What Type of Dogs Have Hair, Not Fur?

Have you ever wished your pooch had hair just like humans? Some dogs grow hair to their genetically pre-determined length until it dies or is cut, explain Billy Rafferty and Jill Cahr in their book "Happy Dog: Caring for Your Dog's Body, Mind and Spirit." Bearded collies, for instance, are blessed with coats made of hairs that are long, smooth and flowing. Lhasa apsos, coton de Tulear, Havanese, Tibetan terriers, Maltese, shih tzus and Yorkshire terriers are a few examples of dogs with straight, medium- to long-hair coats.

Ever wondered why curly coats appear to shed less? In this case, you must thank the "curliness-factor." Upon shedding, the hair is basically trapped within the dog's "curly locks," making it less likely to fall on the floor and on your clothes, upholstery and furniture. Breeds with a curly "hair-do" include the poodle, Portuguese water dog, lagotto Romagnolo and Irish water spaniel .

Dogs with wiry hair coats have wavy hairs just as curly coated dogs, but they have more of a coarse feel when petted. Brussels griffon, wirehaired fox terriers, Airedale terriers, schnauzers, Bedlington terriers and Kerry blue terriers are a few specimens equipped with this type of wiry hair. As in the curly coats, random falling hairs tend to intertwine between the wiry strands of hair, leaving less "evidence" behind. Several dogs with wired coats require a special type of grooming known as "stripping."

Dogs that appear to come straight from the "Rastafarian movement" are also dogs equipped with hair rather than fur. These specimens leave quite an impact on viewers, courtesy of their hairs twisted into compact dreadlocks. These dogs' stray corded hair has lower chances of dispersing around the home for obvious reasons. However, these pooches require quite some maintenance to prevent those dreadlocks from tangling into large, tight mats. Breeds with corded hair include the famous Hungarian puli and the Bergamasco breed.

Not too eager about picking up dog hair all day long and don't care much about looks? Count your blessings as you can select a hairless or partially hairless breed such as the Chinese crested, Peruvian Inca orchid, lowchen and the almost unpronounceable Xoloitzcuintli. These breeds are for the most part naked other than boasting a bit of straight hair growing only on some specific areas of their bodies. They may not be the prettiest dogs, but easy maintenance comes at a price.