Discovering 22 Hypoallergenic Dog Breeds: An In-Depth Overview

With all the Terrier scrappiness in an oversized body, the Airedale Terrier had much more to offer their blue-collar owners when they first appeared in the 19th century. The versatile workers made suitable guardians, hunters, companions, and, of course, vermin exterminators.

The Portuguese Water Dog’s origin story and journey to Iberia are mysterious, but what is certain is their affinity for swimming. The double-coated waterproof dog was traditionally a fisherman’s aide, helping to corral fish and retrieve stock and equipment from the water.

The Bergamasco has a long lineage dating thousands of years to ancient Iran (called Persia at the time). As nomadic populations expanded and settled across Europe, the dogs found a new role as sheep tenders in the Italian Alps, where the modern breed took shape.

There is a legend that the Kerry Blue Terrier originated from the Spanish Armada of the 1500s. Many believe shipwrecks off the Irish coasts brought several new dogs to the Emerald Isle. They mated with the pre-existing Soft-Coated Wheaten Terriers, resulting in the ancestor of modern Kerry Blue Terriers.

The Lagotto Romagnolo likely evolved from small Etruscan dogs dating to roughly the 7th century B.C. The curly-haired water dog was originally a hunter’s helper, a marshland retriever, before transitioning to the unexpected role of truffle-hunter, using their sharp nose to sniff out valuable mushrooms.

The Brussels Griffon emerged in Brussels, Belgium, in the early 1800s from crosses of Pugs and English Toy Spaniels. Originally a ratter, the toy breed became a chic accessory for nobles and elites by the end of the 19th century.

Bichon-type dogs were well-traveled bartering aides and companions for centuries around the Mediterranean. New breeds would appear all over, each named for the isolated region where they took shape.

The Lhasa Apso is thought to have existed since 800 B.C. Though small, Tibetan monks relied on them for protection and companionship. They gave the dogs a spiritual significance, believing Lhasa Apsos to be vessels for human souls and reincarnations of mighty snow lions.

The Maltese is one of the oldest Bichon-type dogs. The snow-white dog arose in Malta with the Phoenician empire, likely around 1500 B.C.

The Puli is a cord-haired, hypoallergenic dog. Their thick, heavy coat was crucial for the compact sheepdogs to bear the intense cold in their native Hungary.

The exact origins are unknown, but despite the name, many believe the Chinese Crested dog appeared in Africa before arriving in China with the country’s globe-trotting traders. The undersized breed became a sea-faring ratter that hunted disease-carrying vermin and became globally distributed.

With no hair to speak of, the American Hairless Terrier is a perfect choice for someone looking for a supremely hypoallergenic dog. The American Hairless is one of the newest purebreds, originating in Louisiana in 1972.

As an ancient dog of African origin, which was then brought over to Egypt the Basenji is a breed unlike any other in looks and temperament.

The Irish Water Spaniel has a curly coat and was primarily a water retriever. Developed in the 1830s, with ancestors that were water retrievers in Southern Ireland for quite some time before that.

One of the least popular Terriers is also one of the finest representatives of their class. The allergy-friendly Cesky Terrier, a cross between the Scottish Terrier and Sealyham Terrier, first appeared in the 1940s.

The Miniature Schnauzer is a German breed that earned distinction in the late 1800s. They were initially farm dogs bred for ratting, likely through combinations of Standard Schnauzers and Affenpinschers.

The curly and wavy fluff that makes a Barbet hypoallergenic also makes them high-maintenance, but you might forgive that when you experience their playful and sweet personalities.

The modern Scottish Terrier took shape in the 1870s and was developed from the Scotch Terriers of varying types that worked as vermin exterminators for hundreds of years.

The lamb-coated Bedlington Terrier marries several breeds to give them one-of-a-kind looks. Originally favored by working-class miners and nail manufacturers, the Bedlington had speed, smarts, and tenacity to make them excel in vermin-killing and dogfighting.

The exact birthplace and date are up for debate, but the Löwchen’s desirability has never been in doubt. Known as the little lion dog, these popular pups look the part due to their unique mane defining the hypoallergenic coat.