Dogs that Need Little Grooming

If you’re planning to get a puppy or dog then it’s important for you to consider how much time you want to spend grooming your new dog. There are hundreds of breeds of dogs in the world and they have all kinds of coats – long hair, short hair, wire hair; double-coated, single-coated; water-resistant; even hairless! Every dog needs to have the proper care for his coat so he looks nice and stays healthy. If you’re interested in dogs that need little grooming, we have some tips for you below.

Pros and cons of short hair

If you don’t want to spend a lot of time grooming your new dog then you might think it’s obvious that you should get a dog with short hair. But, not so fast. Not all shorthaired dogs are the same. There are some shorthaired breeds which are easy to care for when it comes to grooming, but they shed so much that you will have to spend lots of time vacuuming. They will also need extra brushing when they have seasonal shedding once or twice a year. These dogs include some popular breeds such as Labrador Retrievers, Beagles, and Pugs. Before getting a shorthaired breed, talk to someone who owns one of the dogs and ask them about shedding.

There are some shorthaired breeds that don’t shed much and which are easy maintenance for people who don’t want to groom a lot.

The following breeds are considered easy to groom

• Greyhounds
• Whippets
• Italian Greyhounds
• Basenjis
• Vizslas
• Weimaraners
• Smooth Fox Terrier
• Chihuahuas

Wirehaired and Curly-Coated Breeds

You might also be interested in a wirehaired or curly-coated breed. In general, these breeds shed very little, though grooming requirements can vary. The breeds listed below have minimal grooming requirements. Some wirehaired breeds such as the Miniature Schnauzer makes a wonderful pet but they do need to be professionally groomed about every 6 to 8 weeks.

Some breeds, such as the Dachshund, come in different coat varieties: smooth, longhaired, and wire. The amount of grooming a dog requires will depend on the type of coat. If you are interested in a breed that has different coat varieties, talk to someone who has the breed and get some first hand information.

Many terrier breeds have wirehaired coats and they shed very little but they require professional grooming to look correct for their breed, whether they are clippered or hand stripped/plucked to remove the dead hair.

Curly-coated breeds can be a good choice for people with allergies since they usually shed little. The Poodle is a curly-coated breed, although you usually see them groomed and without curls. Poodles come in three varieties (Toy, Miniature, and Standard) and they make excellent pets. If you keep your Poodle in a natural, curly coat, they require only moderate grooming such as regular brushing. But if you would like to have your Poodle look a little fancier, you would need to have the dog professionally groomed about every 6 to 8 weeks. Most pet owners choose a simple puppy cut for their Poodle which is easy to care for.

• Curly-Coated Retriever
• German Wirehaired Pointer
• Irish Water Spaniel

Medium to long coats

Shedding is not related to the length of a dog’s coat. That’s why some shorthaired breeds shed a lot, and some longhaired breeds do not shed much. The dogs listed here have medium-long coats but they do not have heavy coats and they do not shed a great deal. They have coats that are easy to care for and require minimal grooming.

• Brittany
• Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (weekly brushing)
• English Toy Spaniel (brush twice per week)
• Japanese Chin (brush twice per week)
• Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever

Hairless breeds

As you might expect, hairless dog breeds require very little grooming since, for the most part, they have virtually no hair to brush. They are also considered a good choice for people with allergies since they do not have much dander to spread. However, hairless breeds do have other grooming considerations. You usually need to be extra careful about the dog’s skin and in many cases you need to moisturize the skin and/or apply sunscreen so it won’t burn when the dog is outside.

• Chinese Crested (Hairless and Powderpuff varieties)
• Xoloitzcuintli (Hairless and Coated varieties)

As you can see, there are lots of choices when it comes to choosing a dog that has minimal grooming requirements. Be sure to consider all the factors that are important to you in a dog, along with grooming. Other issues are important, too, such as a breed’s temperament, size, energy level, exercise requirements, health, and what they were bred to do. You will want to choose a dog that fits your lifestyle. Grooming requirements are an important consideration, but they are only one of the ways that you will take care of your dog.