Living in an apartment doesn’t mean giving up the dream of having a dog; it just means being a little more selective. When space is limited and walls are thin, choosing the right breed becomes essential. A quiet, low-energy pup who won’t leave your home smelling like a kennel? That’s the ideal roommate.
While barking gets a lot of attention, odor is a less obvious but equally important factor. Some breeds have naturally low oil production in their skin or shed far less, keeping dander and doggy smells to a minimum. This is especially helpful for people with allergies or sensitive noses.
The good news? Many breeds tick all the right boxes: clean, compact, low-maintenance, and wonderfully suited to cozy city living. Whether you’re a first-time owner or a seasoned dog lover downsizing to a smaller space, there’s a pup out there who’s happy to call your apartment home.
Below, we spotlight some of the best low-odor breeds for apartment dwellers, dogs that won’t leave your clothes smelling or your neighbors complaining.
Low-Odor Dog Breeds For Apartments
1. Portuguese Water Dog
The Portuguese Water Dog is a medium-sized water dog breed once prized by Portuguese fishermen for tasks like retrieving gear and swimming messages between boats. These days, they make excellent companions for active households and can adapt well to apartment life if their energy needs are met with daily exercise or purposeful play.
This breed’s dense, curly coat is considered low-shedding and odor-resistant. With regular brushing and routine grooming, their fur stays clean and fresh. They also produce less skin oil than many other breeds, which helps reduce that common doggy smell in confined spaces.
As per PetMD, they are highly intelligent and easy to train, often excelling in dog sports, water work, and obedience. While not excessive barkers, they need consistent stimulation to prevent restlessness and nuisance behaviors, especially in smaller homes.
With the right activity and grooming schedule, the Portuguese Water Dog can thrive in a city apartment, offering loyalty, affection, and a relatively odorless presence in return.
Portuguese Water Dog Highlights
• Water-resistant, low-odor coat with minimal shedding
• Energetic and intelligent, requires daily physical activity
• Adaptable to apartment living with proper exercise and engagement
2. Maltese
The Maltese is a classic toy breed that has charmed city dwellers for centuries with its sweet temperament and elegant looks. Their small size makes them an ideal match for apartment living, and they thrive in calm environments where they can stay close to their people.
Despite their long, flowing white coats, Maltese dogs are known for being low on odor. They have no undercoat, which reduces shedding and helps limit dander. With regular brushing and occasional bathing, they remain clean and pleasant-smelling, even in small indoor spaces.
Maltese are affectionate and people-focused, often forming strong bonds with their owners. Though they can be vocal when bored or anxious, early training and daily interaction go a long way in shaping calm behavior in shared buildings.
They don’t need vigorous exercise, just a short daily walk and some indoor play. Their cheerful attitude, compact size, and clean habits make them a natural fit for apartment life.
Maltese Highlights
• Naturally low-odor and low-shedding with routine grooming
• Small and adaptable to limited indoor space
• Loving and attentive, with moderate exercise needs
3. Italian Greyhound
Delicate in looks but full of spirit, the Italian Greyhound brings charm and elegance into compact living spaces. Originally bred for companionship among the nobility, this sleek little hound loves lounging in the sun as much as a short burst of sprinting across the room. Their affectionate nature makes them loyal lapdogs, especially in quiet apartment settings.
Thanks to their fine, smooth coat, Italian Greyhounds are among the cleanest dog breeds around. They don’t shed much and carry very little odor, making them ideal for indoor life. A light weekly brush is all that’s needed to keep their coat healthy and dust-free.
While they do have a playful, curious streak, Italian Greyhounds don’t demand intense workouts. A daily walk and a little indoor play satisfy their energy needs. However, they are sensitive to cold, so a cozy jacket in cooler months keeps them comfortable during strolls.
This breed thrives on closeness and can become anxious when left alone for too long. With proper companionship and light care, they make wonderfully affectionate apartment pets with a tidy presence.
Italian Greyhound Highlights
Sleek, low-shedding coat with minimal odor
Affectionate, sensitive, and devoted to their people
Needs gentle exercise and warmth in cooler weather
4. Poodle (Miniature and Toy)
Few breeds combine intelligence, elegance, and cleanliness quite like the Poodle. Miniature and Toy Poodles, in particular, are fantastic for apartment life, blending smarts with a cheerful personality that suits both solo owners and families alike. They love to learn and often charm their way into everyone’s heart.
Poodles are known for their hypoallergenic coats, which don’t shed much and carry little scent. This makes them an excellent choice for allergy-prone homes or those who want to avoid lingering doggy odors in small spaces. Regular brushing and grooming keep their curly fur in top shape.
Despite their stylish looks, Poodles are no couch potatoes. These dogs are energetic and playful, needing daily activities and mental stimulation to stay happy. Quick training games, walks, and puzzle toys go a long way in keeping their minds and bodies sharp.
With their friendly, eager-to-please nature and tidy grooming habits, Poodles bring joy and liveliness to urban living, without the mess.
Poodle Highlights
Hypoallergenic, low-odor coat with regular upkeep
Extremely smart and responsive to training
Adaptable to small homes with daily exercise and play
5. Whippet
Whippets are graceful dogs with a love for comfort and quiet company. Though they were bred for speed and hunting, they are surprisingly calm indoors and often spend hours lounging on soft furniture. Their gentle personalities make them easy to live with in small apartments.
One of the cleanest dog breeds, Whippets have smooth, thin coats that don’t trap odor or require much grooming. They barely shed and rarely drool, which means less cleanup and fewer smells lingering around the house.
The Whippet states that while they love short bursts of play and need daily walks, Whippets are content with moderate activity. They don’t bark much and are known for their polite indoor behavior, tiptoeing around furniture and avoiding puddles outside.
If you can provide a cozy bed, a warm blanket, and some daily exercise, the Whippet will reward you with quiet loyalty and a nearly odorless presence.
Whippet Highlights
• Odor-free, low-shedding coat that’s easy to maintain
• Gentle, quiet, and affectionate temperament
• Needs moderate exercise and loves indoor comfort
6. Basenji
Basenjis are best known for their lack of barking, but their hygiene habits are just as impressive. This small hound breed grooms itself like a cat and has a naturally dry mouth and odorless coat. Their tidy ways make them perfect for shared living spaces.
Their fur is short and fine, which sheds very little and doesn’t hold onto dirt or smells. Basenjis also produce very little oil on their skin, so that common “doggy” odor never really shows up in your apartment.
They are independent and intelligent dogs that like to explore and stay busy. While they need a daily outlet for their energy, they’re respectful of their home environment and rarely cause indoor chaos when exercised properly.
With minimal shedding, no barking, and an almost spotless coat, the Basenji makes a neat and quiet companion for dog lovers in tighter quarters.
Basenji Highlights
• Barkless, clean, and nearly odor-free
• Cat-like grooming habits and low-shedding coat
• Energetic but respectful of indoor spaces
7. Bichon Frise
The Bichon Frise is a cheerful little dog with a cloud-like coat and a personality to match. Bred to be a companion, this breed loves people and adapts easily to apartment living. They enjoy being close to their humans and bring a playful spirit into any room.
Though their coat is full and fluffy, Bichons don’t shed much and are considered hypoallergenic dogs. With regular brushing and scheduled grooming, they stay clean, fresh-smelling, and easy to cuddle even in small homes.
They’re smart and responsive to training, which helps manage occasional barking or separation anxiety. As long as they have toys and human interaction, they stay well-behaved and rarely cause noise complaints.
Daily walks and short bursts of indoor play keep them healthy and content. With their neat appearance, friendly nature, and compact size, Bichons are a natural fit for apartment life.
Bichon Frise Highlights
• Low-shedding, hypoallergenic coat with regular grooming
• Playful and affectionate, enjoys indoor life
• Smart and trainable, with modest exercise needs
8. Yorkshire Terrier
Yorkshire Terriers are pint-sized companions with lively personalities that far outweigh their small frames. Originally bred for catching rats in textile mills, they’ve long since become treasured indoor pets. Their small size makes them perfectly suited to apartment life, especially when paired with early training to curb excessive barking.
Despite their long, silky hair, Yorkies don’t shed much and rarely produce a strong doggy odor. Regular brushing and occasional baths keep their coats clean and fresh. Many owners opt for a shorter trim to simplify grooming and reduce the risk of tangles or buildup.
These tiny terriers are bold and confident, often unaware of their small stature. As per Hill’s Pet, they love being the center of attention and thrive in households that can provide companionship, play, and structure. While they can be strong-willed, they respond well to positive reinforcement.
Yorkies are happiest when they’re part of the daily rhythm—whether that means curling up on the couch, tagging along on errands, or enjoying a brisk walk around the block.
Yorkshire Terrier Highlights
• Low-odor coat that benefits from regular trimming and brushing
• Compact and portable, ideal for small-space living
• Feisty yet affectionate personality with moderate exercise needs
9. Havanese
The Havanese is a cheerful, affectionate breed that’s always eager to be close to their humans. Originally bred as companion dogs in Cuba, they’ve held onto that friendly disposition and are known for being excellent apartment pets. Their small size and social nature make them a great fit for city living.
One of their standout traits is how little they smell. Havanese have silky, non-oily coats that don’t trap odors easily, especially when kept clean through brushing and occasional baths. They also drool very little, which helps keep your space fresher overall.
These dogs are intelligent, responsive to training, and eager to please. While they enjoy regular walks and playtime, they don’t require strenuous exercise. What they do need is consistent interaction—Havanese don’t enjoy being left alone for long stretches.
With their gentle demeanor and hypoallergenic coat, the Havanese offers the charm of a lap dog with the adaptability of a smart, low-odor companion.
Havanese Highlights
• Low-scent, non-oily coat that responds well to regular grooming
• Social and friendly, thrives on human interaction
• Suitable for apartments with light daily activity and close companionship
Conclusion
When it comes to keeping your home fresh and free of pet odors, not all dogs are created equal. While most breeds will naturally have some scent, certain dog breeds are known for producing significantly less doggy smell, a major plus for pet parents in apartment spaces or those sensitive to odors.
The least smelly dog breeds often have a short coat, tight curls, or hair instead of fur, which helps reduce pet dander, pet hair, and body odor. These dogs tend to require minimal grooming or benefit from frequent brushing and professional grooming to prevent matting and manage allergens. Proper dental hygiene, regular cleaning, and high-quality dog food also go a long way in minimizing odor.
In addition to their low-maintenance coats, many of these dogs have a calm demeanor, making them well-suited for life with other pets, small dogs, and allergy sufferers. Ensuring your dog regularly visits the vet can help prevent underlying issues like ear infections or skin allergies that may lead to unpleasant smells.
Choosing the best breed for your lifestyle means considering more than just looks—it’s about finding a companion who fits seamlessly into your environment with less odor, lower mess, and a personality that shines without overwhelming your senses.
