15 fluffy dog breeds

After a long day at work, nothing beats curling up on the couch with a loving canine companion. While we love all dogs here at betterpet, many people out there tend to prefer a certain size or type of dog. If your ideal canine companion is fluffy, puffy, and all-out adorable, this list is for you. These fluffy breeds are beloved for their soft, cloud-like coats, ideal for keeping both themselves and us warm during the cold winter months. They may have a lot of fur, but some of these luxurious-looking breeds don’t shed nearly as much as you’d think.

People everywhere adopt bichon frisé pups for their velvety, hypoallergenic coats but fall in love with their playful, affectionate personalities. This small white fluffy dog is famously even-tempered and adoring of its family, including kids and other dogs. They even do well with cats and other small pets if socialized early enough. Their compact size and peppy attitude make them a good choice for city dwellers. However, because bichons love their families so much, they don’t do well when left alone. Consider another breed if you’re out of the house a lot.

Facts about the bichon frisé

• Breed group — Non-sporting breed
• Intelligence — High intelligence
• Barking — Only to alert
• Life span — 14 to 15 years

Havanese are the only dog breed in the world native to Cuba, and they’re about as adorable as dogs come. With gorgeous, silky, soft double coats and goofy, extroverted personalities, these small fluffy dogs are highly trainable and love being the center of attention. They love to play, get along great with kids, and are extremely welcoming to strangers both at home and on the street. Owners should be ready to spend every waking moment with their Havanese — they’re sometimes called Velcro dogs and suffer separation anxiety if left alone for long periods.

Facts about the Havanese

• Breed group — Toy breed
• Intelligence — High intelligence
• Barking — Moderate
• Life span — 14 to 16 years

Pekingese are one of the most charming small dog breeds. Originally bred by the ruling classes of China in ancient times, they have long, coarse double coats that are longest at the neck and shoulders like a noble mane. In terms of temperament, they’re loyal, affectionate, friendly dogs that tend to grow particularly attached to one person. If that person is you, prepare for all-day cuddle sessions and eager greetings when you get home from work. Despite their small size, Pekingese are watchful dogs that will readily alert their owners to the presence of strangers.

Facts about the Pekingese

• Breed group — Toy breed
• Intelligence — High intelligence
• Barking — When necessary
• Life span — 12 to 14 years

These lovable balls of fur are known for being playful, alert, and highly affectionate. The American Kennel Club even describes the Pomeranian as the ideal companion, particularly well-suited to anyone who loves being showered with kisses and cuddles from their pooch. Pomeranians’ affectionate nature makes them a popular choice as emotional support dogs. They have small pointy ears and shiny, thick, long coats that are almost as big as their personalities, but they can still do well in small homes with exercise needs that can be met through indoor play sessions and short walks around the neighborhood.

Facts about the Pomeranian

• Breed group — Toy breed
• Intelligence — High intelligence
• Barking — Very vocal
• Life span — 12 to 16 years

The Yorkie’s long silky coat and history as a favorite of Queen Victoria give most people the idea that its temperament is similarly refined. However, this highly courageous and feisty breed is known to be downright bossy on occasion. The regal-looking pooch is physically fragile and doesn’t take well to rough handling, generally wary of people and animals they don’t know that well. As one of the smallest toy dog breeds, they can do equally well in apartments or houses. Yorkshire terriers are especially popular for their long lifespans and near-hypoallergenic coats Trusted Source American Kennel Club (AKC) Registry of purebred dog pedigrees. Go to source .

Facts about the Yorkshire terrier

• Breed group — Toy breed
• Intelligence — High intelligence
• Barking — Very vocal
• Life span — 12 to 15 years

This medium-sized dog is widely regarded as one of the most active breeds around, with a keen intellect and a strong work ethic that makes them herding experts and great hiking companions. Training is essential to help Australian shepherd puppies channel their energy from a young age, but you’ll find that they’re incredibly fast learners if you give them the mental and physical stimulation they need to thrive. The Aussie’s dense, double-layered coat is weather-resistant, fabulously fluffy, and a treat to cuddle up with at the end of a long, active day. They’re heavy shedders, but regular brushing can cut down the excess.

Facts about the Australian shepherd

• Breed group — Herding breed
• Intelligence — High intelligence
• Barking — More vocal than other breeds
• Life span — 12 to 15 years

The chow chow may look like an oversized teddy bear, but it’s surprisingly less cuddly than its fluffy appearance would have you think. Originating in ancient China over 2,000 years ago, this breed is strong, muscular, and serious, with a tendency to be standoffish toward strangers and overly protective of their owners. Proper socialization goes a long way toward staving off signs of aggression in chows, but this big fluffy dog breed is easily housebroken and relatively clean. Since chow chows only have moderate exercise needs, they can do well in all kinds of living situations, from large houses to smaller city apartments.

Facts about the chow chow

• Breed group — Non-sporting breed
• Intelligence — High intelligence
• Barking — Only to alert
• Life span — 12 to 15 years

The American Eskimo dog is distinguished by its beautiful white coat with a medium-thick fluffy texture. These dogs are alert, loyal, friendly, and affectionate around their families. They’re a vocal breed prone to excessive barking when calling out to their owners for more affection or warning them when strangers are around. They’re far from aggressive, though — they just need a little time to warm up to new people. Eskies are playful, social dogs that generally do well around other animals, but they can get jealous if they see you giving attention to another pet.

Facts about the American Eskimo

• Breed group — Non-sporting breed
• Intelligence — High intelligence
• Barking — Often
• Life span — 13 to 15 years

Few dogs are more elegant than the iconic poodle, whether standard, miniature, or toy. The well-known breed is particularly popular for their curly low-allergen coats, but they’re also highly-intelligent companions that excel in athletic activities like dog sports. This makes them highly receptive to training, though they can still develop bad habits like excessive barking if they don’t get enough time or attention from their owners. While standard poodles are generally considered even-tempered, the smaller types may get aggressive around strangers, particularly if they aren’t well-socialized early.

Facts about the poodle

• Breed group — Non-sporting breed (standard and miniature), toy breed (toy)
• Intelligence — High intelligence
• Barking — Above average
• Life span — 10 to 18 years

One of the larger dogs on this list, the sweet-natured Bernese mountain dog has a surprisingly beautiful coat for an ancient breed designed to be a hard worker. Brought to central Europe by the Romans, the Berner’s silky, thick coat is tri-colored, sporting jet black, clear white, and rust tones for a noble appearance. Bernese mountain dogs are intelligent, fiercely loyal, and have loving personalities. Despite their large size and powerful bodies, they’re good with kids and other animals, and they love quality play sessions that give them mental and physical stimulation.

Facts about the Bernese mountain dog

• Breed group — Working breed
• Intelligence — High intelligence
• Barking — When necessary
• Life span — 7 to 9 years

If you’re a fan of larger dogs, this fluffy breed might be for you. Bred as a guard dog for shepherds, the Great Pyrenees is a gentle giant great around adults and children. When the cold season comes around, you’ll love curling up beside its lush, thick double coat, with a striking color occasionally dotted with gray, tan, or reddish brown spots around the ears and head. These big dogs have moderate exercise needs and love a long walk or high-energy play session just as much as they enjoy a nice long nap during the hotter parts of the day.

Facts about the Great Pyrenees

• Breed group — Working breed
• Intelligence — High intelligence
• Barking — Moderate to high
• Life span — 10 to 12 years

The Old English sheepdog (OES) is one of the canine world’s most iconic shaggy dogs, famous for its long, fluffy double coat, which is adapted to be waterproof and insulated to protect them from the stormy conditions common in the English countryside. The typical OES has a medium-to-large stature, mellow temperament, and moves with a bear-like shuffle. Don’t let their calming presence fool you though — these dogs are hard workers that need regular exercise to thrive. Old English sheepdogs are great house dogs gentle enough to leave around (older) kids and watchful enough to alert you of potential intruders.

Facts about the Old English sheepdog

• Breed group — Herding breed
• Intelligence — High intelligence
• Barking — When necessary
• Life span — 10 to 12 years

When you picture a collie, the rough collie with rough, long hair and a full coat is probably what you have in mind, distinct from the smooth coat of the smooth collie. When properly maintained, a rough collie’s fluffy coat is among the most beautiful of any dog breed. Collies are also top-notch family dogs celebrated for their playfulness and loyalty to their owners. These highly-intelligent herding dogs are easy to train and eager to please their owners — just don’t let them get bored, as understimulated collies are known to be highly vocal.

Facts about the rough collie

• Breed group — Herding breed
• Intelligence — High intelligence
• Barking — High frequency and intensity
• Life span — 12 to 14 years

This world-famous sled dog was bred to work in packs and is naturally friendly toward other dogs. Siberian huskies are medium-sized dogs with layered coats of thick fur, and they do best with adventurous families who give them plenty of opportunities to run around and explore. Huskies are also very independent, so give them proper puppy training early on. They’re too friendly to make effective guard dogs, but their innate sociability makes them easy-going around almost anyone, including house guests and small children.

Facts about the Siberian husky

• Breed group — Working breed
• Intelligence — High intelligence
• Barking — Often
• Life span — 11 to 13 years

This fluffy dog breed is large, muscular, and proud. Originating in Japan, Akitas are distinguished by a dense, medium-length double coat; a large, broad head; and a full, curled-over tail. They’re fun and affectionate around the people they’re closest to, but they’re notoriously not too fond of strangers or other animals. Natural-born guard dogs, Akitas make great pets as long as they’re socialized early on to prevent overprotective or aggressive behavior.

Facts about the Akita

• Breed group — Working breed
• Intelligence — High intelligence
• Barking — Rarely without reason
• Life span — 12 to 15 years

Regular grooming and maintenance are the best ways to keep your fluffy dog’s coat looking lush and full all year long. In some cases, this could be as simple as allowing their coat to grow out and keeping up with daily brushing to keep it free of mats and tangles. We recommend using a quality pin brush or slicker brush, as it separates individual hairs to fluff out the coat as it detangles. It also helps to have a good vacuum cleaner on hand to make quick work of cleaning up the hair they shed — particularly in the spring and fall when most fluffy pups shed their undercoat (a fine, fuzzy second layer of fur that insulates them in cold weather).

Regular bathing will keep your fluffy dog’s coat healthy, though only after brushing to ensure you get most of the tangles, mats, and dirt out first. Use a high-quality dog shampoo that’s gentle on the skin and fur to wash out any lingering debris. Take the time to thoroughly rinse out all the shampoo before finishing the bath to prevent problems like dry, flaky skin.

👉 You can make the grooming process even easier on yourself (and ensure it’s done correctly) by enlisting the services of a professional dog groomer.