Fluffy Dog Breeds | The Comprehensive Double Coated Dog Breed List

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Samoyeds - Dogs of the Spitz Family

Looking for a fluffy dog? Then look no further! The double coated dog breeds are your ticket to puff and fluff in all shapes, sizes and temperaments.  The double coat is represented in every dog group from working and herding to toy, hounds, sporting and non-sporting dogs, and they have some major fur-factor going on.

For example, looking for a white fluffy dog – choose from the small West Highland White Terrier, Bichon Frise or American Eskimo Dog.  

Needing a big fluffy white dog; try the Samoyed or the Great Pyrenees just to name a few of your options.

What is a Double Coat?

Double coats are comprised of long, guard hairs that define the dog’s appearance and which are supported by short, dense woolly hairs (the undercoat) below the surface of the guard hairs.  The denser the undercoat, the fluffier the dog appears. The protective guard hairs of the coat are designed to repel moisture and shed dirt.  The undercoat acts to insulate the dog from summer heat and winter cold, while the outer guard hairs protect the dog from rain and wind.  Double coated dogs should never be shaved; their coats act as a protective barrier from summer heat and scorching sun rays.

The Spitz variety of dogs provides the fluffiest coat of the double coated dogs.  Many breeds in the working, herding and toy breeds fall into the Spitz category and even more can trace their breeds lineage back to Spitz ancestors. They were bred to live outdoors year round in Arctic climates, and many Spitz breeds were originally developed to pull sleds. 

Spitz-type dog breeds with double coats include:
 

By Томасина / Chow Chow

German Spitz
Akita
Alaskan Husky
Alaskan Malamut
American Eskimo
The rare Chinook
Chow Chow
Finnish Spitz
Finnish Lapphund
Swedish Lapphund
The gentle and clever Icelandic Sheep Dog
Keeshond
Korean Jindo
Norwegian Elkhound
Norwegian Lundehund
Shiba Inu
Siberian Husky
Samoyed
The tiny Pomeranian from the toy group

Shetland Sheepdog 

Much of the Herding Group is double coated with varying lengths and thickness of coat.  The double-coated herding dog breeds recognized by the AKC include:

Australian Cattle Dog
Australian Shepherd
Both the Rough and Smooth Collie
Bearded Collie
Belgian Sheepdog
Beauceron
Belgian Malinois
Belgian Tervuren
Briard
Both rough and smooth coat Border Collies
Bouvier des Flanders
Canaan Dog
Both the Pembroke and Cardigan Welsh Corgi
German Shepherd Dog
Norwegian Buhund
Old English sheepdog
Polish Lowland Sheep Dog
Puli
Shetland Sheepdog
Swedish Vallhund. 

The fluffiest dog breeds in the herding group from smallest to largest are the Sheltie, the brilliant Border Collie (my personal favorite), the Aussie, the Rough Collie and the Old English Sheep Dog.

Great Pyrenees

Looking for some fluffy protection? These Puff Daddies are the biggest fluffy dogs on the block; you’ll find them in the Working Group:

Bernese Mountain Dog
Black Russian Terrier
The rare Entlebucher Mountain Dog
Great Pyrenees
Komondor
Kuvasz,
Leonberger
Newfoundland
Saint Bernard
Tibetan mastiff.

Seeking a water loving dog with some extra puff to his coat? Check out these double coated dogs from the Sporting Group:

American Water Spaniel
Boykin Spaniel
Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Golden Retriever
Labrador Retriever (not so puffy, but still double coated)
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon. 

The Hound group weighs in with the elegant  double coated Plot and the uniquely web-footed Otterhound.

If you’re in need of a dog with some puff and a whole lot of attitude the terrier group should supply plenty of both.  Terrier breeds with double coats include:

Alfonso Perez / West Highland White Terrier

Australian Terrier
Cairn Terrier
Dandie Dinmont Terrier
Tibetan Terrier
Norfolk Terrier
Parson Russell Terriers
Irish Terrier
Lakeland Terrier
Rat Terrier
Scottish Terrier
Sealyham Terrier
Miniature Schnauzer
Skye Terrier
Wheaten Terrier
Wirehaired Fox Terrier
West Highland White Terrier.

The Toy Group offers a nice variety of fluffy and silky double coated lap dogs: 

Havanese
Pomeranian
Shih Tzu
Tibetan Spaniel
Yorkshire Terrier.  

Looking for small and white? The Non-sporting Group offers the Bichon Frise.

Heike Andres / Bichon Frise

To learn more about these breeds and their temperaments, visit the AKC’s website at www.AKC.org. 


Whichever double coated dog you select, keep in mind that their coats have some special grooming concerns.  Generally the under coat will “blow” twice a year. Maintenance of the coat during this seasonal shed is essential to keeping your dog mat free and your home hair free. 


Learn How the Care for Double Coated Dog Coats.  All the tools and techniques including videos to keep a healthy coat and reduce shedding