A dry hacking cough is a type of nonproductive cough that is most commonly caused by smoking, asthma, allergies, bronchitis, and colds. People who smoke can sometimes develop a chronic dry cough because of irritants in cigarettes.Some illnesses, such as a cold or bronchitis, can also bring on a this type of cough. dry hacking cough could also be caused by the common cold and other viral infections. The cold virus can enter the body through the nose and travel to the throat. The cough is one of the body's reactions to the virus — an attempt to expel the virus and prevent infection.