When choosing a pet, prospective owners must take many factors into account. Size, temperament, breeding, and appearance all play a role in selecting the right dog.
Many people are attracted to dogs with double coats for their thick and fluffy winsomeness. However, there are some distinct advantages to dogs with single coats, and they can be just as beautiful.
Dogs with double coats typically have a dense undercoat and a weather-repellent top coat. Dogs with single coats lack the undercoat that provides natural insulation, but they offer the advantage of less shedding and easier grooming.
10 Different Dogs With Single Coats
Single-coated dogs vary in style. They can be short or long, straight, smooth, silky, curly, or wiry.
1. Yorkshire Terrier
Average Lifespan: 11-15 years
Average Size: 7 pounds
Coat: long, silky
The Yorkshire Terrier, or Yorkie, is an affectionate and playful terrier in a lap dog’s body. Typically weighing no more than seven pounds, the Yorkie has proven enduringly popular for its compact size and floor-length, silky coat.
In addition to being gorgeous, the single-coat of the Yorkie is hypoallergenic, said to resemble human hair more than it does dog hair. The pocket-rocket breed is an excellent choice of companion for owners prone to allergies or people who don’t want to be constantly picking wiry dog hairs from their clothing!
2. Cocker Spaniel
Average Lifespan: 10-14 years
Average Size: 20-30 pounds
Coat: long, silky
The Cocker Spaniel is a striking breed, with long, thick ears framing a sweet face and a beautiful coat that comes in a variety of hues. It’s easy to assume the luscious appearance of the Spaniel’s coat will keep it warm all winter long, and it may surprise some that they are one of the dogs with single coats.
The varieties of Cocker Spaniel coloring include black, black with tan points, parti-color (white with a secondary color in the form of random patches), and ASCOB (any solid color other than black).
3. Basset Hound
Average Lifespan: 12-13 years
Average Size: 40-65 pounds
Coat: short, smooth
The beloved Basset Hound is adored for its drooping ears, mopey facial expression, and smooth single coat. Not just made to look cute, the Basset Hound was bred as a scenting hound with exceptional endurance.
Their outsized paws and uncannily accurate nose make them ideal in this regard, but they may need a man-made coat if they’re working in cold weather.
4. Afghan Hound
Average Lifespan: 12-18 years
Average Size: 50-60 pounds
Coat: long, silky
The elegant Afghan Hound has one of the most distinctive appearances of any dog breed. Their narrow head and muzzle give them an air of refinement, and their silky coat conveys the appearance of being draped in human hair from head to toe.
The Afghan Hound is said to be amongst the oldest breeds of purebred dogs, their existence predating written history.
Their coat made them status symbols among royals, tribal chieftains, and aristocrats in the mountainous Asian kingdoms of their origin. Today, they are a coveted pet for the image-conscious owner who doesn’t mind spending hours a week brushing and grooming their crowning glory of hair.
5. Dalmatian
Average Lifespan: 11-13 years
Average Size: 45-70 pounds
Coat: short, smooth
The spotted coat of the Dalmatian has made the breed instantly recognizable all over the world. They are perhaps the most easily identifiable dogs with single coats.
This breed is enshrined in popular culture, with Disney’s 101 Dalmatians first released in 1961 and later remade in 1996. The release of both films led to a surge of popularity, which later declined when owners realized that real Dalmatians were a little more high-maintenance than their cartoon counterparts!
Nonetheless, this energetic canine is still beloved by owners who have the time and stamina to give them the exercise and attention they require.
6. Greyhound
Average Lifespan: 10-13 years
Average Size: 60-70 pounds
Coat: short, smooth
Slight and sleek, the Greyhound was born for high-speed pursuit. Their smooth, short single coats make them all the more aerodynamic.
The fastest breed of any dog, these speed-racers originated in Egypt around 5000 years ago. They were bred to detect, chase and capture the wild animals of the desert, and their elegant beauty accounted for their prominence among the Pharaohs.
Today, they make a highly-trainable and gentle companion with a low-maintenance coat for anyone, royalty or not!
7. Pit Bull
Average Lifespan: 12-15 years
Average Size: 30-60 pounds
Coat: short, smooth
The notorious Pit Bull has a reputation that precedes it. Originally bred in England as fighting dogs, they may require early socialization and nurturing to overcome what some consider innate aggressive tendencies.
With care, however, Pit Bulls can make playful, gentle pets, and their low-maintenance grooming needs add to their desirability in this regard.
The smooth, short, single coat of the Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers, and American Bulldogs that encompass the Pit Bull family doesn’t require much brushing to remain in good condition. As a bonus, most Pit Bulls only need bathing once a month or so!
8. Maltese
Average Lifespan: 12-15 years
Average Size: up to 7 pounds
Coat: long, silky
The prim and proper Maltese epitomizes luxury. An affectionate toy dog who typically weighs less than seven pounds, the Maltese breed is identified by its long, silky coat of fine white hair.
One of the more high-maintenance dogs with single coats, the Maltese requires daily brushing to prevent its exquisite mane from becoming tangled. It is also recommended they have regular baths and conditioning to prevent their luminous coat from becoming dull.
Although their coat requires upkeep to maintain its glorious looks, the lack of an undercoat on the Maltese ensures it doesn’t shed as much as other breeds.
9. Poodle
Average Lifespan: 10-18 years
Average Size: 40-70 pounds
Coat: long, curly
Although widely known for their thick bouffant hairstyles, the Poodle is a single-coated breed that sheds remarkably little.
The national dog of France, the Poodle is as sophisticated and elegant as the country it has come to represent. It may surprise some that the breed originated in Germany as a duck hunter, where the word “pudelin” refers to splashing in the water.
The crisp curly coat of the Poodle evolved as protection against the elements, but as one of the low-shedding dogs with single coats, they encompass the best of both worlds!
10. Boxer
Average Lifespan: 10-12 years
Average Size: 50-80 pounds
Coat: short, smooth
The athletic Boxer might have a somewhat intimidating appearance, but this single-coated breed is playful, patient, and great with children. The Boxer breed are all-arounders: employed as cattle dogs, police dogs, war dogs, watchdogs, and guide dogs.
Their smooth, short single coat requires relatively little grooming, and they are low shedders. Combining this with their utility and personality, it is no surprise that they have endured as one of the most esteemed breeds in America.