Top 10 Lowest Maintenance Dogs

There is no reason why you should have a family dog that takes too much work to maintain. Getting yourself a dog breed that does not need lots of pampering or multiple vet visits can be a great relief. Below is an overview of 10 low maintenance dogs you should consider.

What’s the Best Dog Breed for New Owners?

It really depends on what you expect from a dog. How much do you plan to exercise your dog? How patient are you with training? How much grooming are you willing to do (or pay someone else to do)?

I am always partial to retired racing Greyhounds. They tend to be pretty chill and are really cool dogs. But they are large, and the experience of owning a Greyhound will be different from, say, a Golden Retriever.

Goldens do tend to be a good choice if you’re willing to exercise the dog (and occasionally comb their feathering so they don’t get mats). They’re usually immensely trainable, and a good Golden is a sweet-natured and forgiving dog. Make sure you get a dog from a responsible breeder or a good rescue, not from a pet shop or similar. A first time owner also likely does not want a hunting dog from field trial lines, as the intensity level tends to be too high for comfort.

Adopting an adult dog can be easier for new owners, if the dog you adopt has basic training and is generally well-adjusted. This is true in many breeds and mixes. There is no reason you can’t find a perfect dog in a shelter, too, without first identifying a breed but instead looking at what traits are important to you.

There is no single answer. If there’s a breed you’re interested in, try to meet as many dogs of the breed as you can and talk to their owners. And remember that individuals can vary as much within a breed as between breeds, so consider the individual dog as well. But we recommend low maintenance dogs for new owners.  And here are the 10 chillest dog breeds out there.

10 of the Lowest Maintenance Dogs

Australian Cattle Dog

The Australian Cattle Dog is a herding dog that adorns a nice short coat that only needs occasional brushing and baths. The only additional thing you have to do is occasionally trim their nails and check their ears and teeth. Expect very minimal vet visits with these healthy low maintenance dogs.

Labrador Retriever

The Labrador retriever doesn’t just have a great personality, they are easy to care for both in terms of grooming and visits to the vet. These are low maintenance dogs as you only need to take good care of their ears to avoid infection.

Chihuahua (short hair)

This short haired version of the Chihuahua hardly require any grooming. When it comes to low maintenance dogs, this particular one has pricked ears so you don’t have to check through like you do in the Labrador retriever. Even the long-haired version is so small that you hardly take time grooming it.

Can you train chihuahuas not to bark at everyone who comes to the door?

It should be possible, though Chihuahuas tend to be fairly independent and so can be a little harder to train than a dog that is more eager to please.

You’d likely have to use treats the dog likes (chicken, bits of hot dog, whatever–teeny tiny pieces, especially for so small a dog), and reward the dog for not barking–or stopping barking–when someone comes to the door. I’d also have the person who came to the door give the dog a treat so it associates people coming over with good things.

You may not be able to keep the dog from barking at all, but you should be able to train the dog–nearly any dog–to only alert for a few seconds and then be quiet. It may take a while, but dogs are smart.

Ibizan hound

The Ibizan hound is a rare dog that’s very easy to care for. It requires very little grooming and does not need to pay the vet a visit often.

Dachshund (smooth coat)

The Dachshund is among the breed of low maintenance dogs that requires minimal grooming. When young, they require very few or no visits to the vet. However, as they get older, you may need to take them to the vet often for their inherited back issues. That’s just about all you need to do to care for them.

Russel Terrier (smooth coat)

Whether you are talking about the Jack or Parson, here is a breed of low maintenance dogs that are also fun to own. They have easy-to-groom and smooth coats. For the rough coated versions, you may have to take a lot of time stripping them. Apart from that, they require very little, which could be limited to a little brushing, minimal bathing, and routine vet care.

Toy Fox Terrier

The Toy Fox Terrier is another terrier that requires hardly any kind of maintenance. It is as low maintenance as a cat. In fact, with this dog, you don’t have to clean out a litter box, thus making it much easier to care for.

Miniature Pinscher

The miniature Pinscher has a coat that’s easy to care for as it requires very minimal bathing and is generally healthy. So, you can say goodbye to those vet visits. Since it is a small breed, they don’t require much feeding. Ease the burden on your wallet with this breed of low maintenance dogs.

Beagle

For a high energy dog, the beagle is pretty low maintenance. I personally know 3 people who have adopted beagles. Only watch out for infections on the droopy ears and have peace of mind.

Dalmatian

The Dalmatian has many qualities that make it easy to love. Here is a larger breed that is fairly easy to maintain because of its short coat. The only disadvantage is that this breed has some medical issues so only buy yours from a credible source. Dalmatians have thicker nails that need to be maintained. Make sure you use the best dog nail clippers, cheap clippers can crack their thick claws and cause them pain.

When it comes to low maintenance dogs, you’re spoiled for choice!