15 hypoallergenic dog breeds for people with allergies

Dog allergies are not a reaction to hair. The trigger is a protein carried in dander, saliva and urine, and dander clings to loose fur that drifts onto sofas, carpets, bedding and clothing. That distinction explains why coat type matters so much. A dog that sheds heavily twice a year spreads that protein through an entire house. A dog whose coat grows continuously, curls tightly or barely exists at all holds far more of it in place until a brush or a bath removes it.

No breed is allergen-free. The American Kennel Club says plainly that no dog — purebred, mixed or marketed as designer — can promise a reaction-free household. What exists instead is a group of breeds whose coats are consistent and well documented enough that an owner knows in advance what will land on the floor. That predictability is the strongest practical argument for hypoallergenic dog breeds. A mixed-breed puppy may inherit a low-shedding coat or a heavy-shedding one, and the answer often is not clear until the adult coat grows in.

Reactions also vary from person to person. Two people with similar allergy histories can respond differently to the same dog, which is why time spent indoors with an adult of the breed is more useful than any list. Grooming habits matter too. A matted curly coat traps skin oils and dander against the body and works against the trait that made the breed appealing.

The 15 breeds here span the full range: the hairless American Hairless Terrier and Chinese Crested, the tightly curled Poodle and Lagotto Romagnolo, the wiry Miniature and Giant Schnauzers, and silky-coated dogs such as the Maltese and the Afghan Hound. They run from under seven pounds to more than 70, and from couch companions to working retrievers that need hours of daily activity. Coat type is only one input. Exercise demands, grooming costs and temperament decide whether a dog fits a household. Pair the right breed with frequent bathing, regular brushing and dog-free bedrooms, and ownership becomes workable for many people who assumed it was not.

Illustration: Quartz

The Poodle's tight, curly coat grows continuously instead of cycling through heavy seasonal sheds. Loose hair and the dander clinging to it stay trapped in the curls rather than landing on floors and upholstery. That trait makes the Poodle the breed most often suggested to people with pet allergies.

Three size varieties share the same coat and the same general temperament. The Standard stands over 15 inches at the shoulder, the Miniature falls between 10 and 15 inches, and the Toy measures 10 inches or under. The American Kennel Club places Standards and Miniatures in the Non-Sporting Group and the Toy in the Toy Group.

The breed developed in Germany as a water retriever. The elaborate show trim descends from a working clip that left insulation over the chest and joints while freeing the legs for swimming. France later adopted the dog as a national emblem, which is where the phrase "French Poodle" comes from.

Low shedding carries an obligation. Hair that never falls out knots instead, and a neglected coat mats down to the skin within weeks. Most pet owners brush several times a week and book a professional groomer every four to six weeks. Many ask for a short all-over clip rather than a show trim. Matting works against the reason an allergy sufferer chose the breed, since packed fur holds skin oils and dander against the body and releases them in clumps.

Exercise needs scale with size. A Standard was bred to work in cold water and needs a long daily walk, a run or a swim, plus a task to think about. A Toy can meet much of its requirement indoors with short outings and play.

Poodles learn quickly and respond well to training, which helps with the household rules allergy management usually requires — staying off beds, out of a bedroom or off fabric furniture. The coat is not a shield. Poodles still produce dander and the proteins found in saliva, so time spent around an adult Poodle indoors tells an allergy sufferer more than the breed's reputation does.

Illustration: Quartz

The Bichon Frise sheds very little because its hair keeps growing rather than falling out on a seasonal cycle. At 12 to 18 pounds, the breed also puts less total dander into a room than a larger dog with the same kind of coat.

The name comes from the French bichon à poil frisé, or curly-haired bichon. The dog descends from small white companion breeds of the Mediterranean, carried along trade routes and later refined in France and Belgium. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1972 and placed it in the Non-Sporting Group.

The Bichon was never asked to work for a living. It was bred to sit with people, and the temperament follows: playful, steady with children, usually relaxed around other dogs and household cats. Families already keeping pets tend to find introductions straightforward.

Coat structure is the catch. A soft undercoat sits beneath a coarser curly outer layer, and the two tangle together quickly without attention. Brushing several times a week is the minimum, and a groomer visit about once a month keeps the hair short enough to manage. Let a week or two slip and mats form tight against the body, trapping moisture, irritating what is underneath and locking in the oils and dander an owner is trying to remove.

Physical demands are light. A walk or two a day plus indoor play covers it, which suits apartments and homes without yards. Mental demands run higher than the size suggests. Bichons learn quickly and get bored, so short training sessions or food puzzles head off chewing and nuisance barking.

One trait matters before choosing the breed. A dog built for constant human company often struggles with long stretches alone, and separation anxiety is common here. Anyone out of the house 10 hours a day should arrange a midday visit or daycare. The allergy payoff holds only while grooming stays on schedule — the coat keeps allergens contained, but a brush and a clipper have to take them out.

Illustration: Quartz

The Portuguese Water Dog carries a single, non-shedding coat in either curly or wavy form, and that coat is a large part of why the Obama family picked the breed. A puppy named Bo arrived at the White House in 2009, chosen to suit daughter Malia's allergies. A second, Sunny, joined in 2013.

The breed spent centuries working the Atlantic coast of Portugal. Fishermen used the dogs to drive fish toward nets, recover tackle that went overboard and swim messages between boats and shore. The job called for stamina, a tolerance for cold water and the ability to take direction from a distance.

That history shapes what ownership looks like today. A Portuguese Water Dog weighs roughly 35 to 60 pounds and stands 17 to 23 inches at the shoulder, with webbed feet and a build made for swimming. Long walks alone will not satisfy it. Access to water helps, though fetch, scent games and obedience work serve as substitutes.

The coat does not release hair in seasonal waves the way a double coat does. Loose strands stay caught in the curls or waves until a brush pulls them free, which keeps most of the attached dander off floors and furniture. The tradeoff is upkeep. Owners brush through the coat often and book clipping every six to eight weeks. Some choose the traditional lion clip, which leaves the hindquarters and muzzle shaved. Many pet owners prefer the shorter, uniform retriever clip.

Temperament leans affectionate, alert and closely bonded to people. These dogs learn fast and respond well to structured training, traits that put the breed into service and detection work. The flip side is a dog that struggles when left alone through long workdays without exercise first.

Anyone shopping for a low-shedding dog should weigh that energy level as carefully as the coat. A bored Portuguese Water Dog chews, digs and barks, and no grooming schedule offsets a household that cannot meet its activity needs.

Illustration: Quartz

The Chinese Crested's hairless variety grows fur only in tufts — a crest on the head, a plume on the tail and socks on the feet — so almost nothing sheds onto furniture. A fully coated version called the Powderpuff exists as well, and both can appear in the same litter.

At 8 to 12 pounds and about 11 to 13 inches tall, the Crested sits in the American Kennel Club's Toy Group. Its origins are disputed. The name points to China, though the hairless trait is usually traced to dogs carried aboard trading ships from Africa or Latin America, with Chinese merchants refining the type later.

Exposed skin changes what daily care involves. There is no coat to brush, but the skin needs sunscreen before long stretches outdoors, moisturizer in dry air and attention to blackheads and blemishes, which the breed is prone to. Cold is the other practical limit. A hairless Crested has no insulation, and sweaters become standard equipment for winter walks in northern climates.

The gene that suppresses the coat also affects teeth. Hairless Cresteds often have missing, pointed or irregularly spaced teeth, so dental checkups carry more weight here than with most toy dogs. Powderpuffs typically have a full, normal set.

Temperament runs affectionate and highly attached. Cresteds bond closely with one household and struggle when left alone through a full workday. They stay alert and announce visitors, which makes them capable watchdogs in a small frame. Short walks and indoor play cover their exercise needs, so apartments suit them.

Losing the coat removes fur as a delivery vehicle for allergens, but skin cells and saliva still carry the protein that triggers symptoms. A Crested licking a hand or sleeping against a shoulder transfers plenty of it. Anyone considering the breed for allergy reasons should spend supervised indoor time with an adult dog first, since tolerance varies by person. A reaction to one variety also says little about the other.

Illustration: Quartz

The Maltese carries a long, single coat of fine white hair with no woolly undercoat. It sheds very little, so less dander-coated fur reaches floors and upholstery than with a double-coated dog. At under seven pounds, it also has less skin surface producing allergen in the first place.

This is one of the oldest toy breeds, tied to the Mediterranean island of Malta and kept by Greek and Roman households long before modern breed registries existed. It was developed for company rather than for any job. The result is a dog that attaches itself to people, follows its owner from room to room and tolerates small apartments without complaint.

The coat's texture sits closer to human hair than to typical dog fur, which is why it tangles. A full-length coat has to be worked through every day, particularly behind the ears, under the legs and around the base of the tail, where friction builds knots fastest. Owners with no plans to show their dog often ask a groomer for a short puppy trim, which cuts grooming time substantially and keeps the coat cleaner between baths. Reddish-brown tear staining below the eyes is common in white-coated toy breeds and needs regular wiping to manage.

Exercise demands are light. A couple of short walks and some indoor play meet most of the breed's physical needs, which suits owners with limited mobility or no outdoor space. The Maltese is bright and responds to positive reinforcement, though many individuals are vocal and will announce visitors, delivery trucks and unfamiliar sounds unless taught otherwise early.

Fragility is the main caution. The bones are fine, and the breed can be injured by rough handling or a fall from furniture, so households with toddlers need close supervision. Anyone choosing a Maltese because of allergies should spend an extended visit indoors with an adult dog first. Saliva and skin dander still carry the trigger protein, no matter how little the coat sheds.

Illustration: Quartz

The Afghan Hound's long, fine, silky coat sheds far less than a typical double coat, but it demands more upkeep than any other breed on this list. A full bath plus a thorough brush-out about twice a week is the standard schedule, and skipping either turns the coat into mats within days.

That grooming load is the trade. The hair behaves more like human hair than ordinary fur, so it does not release in heavy seasonal bursts across floors and furniture. It does tangle. Mats trap skin oils, loose hair and dander against the body, which cancels out the exact quality that draws an allergy sufferer to the breed in the first place. Coat care treated as a fixed weekly appointment keeps that advantage intact. Treated as an occasional chore, it does not.

The Afghan Hound is a sighthound developed in the mountains of Afghanistan to chase game over rough, steep ground. Males stand about 27 inches at the shoulder and females about 25, with a lean, deep-chested build made for speed. The temperament is reserved and self-possessed rather than eager to please. Afghans bond closely with their own people but tend to meet strangers with cool indifference, and they do not take direction the way a retriever or a Poodle does.

Prey drive shapes daily life with the breed. An Afghan Hound that spots a squirrel, cat or rabbit will give chase, and recall tends to fail once the dog is running. Exercise belongs in a securely fenced space or on a leash, not in an open park. Short bursts of hard sprinting suit the breed better than long plodding walks.

Households with older, calmer children usually suit the breed well, and Afghans can live comfortably with other dogs when socialized young. Small pets are a harder call. Anyone drawn to the breed for allergy reasons should price out professional grooming first, then spend time indoors with an adult Afghan before deciding.

Illustration: Quartz

The American Hairless Terrier's hairless variety has no coat to shed, which removes the usual vehicle that carries dander through a house. Upkeep comes down to baths on a schedule, trimmed nails and attention to the skin itself rather than brushing, clipping or standing appointments with a groomer.

The breed traces to one hairless puppy born in a Rat Terrier litter in Louisiana in 1972. Breeders built a distinct line from that dog and its descendants, and the American Kennel Club granted full recognition in 2016, placing the breed in the Terrier Group. Both hairless and coated varieties are recognized, though allergy-minded owners generally look for the hairless one.

Size stays modest. Adults usually stand 12 to 16 inches at the shoulder and weigh about 12 to 16 pounds, small enough for an apartment but sturdier than a toy dog. Temperament runs alert, curious and playful, and these terriers pick up training quickly and tend to do well with children.

Bare skin brings its own maintenance list. Sunscreen formulated for dogs matters on long days outdoors, since unprotected skin burns. Dryness, blackheads and minor rashes turn up more readily than on a coated dog, so owners check the skin often and bathe on a consistent schedule to keep pores clear. Skin also scrapes and tears more easily, which makes thorny brush and rough play with larger dogs a greater risk than it would be for a coated terrier. Cold is the other constraint. Without insulating fur, the breed needs a sweater or jacket for winter walks in northern climates and will hunt for blankets and laps indoors.

Exercise sits in the moderate range. A daily walk plus play in a yard or hallway covers most of it, though enough terrier drive remains that these dogs will dig and chase given the opening. The absence of fur cuts one major transmission route, but skin cells and saliva still carry the proteins that set off reactions, so time spent with an adult dog before bringing a puppy home gives an allergy sufferer a clearer read.

Illustration: Quartz

Bedlington Terriers drop very little hair. The coat mixes hard and soft fibers that grow in crisp curls instead of falling out, and the traditional trim leaves the dog with a woolly outline closer to a lamb than a terrier.

The breed was developed in Northumberland, in the north of England, and takes its name from the mining town of Bedlington. Miners kept the dogs to kill rats and other vermin, and also raced them and sent them after larger quarry. That history produced a terrier with a real prey drive. A Bedlington will go after a squirrel, a rabbit or a neighborhood cat given the opening, so secure fencing and slow introductions to resident small pets matter.

Indoors, the breed is quieter than its working background suggests. Bedlingtons are affectionate with family and generally tolerant of children, and they pick fewer fights than many terriers, though they will hold their ground when another dog presses them.

Grooming is the main ongoing cost. The coat needs a clip every six to eight weeks to keep its shape, plus brushing between appointments so the curls do not knit together near the skin. Dead hair stays trapped in the coat rather than falling onto furniture, which means the hair and the dander attached to it leave the dog only when someone removes them. A consistent grooming schedule is part of the allergy benefit here, not an optional extra.

Adults stand roughly 15 to 17.5 inches and weigh about 17 to 23 pounds, a size that works in apartments and small houses. Exercise needs are moderate — daily walks plus some running in a fenced area will satisfy most of them.

One health issue belongs in any serious conversation about the breed. Bedlingtons carry an inherited risk of copper toxicosis, a liver disorder caused by copper building up in the body, and a DNA test for it is available. Ask any breeder for results on both parents before committing.

Illustration: Quartz

The Coton de Tulear has a soft, cotton-textured coat that sheds very little, and at eight to 13 pounds there is not much of it to shed. Less hair in circulation means less of the dander that clings to it.

The breed takes its name from Tuléar, the port city on the southwest coast of Madagascar now also known as Toliara. It developed on the island in relative isolation, kept as a companion rather than a working dog, and the temperament reflects that history. Cotons tend to bond with an entire household rather than fixating on one person, and they take to basic obedience work without much resistance.

The coat texture is the trade-off. Cotton-like hair tangles faster than coarse or wiry fur, so it needs brushing most days to stay clear of mats, particularly behind the ears and in the armpits. Owners with no show ambitions often keep the coat clipped short, which cuts grooming time sharply and changes nothing about how little the dog sheds. Use a conditioner at bath time, since repeated washing can leave the hair dry and prone to breaking.

Exercise needs are modest. Two walks a day plus indoor play suits most Cotons, which makes the breed workable in apartments and smaller homes. They are bright enough to get bored, so short training sessions or scent games help fill the gap.

Most Cotons are tolerant of children and sociable with other dogs, and they bark less than some toy companions. Time alone is the harder part. A dog bred for generations to sit beside people often struggles with long days in an empty house.

The Coton remains less common in the U.S. than the Bichon Frise or the Maltese, so finding a responsible breeder can take months of waiting. Anyone considering one for allergy reasons should spend time indoors with an adult Coton first. Skin and saliva produce allergens regardless of how little hair ends up on the floor.

Illustration: Quartz

The Giant Schnauzer is the largest low-shedding breed on this list. Its harsh, wiry outer coat sits over a dense undercoat and drops very little hair when it is groomed on schedule. Allergy sufferers who want a big dog rather than a lap-sized one have few other options.

The breed was developed in Bavaria to move cattle to market, then shifted into guard work at breweries, stockyards and butcher shops once rail transport ended the droving jobs. German police and military units later put it to work in protection roles. That history produced a watchful dog, closely bonded to its household and reserved with strangers. It is classified as a working breed, not a terrier.

Size sets the terms of ownership. Males stand up to 27.5 inches at the shoulder, and adults often weigh 70 pounds or more. A dog that size with guarding instincts needs obedience training from puppyhood. Giant Schnauzers learn fast, which cuts both ways. One left without enough to do will find its own work, usually barking at the fence line or the front window.

Exercise demands are high. Long walks will not be enough on their own. Running, hiking, tracking, obedience or protection sports several times a week suit the breed better, paired with training that tires the mind.

Coat care runs on a six to eight week cycle. Show dogs are hand-stripped, a process that pulls dead hair from the follicle and keeps the texture harsh. Pet owners usually clip instead, which softens the coat over time and lets it mat more easily. The beard, leg furnishings and chest need brushing between appointments, since they tangle first and trap food, water and dander.

Scale matters for allergies too. More dog means more skin and more dander, so regular bathing and grooming carry more weight here than with a toy breed.

Supervision matters in homes with small children. The breed is devoted to its own people, but its bulk and working-dog instincts call for close management around toddlers.

Illustration: Quartz

The Irish Water Spaniel carries a dense coat of tight, crisp ringlets that sheds very little, and its curls hold loose hair and dander in place until a brush pulls them out. Among the breeds suited to allergy households, it is one of the few true sporting dogs.

It is also the tallest of the spaniels, standing 21 to 24 inches at the shoulder. Two features set it apart on sight: a topknot of loose curls falling over the forehead, and a smooth, tapering tail carrying almost no coat, which earned the breed its rat tail nickname. The coat is liver colored, often with the purplish cast breeders call puce.

Ireland developed the dog as a retriever for cold water and marshland, and that job shaped the coat and the temperament together. Natural oils in the ringlets repel water, which lets the dog keep working through a wet, cold autumn. Those same oils argue against frequent baths, since stripping them leaves the skin dry and the curls brittle.

Grooming follows a different rhythm than it does for silky-coated breeds. The curl pattern resists tangling, so a full brush-out every two or three weeks is usually enough, with periodic trimming to even out the shape. Left alone for months, the curls felt into mats that press oil and skin debris against the body — the opposite of what an allergy household is trying to achieve.

The breed has a long reputation for comic behavior that carries well into adulthood. Irish Water Spaniels learn quickly and attach closely to their people, but they need genuine daily work — retrieving, swimming, scent games — rather than a short walk around the block.

The breed remains uncommon in the U.S., which can mean a longer wait for a well-bred puppy and fewer local owners to consult. The low-shedding coat comes packaged with a working dog's energy level. An Irish Water Spaniel left under-exercised tends to invent its own projects indoors.

Illustration: Quartz

The Kerry Blue Terrier has a soft, wavy coat that sheds very little, a texture unlike the harsh wire jacket worn by most terriers. Puppies are born black, and the coat clears to the slate or blue-gray shade that gives the breed its name, usually by about 18 months.

The breed takes its name from County Kerry in southwestern Ireland, where it worked as a general-purpose farm dog. The job list covered vermin control, herding livestock and guarding property. The Kerry Blue is often called Ireland's national terrier. That mixed working history produced a dog with stamina, nerve and a strong independent streak.

Grooming is where owners pay for the low shedding. The wavy coat needs brushing several times a week and a trim roughly every six to eight weeks to keep its length manageable. Loose hair stays bound in the coat rather than dropping onto floors. Anything a brush misses mats near the skin and holds oils and dander against the body.

Energy levels run high. Kerry Blues want real daily work — long walks, retrieving games, agility or obedience sessions rather than a quick trip around the block. Dogs left under-exercised tend to dig, bark or test household rules.

Dog-to-dog assertiveness is the trait prospective owners most often underestimate. Kerry Blues can be confrontational with unfamiliar dogs, a legacy of their guarding and vermin work. Early socialization and consistent leash handling matter more here than they do with the toy companion breeds. With their own families, Kerry Blues are playful and devoted, and they generally do well with children raised alongside them.

Size sits in a practical middle range. Males stand about 18 to 19.5 inches and weigh roughly 33 to 40 pounds, with females slightly smaller, which keeps the breed manageable in a suburban home with a yard. The low-shedding coat is real, but it pays off only for an owner who keeps to the grooming schedule and puts in the training hours a confident working terrier requires.

Illustration: Quartz

The Lagotto Romagnolo carries a dense, woolly, tightly curled coat that sheds very little, the closest in texture to a Poodle's among the breeds here. Loose hair stays trapped in the curls rather than drifting onto floors and clothing.

The breed comes from the Romagna region of northeastern Italy, where it worked as a water retriever in the marshes and lagoons. Its name traces to a local dialect phrase for water dog. After much of that wetland was drained for farming, handlers pointed the dog's nose at truffles instead. The Lagotto is the only purebred recognized as a specialist truffle searcher, and working dogs still do that job in Italy today.

Coat care is the main ongoing cost of ownership. The curls knot close to the skin when left alone, so the dog needs regular brushing and a trim every six to eight weeks. Most owners keep the coat at a moderate length rather than letting it grow long, since an overgrown curly jacket mats faster and traps dirt and skin oil against the body. Shaving the dog down is not standard practice for the breed. Colors run from off-white to brown and orange, often with roan patterning or a brown mask.

Expect a medium build — roughly 24 to 35 pounds and under 20 inches at the shoulder — with a working dog's energy behind the soft looks. Scent work is the natural outlet. Hiding food around the house or teaching the dog to find one specific smell does more for a Lagotto than an extra lap around the block. Digging is a common habit in under-occupied dogs of this breed, a carryover from a job that involved unearthing fungi.

The Lagotto is affectionate at home, generally steady with children and reserved with strangers. The American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 2015, and it stays uncommon outside Italy, so the wait for a puppy from a responsible U.S. breeder can run months. Anyone picking it over a Poodle for allergy reasons takes on the same grooming schedule and a longer search.

Illustration: Quartz

The Miniature Schnauzer sheds very little when its harsh, wiry outer coat is clipped or hand-stripped on a regular schedule. At roughly 11 to 20 pounds, the breed fits apartments and small houses without the space demands of its larger schnauzer relatives.

German breeders created the dog in the 19th century by crossing the Standard Schnauzer down in size, producing a compact ratter for small farms and homesteads. The AKC places it in the Terrier Group, and the working past still shows. A Miniature Schnauzer notices everything — a delivery at the door, a cat on the fence — and says so.

That alertness makes for a capable watchdog and a potential noise problem. Teaching a reliable quiet cue early, and rewarding calm behavior at the window, keeps barking from hardening into a daily habit a neighbor hears through a shared wall.

Grooming runs on a six- to eight-week cycle with a professional groomer, whether the coat is clipped or hand-stripped. Between appointments, the beard, eyebrows and leg furnishings need brushing and combing several times a week, since those longer areas tangle faster than the body coat. The beard also collects food and water, so wiping it after meals helps.

For allergy purposes, the useful detail is that dead hair stays trapped in the jacket until a comb or clipper takes it out. Grooming then removes hair and dander together, at one time and in one place, instead of spreading both through the house.

Exercise needs are moderate. Two decent walks a day plus indoor play satisfies most adult Miniature Schnauzers, and the breed takes well to obedience, rally and scent games for mental engagement.

The breed also carries a known predisposition to hyperlipidemia, elevated fat levels in the blood, which raises its risk of pancreatitis. Fatty table scraps are a poor choice for this dog in particular. Ask a breeder about health testing, and spend time around an adult before committing if allergies are the deciding factor.

Illustration: Quartz

The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier has a soft, wavy, silky coat rather than a wiry one, and it sheds very little. That texture sits closer to fine human hair than to typical dog fur, which is why the breed turns up on most lists of dogs suited to allergy sufferers.

Irish farmers developed the Wheaten as a general-purpose working dog, used for herding livestock, guarding the property and killing vermin. That mixed job description produced a dog with stamina and confidence but without the sharp edge some ratting terriers carry. Wheatens are outgoing with strangers and generally tolerant of other dogs. That temperament makes them easier to manage in dog parks and apartment hallways than several of the more assertive Irish terrier breeds.

The silky texture is also the breed's grooming catch. Soft hair tangles faster than curly or wiry hair, so the coat needs combing down to the skin several times a week, with professional trims roughly every six to eight weeks. A surface brushing leaves mats forming underneath, and those mats hold skin oils and shed hair against the body — the material an allergy-conscious owner is trying to get out of the house.

Adults typically weigh 30 to 40 pounds and stand about 17 to 19 inches. That places the Wheaten between the toy companions and the large working dogs covered elsewhere in this list. The size suits households that want a dog substantial enough for hiking or long walks without the handling demands of a 70-pound guardian breed.

Exercise needs sit in the moderate range. Daily walks, play and some secure off-leash running usually satisfy a Wheaten. The breed is enthusiastic about greeting people and tends to jump, so leash manners are worth training early, particularly in homes with young children or older relatives. Puppies arrive with a darker coat that lightens to the wheaten color as they mature, a change that can take up to two years to settle.