27 Low-Maintenance Dog Breeds for First Time Owners

• Height: 5 to 9 inches
• Weight: 11 to 32 pounds
• Breed Group: hound
• Personality: friendly, charming, stubborn
• Coat: short or medium and smooth
• Color: variety of colors
• Life Expectancy: 12 to 16 years

"I joke that my dachshund is a diva but she’s pretty low maintenance," says PureWow director of branded content Rachel Gulmi. "She’s 11 now so she doesn’t have as much energy as she used to but she loves to nap all day and has a talent for using just about anything as a pillow. Even though she’s technically a long-haired dachshund, we keep her hair short so she only requires grooming about once a month and she doesn’t shed at all. And because of her tiny legs, she doesn’t need to be walked miles to tire her out. With dachshunds you mostly have to watch out for their backs when they jump but otherwise she doesn’t require too much attention." Dachshunds have a positive disposition and are typically game for anything you throw at them (frisbee or otherwise). Exercise can consist of running around the house (though be careful of stairs) or leisurely walks. If you work in a dog-friendly office or from home, your dachshund will be content sitting by your side as you focus on tasks.

• Height: 9 to 15 inches
• Weight: 10 to 25 pounds
• Breed Group: non-sporting group
• Personality: friendly, affectionate
• Coat: short and smooth
• Color: variety of colors
• Life Expectancy: 13 to 15 years

I grew up with a Boston Terrier and forever imprinted on his bulgy eyes, eager stance and complete devotion. With their big brown eyes and tuxedo-style coat, Boston Terriers are gregarious pups who just want your approval. (No wonder they're one of our nation's favorite American dog breeds.) The amount of exercise they need will definitely vary from dog to dog (as with any breed), but a couple walks a day and some playtime indoors is typically sufficient. Ellis calls them out as being great pets for apartment dwellers, but from my experience they do just as well with families and kids in the suburbs. Plus, that coat is as low-maintenance as it gets.

• Height: 5 to 8 inches
• Weight: >6 pounds
• Breed Group: toy
• Personality: sassy, charming, graceful
• Coat: short or medium and smooth
• Color: variety of colors
• Life Expectancy: 14 to 16 years

Chihuahuas are like your Leo friend who’s always saying, “I’m up for literally anything!” Levy recommends these tiny dogs as great options for senior citizens, apartment dwellers and others with limited space. They are adaptable creatures with independent streaks (so instill commands early) who really only need to trot around behind you for a few blocks to get enough exercise. (And trot behind you they will, since they are among the most loyal dog breeds.) Short-coated chihuahuas require nothing but a quick brush now and again, but even long-coated versions don’t require groomers visits.

• Height: 15 to 16 inches
• Weight: 12 to 22 pounds
• Breed Group: terrier
• Personality: energetic, observant, bright
• Coat: short or and smooth
• Color: tan and jet black
• Life Expectancy: 15 to 17 years

The grooming thing comes up a lot when talking about dogs and hectic lifestyles. Scheduling an expensive salon session for your pooch every four weeks (more often than you get highlights)? No, thanks. Manchester terriers (both standard and toy sizes) have sleek, carefree coats. These dogs also love to curl up and chill after a brisk walk.

• Height: 24 to 28 inches
• Weight: 60 to 100 pounds
• Breed Group: working
• Personality: loyal, alert, smart
• Coat: short and smooth
• Color: black, blue, red, or fawn
• Life Expectancy: 10 to 12 years

Disclaimer: Only get a Doberman pinscher if your definition of hectic involves ample time for physical fitness. Working out regularly is part of a healthy human lifestyle and bonding time with owners is part of a healthy canine lifestyle. Kill two birds with one stone by taking your Doberman for a run every night. These loyal dogs need lots of exercise (if you have a yard, that’s best) and solid training as puppies, but are otherwise pretty low maintenance.

• Height: 11 to 13 inches
• Weight: 16 to 28 pounds
• Breed Group: non-sporting group
• Personality: playful, smart, adaptable
• Coat: short and smooth
• Color: cream, fawn, fawn and white, and white
• Life Expectancy: 10 to 12 years

The even-tempered French bulldog demands minimal grooming, barks infrequently, adapts well to his family’s lifestyle and approaches exercise with a “take it or leave it” attitude. Make sure they are walked enough to maintain a healthy weight, but beyond that, these dogs will fit in just about anywhere, with anyone. Ellis points out that this breed is great for families with small children, but "brachycephalic breeds including French Bulldogs and English Bulldogs who can face not only difficulties breathing but also allergies and skin issues which need veterinary attention. If you are going to get this breed please consider health insurance as they are frequent visitors to vet offices." Even with health concerns, these dogs are still wildly popular, at least in part because as one of the dogs with low prey drive, taking this guy out on a walk means you're not going to be chasing after every squirrel who crosses your path.

• Height: 12 to 13 inches
• Weight: 13 to 18 pounds
• Breed Group: toy
• Personality: affectionate, gentle
• Coat: medium, wavy and silky
• Color: variety of colors
• Life Expectancy: 12 to 15 years

Due to their ability to sense and adjust to their owners’ temperaments, Cavalier King Charles spaniels are terrific for people always on the go. Their compact size and easy dispositions inspire Ellis to recommend them as perfect matches for elderly persons, apartment dwellers and homes with other pets. Yes, brushing every week is necessary to make sure their longer coats don’t tangle, but that's a small time investment for this regal little friend.

• Height: 24 to 27 inches
• Weight: 100 to 130 pounds
• Breed Group: working
• Personality: affectionate, loyal, brave
• Coat: short and smooth
• Color: brindle, fawn, red
• Life Expectancy: 7 to 9 years

A bull mastiff might look ferocious, but they are often compliant and friendly with their families. Train pups early to establish commands, run a brush through their fur every other week, walk regularly to maintain a healthy weight, and you’re good to go.

• Height: 27 to 29 inches
• Weight: 90 to 150 pounds
• Breed Group: working
• Personality: friendly, loving, watchful
• Coat: short and smooth
• Color: brown or tan
• Life Expectancy: 8 to 10 years

This dog is ideal for a family with kids because of its relaxed demeanor and devotion to its people. Soccer game this Saturday? Bring the dog! Family hike at a local state park? Bring the dog! Broholmers like to be outdoors and part of the team.

• Height: 10 to 18 inches
• Weight: 10 to 25 pound
• Breed Group: terrier
• Personality: friendly, curious, charming
• Coat: short and smooth
• Color: variety of colors
• Life Expectancy: 12 to 18 years

Take this cute, compact and playful pup anywhere and she’ll appreciate you. Leave her at home while you finish errands and she’ll calmly welcome you back with open paws. Training early is best as rat terriers love to learn and please but can be sensitive. Ideally, you’ve got either a big family or enjoy hosting friends frequently (rat terriers like to be social).

• Height: 21 to 22 inches
• Weight: 100 to 200 pounds
• Breed Group: working
• Personality: protective, intelligent, suspicious
• Coat: short and smooth
• Color: black, fawn, brindle
• Life Expectancy: 12 to 18 years

Ah, a gentle giant, the Tosa. They are great guard dogs because they’re wary of strangers and frankly look intimidating. However, they are quiet softies who are patient, leisurely and obedient. Walking is solid exercise, but punch up the activity level if you notice your Tosa gaining weight.

• Height: 17 to 19 inches
• Weight: 40 to 70 pounds
• Breed Group: terrier
• Personality: sweet, confident, smart
• Coat: short and smooth
• Color: black, white, brindle, fawn, sable, brown, blue
• Life Expectancy: 12 to 16 years

This is another dog who loves being in on the action—it's no accident that this smart eager companion is often trained for movies and TV, and that it's among the best medium-sized dogs for families. These dogs enjoy people-centric exercise like biking, running or playing frisbee, so are ideal for anyone who’s perfect weekend involves a trip to a pup-friendly brewery after a nice hike. American Staffordshire terriers are confident, easy-going canines.

• Height: 11 to 15 inches
• Weight: 40 to 60 pounds
• Breed Group: hound
• Personality: charming, patient, friendly
• Coat: short and smooth
• Color: variety of colors
• Life Expectancy: 12 to 13 years

Now, for one of the laziest blobs on our list: the basset hound. These dogs are so low-key and patient, you might think they didn’t care if you were home at all if it weren’t for their undying loyalty. They do well with other dogs, too. And Ellis says that apartment dwellers should consider them, even if they don't have tons of space. "Basset Hounds are by no means small dogs…but they are happy being in a smaller home by your side," she says. The only semi-high-maintenance aspect of basset hounds is they might need a solid brush-through three times a week to keep their coat healthy.

• Height: 12 to 15 inches
• Weight: 35 to 40 pounds
• Breed Group: hound
• Personality: loyal, even-tempered, energetic
• Coat: short, double-coated
• Color: variety of colors
• Life Expectancy: 15 years

Whether your routine is hectic or relaxed, a Drever just asks for some balance. Brisk walk in the morning followed by a couple hours of downtime until the dog walker gets there? No problem. Their coats are resilient and require very little grooming. If you’ve already got a dog or have lots of people living in your home, Drevers will embrace this group life and go with the flow.

• Height: 10 inches
• Weight: 9 to 15 pounds
• Breed Group: non-sporting group
• Personality: playful, confident, bright
• Coat: medium, double-coated
• Color: black, white, cream, gold, red, black and tan
• Life Expectancy: 12 to 15 years

Tibetan spaniels are keen on lounging around the house (they won’t ask your permission to do it, either) and occupying themselves with toys. They are playful, yet veer towards calmer dispositions and intense obedience. As far as grooming goes, a swift brush through every week should prevent the fur behind the ears from tangling.

• Height: 12 to 15 inches
• Weight: 11 to 15 pounds
• Breed Group: terrier
• Personality: affectionate, even-tempered, intelligent
• Coat: short and wiry
• Color: blue and tan, grizzle and tan, red, wheaten
• Life Expectancy: 12 to 15 years

A true dog’s dog, the border terrier is lovable and trainable, affectionate with kids and in need of a quick brush every week or so. He’ll play and then follow routine when it’s time to eat, work or sleep. Ideally, border terriers have yards to run in, but they’re known for adapting well to city life as long as there’s a park they can prance through on occasion.

• Height: 18 to 22 inches
• Weight: 25 to 40 pounds
• Breed Group: hound
• Personality: affectionate, playful, calm
• Coat: short and smooth
• Color: black, white, brindle, fawn
• Life Expectancy: 12 to 15 years

Low-maintenance in just about every sense of the word is the whippet. These pups are content to lay out on the bed until you’re home from work and ready for a walk. Their short coat takes grooming almost completely out of the question and their barks are few and far between.

• Height: 13 to 15 inches
• Weight: 7 to 14 pounds
• Breed Group: hound
• Personality: athletic, affectionate, intelligent
• Coat: short and smooth
• Color: variety of colors
• Life Expectancy: 12 to 13 years

Similar in stature to whippets, Italian greyhounds are tiny dogs that hardly take up any space at all (making them great for busy city people). They do love a good, warm lap and may follow you around when you’re home, but they know how to settle down, too. If dog parks are sparse in your area, this is the canine for you; they’re often too small and wary of other dogs to enjoy themselves and would rather hang out at home.

• Height: 7 to 9 inches
• Weight: >7 pounds
• Breed Group: toy
• Personality: playful, docile, easy going
• Coat: long and silky
• Color: white, white and lemon, white and tan
• Life Expectancy: 12 to 15 years

The true lap dog. Maltese pups are adaptable canines who will sit with you calmly or trot as needed for a bit of exercise. They're adaptable to your schedule—that's why they are one of the best breeds for single people. Another perk? They hardly shed at all. While super friendly, they might be stubborn if you don’t teach commands (and offer plenty of treats during training) early. After that? Smooth sailing.

• Height: 10 to 13 inches
• Weight: 14 to 18 pounds
• Breed Group: toy
• Personality: clever, charming, docile
• Coat: short and smooth
• Color: black, fawn
• Life Expectancy: 13 to 15 years

Think about a roly-poly pile of love that just wants to eat snacks and hang out with you. That’s the pug! These rotund little pooches do well with other dogs, kids, singles—pretty much anyone. Yes, they shed, but require very little brushing.

• Height: 6 to 7 inches
• Weight: 3 to 7 pounds
• Breed Group: toy
• Personality: extroverted, active, bold
• Coat: long, double-coated
• Color: variety of colors
• Life Expectancy: 12 to 16 years

Toy breeds abound on this list, and the Pomeranian is one of the most popular. People around the globe love these tiny companions. This is probably because they have a positive disposition, are smart (so they grasp commands early and stick with them) and short bursts of playtime indoors is enough to get them some daily exercise. Also, living with a Pom means you get to cuddle with one of the most fluffy dog breeds, a welcome sensory experience for anyone, especially small children and seniors.

• Height: 12 to 14 inches
• Weight: 11 to 20 pounds
• Breed Group: terrier
• Personality: friendly, smart, obedient
• Coat: medium, wiry, double-coated
• Color: black, black and silver, salt and pepper
• Life Expectancy: 12 to 15 years

Another breed eager to please and ready to learn and retain commands is the miniature schnauzer. These dogs are great companions to children and other pets. Grooming is the only area in which this pup may require some extra effort—brush often to prevent their wiry coats from getting tangled.

• Height: 8 to 11 inches
• Weight: 5 to 10 pounds
• Breed Group: toy
• Personality: friendly, alert, happy
• Coat: medium, silky
• Color: variety of colors
• Life Expectancy: 14 to 16 years

It always looks like the Papillon is smiling! Probably because they are a happy breed, content to play wherever they happen to be, as well as eager to learn (they're one of the most trainable dog breeds). Great for families living in big country houses or small urban apartments, suited to both hot deserts and chilly tundras, the Papillon is a hearty companion. They have no undercoat, so grooming is a cinch.

• Height: 9 to 12 inches
• Weight: 7 to 13 pounds
• Breed Group: toy
• Personality: intelligent, sociable, playful
• Coat: long, silky, double-coated
• Color: black, black and silver, black and tan
• Life Expectancy: 14 to 16 years

If a Havanese was a person, they’d be the class clown who can entertain themselves and others, but knows how to read the room and chill when it’s time to focus. They don’t bark or shed much and they love learning new tricks (they tire easily though, so beware of pushing them too hard while exercising).

• Height: 30 to 32 inches
• Weight: 105 to 120 pounds
• Breed Group: hound
• Personality: loyal, sweet-tempered, patient
• Coat: medium, wiry
• Color: variety of colors
• Life Expectancy: 6 to 8 years

One of the biggest dogs out there, the Irish wolfhound brings a calm, almost serene presence to his home. Ideally, you’ve got a yard where he can run around a few times a day (they’re fast and are built a lot like Greyhounds). Known for being super sweet, they actually make ineffective watch dogs since they’re so agreeable.

• Height: 13 to 15 inches
• Weight: 20 to 30 pounds
• Breed Group: hound
• Personality: friendly, merry, charming
• Coat: short and smooth
• Color: variety of colors
• Life Expectancy: 10 to 15 years

Between the huge, floppy ears and those sweet, big eyes, you’d have to be a seriously strong person to not fall for these ultra-cute pups. Though they can be quite naughty, beagles are known to be very merry, with quirky personalities that will make you laugh. They make loyal companions, are very playful and are very good with children.

• Height: 7 to 10 inches
• Weight: 8 to 10 pounds
• Breed Group: toy
• Personality: loyal, alert, curious
• Coat: can be short or medium length, wiry or smooth
• Color: beige, black, black and tan, red
• Life Expectancy: 12 to 15 years

Speaking of dogs whose faces you can’t deny, how absolutely adorable are these teeny doggos? If their puggy little faces and tiny teeth don’t steal your heart, then you’ll certainly fall for the huge personalities packaged in their tiny bodies. One of the most affectionate dog breeds, these are great for families and seniors since they love companionship and aren't going to bowl anyone over with their heft. Though most Brussels griffons average between eight to ten pounds, they’re quite vocal, energetic and are easily chummy with new people.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Dog Breed

“Imagine your average day with a dog, not just an occasional weekend when you’d go on a long walk and spend all day with your dog,” says Levy, who as a dog trainer has insight into pet-human interaction. “Ask yourself how much exercise you could realistically provide daily, how often you would need to leave your dog alone, and how much time and effort you want to invest in dog training. The answers to these questions will help you determine whether a high-energy or extra-intelligent breed would suit you, or if more of a couch potato would be a better fit.”

Rover pet panelist Phil Tedeschi, an expert on the human-animal bond, says that dog breed traits are a good place to start choosing your furry companion: “In general, DNA and breed traits can offer useful information to start researching about your dog, whether you're a first-time pet parent or not. It's important to recognize that each dog has unique genetic contributions and species and breed specific knowledge coupled with appreciation for the individual personality of each dog offers the most sure-footed way to find what works best for their wellbeing.”

Finally, you'll want to consider the basics every canine needs. When and where will you fit in daily walks (morning and night), nail trimming (at least monthly), regular vet visits (at least twice per year) and quality time? Think about your proximity to local dog parks and reputable veterinarians. Do you travel frequently for work? Do you have a partner who is equally as busy or who might have more time to devote to a dog? Is this a dog that will socialize with other pets you already have?

High-Maintenance Dog Breeds to Avoid for First Time Owners

Experts agree that factors that go into making high-maintenance dog breeds are high-energy, focus-driven pets. “Avoid working-line breeds and dogs bred for specific purposes, such as HPR types (e.g., Hunt, Point and Retrieve),” says Levy. “Common mistakes I see include choosing breeds like the Vizsla, Malinois, German Shepherd or the working-line cocker spaniel.”

Ellis says “herding dogs such as the Australian Cattle dog and border collies can be some of the most hyperactive dogs; Other highly energetic dog breeds include Bernese Mountain Dogs, German Shepherds and Dalmatians. Interestingly, the DNA of most Dachshunds and Yorkshire Terriers suggests they are more likely to experience separation anxiety, according to animal geneticist Caitlyn Bruns. And finally, according to Rover pet care, there are some calm or low-energy dog breeds perceived as low-maintenance but whose grooming needs, health issues or temperament make them more demanding than others. They include, Bichon Frise, who need regular grooming to maintain their coat’s appearance and prevent matting, and can become anxious or destructive if left alone for long periods but can be prevented with early training. Further, Chow Chows are another breed that can be mistakenly assumed to be low-maintenance but are also prone to a variety of health issues, including hip dysplasia and eye problems, and require early socialization and training to prevent aggression towards strangers and brachycephalic breeds including French and English bulldogs who can face not only difficulties breathing but also allergies and skin issues which need veterinary attention.

What Is the Easiest Dog Breed for First-Time Owners?

Levy recommends considering show line Labradors, Shih Tzu and golden retrievers. Ellis says that first-time owners who are elderly couples might want to consider poodles or Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, both trending breeds in the U.S. today, as well as corgis. For apartment dwellers, she recommends Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Shih Tzus, Boston Terriers and Great Danes. Um? Great Danes? “Great Danes can also be amazing apartment pets,” she says. “The name ‘gentle giant’ is super fitting with this breed, whose calm demeanor makes them perfect for small-space living.” Ellis also says that first-time owners might want to consider their travel plans when choosing a pet. “If you travel across the U.S. often or for long periods and want to bring your dog with you, then you may want to consider a dog that is under 18 pounds that can easily travel in cabin with you,” she says.

Summarizing Low-Maintenance Dog Breeds for First Time Owners

The good news is that even if you have a hectic lifestyle, providing terrific care and love for your canine family member is genuinely easier than it’s ever been. There are apps that let you track your dog’s activity while you’re away, automatic feeders to make sure your dog gets the right amount of food on a solid schedule, dog walking companies to guarantee exercise throughout the day and so much more.

However, nothing beats a snuggle session between you and your dog after a long day. If you don’t have time for joyful play here and there and quiet, cuddly bonding time, maybe consider a goldfish until your lifestyle cools down.