Hypoallergenic & low-shedding dogs
Lowest-shedding, allergy-friendlier breeds (lower is better). The top pick is the Afghan Hound.
Chart: the six top-ranked dogs by shedding — taller bars rank higher on this metric.
What this ranking shows
Across 272 dogs, shedding ranges from 1 to 5 — a 5.0× spread, with a median around 3. The Afghan Hound leads at 1/5, while the Siberian Husky sits at the far end. Rounding out the top three are the American Water Spaniel (1/5) and the Australian Terrier (1/5). Most of the gap comes down to three things: body size (which sets how much a dog eats and its medication doses), breed health risk (which sets insurance premiums and likely vet bills), and lifespan (which multiplies every recurring annual cost). Use the sorter below to re-rank by your own budget, home size and grooming tolerance.
| # | Breed | Size | Shedding | Lifetime cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Afghan Hound | Large | 1/5 | $46,200 |
| 2 | American Water Spaniel | Medium | 1/5 | $29,000 |
| 3 | Australian Terrier | Small | 1/5 | $22,100 |
| 4 | Barbet | Large | 1/5 | $39,700 |
| 5 | Bergamasco Sheepdog | Large | 1/5 | $45,100 |
| 6 | Bichon Frise | Small | 1/5 | $31,300 |
| 7 | Bolognese | Small | 1/5 | $21,400 |
| 8 | Boston Terrier | Small | 1/5 | $20,800 |
| 9 | Briard | Large | 1/5 | $44,300 |
| 10 | Chinese Crested | Small | 1/5 | $23,400 |
| 11 | Cirneco dell’Etna | Small | 1/5 | $22,300 |
| 12 | Dandie Dinmont Terrier | Small | 1/5 | $27,900 |
| 13 | Dogo Argentino | Giant | 1/5 | $46,200 |
| 14 | Entlebucher Mountain Dog | Large | 1/5 | $36,700 |
| 15 | Hamiltonstovare | Large | 1/5 | $47,500 |
| 16 | Hanoverian Scenthound | Large | 1/5 | $41,400 |
| 17 | Lagotto Romagnolo | Medium | 1/5 | $34,100 |
| 18 | Lakeland Terrier | Small | 1/5 | $22,800 |
| 19 | Lhasa Apso | Small | 1/5 | $24,000 |
| 20 | Löwchen | Small | 1/5 | $23,300 |
| 21 | Maltese | Small | 1/5 | $24,800 |
| 22 | Maltipoo | Small | 1/5 | $25,600 |
| 23 | Miniature Pinscher | Small | 1/5 | $21,100 |
| 24 | Miniature Schnauzer | Small | 1/5 | $29,500 |
| 25 | Poodle (Standard) | Large | 1/5 | $47,400 |
| 26 | Poodle (Toy) | Small | 1/5 | $27,900 |
| 27 | Puli | Medium | 1/5 | $34,300 |
| 28 | Pumi | Medium | 1/5 | $26,500 |
| 29 | Russian Toy | Small | 1/5 | $19,600 |
| 30 | Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka | Small | 1/5 | $23,000 |
| 31 | Shih Tzu | Small | 1/5 | $30,200 |
| 32 | Sloughi | Medium | 1/5 | $29,700 |
| 33 | Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier | Medium | 1/5 | $31,200 |
| 34 | Spanish Water Dog | Medium | 1/5 | $37,200 |
| 35 | Standard Schnauzer | Medium | 1/5 | $35,400 |
| 36 | Wire Fox Terrier | Small | 1/5 | $22,600 |
| 37 | Xoloitzcuintli | Medium | 1/5 | $33,700 |
| 38 | Yorkshire Terrier | Small | 1/5 | $26,000 |
| 39 | Airedale Terrier | Large | 2/5 | $41,200 |
| 40 | American English Coonhound | Large | 2/5 | $35,600 |
| 41 | American Staffordshire Terrier | Large | 2/5 | $42,800 |
| 42 | Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog | Medium | 2/5 | $31,300 |
| 43 | Azawakh | Medium | 2/5 | $32,200 |
| 44 | Basenji | Small | 2/5 | $23,400 |
| 45 | Basset Hound | Large | 2/5 | $40,100 |
| 46 | Boerboel | Giant | 2/5 | $46,400 |
| 47 | Bohemian Shepherd | Medium | 2/5 | $32,300 |
| 48 | Border Terrier | Small | 2/5 | $21,900 |
| 49 | Bracco Italiano | Large | 2/5 | $39,300 |
| 50 | Cairn Terrier | Small | 2/5 | $22,700 |
| 51 | Cesky Terrier | Small | 2/5 | $23,200 |
| 52 | Chihuahua | Small | 2/5 | $21,200 |
| 53 | Cocker Spaniel | Medium | 2/5 | $29,800 |
| 54 | Coton de Tulear | Small | 2/5 | $32,000 |
| 55 | Croatian Sheepdog | Medium | 2/5 | $30,400 |
| 56 | Curly-Coated Retriever | Large | 2/5 | $36,900 |
| 57 | Dachshund | Small | 2/5 | $26,500 |
| 58 | Danish-Swedish Farmdog | Small | 2/5 | $20,100 |
| 59 | Drever | Medium | 2/5 | $33,700 |
| 60 | English Cocker Spaniel | Medium | 2/5 | $30,400 |
| 61 | English Springer Spaniel | Medium | 2/5 | $31,200 |
| 62 | German Pinscher | Medium | 2/5 | $29,100 |
| 63 | Glen of Imaal Terrier | Medium | 2/5 | $30,300 |
| 64 | Greyhound | Large | 2/5 | $36,900 |
| 65 | Harrier | Large | 2/5 | $41,500 |
| 66 | Havanese | Small | 2/5 | $25,100 |
| 67 | Ibizan Hound | Medium | 2/5 | $30,000 |
| 68 | Japanese Spitz | Small | 2/5 | $22,100 |
| 69 | Manchester Terrier (Standard) | Small | 2/5 | $26,500 |
| 70 | Manchester Terrier (Toy) | Small | 2/5 | $25,200 |
| 71 | Mastiff | Giant | 2/5 | $37,700 |
| 72 | Miniature Bull Terrier | Small | 2/5 | $21,100 |
| 73 | Mudi | Small | 2/5 | $22,700 |
| 74 | Norrbottenspets | Medium | 2/5 | $32,800 |
| 75 | Parson Russell Terrier | Small | 2/5 | $23,100 |
| 76 | Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen | Medium | 2/5 | $29,200 |
| 77 | Plott Hound | Large | 2/5 | $39,200 |
| 78 | Pointer | Large | 2/5 | $45,600 |
| 79 | Portuguese Pointer | Medium | 2/5 | $33,200 |
| 80 | Portuguese Sheepdog | Medium | 2/5 | $30,600 |
| 81 | Romanian Mioritic Shepherd Dog | Giant | 2/5 | $52,900 |
| 82 | Russell Terrier | Small | 2/5 | $21,000 |
| 83 | Saluki | Large | 2/5 | $41,000 |
| 84 | Scottish Terrier | Small | 2/5 | $22,500 |
| 85 | Silky Terrier | Small | 2/5 | $23,600 |
| 86 | Slovakian Wirehaired Pointer | Large | 2/5 | $41,700 |
| 87 | Smooth Fox Terrier | Small | 2/5 | $22,600 |
| 88 | Staffordshire Bull Terrier | Medium | 2/5 | $29,000 |
| 89 | Tosa | Giant | 2/5 | $48,300 |
| 90 | Toy Fox Terrier | Small | 2/5 | $20,600 |
| 91 | Treeing Tennessee Brindle | Medium | 2/5 | $26,200 |
| 92 | Welsh Terrier | Small | 2/5 | $25,000 |
| 93 | Wetterhoun | Large | 2/5 | $41,000 |
| 94 | Whippet | Medium | 2/5 | $29,700 |
| 95 | Affenpinscher | Small | 3/5 | $22,500 |
| 96 | Akita | Giant | 3/5 | $49,200 |
| 97 | Alaskan Malamute | Large | 3/5 | $42,200 |
| 98 | American Bulldog | Large | 3/5 | $37,200 |
| 99 | American Eskimo Dog | Small | 3/5 | $24,200 |
| 100 | American Foxhound | Large | 3/5 | $38,400 |
| 101 | American Hairless Terrier | Small | 3/5 | $26,100 |
| 102 | American Leopard Hound | Large | 3/5 | $42,300 |
| 103 | Anatolian Shepherd Dog | Giant | 3/5 | $49,100 |
| 104 | Basset Fauve de Bretagne | Medium | 3/5 | $26,900 |
| 105 | Beagle | Small | 3/5 | $23,600 |
| 106 | Bearded Collie | Large | 3/5 | $43,900 |
| 107 | Bedlington Terrier | Small | 3/5 | $25,000 |
| 108 | Belgian Malinois | Large | 3/5 | $47,100 |
| 109 | Belgian Sheepdog | Large | 3/5 | $42,700 |
| 110 | Belgian Tervuren | Large | 3/5 | $42,700 |
| 111 | Berger Picard | Large | 3/5 | $39,200 |
| 112 | Biewer Terrier | Small | 3/5 | $25,500 |
| 113 | Black Russian Terrier | Giant | 3/5 | $47,700 |
| 114 | Black and Tan Coonhound | Large | 3/5 | $38,400 |
| 115 | Bloodhound | Giant | 3/5 | $43,200 |
| 116 | Bluetick Coonhound | Large | 3/5 | $37,100 |
| 117 | Borzoi | Large | 3/5 | $39,500 |
| 118 | Bouvier des Flandres | Giant | 3/5 | $46,100 |
| 119 | Boxer | Large | 3/5 | $35,400 |
| 120 | Boykin Spaniel | Medium | 3/5 | $29,700 |
| 121 | Braque du Bourbonnais | Medium | 3/5 | $26,200 |
| 122 | Brittany | Medium | 3/5 | $31,200 |
| 123 | Broholmer | Giant | 3/5 | $37,700 |
| 124 | Brussels Griffon | Small | 3/5 | $22,600 |
| 125 | Bull Terrier | Large | 3/5 | $39,700 |
| 126 | Bulldog (English) | Medium | 3/5 | $26,000 |
| 127 | Bullmastiff | Giant | 3/5 | $33,500 |
| 128 | Cardigan Welsh Corgi | Medium | 3/5 | $30,100 |
| 129 | Catahoula Leopard Dog | Large | 3/5 | $41,300 |
| 130 | Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | Small | 3/5 | $29,200 |
| 131 | Chinook | Large | 3/5 | $44,100 |
| 132 | Chow Chow | Large | 3/5 | $33,200 |
| 133 | Collie | Large | 3/5 | $43,100 |
| 134 | Deutscher Wachtelhund | Medium | 3/5 | $31,600 |
| 135 | Dutch Shepherd | Large | 3/5 | $39,500 |
| 136 | English Toy Spaniel | Small | 3/5 | $19,300 |
| 137 | Estrela Mountain Dog | Giant | 3/5 | $47,900 |
| 138 | Eurasier | Large | 3/5 | $45,000 |
| 139 | Finnish Lapphund | Medium | 3/5 | $32,000 |
| 140 | Finnish Spitz | Medium | 3/5 | $30,200 |
| 141 | French Bulldog | Small | 3/5 | $26,800 |
| 142 | French Spaniel | Large | 3/5 | $36,000 |
| 143 | German Longhaired Pointer | Large | 3/5 | $41,700 |
| 144 | German Shorthaired Pointer | Large | 3/5 | $31,100 |
| 145 | German Spitz | Medium | 3/5 | $31,600 |
| 146 | Giant Schnauzer | Large | 3/5 | $48,400 |
| 147 | Gordon Setter | Large | 3/5 | $40,000 |
| 148 | Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen | Medium | 3/5 | $33,000 |
| 149 | Great Dane | Giant | 3/5 | $37,500 |
| 150 | Great Pyrenees | Giant | 3/5 | $42,900 |
| 151 | Greater Swiss Mountain Dog | Giant | 3/5 | $39,300 |
| 152 | Hokkaido | Large | 3/5 | $41,900 |
| 153 | Hovawart | Large | 3/5 | $40,000 |
| 154 | Icelandic Sheepdog | Medium | 3/5 | $28,400 |
| 155 | Irish Red and White Setter | Medium | 3/5 | $31,600 |
| 156 | Irish Setter | Large | 3/5 | $45,000 |
| 157 | Irish Terrier | Medium | 3/5 | $29,500 |
| 158 | Irish Water Spaniel | Large | 3/5 | $39,200 |
| 159 | Irish Wolfhound | Giant | 3/5 | $29,800 |
| 160 | Italian Greyhound | Small | 3/5 | $22,200 |
| 161 | Jagdterrier | Small | 3/5 | $20,700 |
| 162 | Japanese Chin | Small | 3/5 | $17,600 |
| 163 | Jindo | Medium | 3/5 | $32,600 |
| 164 | Kai Ken | Medium | 3/5 | $29,300 |
| 165 | Karelian Bear Dog | Medium | 3/5 | $28,800 |
| 166 | Keeshond | Medium | 3/5 | $33,100 |
| 167 | Kerry Blue Terrier | Medium | 3/5 | $32,500 |
| 168 | Kishu Ken | Medium | 3/5 | $28,500 |
| 169 | Komondor | Giant | 3/5 | $48,300 |
| 170 | Lancashire Heeler | Small | 3/5 | $21,400 |
| 171 | Lapponian Herder | Large | 3/5 | $39,500 |
| 172 | Mountain Cur | Medium | 3/5 | $27,500 |
| 173 | Neapolitan Mastiff | Giant | 3/5 | $34,900 |
| 174 | Nederlandse Kooikerhondje | Medium | 3/5 | $28,900 |
| 175 | Newfoundland | Giant | 3/5 | $40,400 |
| 176 | Norfolk Terrier | Small | 3/5 | $22,300 |
| 177 | Norwegian Buhund | Medium | 3/5 | $30,300 |
| 178 | Norwegian Elkhound | Large | 3/5 | $41,300 |
| 179 | Norwegian Lundehund | Medium | 3/5 | $28,900 |
| 180 | Norwich Terrier | Small | 3/5 | $21,700 |
| 181 | Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever | Medium | 3/5 | $30,800 |
| 182 | Old English Sheepdog | Large | 3/5 | $38,900 |
| 183 | Otterhound | Giant | 3/5 | $45,300 |
| 184 | Papillon | Small | 3/5 | $22,600 |
| 185 | Pekingese | Small | 3/5 | $23,000 |
| 186 | Perro de Presa Canario | Giant | 3/5 | $39,300 |
| 187 | Pharaoh Hound | Large | 3/5 | $39,700 |
| 188 | Polish Lowland Sheepdog | Medium | 3/5 | $34,600 |
| 189 | Pomeranian | Small | 3/5 | $25,700 |
| 190 | Poodle (Miniature) | Small | 3/5 | $24,200 |
| 191 | Porcelaine | Large | 3/5 | $39,000 |
| 192 | Portuguese Podengo Pequeno | Small | 3/5 | $21,500 |
| 193 | Portuguese Water Dog | Medium | 3/5 | $33,200 |
| 194 | Pudelpointer | Large | 3/5 | $43,200 |
| 195 | Pyrenean Mastiff | Giant | 3/5 | $55,200 |
| 196 | Rafeiro do Alentejo | Giant | 3/5 | $51,600 |
| 197 | Rat Terrier | Small | 3/5 | $25,100 |
| 198 | Redbone Coonhound | Large | 3/5 | $42,300 |
| 199 | Rhodesian Ridgeback | Large | 3/5 | $34,200 |
| 200 | Rottweiler | Large | 3/5 | $36,500 |
| 201 | Saint Bernard | Giant | 3/5 | $40,500 |
| 202 | Samoyed | Large | 3/5 | $41,300 |
| 203 | Schapendoes | Medium | 3/5 | $31,600 |
| 204 | Schipperke | Small | 3/5 | $21,200 |
| 205 | Scottish Deerhound | Giant | 3/5 | $37,100 |
| 206 | Sealyham Terrier | Small | 3/5 | $24,800 |
| 207 | Segugio Italiano | Large | 3/5 | $36,900 |
| 208 | Shetland Sheepdog | Small | 3/5 | $24,100 |
| 209 | Shiba Inu | Small | 3/5 | $24,900 |
| 210 | Shikoku | Medium | 3/5 | $26,800 |
| 211 | Skye Terrier | Medium | 3/5 | $34,600 |
| 212 | Slovensky Kopov | Medium | 3/5 | $28,600 |
| 213 | Small Munsterlander Pointer | Large | 3/5 | $39,200 |
| 214 | Spanish Mastiff | Giant | 3/5 | $52,000 |
| 215 | Stabyhoun | Large | 3/5 | $42,000 |
| 216 | Sussex Spaniel | Medium | 3/5 | $34,300 |
| 217 | Swedish Lapphund | Medium | 3/5 | $30,000 |
| 218 | Swedish Vallhund | Medium | 3/5 | $28,800 |
| 219 | Taiwan Dog | Medium | 3/5 | $25,200 |
| 220 | Teddy Roosevelt Terrier | Small | 3/5 | $24,900 |
| 221 | Thai Ridgeback | Large | 3/5 | $38,500 |
| 222 | Tibetan Mastiff | Giant | 3/5 | $46,100 |
| 223 | Tibetan Spaniel | Small | 3/5 | $21,700 |
| 224 | Tibetan Terrier | Small | 3/5 | $29,200 |
| 225 | Tornjak | Large | 3/5 | $46,300 |
| 226 | Transylvanian Hound | Large | 3/5 | $37,500 |
| 227 | Treeing Walker Coonhound | Large | 3/5 | $39,200 |
| 228 | Vizsla | Large | 3/5 | $40,000 |
| 229 | Weimaraner | Large | 3/5 | $38,300 |
| 230 | Welsh Springer Spaniel | Medium | 3/5 | $32,300 |
| 231 | West Highland White Terrier | Small | 3/5 | $28,100 |
| 232 | Wirehaired Pointing Griffon | Large | 3/5 | $41,500 |
| 233 | Wirehaired Vizsla | Large | 3/5 | $39,900 |
| 234 | Working Kelpie | Medium | 3/5 | $31,600 |
| 235 | Yakutian Laika | Medium | 3/5 | $27,100 |
| 236 | Appenzeller Sennenhund | Large | 4/5 | $42,500 |
| 237 | Australian Cattle Dog | Medium | 4/5 | $32,400 |
| 238 | Australian Shepherd | Medium | 4/5 | $35,400 |
| 239 | Bavarian Mountain Scent Hound | Large | 4/5 | $41,300 |
| 240 | Belgian Laekenois | Large | 4/5 | $35,300 |
| 241 | Border Collie | Medium | 4/5 | $33,700 |
| 242 | Caucasian Shepherd Dog | Giant | 4/5 | $48,600 |
| 243 | Chesapeake Bay Retriever | Large | 4/5 | $39,100 |
| 244 | Chinese Shar-Pei | Large | 4/5 | $31,100 |
| 245 | Clumber Spaniel | Large | 4/5 | $36,500 |
| 246 | Doberman Pinscher | Large | 4/5 | $37,200 |
| 247 | Dogue de Bordeaux | Giant | 4/5 | $27,100 |
| 248 | Drentsche Patrijshond | Large | 4/5 | $39,800 |
| 249 | English Foxhound | Large | 4/5 | $37,200 |
| 250 | English Setter | Large | 4/5 | $40,000 |
| 251 | Field Spaniel | Medium | 4/5 | $29,700 |
| 252 | Flat-Coated Retriever | Large | 4/5 | $29,900 |
| 253 | German Shepherd | Large | 4/5 | $30,200 |
| 254 | German Shepherd Dog | Large | 4/5 | $28,800 |
| 255 | German Wirehaired Pointer | Large | 4/5 | $47,100 |
| 256 | Golden Retriever | Large | 4/5 | $37,800 |
| 257 | Kromfohrlander | Medium | 4/5 | $32,000 |
| 258 | Kuvasz | Giant | 4/5 | $42,900 |
| 259 | Labrador Retriever | Large | 4/5 | $35,700 |
| 260 | Leonberger | Giant | 4/5 | $41,700 |
| 261 | Pembroke Welsh Corgi | Medium | 4/5 | $27,600 |
| 262 | Peruvian Inca Orchid | Medium | 4/5 | $28,500 |
| 263 | Portuguese Podengo | Large | 4/5 | $34,100 |
| 264 | Pug | Small | 4/5 | $23,300 |
| 265 | Slovensky Cuvac | Large | 4/5 | $41,100 |
| 266 | Beauceron | Giant | 5/5 | $43,900 |
| 267 | Bernese Mountain Dog | Giant | 5/5 | $34,900 |
| 268 | Canaan Dog | Medium | 5/5 | $32,300 |
| 269 | Czechoslovakian Vlcak | Large | 5/5 | $38,300 |
| 270 | Dalmatian | Large | 5/5 | $37,900 |
| 271 | Miniature American Shepherd | Medium | 5/5 | $31,800 |
| 272 | Siberian Husky | Large | 5/5 | $37,100 |
Ranked from our sortable database. Food = vet RER/MER calorie formula; insurance = NAPHIA US average × breed health-risk tier; lifespan from breed standards. US planning estimates.
Compiled by the PawCosts data team from breed standards, NAPHIA averages and AAFCO/vet nutrition formulas.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best hypoallergenic dogs?
Low-shedding breeds produce less dander and loose hair.
How is this ranking calculated?
From our sortable cost database: food via the vet RER/MER calorie formula, insurance from NAPHIA US averages by breed health-risk tier, and lifespan from published breed standards.
What is the typical shedding for dogs?
The median across 272 breeds is about 3.
Are these exact prices?
No — they are modelled US planning estimates; your real cost varies by region, provider and the individual animal.