
Irish Water Spaniel
The Irish Water Spaniel originated from Ireland. People who are allergic to dogs might do better with this dog because of non-shedding characteristics. They very noticeably have long, loose curls that drape down the side of their head, and have similar characteristics of a smooth rat tail.
The face of the Irish Water Spaniel is completely smooth, shouldn’t require trimming, and very little if any. This dog is a powerful swimmer because of its webbed feet, and their name implies they’re closely associated with water. They are considered one of the largest dogs in the spaniel group. Height for these animals can range from 22 to 24 inches and have a weight of 55 to 65 pounds.
The Irish Water Spaniel is an energetic companion, who instinctively wants to please its owner, which makes training this dog much easier. Early exposure to socialization is helpful to improve interactions with pets and strangers.
A great family dog, and normally well behaved around other pets and children. If an IWS has been trained, this dog can be very protective of the family. Don’t let the bark fool you, usually, these dogs aren’t aggressive.
may end up having mischievous trouble makers for a pet.
The average life expectancy of the IWS is 9.33 years of age.
FUN FACT: Geena Davis ended up getting married because of her Irish Water Spaniel.
Giant Schnauzer
The Giant Schnauzer is the largest of the three breeds of Schnauzer. It originated from Germany and was created with the help of the Bouvier Des Flandres, the Black Great Dane, and the German Pinscher. The original purpose was to help with livestock and to protect the farmer’s property, but later on, it started protecting retail stores too. Unfamiliar to most people, but that all changed during World War 1 & 2. Because of its attentive ability, the Giant Schnauzer has been used in police work too.
The Giant Schnauzer may give you the impression it’s a giant dog breed, but this is only true when comparing it to the Miniature Schnauzers. The male’s height is 25.5 to 27.5 inches, and the female’s is 23.5 to 25.5 inches. The average weight for this dog is 77 to 104 pounds.
The GS comes in two colors, one is black, and the other is pepper & salt, which gets its name from the banded hairs of black and white.
Giant Schnauzers are extremely territorial and untrusting towards strangers. Can be accepted after being introduced, but can potentially be aggressive. Normally this is a quiet breed. They are very intelligent, energetic, and can become bored very very easily. Destructive behavior can be anticipated if boredom takes hold.
The average life expectancy is 10-12 years.
FUN FACT:
They are one of the few breeds that sport a beard.
Black Russian Terrier
The Black Russian Terrier’s origin is clearly marked in the name. It was originally created in the USSR, and its purpose was to be used as a military/working dog. It’s believed that the Black Russian Terrier was created by roughly 17 breeds.
The double coat is coarser on the outer layer. This coat is hard and dense, which needs to be trimmed 2-6 inches in length. This low shedding coat is black in color.
The height of the male is 28-30 inches, and the female is 27-28 inches. When weighing the males, they have a weight of 110 to 130 pounds, and 99 to 110 pounds for the females.
The Black Russian Terrier is a self-assured and courageous dog and is known to be very calm and confident too. This dog can adapt well to training because of its intelligence, but can also be stubborn and lazy. It’s protective, fearless in the presence of danger, and loyal to the family. Strangers should use caution when invading this dog’s personal space.
This is a dog that enjoys working and requires a task in order to be happy. Early training is essential, and consistently doing so will help it excel. Even though they have a low shedding coat, you will be required to groom this Terrier several times a week. The young Black Russian Terrier can cause trouble if not given lots of different exercises. Energy level decreases as they reach maturity.
Life expectancy is 9-14 years.
FUN FACT:
Their name is misleading, they are not part of the Terrier Group
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon from France, Germany, and the Netherlands. This dog is rare in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the USA, and their primary use is to hunt waterfowl and game birds.
This strong medium-sized dog has a large and long head.
Wirehaired Pointing Griffons have a willingness to please and are considered soft tempered and intelligent.
Kennels are not the ideal environment for this dog, and will not respond well to harsh training methods.
The height of the male is 22-24 inches, and the female is 20-22 inches. We now take a look at the weight of the female which is 35 to 50 pounds, and the male is 50 to 70 pounds.
Life expectancy is 12-14 years of age.
Contrary to what some people believe, the Griffin is not a non-shedding dog. But, it sheds much less than other breeds out there. Just remember, all dogs shed!
FUN FACT:
Grace Kelly’s Husband Owned a Wirehaired Pointing Griffin.
Whippet
The Whippet is a sighthound breed with its origin from England. They have relatively few health issues but have been known to have arrhythmias. It is also known as the English Whippet or Snap Dog. This breed’s purpose was for catching rabbits, coursing competitions, and straight rag-racing. This dog is highly competitive and can handle most terrain with little effort. They do not tolerate cold very well, so leaving them outside for long periods of time is not recommended.
Whippets would hunt by sight and use high speeds, which they were bred for that reason.
Whippet racing was very popular in England during the 19th century. Northern England and Wales were the only places that Whippets were held in big regards. The American Kennel Club in the United States recognized the Whippet in 1888.
The weight for this dog is around 20-42 pounds, and the life expectancy for the Whippet is 12-14 years of age.
Whippets are generally quiet and normally gentle dogs, which may have no problem lounging around all day, but do require regular exercise.
FUN FACTS:
Whippets can run up to 35 mph.
Standard Poodle
The final breed will be the standard poodle. The Poodle comes in three sizes, and this is the biggest of the three at a height of 15-24 inches, with a weight of 45-70 pounds.
Being the largest, it was often used as a gun dog or retriever. Canada and the US have been using this breed for fowl hunting since the ’90s.
Unlike other dogs listed here, the Standard Poodle doesn’t have a second coat. The layer they do have sheds very little. While they are not completely allergen-free, they could almost be thought of as hypoallergenic.
A Poodle needs time to warm up to new strangers before knowing if they are a threat. They’re considered sociable intelligent, and energetic, but any vicious behavior would indicate there is something wrong with the breed.
The average life expectancy of a Standard Poodle is 10-15 years.
FUN FACT:
Historically they were great at their jobs.
Before you make your big decision on what type of dog to get, you should consider adding a rescue dog to your family. These pets are often forgotten or left behind for no fault of their own. Picking a pet isn’t easy, so take the time to find the one that is right for you.
Final Thought
Larger non-shedding dogs may be considered hypoallergenic, but all dogs shed hair to allow new growth. Dog breeds that shed hair so slowly, to the point it goes unnoticed, these dogs are referred to as non-shedding. These dogs will shed hair within their coat, and require regular brushing to prevent tangles and pain to the animal.
You can find more great topics every week at everythingbigdogs.com.
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