Thread: Help me find a Non Shedding or Low Shedding Dog

Whether you are allergic or just not a friend of dog hair it is important to find a dog that does not shed. There are plently of dogs both small and large which are non shedding or considered low shedding. Just make sure to do your homework to find a dog that is a good fit for your family. - Dave|Xoxide

Our family is trying to decide what kind of dog to get. My wife's family always had a dog while she was growing up, but I had to rely on the neighbors.

It is very important to my wife to have a clean dog. It's been about 15 or so years since she has lived at home and she likes not having dog hairs on everything. The most recent dog her parents had was a German Sheppard/Black Labrador mix.

I would like a medium to large dog with higher intelligence. I want to train it, but being a first time dog owner, I may not be very good at training, so I want the dog to be of above average intelligence. We have two daughters, ages 4 and 7, so the dog needs to be good with kids. We have an average size suburban yard. We don't have any other pets, but we want a dog that will be friendly with other people's pets. My in-law's most recent dog once attacked a poodle. I want a dog that I can play Frisbee with at the park with minimal concern that it will attack somebody's dog instead of the Frisbee. Lastly, I am concerned about how well the dog will get along while we are at work/school during the day. We are willing to get two dogs if need be so that they can play together, but I have heard that with some breeds, this can be a mistake as they will get into more trouble together than they would individually.

Getting back to low shedding, I went to this web site and found a list.
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/lightshedders.htm

While these dogs fit my wife's desire for a low shedding dog, they often do not fit my idea of the ideal dog. Generally speaking, the entire Toy group does not appeal to me. I don't care for Poodles either. I really like the Polish Lowland Sheepdog and perhaps the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon. An American Foxhound might be a good choice too, but I'm not sure how much they shed. A Golden or Lab would be great, but I'm sure they shed way too much for my wife.

Any advice people can offer would be greatly appreciated. I want to make the best possible decision. I think if more people used forums such as this one, and the Internet in general, before getting a dog, there would be fewer dogs in the shelters. Thanks.

I was going to suggest a retired greyhound, too. They're typcially very gentle, and since they've been around other dogs their entire lives, are well-socialized. They already walk well on a leash, already crate trained. If it's your first dog, I'd suggest getting one that's been living in a foster home for a while, and has already been introduced to things it never saw before as a racer, such as stairs and glass doors, and is started on housebreaking and training. Some rescue groups, such as Greyhound Friends of NJ, have a program where they send the dogs to a prison for inmates to train. The dogs learn basic obedience, and the inmates learn to train dogs.

Also, keep in mind that "intelligent" doesn't always equal "easily trained." Sometimes the smarter the dog, the more difficult they can be.

I was going to suggest a Poodledoodle (lol) (AKA, standard poodle) but since you are not a poodle person... im at a loss.
Most dogs shed... and some shed alot!!
Im no expert on grey hounds.... so I have no advice in that area.. sorry!!

Originally Posted by Pinnacle

I have looked a little bit at Greyhounds before. I will take another look. It's too bad I could not let it off the leash at the park for a Frisbee game, but I understand that just like there is no such thing as a perfect owner, there's no such thing as a perfect dog. How high of fence would I need for a Greyhound? To me, it looks like the type of dog that could clear a six foot fence with room to spare (slight exageration).

As for Poodles, even a Standard Poodle does not feel right. I looked at the doodle dogs thinking perhaps a Goldendoodle or Labradoodle might be a good fit, but I could not get past the Poodle look. Sorry. I mean no offense to Poodle owners.

Thanks for the ideas.

We have 14 retired racing greyhounds...I think they will fit many, but not all, of your desired attributes. They are VERY clean dogs. Their short coat requires minimal grooming and they shed considerably less than other breeds. Some greyhounds shed more than others (my unscientific opinion is that it relates to coat texture and fluffieness...a fluffier greyhound is going to shed more than a smoother, thinner coat). They also don't get "doggy odor" like most breeds do (again, due to their coat type). Our greyhounds typically only "need" a bath a couple times a year. They are much like cats in that most of them are fastidious about grooming themselves.

True greyhounds should NEVER be off leash in an unfenced area. EVER! They can reach speeds of 40 mph in three strides...so unless you can run that fast, don't trust your greyhound to not take off after a leaf or squirrel. Of course, it's my opinion that NO dog should be offleash in an unfenced area, regardless of breed (working dogs who are actively working are the exception...i.e. tracking dogs or police k-9s). There are just way too many variables that are out of your control when your dog is off leash....they may not attack another dog, but another loose dog may attack them! Things like that....

As for trainability...I'll tell you greyhounds are very smart, but as mentioned earlier, trainability and intelligence are not necessarily directly correlated. I know greyhounds that compete in agility and obedience (and do quite well!), but if you are looking for an super easy to train dog...well...a greyhound is not a golden or a lab in that department. They don't live to obey your every whim and command. But they are such easy dogs to live with and so well behaved, I've really found that extensive training is not necessary to have a nice companion pet. We have a few hounds that will sit,shake,lay on command...but training is somethign that really doesn't interest me, so I'm happy as long as they are well behaved.

Due to their training at the track, they are accustomed to being handled by a variety of people and as a result usually tolerate handling by children quite well. Though, some greyhounds may have never seen a child before, so it takes them a little while to figure out that they really are just a small person For a first time dog owner/greyhound owner, I would recommend adopting from a group that has a foster program...preferably foster homes with small children so you are adopting a dog that has already become accustomed to kids. You will also want to 'dog proof' your children by teaching them how to respect a dog (don't yank or pinch their ears, tails are not handles or ropes to swing on, how to approach and pet the dog nicely...)

Greyhounds do wonderfully in pairs (or more!) regardless of gender...in fact, it is often said that greyhounds are like potato chips...it's hard to have just one! They are just such wonderful, easy dogs to live with. For fencing, I probably wouldn't go any lower than four feet. Most greyhounds aren't fence jumpers, and if they are the adoption group mostly likely knows that from the trainer at the track so they can place the dog in the appropriate home. I think with all dogs a 6 foot privacy fence is ideal, and I'd say the same for greyhounds. Our fencing is four foot chain link in some parts...about half is 6 foot privacy fencing. In addition to our own greys, we've probably had a good 60-70 go through our doors and never once had a fence jumper.

How about a great dane (if you want a huge dog) they have very short coats, and I think (dont quote me) shed minimal. All dogs will shed, just some less then others. Good dog food and grooming will also cut down on the shedding as well

Danes are GREAT dogs...Very big and powerful, though they are gentle giants. A playful young Dane might hurt a small child unintentionally, so that would be my concern. They don't shed a ton, but the one that we board in our kennel drools like there's no tomorrow. Slobber factor pretty much ruled them out for our family (I just love 'em when we board them though!). They also have a fairly short lifespan, being a giant breed. We have to leash walk the Dane we board b/c she can (and will) easily jump a 6 foot fence...not sure if that's common for the breed or not though.

Originally Posted by Pinnacle

Thanks Lovemygreys. That was a very thorough answer. I think Greyhounds are something I need to look into further. I ordered this book today.

http://www.amazon.com/Adopting-Racin...e=UTF8&s=books

In the meantime, I will do some searches on the Internet.

That's a pretty good starter book. I usually recommend Retired Racing Greyhounds For Dummies...VERY well written, easy to read...written by one of the other gurus, Lee Livingood.

greytalk.com is a fantastic message board for greyhound owners and fanciers...a great place to ask questions and read through other's experiences with greyhounds. Though, I will "warn" you that it's often the place people go with their problems...so it may seem like there are a lot of health/medical/behavioral issues.....but it's not really representative of the entire population of greyhounds as pets. Your adoption group will be invaluable in helping assess the available dogs and helping you choose the one that will be right for your family/activity level/experience. (I'm Kennelmom over there ) Greyhound owners are a really great community and there is a TON of support for new adopters.

I also thought that if you wanted a low shedding dog, maybe you should look into Giant Schnauzers. These are dominant dogs, but are very intelligent. They are good with kids, athletic, low shedding...Here are some pros and cons listed for the breed on www.yourpurebredpuppy.com:

If you want a dog who...



Is large and strong, yet also lithe and elegant
Has a wiry coat that doesn't shed too much and a whiskery face with a wise expression
Plays hard and thrives on vigorous athletic activities
Looks imposing, so makes an effective deterrent and keen watchdog
Is versatile -- when well-trained, can learn and do almost anything
A Giant Schnauzer may be right for you.



If you don't want to deal with...



Vigorous exercise requirements
Rowdiness and exuberant jumping, especially when young
Destructiveness when bored or not exercised enough
Aggression or fearfulness in some lines, or when not socialized enough
Aggression toward other animals
Strong-willed mind of his own, requiring a confident owner who can take charge
Regular clipping and trimming of the wiry coat
A Giant Schnauzer may not be right for you.

It then goes on and explains these in detail...here is the link: http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/rev...chnauzers.html

I'd also thought I'd say that my math teacher has one. She brought it into class one day and he was the sweetest dog. She has a four year old and Oynx gets along great with him. Although when she told me that Oynx was show quality, but came from a breeder that when she described sounded like a puppymill, I told her that he was most likely NOT show quality because the parents hadn't been shown and it was no wonder his ear crop went bad, look where she got him from...she gave me a dirty look. lol Don't think she liked me too well for that one.

Sounds like you got lucky with your mix. I helped groom two 'doodles the other day and they both shed like CRAZY! With a mutt, you never know what you are getting....you could get the non-shedding coat of a poodle, but you could also get the heavy shedding coat of a Lab! If I'm remembering right, they were first bred to be hypoallergenic guide dogs, but the program was disbanded as they couldn't get the dogs to consistantly be non-shedding....hmmmm....

Originally Posted by threedognite

If you decide to aquire one of these dogs, my advise is to find a reputable breeder. You can email me and I will tell you where I bought my doodle and I absolutely love these people. Beware of so-called doodle 'breeders'. So many people these days are breeding these dogs just for the money and these people don't know what they are doing.
A doodle can get expensive, anywhere from $500.00 to $2,000.00
Find a breeder who will offer a health certificate along with a hip certification.

Sigh... first off.... reputable breeder of doodles is an oxymoron... No reputable breeder will cross breed like this.... I know this is a whole new can of worms here, but has to be said.

I am saddened by the widespread prejudice against standard poodles.

I'm a hound and sporting breed kinda guy, but I would, and maybe someday will, have a standard poodle in a heartbeat. If I were concerned about my image, I would tell people that he is a giant American water spaniel.