Dog Breeds with Double Coats: Fluffy Friends

There are many double coated dog breeds on the planet and all of them are gorgeous. From working dogs right through to toy breeds, some boast easy maintenance coats whereas others need a lot of grooming to keep things looking good. However, the one thing you should never do is shave a dog with a double coat because you would take away valuable protection.

What is a Double Coat?

Dogs with double coats boast and undercoat and an outer coat. In short, their coats are made up of long, guard hairs under which there is a denser, woollier and usually much softer undercoat. The denser the undercoat happens to be, the fluffier a dog's coat tends to be and the more grooming they need to prevent tangles and mats from forming.

The outer guard hairs serve to repel any moisture and they help get rid of any dirt whereas the softer undercoat acts more as an insulation that keeps dogs warm during the colder winter months and cooler when the weather is hot in the summertime. As such, a double coat should never be shaved because it takes away the barrier that protects dogs from the damaging UV rays of the sun.

Breeds that Boast Double Coats

Spitz type dogs all boast double coats and the majority of these attractive looking canines having been bred as working and herding dogs. However, there are some toy breeds which also boast double coats and these are included in the list below:

• Akita
• Alaskan Husky
• Alaskan Malamute
• American Eskimo
• Chinook – a rare breed
• Chow Chow
• Finnish Spitz
• Finnish Lapphund
• German Spitz
• Icelandic Sheep Dog
• Keeshond
• Korean Jindo
• Norwegian Elkhound
• Norwegian Lundehund
• Pomeranian – toy breed
• Shiba Inu
• Siberian Husky
• Samoyed
• Swedish Lapphund

Herding Dogs That Boast Double Coats

Most herding dogs have double coats with some breeds boasting longer and thicker ones than others. Herding dogs need this type of coat because it provides the much needed insulation when the weather is bad. The following breeds all boast double coats:

• Australian Cattle Dog
• Australian Shepherd
• Rough Collie
• Smooth Collie
• Bearded Collie
• Belgian Sheepdog
• Beauceron
• Belgian Malinois
• Belgian Tervuren
• Briard
• Bouvier des Flanders
• Canaan Dog
• Pembroke Corgi
• Cardigan Welsh Corgi
• German Shepherd Dog
• Norwegian Buhund
• Old English sheepdog
• Polish Lowland Sheep Dog
• Puli
• Shetland Sheepdog
• Swedish Vallhund

Among the fluffier breeds of herding dogs are the gorgeous Shelties whereas the rougher double coated dogs include the Rough Collie and the Aussie.

Working Dogs With Double Coats

There are many working dog breeds that boast double coats some of which are incredibly fluffy which includes amongst others the Pyrenean. Others in the group include the following:

• Bernese Mountain Dog
• Black Russian Terrier
• The Entlebucher Mountain Dog – a rare breed
• Pyrenean Mountain Dog
• Komondor
• Kuvasz
• Leonberger
• Newfoundland
• Saint Bernard
• Tibetan Mastiff

These working dogs need to have double coats because as working animals they often had to be out in harsh conditions in unforgiving areas of the world. Their lovely dense coats gave them all the protection they needed to keep warm in the wintertime and cool during the hotter summer months.

Sporting Dogs With Double Coats

Most sporting dog breeds need double coats because they spend a lot of the time in and around water. Their coats provide them with the much needed protection and keeps moisture off their backs when they have to retrieve game from marshlands and other watery environments.

• American Water Spaniel
• Boykin Spaniel
• Chesapeake Bay Retriever
• Golden Retriever
• Labrador Retriever
• Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
• Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

Hounds that Boast Double Coats

Hound breeds also boast double coats because they too need all the protection they can get when they are out and about hunting or tracking down other animals. Among the many breeds with double coats is the gorgeous web footed Otterhound.

Terrier Breeds With Double Coats

Many terrier breeds also boast double coats because they too need all the protection this offers them when they are out hunting or digging in holes which is something terriers were bred to do. The terrier breeds with double coats include the following:

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

Toy Breeds with Double Coats

Lots of toy dog breeds have double coats too. These little dogs typically boast very fluffy coats which makes them such gorgeous lap dogs. The breeds with double coats include the following:

• Havanese
• Pomeranian
• Shih Tzu
• Tibetan Spaniel
• Yorkshire Terrier

Conclusion

Some breeds with double coats don't need an excessive amount of grooming whereas others do in order to keep their coats tangle-free. The fluffier a coat tends to be, the higher maintenance they are, but with this said, some dogs with rougher coats boast dense, thick and softer undercoats which means they need to be regularly groomed or their coats can become matted or even felted. The other bonus of regularly grooming your dog, is that it means less hair is left around the house!