If you are looking for a family dog, one of the things to take into consideration is how much work the dog takes to maintain him. Busy households with not a lot of time may want to consider one of these breeds that does not need some of the “frills and pampering” (or multiple vet visits!) other breeds require. For our list, we did not take into consideration activity or “energy” level, since all dogs should be exercised and played with in order to stay happy and healthy (same goes for us humans!).
#1 – Chihuahua (short hair)
The short haired version hardly requires grooming, and with big pricked ears, you do not even have to check those really like you do on the lab. Even if you get a long-haired Chihuahua, they are so small the grooming hardly takes any time at all.
#2 – Australian Cattle Dog
This herding breed has a nice short coat that only requires occasional baths and brushing. Other than that, all you have to do is trim their nails and check their teeth and ears once in a while. They are a healthy dog, whose vet visits will be few.
#3 – Ibizan Hound
This rarer hound is really quite easy to care for – requiring little grooming and do not need to go to the vet too often.
#4 – Labrador Retriever
Aside from their personality, labs have always been a favorite among families because they are easy to care for both in grooming and vet visits. The main thing on them is to keep their ears clean so they don’t get infections, other than that they are a pretty low maintenance.
#5 – Dachshund (smooth coat)
The Doxie is another breed that requires minimal grooming. As the get older, they will need a few more vet visits due to their inherit back issues, but for the most part they are pretty easy to care for.
#6 – Russell Terrier (smooth coat)
A fun dog to own, the Jack or the Parson are equally easily to care for in their smooth coats. If you get a rough or broken coat, you will have to strip them, which is definitely time consuming. But otherwise, they are an easy to care for dog requiring little brushing, minimal bathing, and mostly routine vet care.
#7 – Toy Fox Terrier
Another small terrier that needs hardly any maintenance, the toy fox is as easy to take care of as a cat. In fact, he may be easier to care of since you don’t have to clean out a litter box.
#8 – Miniature Pinscher
This easy to care for miniature breed has an easy to care for coat, minimal bathing requirements, and it generally healthy. A bonus with the small breeds, you don’t even have to feed them that much, making them easier on your wallet too.
#9 – Beagle
Although high in energy, the beagle is pretty low in maintenance. Like the Labrador, you will want to keep an eye on those droopy ears, but otherwise, they are pretty easy to care for.
#10 – Dalmatian
The Dalmatian is a larger breed whose short coat makes them fairly easy to maintain. They can have some medical issues though, so be sure you are getting yours from a reputable source.
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via Whisker Therapy