12 Best Fluffy Dog Breeds — our top picks
Golden Retriever
Golden Retriever: very high grooming needs, very high shedding and large-sized — the thick, plush coat people picture — and the brushing it demands. Beautiful, gentle retriever with flowing coat. Outstanding family companion with high intelligence and eagerness to please. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Golden Retriever needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Newfoundland
Newfoundland: very high grooming needs, very high shedding and giant-sized — the thick, plush coat people picture — and the brushing it demands. Canadian water rescue dog with sweet temperament. Gentle, patient, and excellent swimmer. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Newfoundland needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Samoyed
Samoyed: very high grooming needs, very high shedding and medium-sized — the thick, plush coat people picture — and the brushing it demands. White Arctic spitz with smiling expression. Gentle, friendly, and excellent family companion. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Samoyed needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Old English Sheepdog
Old English Sheepdog: very high grooming needs, high shedding and large-sized. Large shaggy herding dog with bear-like appearance. Gentle giant with playful personality. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Old English Sheepdog needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Irish Setter
Irish Setter: very high grooming needs, high shedding and large-sized. Beautiful red coat and exuberant personality. Athletic and energetic with a playful, sometimes mischievous nature. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Irish Setter needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Bernese Mountain Dog
Bernese Mountain Dog: high grooming needs, very high shedding and large-sized. Large, gentle Swiss working dog with a striking tricolor coat. Known for their calm temperament, intelligence, and strong desire to please. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Bernese Mountain Dog needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Siberian Husky
Siberian Husky: high grooming needs, very high shedding and medium-sized. Medium-sized Arctic sled dog with striking appearance. Energetic, friendly, and excellent endurance athlete. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Siberian Husky needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
English Cocker Spaniel
English Cocker Spaniel: very high grooming needs, medium shedding and medium-sized. Merry, active spaniel with beautiful coat. Smaller than American Cocker but with more hunting drive. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the English Cocker Spaniel needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Saint Bernard
Saint Bernard: high grooming needs, very high shedding and giant-sized. Swiss rescue dog with gentle giant temperament. Patient, friendly, and excellent with children. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Saint Bernard needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Belgian Tervuren
Belgian Tervuren: very high grooming needs, very high shedding and large-sized. Elegant Belgian Shepherd with long coat. Intelligent and energetic herding dog with strong work ethic. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Belgian Tervuren needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Keeshond
Keeshond: high grooming needs, very high shedding and medium-sized. Dutch barge dog with fox-like face and spectacles markings. Friendly spitz breed with moderate exercise needs. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Keeshond needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Pomeranian
Pomeranian: very high grooming needs and very high shedding. Fluffy spitz toy with fox-like face and confident attitude. Alert and lively despite their small size. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Pomeranian needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
How this ranking works: each of DoggyQ's 321 breeds is scored on the traits that decide this particular question — the same trait ratings shown on each breed's own guide page, so you can check the reasoning rather than take a ranking on faith. Read more about our methodology, or take the free quiz for a ranking based on your own answers.
Popular breeds that are a poor fit for fluffy-coat lovers
Chihuahua (Smooth Coat)
The Chihuahua (Smooth Coat) is a popular choice, but very low grooming needs and very small-sized put it at odds with fluffy-coat lovers. On top of that, the Chihuahua (Smooth Coat) is vocal, which matters if you share walls.
Cane Corso
The Cane Corso is a popular choice, but very low grooming needs put it at odds with fluffy-coat lovers.
Doberman Pinscher
The Doberman Pinscher is a popular choice, but very low grooming needs put it at odds with fluffy-coat lovers. On top of that, the Doberman Pinscher needs serious daily exercise, and gets destructive without it.
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Find your perfect matchFrequently asked questions
- What is the fluffiest dog breed?
- Based on temperament and care needs, the Golden Retriever ranks as the top choice for fluffy-coat lovers, followed by the Newfoundland and Samoyed.
- How was this list of dogs for fluffy-coat lovers chosen?
- Each breed is scored on the traits that matter most for fluffy-coat lovers — such as energy, size, grooming and temperament — using DoggyQ's breed database. For a recommendation tailored to your exact situation, take the free quiz.
- Which popular breeds are a poor fit for fluffy-coat lovers?
- The Chihuahua (Smooth Coat), The Cane Corso, The Doberman Pinscher all rank near the bottom for fluffy-coat lovers despite being widely chosen — usually because the traits that make them appealing elsewhere work against them here.