Some dogs carry coats that brush the floor. Others grow tight cords that look like dreadlocks, or a mane thick enough to double as a winter scarf. Long haired dog breeds cover an enormous range of looks, sizes, and grooming demands, and picking the right one means understanding what that coat actually asks of an owner from puppyhood onward.
All of them, from the four-pound Papillon to the 150-pound Newfoundland, belong to the same species, Canis lupus familiaris. The coat differences between them come down to genetics that control hair length, texture, and density, not anything separating them biologically. What separates a Yorkshire Terrier’s silky fall from a Komondor’s corded mop is generations of selective breeding for a specific job, climate, or look.
This lineup walks through 31 long haired dog breeds recognized in the United States, with a look at coat type, temperament, and the grooming routine each one realistically needs. A few, including the Newfoundland and Bergamasco, come in solid black, so families searching for black dog breed characteristics alongside a flowing coat will find several strong candidates here too.
| Size Category | Example Breeds | Typical Grooming Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Toy | Papillon, Maltese, Pekingese | Daily brushing |
| Small | Yorkshire Terrier, Shih Tzu, Lhasa Apso | Daily to every other day |
| Medium | Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Keeshond, Puli | 2-4 times weekly |
| Large | Golden Retriever, Rough Collie, Chow Chow | 2-3 times weekly |
| Giant | Saint Bernard, Newfoundland, Irish Wolfhound | 2-3 times weekly, more during shedding season |
1. Afghan Hound
The Afghan Hound is one of the most recognizable long-haired sighthounds, prized for a flowing coat that frames a narrow, aristocratic face. According to the American Kennel Club, this breed developed its signature silky fur in mountainous regions where it had to endure cold winds and rugged terrain, which shaped both its coat and its endurance.
The Afghan Hound’s luxurious coat requires daily brushing to prevent tangles and maintain its smooth, flowing appearance. Owners who love the look of a horse’s long, silky mane will notice a similar upkeep philosophy in this breed, and the long-haired horse breeds comparison is closer than it first sounds. This is not a low-effort dog, and it tends to suit experienced, patient owners more than first-time dog parents.
2. Yorkshire Terrier
The Yorkshire Terrier, or Yorkie, packs a glossy, silky coat and a big personality into a five-to-seven-pound frame. Petfinder notes that certain long-haired dog breeds actually shed very little, like the Yorkshire Terrier and Portuguese Water Dog, which makes this toy breed a common pick for apartment living in cities across the country.
Left untrimmed, a Yorkie’s coat can grow long enough to touch the floor, though most pet owners keep it shorter for easier daily care. Regular brushing is still non-negotiable, since the fine, straight hair mats quickly around the ears and legs without it.
3. Lhasa Apso
The Lhasa Apso is a small, confident dog from Tibet with a heavy, floor-length double coat and a noticeably bold personality for its size. Bowwow Insurance describes Lhasa Apsos as confident and charismatic small dogs with a long, flowing coat, an alert expression and a surprisingly bold nature.
Originally bred as a watchdog for Tibetan monasteries, the Lhasa Apso still tends to bark at strangers before warming up to them. The coat needs daily attention to stay tangle-free, and many pet owners opt for a shorter “puppy cut” to cut grooming time significantly.
4. Bearded Collie
The Bearded Collie is a shaggy, medium-sized herder from Scotland built to work outdoors in rough weather. Wag Walking explains that if you want a medium-sized canine kid with the ability to herd as well as guard while still being a loyal family companion, the Bearded Collie may be a good fit, since their long flowing coat is shaggy and thick, protecting them from the cold and rain.
That thick double coat sheds only lightly but tangles easily around the legs and belly, so weekly brushing sessions are a must. Bearded Collies are playful and energetic, which makes them a good match for active families who don’t mind muddy paws tracking through the house after a rainy walk.
5. Saint Bernard
The Saint Bernard is a giant, gentle mountain dog best known for its association with alpine rescue work and its famously drool-heavy jowls. Petfinder describes the breed as intelligent, even-tempered and gentle, a devoted companion who excels as a family dog, with grooming needs that call for brushing three times a week.
Because of their size, Saint Bernards need a carefully managed diet to avoid rapid growth spurts that stress developing joints. Owners looking for safe snack options between meals can check which produce is appropriate with a guide to fruits dogs can eat before adding anything new to a giant breed’s routine.
6. Golden Retriever
The Golden Retriever carries a feathered, water-repellent double coat that sheds moderately year-round with heavier blowouts twice a year. Unlike its close cousin the Labrador Retriever, which falls into short-haired dog breeds territory, the Golden’s longer feathering on the ears, chest, and tail needs a proper slicker brush a few times a week.
Goldens are famously easygoing family dogs, patient with children and quick to bond with other pets. The coat is more about volume than length, but neglecting it for even a couple of weeks leads to matting behind the ears and along the hindquarters.
7. Irish Wolfhound
The Irish Wolfhound is the tallest dog breed recognized by most kennel clubs, wrapped in a rough, wiry-textured long coat rather than a silky one. Yahoo Creators notes that long-haired dog breeds stand out for beautiful flowing coats, distinctive appearances, and varying grooming, exercise, and care needs, and the Wolfhound is a clear example of that variety.
Despite the imposing size, this breed is famously calm and gentle indoors, earning it a reputation as a “gentle giant” among sighthounds. The coat needs weekly brushing and occasional hand-stripping to keep its texture correct, though it’s far less demanding than an Afghan Hound’s silky fall.
8. Old English Sheepdog
The Old English Sheepdog is instantly recognizable for its shaggy, profuse coat that often covers its eyes entirely. FunnyFuzzy’s grooming guide groups it with breeds that have a shaggy coat, like the Bearded Collie or Old English Sheepdog, both of which need serious brushing commitment.
This breed’s dense double coat mats extremely fast if brushing is skipped for even a week, particularly behind the ears and around the tail. Old English Sheepdogs are playful, bear-like, and generally good with kids, but new owners are often surprised by just how much grooming time the coat demands.
9. Poodle
The Poodle comes in Standard, Miniature, and Toy sizes, all sharing a dense, curly coat that grows continuously rather than shedding out seasonally. That trait puts Poodles high on most lists of low-shedding dog breeds, which is part of why the breed remains popular with allergy-sensitive households.
Because the coat never stops growing, Poodles need a trim every four to six weeks along with brushing several times a week to prevent matting. Highly intelligent and trainable, Poodles also do well in obedience and agility work when their grooming needs are managed consistently.
10. Berger de Brie (Briard)
The Briard, or Berger de Brie, is a French herding breed with a coarse, wavy double coat that grows long and thick over its entire body. Reader’s Digest reports that Briards have a distinctive double coat that is mostly straight with slight waves and grows at least six inches long, and while their hair naturally repels dirt and water and sheds infrequently, these dogs still need thorough brushing at least once a week.
Briards are protective, loyal, and often described as having a strong herding instinct even in family settings without livestock. Some Briards carry a solid black coat, another option for households drawn to black dog breed characteristics in a working-dog package.
11. Bernese Mountain Dog
The Bernese Mountain Dog is a large Swiss breed with a striking tricolor coat that combines black, rust, and white in a thick, silky double layer. This giant breed is affectionate and calm with families but has a notably shorter average lifespan than many long-haired breeds, a fact worth researching alongside other dog breeds with longer lifespans before committing to one.
The coat sheds heavily during seasonal changes and needs brushing two to three times a week to manage loose hair around the house. Bernese Mountain Dogs also tend to overheat in warm climates, so summer months require extra attention to shade and hydration.
12. Rough Collie
The Rough Collie is the long-coated variety most people picture when they think of the Collie breed, made famous by the Lassie films. Wag Walking notes that Collies come in two varieties, a smooth or short coat and a rough or long coat, and the rough coated Collie has long and thick locks that most people think of as the look of the breed.
Rough Collies are alert, loyal, and gentle with children, making them a strong family choice for households ready for a thorough weekly brushing routine. The mane-like ruff around the neck needs the most consistent attention to prevent matting.
13. Maltese
The Maltese is a tiny toy breed with a long, silky white coat that resembles human hair more than typical dog fur. Because that coat produces less dander, Maltese are frequently grouped with hypoallergenic-leaning breeds, in the same conversation as several longhaired cat breeds that are marketed similarly to allergy-sensitive owners.
Left long, the coat needs daily brushing to prevent tangles near the eyes and ears, though many pet owners keep it trimmed short for practicality. Maltese are affectionate, alert, and generally do well in small living spaces, including apartments.
14. Shih Tzu
The Shih Tzu is a small companion breed with a long, dense double coat that grows straight down from a center part along the back. Petfinder’s grooming notes explain that the Shih Tzu’s long, flowing coat requires daily brushing and needs trimming about once a month to stay manageable.
Originally bred as palace companions in China, Shih Tzus are friendly, outgoing, and generally patient with children, which keeps them popular as family pets in the United States. Most pet owners choose a shorter “puppy cut” once they realize how much daily upkeep the full-length coat demands.
15. Pekingese
The Pekingese carries a mane-like coat that gives it a lion-in-miniature appearance, a look tied directly to its history as Chinese imperial court dogs. Dogster describes the Pekingese as known for being regal, with a mane-like coat similar to a lion, a comparison that holds up the moment you see one in full coat.
While trimming the Pekingese’s coat shorter is possible, many owners prefer letting it grow to its fullest, most luxurious potential, though trimming it every so often is still best to keep it looking neat. The breed is dignified, a bit stubborn, and generally not built for high-energy exercise, making it a better match for calmer households.
16. Long-Haired Dachshund
The Long-Haired Dachshund carries the same low-slung, sausage-shaped body as its short-haired relatives, just wrapped in soft, wavy, silky fur instead. Spot Pet Insurance sums it up well: imagine a sausage covered with long silky, smooth-flowing hair walking on four small legs, and if you think it’s only a coat type, you’re wrong, since the temperament often runs a touch calmer than the wire-haired variety.
This coat variation comes from a specific recessive gene, and owners curious about the exact ancestry behind it can dig deeper into what breeds make a long-haired Dachshund. Weekly brushing keeps the feathering on the ears and legs free of tangles.
17. Komondor
The Komondor is a large Hungarian livestock guardian instantly identifiable by its thick, white corded coat that looks like a mop of dreadlocks. According to one breed guide, the Komondor displays strong protective instincts and a deep sense of loyalty, and its unusual appearance is closely tied to its working history, where the corded coat helped it blend in with sheep flocks while protecting them from predators.
The cords form naturally as the puppy coat mats and separates over the first year or two, and once set, they never need brushing in the traditional sense. Instead, owners must manually separate the cords by hand every few weeks and bathe the dog carefully, since a corded coat traps water and can take a full day to dry.
Pro Tip: Corded breeds like the Komondor and Puli should never be brushed with a standard slicker brush once cords have formed. Hand-separating the cords regularly and using a diluted, low-residue shampoo prevents the felted mats from becoming permanent, matted lumps.
18. Irish Setter
The Irish Setter is a striking, mahogany-red gundog with a silky, feathered coat and an energy level to match its striking looks. This is a breed built for movement, and owners sometimes notice quirky repetitive behaviors in high-drive dogs like this one, which is worth reading up on through a piece on why dogs chase their tails.
The feathering on the ears, chest, legs, and tail needs brushing two to three times weekly to stay free of burrs and tangles, especially for a dog that spends much of its time outdoors. Irish Setters are friendly, exuberant, and generally not suited to a sedentary lifestyle.
19. Australian Shepherd
The Australian Shepherd, despite the name, was actually developed in the western United States as a ranch dog for herding livestock. Its medium-length double coat comes in striking merle, black, red, or tricolor patterns, and the breed sheds heavily twice a year during seasonal coat changes.
Aussies are whip-smart, high-energy, and thrive with a job to do, whether that’s herding, agility, or simply a demanding daily exercise routine. Twice-weekly brushing keeps the feathering on the legs and britches manageable between the bigger seasonal blowouts.
20. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is a small, affectionate spaniel with silky, feathered fur and famously soulful eyes. Reader’s Digest quotes veterinarian Laura Robinson describing the breed this way: “The Cavalier King Charles spaniel might be the sweetest breed of dog there is. They are great companions and are very affectionate and intelligent.”
This medium-size breed comes in four distinct color patterns, requires weekly grooming sessions at home and sheds occasionally. Cavaliers are one of the most popular choices for families with young children thanks to their gentle, easygoing temperament.
21. Samoyed
The Samoyed is a fluffy, all-white Arctic breed originally bred by Siberian herders to pull sleds and guard reindeer, and its perpetual “smile” comes from the upturned corners of its mouth. FunnyFuzzy warns that a Samoyed can leave clouds of loose hair during seasonal coat blow, which is an understatement for anyone who has lived through it.
The thick double coat needs brushing several times a week year-round, with daily attention during the two major shedding seasons each spring and fall. Samoyeds are friendly, vocal, and generally not a great fit for owners who can’t tolerate a house dusted in white fur.
22. Chow Chow
The Chow Chow is a dense-coated Chinese breed known for its scowling expression, blue-black tongue, and a mane-like ruff around the neck. The breed’s thick, off-standing double coat comes in red, black, blue, cinnamon, or cream, giving black dog breed fans another option with a genuinely lion-like profile.
Chow Chows are independent, dignified, and reserved with strangers, more cat-like in temperament than most dogs on this list. Twice-weekly brushing is the baseline, with more frequent sessions needed during the breed’s seasonal shed.
23. Portuguese Water Dog
The Portuguese Water Dog has a dense, curly or wavy single coat that sheds very little, a trait that made the breed famous when the Obama family chose one for the White House. That low-shed profile puts it firmly among low-shedding dog breeds, alongside the Poodle it’s sometimes mistaken for.
Bred to work alongside Portuguese fishermen retrieving nets and herding fish, this breed is athletic, intelligent, and genuinely loves water. The coat needs brushing two to three times a week and a trim every couple of months to prevent the curls from matting.
24. German Longhaired Pointer
The German Longhaired Pointer is a versatile hunting dog with a moderately long, feathered coat that sheds seasonally but resists mud and brambles well in the field. It shares ancestry with two more familiar American hunting breeds, and comparing notes on what breeds make a German Shorthaired Pointer and what breeds make a German Wirehaired Pointer helps explain how the three coat types diverged from related pointer lines.
This breed remains rare in the United States compared to its shorthaired cousin, but it’s gaining slow recognition among hunters who prefer the extra coat protection in cold, wet terrain. Weekly brushing is usually enough to keep the feathering free of debris.
25. Keeshond
The Keeshond is a medium-sized Dutch spitz breed famous for the distinctive “spectacles” marking around its eyes and a thick, plush double coat. The American Kennel Club describes the breed as an amiable, medium-sized spitz dog of ample coat, once a fixture on the canal barges of its native Holland and a symbol of Dutch patriotism.
The coat’s mix of silver, gray, black, and cream shades forms a dramatic ruff around the neck and shoulders, and the breed sheds heavily during seasonal changes. Keeshonden are friendly, alert, and vocal, making them better watchdogs than their fluffy appearance suggests.
26. Bergamasco Sheepdog
The Bergamasco Sheepdog is a rustic Italian herding breed whose coat forms into flat, felted mats called flocks rather than the round cords seen on a Komondor. The AKC’s breed profile explains that the Bergamasco has three kinds of hair in its coat: a short, dense, oily undercoat for waterproofing, a straight, roughly-textured “goat hair,” and a woolly outer coat.
- A fine, oily undercoat that repels water
- Coarse “goat hair” that helps form the flocks
- A woolly outer layer that binds the mats together
That “goat hair” description isn’t just a figure of speech; anyone who has handled coats on goat breeds with long hair will recognize the texture immediately. Flock formation is a slow, hands-on process that takes years, and this breed suits owners committed to that long grooming timeline.
27. Puli
The Puli is a Hungarian herding breed best known for its dense, corded coat, which the breed standard describes with unusual precision. The Puli Club of America’s AKC standard notes that the Puli is a compact, square appearing, well balanced dog of medium size, vigorous, alert and active, with a striking and highly characteristic shaggy coat.
The Puli is a solid-colored dog that is usually black, though other less common coat colors are white, gray, or cream, making it another strong option for anyone specifically hunting for black dog breed characteristics in a working-dog temperament. Cord maintenance mirrors the Komondor’s routine: hand-separating rather than brushing.
28. Skye Terrier
The Skye Terrier is a low-slung, long-bodied Scottish terrier with a straight, hard outer coat and a soft undercoat that together produce a distinctive floor-length drape. Originally bred to hunt foxes and badgers in the Scottish Highlands, this breed combines terrier tenacity with an unusually calm, dignified demeanor for the group.
The long coat parts naturally down the spine and needs brushing two to three times a week to prevent matting, particularly around the legs and chest. Skye Terriers are loyal to their families but often reserved with strangers, a trait that makes early socialization worthwhile.
29. Newfoundland
The Newfoundland is a massive, water-loving working breed with a thick, coarse double coat and an unmistakably gentle temperament. Dogster notes that these dogs are massive, fluffy creatures with sweet natures, loyal companions, affectionate with children, and great with other dogs.
The main challenge with this breed is that grooming can be time-consuming, since brushing and bathing a Newfoundland with such a large body and long fur is quite the event. Most Newfoundlands are solid black, though brown and Landseer (black-and-white) variations exist, making the breed a giant-sized entry on any list of black dog breeds for families.
30. Papillon
The Papillon is a tiny toy breed named for its butterfly-shaped ears, fringed with a long, silky coat that never forms an undercoat. Toy breeds like this one often live remarkably long lives compared to giant breeds, a pattern worth exploring through a broader look at dog breeds with the longest lifespans.
Despite the delicate appearance, Papillons are surprisingly athletic and excel in agility competitions. The single coat sheds lightly and needs brushing just two to three times a week, making it one of the lower-maintenance long-haired breeds on this list.
31. Bolognese
The Bolognese is a small Italian companion breed with a fluffy, single-layer white coat that falls in loose, open ringlets rather than lying flat. According to Wikipedia’s breed summary, the distinctive single coat falls in loose open ringlets or flocks all over the body, with shorter hair on the face, and the texture is woolly rather than silky.
Bolognese dogs are considered non-shedding, so low to mild allergies can be expected around them, which makes this one of the more allergy-friendly picks on the list despite the full coat. Gentle, affectionate, and closely bonded to their families, Bolognese dogs need regular brushing to keep those woolly ringlets from felting into mats.
Choosing among these 31 long haired dog breeds really comes down to matching coat type and grooming tolerance to daily life. A corded coat like the Komondor’s or Puli’s asks for a completely different weekly routine than a silky Yorkshire Terrier or a wash-and-wear Portuguese Water Dog, even though all three technically qualify as long-haired. Anyone weighing the tradeoffs against a lower-maintenance option might also want to browse short-haired dog breeds before making a final decision, since coat length is only one piece of the ownership picture.