It’s so fluffy! Here’s a quick picture guide of the top small, medium, and big fluffy dog breeds. Along each listing is some breed info to help you find your perfect fuzzy companion.
Grooming Can Make All The Difference
With most breeds the best way to maximize your dog’s fluffiness is with proper grooming and maintenance.
Most often this means growing their coat out, and keeping up with daily brushing to fluff out their coat.
A good slicker brush will actually increase the fluffy look by separating individual hairs, while removing mats and tangles.
Small Fluffy Dogs
1. Bichon Frise
The Bichon Frise is a happy little trouble maker. They have plenty of personality but are still very gentle and affectionate. The Bichon makes an excellent companion and family pet.
They share a lot of the same characteristics as a toy poodle, with their soft frizzy coat and toy face.
Bichon’s can be grown out and trimmed in a teddy bear or breed trim in order to achieve that white fluffy coat. Discover more curly haired dogs here.
2. Coton De Tulear
Cotons may have a soft and fluffy appeal, but they’re more like Velcro, because they’ll be stuck to your side wherever you go. That’s because the only thing this dog wants is to be at your side.
Cotons are known for their sweet and calm demeanor, but also for being quite intelligent. This makes them incredibly flexible to your routine, as long as your can accommodate this curious creature following you around all day.
3. Cockapoo
As you may have derived from the name, the Cockapoo is a cross between a Cocker Spaniel and a Poodle, and share the best traits from each.
They’re incredibly intelligent and sweet, making them easy to train and a welcome fit for any family.
Their ability to find joy in any situation is contagious, and it’s hard not to laugh at their silly behavior. A
nd that thick furry coat? It’ll need some daily brushing and the occasional bath, but isn’t terribly difficult to maintain. Length will ultimately determine their “fluffiness”.
4. Havanese
The Havanese wear their heart on their sleeve. They show endless love for their owners, but can be overly timid and shy with other people.
While they’re very adaptable to your lifestyle, you will be in charge of socializing and training them to help reduce their anxiety.
In order to get that ‘fluffed’ puppy look – have your Havanese grow their coat out for a few weeks and ask your groomer for a Teddy Bear trim.
Keep in mind you’ll need to brush every day to avoid painful matting and tangles.
5. Pekingese
The Pekingese is a unique breed originating from ancient China, but even more unique is their soft coat which can be molded into all sorts of lavish fashions. Perfect for this list.
Pekingese can be very stubborn and independent, and they tend to make up their own rules as they go.
Potty training, barking, or training in general are going to require a lot of patience and persistence.
6. Lhasa Apso
The Lhasa Apso was once used to guard royal palaces in Tibet, and still carry that proud duty to this day.
These are very independent dogs that take the position of protecting very seriously. Therefore, they can be very unkind to strangers, while fiercely loyal to their family.
This is a strong-headed breed, and it takes consistent training from a strong leader for the Lhasa to take heed. Because of their protective nature they absolutely must have early socialization.
Despite their thick coat, these dogs don’t actually shed.
7. Pomeranian
The Pomeranian is the perfect dog for this list. They are little puff-balls that are silly, confident, curious, and prefer being treated like royalty.
Their fluffy coat needs daily maintenance and brushing, and they can shed an impressive amount of hair for a small critter. You can tease their coat and tail with a slicker brush to fluff them up even more.
Grow their coat out long and have your groom tidy and round them up slightly. This is usually referred to as a Natural Trim.
Check out Pomeranian haircut styles for more.
8. Shih Tzu
A Shih Tzu’s main goal in life is to make you laugh, and they’ll usually succeed.
Their curious, playful, and lovable attributes make them the class clown. These dogs were originally bred for companionship which becomes quickly obvious with their good natured attitude. All this together makes the Shih Tzu perfectly compatible with your lifestyle.
However, these pups can be quite excitable and full of energy, so playtime, walks, or even another Shih Tzu companion can help burn off that excess excitement.
9. Toy Poodle
You might have already heard that Poodles are incredibly intelligent, and the toy version is no different.
Training a Poodle is an absolute joy, and that makes them quite compatible with your family.
But with all that intelligence they can be quite stubborn in other areas, such as barking or being destructive. They’re known to be quite noisy, and bark at whatever peaks their interest. Daily training, exercise, and mental stimulation will help curb bad behaviors and keep your little friend content.
10. Yorkshire Terrier
Yorkies are that star of their own show, and they know it.
They love to show off their personality and sass, and can be quite silly and entertaining when the mood strikes. However, they can be finicky with who is allowed around their owners, and can be unkind to strangers or children.
They also have a very high prey drive, so any little noise or critter can set these dogs into a barking (or chasing) frenzy.
While they can certainly be a handful, they have no shortage of love for their owners. Just be aware that sometimes with all that love comes jealousy.
Medium Fluffy Dogs
11. American Eskimo
Intelligent, affectionate, and excited for life – the American Eskimo is a perfect family dog.
These are energetic and curious dogs that are seeking new daily challenges, so they need you to give them physical and mental stimulation. With all that energy and brains you don’t want these dogs getting bored, or they may result to destructive behavior.
Furthermore, Eskies are considered “Velcro” dogs, and they’ll be stuck to you for the entire day, following you around the house like a curious shadow. These are not dogs you can leave alone for any long period of time.
12. Barbet
While technically a Curly Haired Breed, the Barbet can certainly fall into the ‘fluffy’ category as well.
This is a medium sized breed that is full of love and silliness. Their friendliness combined with intellect means they absolutely excel in training and agility. Their aim is to please their owners.
The Barbet are a working breed, and they need an outlet or a “job” to keep them busy. Otherwise this dog tends to get bored and destructive.
13. Chow Chow
The “floofiest” of all the breeds, the Chow-Chow has an unmistakably adorable look. Their coat and appearance naturally resemble a cute teddy bear dog.
Unfortunately, they’re quite independent and may not be in a cuddly mood. This can be a very challenging breed. Chow-Chow’s make their own rules and have little patience.
They can certainly benefit from early socialization and training. But we don’t recommend this breed for owners with children.
14. Finnish Lapphund
These cute fuzzballs are actually a hard working herding breed originating from Lapland, Finland (hence the name).
But the Lapphund has since retired from reindeer herding into a more comfortable lifestyle of being close to family and friends.
These are incredibly friendly companions, and combined with their desire to please they excel in obedience and agility. However, they do require a lot of exercise and have a strong barking instinct, not to mention they can shed an impressive amount of fur.
15. Keeshond
The Keeshond is a highly affectionate and social breed – wanting to spend all their time with family and loved ones.
That also means you cannot leave this dog alone, or they’ll bark and become destructive.
Speaking of barking – they do that a lot.
You may have also noticed their exceptionally fluffy coat. They are certainly heavy shedders, similar to the Husky or Samoyed. Weekly brushing is absolutely required.
16. Shetland Sheepdog
”Shelties” have a long history of herding and working with farmers, making them incredibly hard working and fiercely intelligent companions.
It’s no wonder these dogs can always be found in the agility and obedience rings. They also have endless love for their family, and want to please their owners at every turn.
Sheltie herding instincts are still prevalent today, and they’ll have a strong desire to bark and herd whenever the situation presents itself. A lot of exercise and mental stimulation is required to keep them happy and calm.
Big Fluffy Dogs
17. Australian Shepherd
Aussies are literally party animals.
They have seemingly endless amounts of energy and are always up for a good time.
This is a working breed right down to their core. They live to work, learn, run, play, and herd. Rain or shine, this dog needs strenuous exercise.
Let’s talk about their beautiful coat. They come in a variety of colors and patterns, and their hair flows in the wind like a dream.
Keep a brush handy – this is a shedding double-coated breed. You’ll need a good undercoat rake and pin brush to keep shedding under control.
18. Bernese Mountain Dog
Bernese are big, silly, and lovable dogs that want to spend all their time with your family.
While still considered a working breed, the Berner is much more adaptable to a calm lifestyle, and eager to please their owners.
Their intelligence mixed with their desire to learn makes them very trainable, and they’ll fit in to your family routine quickly.
The only difficult part of owning a Berner is their size, which often exceeds 100 pounds. Sometimes they just don’t realize just how big they are and their silly behavior leads to accidents, but it’s all in good fun.
19. Bearded Collie
Bearded Collies are known for being quite active, intelligent, and happy! But they can often be a little too smart for their own good, and when bored they’ll go looking for trouble.
Often times this bad behavior can be curbed with a lot of exercise and mental stimulation, this is a working breed after all. In fact, Collies excel at obedience, agility, and rally and a perfect solution for owners to keep up with their canine’s active lifestyle.
20. Bouvier des Flandres
Powerful and fearless, the Bouvier is a true athlete among dogs. This is a working and herding breed originally used on farmlands.
They sometimes weigh up to 100 pounds, yet they can haul that weight around no problem with their fast legs. Daily exercise will keep your Bouvier content and out of trouble.
The Bouvier has a thick, and long double coat used to protect them from the outdoors. They require a lot of brushing and maintenance.
21. Eurasier
These are a unique (and very fluffy) breed originating in Germany, but are slowly gaining popularity around the world.
The Eurasier is a calm and affectionate companion. Their desire to please their owners makes them easy to train – which makes them a perfect family pet. Although they tend to be a little shy around strangers.
Their coat also needs a little extra love. The Eurasier is a heavy-duty shedder, and will need weekly brushing to have some level of control.
22. Great Pyrenees
The word “Great” in Great Pyrenees is no exaggeration; not only are these dogs beautiful, strong, and majestic, but are also physically great, standing 30+ inches tall and often exceeding 100 pounds.
Pyrenees were once used in mountains to guard sheep, so they can often be very stubborn and independent (as is their nature). However, they’re also known for their calm demeanor and devotion to family, which can lead to being very protective.
23. Leonberger
Leonbergers are giant, silly dogs with all sorts of personality, and they’re always looking for the next bit of trouble.
With all that size and energy they can certainly be a handful, and their goofy attitude might test your patience with training. The good news is they make up for it with their hilarious antics and endless affection for their family.
Despite their comedic tendencies Leonbergers are quite intelligent, and with a plenty of training and exercise these dogs can excel in competitions, and become a well trained family companion.
24. Malamute
The Alaskan Malamute is a strong working breed often used for sledding, hiking, and backpacking through the rough arctic terrain. They are the very definition of a large fluffy dog.
Because of their tendency to pull, dig, chase, and shed – these dogs are a handful in a family home.
They’re very independent and it takes years of training to overcome their stubbornness. With that being said, this dog isn’t recommended for first time owners.
25. Newfoundland
“Newfies” are 150+ pounds of love, and ready to be a big part of your family.
They are extremely loyal, calm, and are often touted as being a “gentle giant”. In fact, the only challenge to owning a Newfoundland is their sheer size, which also contributes to an incredible amount of drooling and shedding.
Given their temperament and strength, these are multi-talented working dogs, and are even used for rescue missions, human therapy, or to haul equipment in harsh terrains.
26. Old English Sheepdog
There’s no mistaking this thick shaggy coat, and just like the name states, this dog was used for herding sheep back in the day.
Although still a working breed, these dogs a quite content to live a more comfortable lifestyle. They’re affectionate, enthusiastic, and fiercely intelligent dogs. Mix all that with a desire to please their owners and you have a dog that’s ready to be your companion for life.
27. Rough Collie
That’s right, it’s Lassie. And just like the heroic dog from classic television – the Rough Collie is watchful, loyal, and intelligent.
They’re attuned to human emotion, and respond based on how you’re feeling at the moment. Making them natural therapy companions.
Grooming them is requires brushing right down to the skin twice per week. You’ll need to keep a close eye on matting. But a bath, blow dry, and brush from your groomer will keep their coat full and fluffed.
28. Samoyed
If you’re looking for a big, white, fluffy dog, then look no further.
Samoyed’s are a lovable, happy, and often “talkative” dog breed that will keep you smiling. They’re happiest when with their family, and doesn’t take well to being left alone.
They’re also known to have a high amount of energy, and for always being chatty with an assortment of barks, howls, and grunts.
This can be a problem for some families, as a bored Samoyed will become noisy and destructive. If you can accommodate their active lifestyle and constant need to “talk”, then you’ll find yourself with a lovable companion.
29. Tibetan Mastiff
The Tibetan Mastiff is a beast. They weigh up to 150 pounds and stand 30 inches tall. It should come as no surprise this giant breed was used to guard livestock.
But this giant dog also has a giant heart. They’re kind, patient, and love being a part of the family. However, they are stubborn, so early obedience training is essential.
And of course – let’s talk about that big fluffy coat. You’ll have your hands full with this one. Their fur is thick and densely packed. However, they are not heavy shedders.
Bathing and brushing typically require multiple people and a few hours of work (I know from experience).
What a “fluff”. So many fluffy dogs. Awesome!
I love looking at fluffy dogs but my parents wont let me have one I rather have no Christmas presents and get a dog
omg same I’ve been looking for a year and they won’t let me😭
Sooo fluffyyy!! I want to have one !
I think they forgot about the Siberian Husky
im a dogless dog lover which is sad
I would die for a fluffy cockapoo, cavapoo or cavachon it’s all I want! I’ve had no pets before and I would rather have no presents and get a dog instead, my parents say they are looking but I bet you I won’t get one:(
This was some cool dogglers!!!!!!!!!!!! 11!!!!
I want a fluffy dog