Few things in life pay you back like a dog does. The laughs, the rough patches, the bond that just holds, plenty of people want all of it. And plenty keep putting it off, or talk themselves out of it for good.
Why? If you rent an apartment, you already know. Shedding turns into a slow-motion disaster. Give it two weeks and there is hair on the couch, the rug, your work clothes, everywhere.
Good news: dozens of breeds shed little to nothing, and any one of them could be the dog that finally gets you off the fence.
So here are 13 of the best apartment dogs that don’t shed.
1. Basenji
The Basenji is a mid-sized hound, around 17 inches at the shoulder. Most people fall for the look right away: a short glossy coat, a wrinkled brow, and almond eyes that seem to be sizing you up.
Shedding is barely a thing here. The hairs are about as long as an eyelash, so even when one does drop a little coat, you will not be vacuuming over it.
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Basenjis are fussy about being clean, which is why people keep calling them cat-like. An occasional bath covers it. You will not catch this dog smelling like a dog.
Obedient? Only when it suits them. A Basenji lives to chase, so keep one on a leash outdoors unless you enjoy sprinting after it.
They take a while to warm up to new faces, and the independent streak runs deep, so lean on positive reinforcement and skip the heavy hand.
On top of the near-zero shedding, they are barkless, one more reason for choosing a Basenji for apartment life.
2. Bichon Frise
The personality lives up to the face. A Bichon Frise is a white powder puff set off by jet black eyes, a leathery button nose, and dark little lips.
They are playful and curious, and that outgoing streak shows the second you introduce one to new people, other dogs, or kids.
Exercise needs sit in the middle. Not hyper, not lazy. A Bichon will run through tricks one minute and burrow into the couch the next.
Training goes smoothly, since they genuinely want to please you and respond well to rewards. What they hate is being left alone too long, and that loneliness usually comes out as chewing or barking.
Bichons earn their apartment-dog reputation because they are hypoallergenic and rarely shed. Those tight curls trap dead hair and dander before either can drift around the room.
Brush a couple of times a week to pull the caught hair out of the undercoat and you are set.
3. Brussels Griffon
At 13 pounds tops, the Brussels Griffon is a small dog carrying an outsized personality. Loyal, friendly, sociable across the board. The eyes run through a whole range of almost human expressions, and that is a big part of the charm.
Griffons come in two types, smooth-coated and rough-coated. The smooth ones shed in spring and fall, the way most dogs do.
The rough-coated Griffon is the real star here, because it does not shed. An occasional groom keeps your floors clear of stray hair.
The bearded face gives them a wise old look. They bond hard to their chosen person and trail that person room to room. For a Griffon, a game of fetch in the yard can be the best part of the day.
One catch: they are sensitive. Harsh corrections backfire fast, so keep training gentle.
4. Coton De Tulear
The name sounds fancy. The dog is anything but stuck up. A Coton de Tulear brightens the house like sun after a week of rain.
The temperament is sunny and outgoing. They are witty, light on their feet, and forever pulling some new antic. They do want a good chunk of your attention, and you will hand it over happily.
Cotons are small, which suits apartment life. The coat earns the name, white as snow and soft as cotton. It behaves more like hair than fur, and it counts as hypoallergenic.
This breed is non-shedding, so grooming stays light, close to nonexistent if you clip the coat short. Let it grow long, though, and you are in for steady brushing to keep oil from building up.
Cotons are moderately active, nothing extreme. A few unhurried walks keep one in good shape.
5. Dachshund
Say “Wiener dog” and one breed shows up in your head. The Dachshund.
You know it by the long, low body riding on short, sturdy legs. A standard Dachshund stands about 9 inches at most, and the miniature stays under 6, which is part of what makes Dachshunds good for apartment living.
Shedding tracks with the coat. There are three: wirehaired sheds the least, then long-haired and smooth. All three land in the low-shedding camp.
Dachshunds are spirited and nosy, led by a first-rate sense of smell. A good scent will pull one clean away from you mid-walk, so do not expect a dog glued to your side.
They are no athletes. No big jumps, no long runs. Pottering around the apartment keeps a Dachshund perfectly content.
6. Italian Greyhound
Smaller and slimmer than a full Greyhound, the Italian Greyhound stands 13 to 15 inches at the shoulder and averages around 13 pounds.
IGs are alert, a touch cautious, and they carry themselves like the aristocrats they once kept company with.
They settle into apartment life with ease. An IG wants to be in your lap or pressed against you on the couch. Affectionate and sensitive, always up for time with the family.
Shedding is not their game. The sleek short coat is low shedding and low dander. Baths are rare, only really needed when play gets messy and a brush won’t fix it.
They do need a fair amount of exercise, but keep one leashed. The dash-and-chase instinct can fire without warning.
Given how sensitive and smart they are, positive reinforcement with treats is the way to train an IG.
7. Lhasa Apso
Here is a dog built for a shampoo ad. The Lhasa Apso is famous for a long, silky coat that pours down to the floor and parts down both sides of the body.
The exotic look gives away the Asian roots. The breed once kept company with monks and high-ranking figures up in the Himalayas.
Lhasas are smart, sure of themselves, and a little wise. None of that stops them from clowning around the family and cracking you up.
They are wary of strangers, though, and not easy to fool.
The coat follows a human-like cycle, shedding only a little, and mostly when the hair gets long. Natural and flowing or trimmed short, either way you brush regularly.
Smart enough to work as therapy dogs, Lhasas shed very little and slot into apartment life without fuss, doing their own laps around the place when they need to burn off steam.
8. Maltese
The Maltese is luxury on four legs. That long, white, dead-straight coat could stop a show.
These little charmers are among the lightest dogs around, 7 pounds at full size. The twinkling black eyes will undo you, and they know exactly what those eyes do.
Maltese rarely shed, which apartment dwellers love. The catch is the coat itself, which needs real grooming to head off mats and tangles. Plan to care for their hair about as much as your own.
They have energy, but they will not nag you for hard exercise. A walk or some indoor play keeps a Maltese happy.
They are friendly to a fault, always angling for a new pal, and they often live well into the teens, which makes for a long run together.
9. Miniature Schnauzer
That beard does a lot of the talking. The Miniature Schnauzer is the scaled-down standard, roughly 14 inches tall and 20 pounds at the heavy end.
Bushy eyebrows finish off the beard for a slightly tough-guy look. These stocky little dogs are gutsy and brave, then turn warm and lively the moment family is around.
Minis make great roommates, apartments included. The double coat pairs a wiry topcoat with a soft undercoat, and they barely shed, since that undercoat locks loose hair in. A real gift if you have allergies.
Energy is average, so city living works fine. Just keep regular activity on the calendar to keep one sharp in body and head.
They learn fast and love an audience, which makes training quick and genuinely fun.
10. Poodle
Poodles come in three sizes, standard, miniature, and toy, ranging from over 15 inches down to under 10. They carry themselves with real pride, and they back it up with brains and agility.
People write them off as goofy or soft. Look past the haircut and you find a sharp, athletic dog.
Poodles count as hypoallergenic. The coat barely sheds and throws off little dander.
You will not be finding fur in every corner. The trade-off is the upkeep: a long coat needs extra care.
Skip the regular thorough brushing and you may end up shaving the whole thing off to start fresh.
Smart and graceful, Poodles train like almost nothing else, which is exactly why they keep running away with the ribbons at dog shows.
They are active, so plan on frequent exercise. They are also friendly, easy-going, and great around kids.
11. Portuguese Water Dog
Bright and dependable, the Portuguese Water Dog was bred to be a fisherman’s right hand.
The job meant long hours and a list of tasks, and the breed still shows it: fit, sturdy, agile, and a genuinely strong swimmer.
The medium-sized body is packed in tight curls. It is a single-coated, low-shedding breed, and it counts as hypoallergenic.
Even so, the coat is dense and there is a lot of it. Expect serious grooming, often best left to a professional.
These dogs are wired to be near people. They want attention and they live for contact, so they struggle when left alone too long. Plan on long workdays away and this is probably the wrong breed for you.
This is an athlete and a worker at heart, so the exercise needs to be vigorous and varied, not just a stroll around the block.
12. Shih Tzu
Not many dogs can go toe to toe with a Shih Tzu on looks. They practically swim in lush hair, with big dark eyes that melt you on sight.
That long coat cuts both ways. You will be tempted to let it flow for the sheer look of it. For apartments and anyone with allergies, though, keep it on the short side.
Shih Tzus shed in a human-like way, so you mostly see loose hair once it is long, usually after a petting session or a groom.
These are life-of-the-party dogs, playful and outgoing, pulling laughs wherever they land. Affectionate by nature, and famously good with children.
As a former royal lapdog, the Shih Tzu is a top-tier house companion, happy with the indoor life. It will claim your lap by default, but it won’t say no to a short walk either.
13. Whippet
To close on a fast note: the Whippet stands about 22 inches tall, with that athletic “S” curve of a body built for speed.
They hold a soft spot for a flat-out sprint, but do not be fooled, these dogs live for snuggling.
The calm demeanor can read as aloof at first. Spend a day with one and it is curling up against you and shadowing you from room to room.
Whippets wear a sleek, smooth, short coat. They don’t shed much, though a weekly brush still helps keep loose hair off your clothes and the furniture.
Born runners, they need a notch more exercise than average. A Whippet is happiest chasing a ball, snatching a flying disc, or out on a brisk walk.
On top of barely shedding, Whippets are quiet dogs, short on barking, which is a real win for apartment life.
Final Thoughts
Who decided an apartment rules out a lifelong best friend?
Work through this list of the best apartment dogs that don’t shed, and your match is probably closer than you think.
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Frequently asked questions
Can big dogs really live in an apartment?
Yes. Energy level matters far more than size. A calm Great Dane settles into a flat better than a wound-up terrier, as long as it gets a proper walk twice a day.
Which dog breeds bark the least in apartments?
Greyhounds, Basenjis, Bulldogs and Cavaliers are among the quietest. Any dog can learn to be calm, but these simply start at a lower volume.
How much exercise does an apartment dog need?
Most do well on 30 to 60 minutes a day split into two walks, plus a little indoor play. Cut that short and the barking and chewing usually start.