Answer: The Shedding Debate
Question: Which dogs don’t shed? I heard that designer dogs are bred to eliminate most shedding. Is that true?
Answer: Only hairless breeds do not shed at all, and there are very few truly hairless breeds. If the concern is finding a dog that is hypoallergenic, even these breeds may not be safe, because allergies are triggered by dander (shedding skin), not hair/fur.
That said, some dogs shed very little, like the Poodle. A fairly exhaustive list of those: Affenpinscher, Airedale, Basenji, Bedlington Terrier, Bichon Frise, Border Terrier, Bouvier des Flanders, Brussels Griffon, Cairn Terrier, Coton De Tulear, Italian Greyhound, Kerry Blue Terrier, Komondor, Maltese, Miniature Poodle, Miniature Schnauzer, Norfolk Terrier, Portuguse Water Dog, Shih-Tzu, Silky Terrier, Soft Coated Wheaton Terrier, West Highland White Terrier, Wirehaired Fox Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier.
Designer dogs are not bred to eliminate shedding, but that is one of the goals of cross-breeding with Poodles. Even with the intent to produce low-shedding dogs, genetics are not that simple and there is no guarantee that the resulting dogs will have that trait.
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