There’s no such thing as a non-shedding dog, but some breeds shed less than others. These are traditionally smaller dogs, but you may prefer the protection of a mid-sized dog more. So, are there any medium-sized low-shedding dogs out there?
Yes, there are, and here’s the list:
- Lhasa Apso
- Kerry Blue Terrier
- Poodle
- Standard Schnauzer
- Portuguese Water Dog
- Welsh Terrier
- Vizsla
- Tibetan Terrier
- Glen of Imaal Terrier
- Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
- Irish Terrier
- Labradoodle
- Pudelpointer
If you’re curious to learn more about these extraordinary, low-shedding dogs, you’ve come to the right place. Ahead, I’ll talk about the shedding habits and grooming requirements of these mid-sized canines!
1. Lhasa Apso
Shedding level: Very low
Grooming effort: Moderate-to-high
At 11 inches tall, the Lhasa Apso certainly fits the distinction of a mid-sized dog.
Its long, flowing locks may cause you to think this breed would be a shedding nightmare, but it’s actually anything but.
The fur is denser than it appears. The dog’s hair growth cycle is also longer, which keeps its hair attached to its body for just as long.
Do keep in mind that seasonal shedding is an issue to contend with if you own a Lhasa Apso, as the dog is double-coated. Further, maintaining those long locks can be a challenge.
It would be best to commit to brushing your dog with a pin brush every week for an hour or so. You have to lift and section its fur to ensure there are no hidden mats or knots.
My best tip? Buy a dog-friendly detangling spray. It will be your best friend when grooming your Lhasa Apso!
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2. Kerry Blue Terrier
Shedding level: Very low
Grooming effort: Moderate-to-high
The Kerry Blue Terrier is a lot like the Lhasa Apso in that this mid-sized dog hardly sheds but is tough to groom.
Hailing from Ireland (its nickname is the Irish Blue Terrier) and boasting sharp hunting instincts, the Kerry Blue Terrier does indeed have blue(ish) fur.
Like its Terrier brethren, the Kerry Blue possesses a dense and wavy coat that barely sheds. The breed is also single-coated, which is a definite plus!
Its coat texture doesn’t do you as many favors when it comes to grooming this dog, though. I’d recommend brushing the Kerry Blue at least every week to prevent fur tangling, but you can do so more often if you have the time. Use a pin brush.
The key to brushing this dog is to follow the direction of the fur waves when brushing. This will be less painful for your Kerry Blue and prevent accidental knots.
3. Poodle
Shedding level: Very low
Grooming effort: High
Did you know the Poodle is France’s national dog? And why not? All at once trendy and timeless, the Poodle is a beloved companion in many other parts of the world as well.
The Standard Poodle stands at 15 to 22 inches and can weigh up to 70 pounds, so the breed is mid-sized for certain.
Shedding is not something you’ll have to contend with much if you own a Standard Poodle. These single-coated dogs have wiry, dense fur that collects dead fur and keeps it close to the body for longer.
As for grooming your Poodle, how difficult that is depends on what kind of style you like. There exist countless high-class Poodle cuts you can emulate if you wish. You can also keep the hair trimmed more simply.
The dense, wiry Poodle hair texture is a bit harder to brush and trim than most breeds. I recommend frequent brushing, especially for a longer coat, as it will reduce matting.
4. Standard Schnauzer
Shedding level: Low
Grooming effort: Moderate
The Standard Schnauzer comes in three sizes, and the medium-sized one is right up your alley. The dog stands between 18 ½ inches tall for females and 19 ½ inches tall for males.
Although the Standard Schnauzer is called non-shedding, as a double-coated breed, that’s not true. The summer and winter are when you’ll be likeliest to notice the shedding, but not as much during the rest of the year.
Despite that they’re low-shedding, daily brushing is recommended. Your brushing habits can contain the dead fur before it exits the Standard Schnauzer’s body. You should also plan on hand stripping your pup at least twice per year.
5. Portuguese Water Dog
Shedding level: Very low
Grooming effort: Moderate-to-high
Big, burly, and fluffy, the Portuguese Water Dog is another of those mid-sized dogs that looks like it sheds more than it does. Yet few breeds of this dog’s caliber are lower-shedding than the Portie.
It would be best to put some time into keeping your PWD well-groomed, as has been the case with the other breeds I’ve discussed.
The Portuguese Water Dog can have a wavy or curly coat. If it’s the former, then the long, wavy fur is easy enough to comb with a slicker brush. Curlier coats are usually denser and will require careful grooming.
Portie owners may favor the retriever cut, which is a shaved look, or the more complex lion cut. Either way, trimming the coat of your PWD does add time to its grooming routine.
6. Welsh Terrier
Shedding level: Very low
Grooming effort: Moderate-to-high
Here’s another of several Terriers on this list, the Welsh Terrier.
Originating in Wales, where they would hunt foxes, badgers, and other unwanted rodents, the Welsh Terrier today is a companionable, sweet mid-sized dog.
What about shedding? Like the Poodle, the Welsh Terrier’s wiry-textured coat holds onto fur, so it doesn’t fall all over your carpeting, clothing, furniture, and just about anywhere, really.
Although they’re double-coated, the Welsh Terrier’s seasonal shedding is imperceptible, so don’t worry too much about that.
To keep your Welsh Terrier’s fur healthy, you should brush your dog several times per week. This will collect the dead hair so it doesn’t float all over the house. Further, you’ll reduce the rate of tangles and mats.
Hand-stripping is another requirement of the Welsh Terrier, but only a few times a year!
7. Vizsla
Shedding level: Low
Grooming effort: Low
For the busy person who wants a mid-sized, low-shedding dog that’s easy to groom, allow me to introduce you to the Vizsla.
A healthy Vizsla shouldn’t shed often. After all, this is a single-coated dog with very short fur.
If your Vizsla sheds more than the breed standards, it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment with your vet to assess the dog’s diet (which is likely poor) and their overall health.
That close-cropped fur makes grooming your Vizsla easy-peasy. The Hungarian dog should be brushed at least once per week with a rubber brush or bristle brush.
You can get away with waiting several months before bathing your Vizsla as this dog is obsessed with self-grooming the way a cat is.
8. Tibetan Terrier
Shedding level: Very low
Grooming effort: Moderate-to-high
Although going from the Welsh Terrier to the Tibetan Terrier is a mere jump from one type of Terrier to another, these two breeds couldn’t look more disparate.
The Tibetan Terrier features long, even shaggy fur that’s very low-shedding.
This Chinese dog does undergo some seasonal shedding since he’s double-coated. That’s about the only time you’ll notice that the breed sheds!
Since you’re not spending so much time chasing your Tibetan Terrier with a broom or a vacuum cleaner, you hopefully won’t mind putting more effort towards grooming this mid-sized dog.
The undercoat is woolier, and the topcoat is long and fine. A slicker brush can handle both types of fur to keep the Tibetan Terrier’s coat shiny, knot-free, and appealing.
9. Glen of Imaal Terrier
Shedding level: Low
Grooming effort: Moderate
It’s about time that I got to some lower-maintenance mid-sized dogs that barely shed, right? Well, let me introduce you to the Glen of Imaal Terrier.
This mid-sized Terrier from Ireland was adept at hunting everything from rats to otters. Today, he makes for a fun, brave family companion.
Although the Glen of Imaal Terrier has a double coat, the outer layer of fur is rough to trap more hair. In the summer and ahead of the winter, though, expect moderate upticks in shedding. This is nothing you can’t handle with a good vacuum cleaner!
As has been true of other Terriers, brushing a rough outer coat is a bit tough. A pin brush is your best friend here. Commit to brushing your dog at least a few times per week, especially the furnishings.
If you need a refresher, furnishings are the areas of the Glen of Imaal’s coat around the ears, neck, legs, and belly that are longer. The fur here can become tangled if you’re not careful!
Further, it’s best to hand strip this dog at least twice per year, which isn’t too bad.
10. Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
Shedding level: Low
Grooming effort: Moderate
The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon is a great addition to this list of mid-sized, low-shedding dogs.
Although double-coated, the Griff releases fur in small enough increments that his cleanup routine won’t give you a headache. Part of that is due to the wiry coat texture the Griff has.
Even grooming this dog isn’t particularly difficult. You need a brush that can reach the denser undercoat as well as the wiry-textured outer coat. I would suggest a slicker brush especially.
If your Wirehaired Pointing Griffon looks a bit well, scruffy, don’t worry, as that’s a trademark of the breed. Even shaggier-looking fur is okay, but if the coat length and appearance are driving you nuts, don’t be afraid to trim your dog occasionally.
11. Irish Terrier
Shedding level: Low
Grooming effort: Moderate-to-high
Reaching sizes of up to 20 inches tall in maturity, the Irish Terrier makes a suitable watchdog to keep your family members safe.
The wiry coat that keeps the Irish Terrier low-shedding is also what’s troublesome to groom. You’ll need a slicker brush for combing your pup at least once per week.
More so than that, though, you should hand strip your Irish Terrier two to three times per year unless you trim the dog’s coat very short.
For your time and effort, you’re rewarded with a breed that sheds so little it’s almost nothing.
12. Labradoodle
Shedding level: Low-to-moderate
Grooming effort: Moderate
The Labradoodle is a medium-sized designer dog breed that is a mix of a Poodle (low-shedder) and Labrador Retriever (high-shedder). The result is an adorable, shaggy-looking pooch that will typically shed more than a poodle, but less than a Labrador.
How much fur you should expect to see around the home will ultimately depend on the breed’s genetics, so it might pay to check with your breeder before adopting. However, as a general rule, the more Poodle in its heritage, the less shedding you’ll tend to notice.
Another thing to consider with a Labradoodle is the grooming aspect. Labs are pretty easy to maintain, but the Poodle’s coat can be a chore to maintain. So, depending on how wooly your Labradoodle is, expect to bring out the brush at least once or twice each week.
13. Pudelpointer
Shedding level: Low
Grooming effort: Low
The last medium-sized low-shedding dog I want to talk about is the Pudelpointer, a German breed that was once a hunting dog. This canine is on the bigger side of mid-sized dogs, as males are up to 27 inches tall.
Make time for brushing using a slicker brush at least weekly, and your Pudelpointer will be happy. Since this breed is double-coated, you must reach both layers of fur. Occasional bathing is a requirement as well.
What about shedding? Well, the Pudelpointer will shed seasonally, as indicative of its double coat, but you’re not going to see heaps of hair all over the house.
When the seasonal shifts end, the Pudelpointer sheds even more minimally.
Bottom Line
There you have it – a comprehensive list of the lowest shedding, mid-sized dogs in dogdom.
I must stress again, however, that there is no such thing as a non-shedding dog, but the mid-sized canines on this list come pretty darn close.
Many breeds on this list lose such little fur you’ll swear they don’t shed at all, even the breeds with double coats don’t dump mountains of fur everywhere.
That said, how much hair your dog sheds depends on their care. By brushing your dog daily to weekly (or several times per week), you can control their shedding rate. The same is true when you bathe your dog once every two-to-three months.
If your dog’s grooming routine is optimal, but they’re still shedding more than they should, I recommend considering a trip to the vet to rule out fleas, food allergies, and other health issues that may be at the root cause of any excess shedding.
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