It’s so fluffy! Here’s a quick picture guide of the top small, medium, and big fluffy dog breeds, along with some breed info to help you get started with your perfect fuzzy companion.
Grooming Can Make All The Difference
With most breeds, the best way to maximize your dog’s fluffiness is simply done 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
Cheerful, loving, and a little trouble maker, the Bichon Frise has plenty of personality to share with everyone around her.
They share a lot of characteristics of a toy poodle, with their soft frizzy coat and toy face. The Bichon is described as affectionate, silly, and gentle. They prefer to be your full-time companion, so they do not like being left alone for long periods of time.
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. And that thick furry coat? It’ll need some daily brushing and the occasional bath, but isn’t terribly difficult to maintain.
4. Havanese
Havanese have the biggest heart of all, and they’re absolutely in love with you.
This is the epitome of a lapdog as they’re glued to your side and looking for a warm spot to nap at all times.
They’re quite adaptable to your lifestyle, but Havanese do not like being left alone and may bark and howl while you’re gone, which may make them difficult apartment dogs. They can be overly timid, but some early training and socialization can help curb their anxiety.
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.
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. With that in mind, the Pekingese are not well suited for families with small children, other dogs, or first time owners.
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
A sometimes overly confident trouble-maker (but it’s all in good fun) the Pomeranian is the star of their own show.
They can be described as confident, curious, and enjoy being treated like a prince (or princess).
Poms are a perfect accomplice to go on adventures with, as they enjoy spending their days following you around and genuinely enjoy new experiences. Just keep in mind they’re sensitive to heat and need to cool off every so often.
Their fluffy coat needs daily maintenance and brushing, and they can shed an impressive amount of hair for a small critter.
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.