Lifestyle July 15, 2019
Woof! Woof! Woof!
So, you want a dog companion, but you have a roommate with allergies. Don’t worry there is a dog out there for you! Everyone deserves a furry sidekick. What follows is a list of small hypoallergenic dogs that will get you to the promise land of petdom.
Bichon Frises are very charming dogs. They view everyone (including other dogs and kids) as a potential friend. If you want a dog who can get along with even the most surly of roommates these dogs are for you.
They have quite the fluff of fur, which fortunate to all, barely sheds. Because of this, they are hypoallergenic and won’t give sensitive noses any trouble.
Their small size is also a draw. From the shoulder they are a tad under a foot tall. Laps are where they fit best.
A Chinese Crested dog can seem more like a horse than a dog, at least in the looks department. They have a mane of hair on their head and tufts on all four of their legs. Their skin is usually spotted. If you blink you may think you’ve spotted some mystical companion rather than an earthly dog. Although experts believe they originate in Africa, the “Chinese” comes from their history on Chinese ships during the 1800s.
While there is a haired sort (called Powderpuff), the hairless kind is the best way to go when looking for the hypoallergenic effect. Because of their lack of hair, there is little shedding to worry about.
In terms of personality, Chinese Crested dogs are playful and don’t ever fall short on the affection scale. They can be quite the life of the party. They are small (only around foot tall) so you don’t have to worry about them being too destructive.
Don’t get these dogs mixed up with their cousins, the Norwich Terriers. Look at the ears if you want to tell whose a Norfolk Terrier and whose not. With a fearless attitude and an ease with bonding, these dogs make excellent sidekicks.
Norfolk Terriers are the teapot of this list: short and stout. In fact, for a terrier, they are on the smaller size. They are wiry, both in body and, especially, in hair.
And if you ever feel like getting out of the apartment, these doggos love to travel and will surely entertain you on your journey.
No, Xoloitzcuintli (pronounced like “show-low-eats-queen-t-lee”) is not some cholesterol lowering medication. It’s a dog! Coming in a toy, miniature, and standard size and a hairless and covered variety, to keep your roommate happy you should shoot for a hairless toy.
Born from evolution rather than through breeding, these dogs are from the Aztec Empire. With a calm, but very attentive-to-their-owners demeanor, they make great couch buddies.
These puppers are just as funny personality-wise as they are in the looks department. The class clowns of the list, they supply an endless pool of entertainment. They have a confidence that you will envy.
Though Affenpinschers have been compared to monkeys or apes, don’t worry, these guys are all dog. These simian-looking dogs have a hypoallergenic and coarse coat that doesn’t shed as much as you would think.
Named after the English town of Bedlington, by the untrained eyes these small hypoallergenic dogs could be mistaken for a poodle. They are, however, their own distinct creatures. With short, curly, un-shedding hair that is very hypoallergenic, they are among the taller of dogs on this list.
Their gait is rollicking and goes great with their energy. They tend to be protective of their owners, but with a little bonding with your roommates these dogs will learn to love everyone involved.
Don’t call these woofers sissies. They aren’t going to fulfill your dated stereotypes about what a poodle can be.
Coming in three sizes (toy, miniature, and standard) and colors (black, white, and apricot) these dogs are incredibly smart and quite the athletes. The toy variety is perfect for apartment living, standing at less than ten inches.
These small hypoallergenic dogs are another one on our list that looks like an animal other than a dog. Border terriers have a distinct otter-like head. They have a course coat that comes in multiple colors and tend to be taller in the leg area than most terriers their size.
A huge plus with these dogs is that they are very trainable, i.e. you can easily train them to jump up on your bed while not being allowed to jump on your roommates bed.
They do require a lot of exercise so be prepared to take them on long walks or a frolic in a local dog park.
Brussels Griffon is another small, goofy-looking hypoallergenic dog. In the looks department, it would best be described as a funnier pug. When in the coarser haired variety, it looks like they have full on Williamsburg beards.
Coming in four colors and also either with a softer coat vs. a coarser coat, they weigh around a bowling ball.
Like the border terrier, they can be trained pretty easily. Not liking to be alone, they tend to stick closely to their owner’s side. With their playfulness, they have a near endless energy.
The miniature variety is where it’s at in the schnauzer breed. Slightly taller than other dogs on this list, these guys are bushels of fun. They have hypoallergenic fur, which comes in black, silver and black, and salt and pepper.
These guys are quite the fearless companions that offer an easy dynamism. They can live in more open, outdoorsy areas, but also do well in city apartments. Schnauzers easily make friends with other dogs and people.
Havaneses have probably the most dynamic coats of dogs on this list. The one pictured above is rocking a short cut, but these dogs’ coats can be grown out and brushed straight, giving them a silky mop-ish sort of look.
Havaneses are great for living in the city. They are very sociable and have small compact bodies. Havaneses are on the smarter end of the dog intelligence spectrum and are highly trainable; they are great at learning to shake and roll over.
Yorkies, as they are colloquially called, are one of the smaller dogs on this list. They have impressive manes that, when grown out, can resemble a Havanese. Yorkies probably have the smoothest and most human like hair of the dogs on this list. They easily are the most satisfying to pet.
Bursting with personality, yorkies are assertive and full of attitude. They love to get their way, but also are very playful and fit for apartment living. They are a very popular breed among city dwellers.
These small hypoallergenic dogs are one of the tallest dogs on this list. They have very slender and boney frames. Close cropped, their hair is hypoallergenic. However, they can get cold in the winter so think about where you live and if you would be prepared for a dog that requires some extra care.
Though these dogs may be on the bigger end of the “small” dog spectrum, they love to be in people’s laps. These dogs are very charming and love attention.
If you want to learn even more about what it’s like to live with Italian greyhounds I highly recommend checking out the hilariousJenna Marbles Youtube channel.
This French named doggo (pronounced: Ko-Tone Dih Too-Lay-Are) is a fluff ball of fun. Coton de Tulears are a few inches under a foot in height. They have very soft fur that is the color of fresh snow.
These cuties make great companions. They are natural born entertainers, and they make great circus dogs, standing on their back legs and barking in a goofy manner. Above all else, they are very loyal as are always on the hip of their owners.
No Lagotto Romagnolo is not a dish from your favorite Italian restaurant. It’s a curly haired, cute fluffer that is bound to become your next companion. Lagotto Romagnoli are the biggest dogs on our list. About a foot and a half tall, they weigh around thirty to thirty-five pounds.
Their hypoallergenic hair is very soft and is a pleasure to cuddle up against. Their cute faces poke out of their large curls. They are athletically-gifted dogs who like to rough and tumble play.
These shorties stand at less than a foot high, but pack a punch in the hair department. With long hair that can run to the floor, Lhasa Apsos are one of the more interesting looking small hypoallergenic dogs.
Lhasa Apsos tend to be even-keeled and smart. They are small enough for apartment living. Your roommates will not be overly-bothered by these little guys.
The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is easily the most oddly shaped dog on this list. It has a body not unlike a Dachshund. With a large tuft of hair on its head, a lot of time it looks as if it’s wearing a helmet. When they run they look especially ridiculous.
Dandie’s don’t shed, so your roommate won’t ever be in a huff about hair being on their black jeans. They tend to be more relaxed compared to some of the other dogs on the list. Dandies like to snuggle up tight against their owner’s body.
Don’t let living in a smaller place or the presence of a roommate keep you from getting a companion in life. There are many a dog out there that can fulfill your desires while keeping your roommates happy.
