A dog’s tail can provide valuable information. Dogs may wag their tails to express excitement or show dominance.
They may hold their tail high when they are on alert, between their legs when they feel submissive, and straight out when taking in new information.
Although thickly-feathered tails are an adorable trait, the following dogs with fluffy tails all evolved their appendages for a purpose other than just being cute.
Dogs with Fluffy Tails
The majority of dogs on this list are of the Spitz variety, bred for life in bitterly cold climates, although the charming trait of a fluffy tail is certainly not exclusive to these breeds.
1. Samoyed
Average Lifespan: 12-14 years
Average Size: 35-65 pounds
Coat: long, double
The gorgeous Samoyed is a delight to behold, alternately said to resemble a smiling ball of fluff, a polar bear, and a gigantic snowball.
However, their beauty is utilitarian. Reared to endure the conditions of Siberia, where temperatures can drop below minus 60-degrees, they developed an abundant thick coat that is impenetrable by the cold.
Their trademark ‘Samoyed Smile’ also evolved with a purpose: the upturned corners of their mouth limit drooling, which prevents icicles from forming on their faces.
The Samoyed’s tail is also purposeful. When a Samoyed sleeps in frigid conditions, they curl up in a ball with the tail covering their muzzle and nose, its fluffiness keeping them warm during their resting hours.
2. Chow Chow
Average Lifespan: 8-12 years
Average Size: 45-70 pounds
Coat: medium, rough, smooth
A striking, bear-like breed, the Chow Chow has been traced back to the Han Dynasty of ancient China.
The ancestors of several other Spitz breeds including the tiny Pomeranian, Chow’s are admired for their ‘lion’s mane’ ruff of head and shoulder hair, and their regal bearing. Although sometimes aloof with strangers, their teddy-bear faces can light up any room.
A Chow’s tail is set high and close to its back. Similar to the Samoyed, a Chow in cold conditions will sleep in a ball and use its abundantly fluffy tail to cover its muzzle, preventing frostbite.
3. Siberian Husky
Average Lifespan: 12-14 years
Average Size: 35-60 pounds
Coat: medium, double
Famously beautiful and friendly, the Siberian Husky is an enduringly popular pup, and not just amongst the dogs with fluffy tails.
A Northern breed who have transcended their Arctic roots, they were bred in Northeastern Asia as sled dogs. Their thick coat is highly protective but less ‘floofy’ than that of some of their contemporaries, giving them a more streamlined silhouette.
Although many consider a curled tail a trait of the Husky, it is actually the result of breeding for aesthetics and is not ideal. A huskies tail should have a fox-like, ‘brushy’ appearance, hanging down between the hindquarters and only curving upwards when the Husky chooses to.
Huskies will curl their tails to prevent them from getting caught on things, or to signal an emotional state.
4. Pomeranian
Average Lifespan: 12-16 years
Average Size: 3-7 pounds
Coat: long, double
Dubbed the ideal companion dog, The Pomeranian is a tiny, spritely charmer and one of the world’s most popular toy breeds. A shrunken version of the Spitz sled dogs of the Arctic, the Pomeranian was bred as a companion dog who retained the elegant beauty of its larger ancestors.
The ongoing popularity of the Pom began when Queen Victoria became enamored with the breed while visiting Italy, and brought some back to Britain with her.
A Pomeranian’s tail is, ideally, a tight ‘bagel’ shape with abundant fluff. Many image-conscious owners enhance their pup’s cuteness by dyeing their tails with fun colors, but the tails can also signify a Pom’s mood and even health.
A Pomeranian with its tail down may be feeling unwell, anxious, or overtired.
5. Norwegian Elkhound
Average Lifespan: 12-15 years
Average Size: 48-55 pounds
Coat: medium, double
A robust canine with a striking appearance, the Norwegian Elkhound has a German Shepherd-esque face on a Spitz body.
A hunting dog that has been traced back to 5000 B.C, the breed was venerated in Nordic Culture. A noble companion to the Vikings, they guarded, herded, and hunted and were considered as indispensable as a sword and shield.
Legend claims that the curled tail of the Elkhound developed when an esteemed hunter named ‘Tore Ullin’ killed his enemy Kransen in a battle and became a hunted man by Kransen’s clan.
Tore went on the run with his Elkhound Bram, but found that Bram’s thickly-haired tail was always becoming covered in snow and ice, which slowed him down. Tore took Bram’s tail and tied it over his back with a leather strap, and subsequent generations all bore the curled tail.
6. American Eskimo Dog
Average Lifespan: 13-15 years
Average Size: 6-35 pounds
Coat: medium, double
The American Eskimo dog looks remarkably like a smaller Samoyed, and indeed the breeds are often mistaken for one another.
The Eskie, as they are known, is descended from the German Spitz, a working breed. The modern Eskie became popular in traveling circuses during the nineteenth century for their intelligence and agility, not to mention their thick, snow-white coat and heavily plumed tail.
Amidst the dogs with fluffy tails, they are a natural showstopper! Eskies have a high-set tail that curls upwards in the Spitz tradition and can resemble feathers splaying out from the back of their bodies.
7. Shiba Inu
Average Lifespan: 13-16 years
Average Size: 17-23 pounds
Coat: short, double
A venerated and ancient Japanese breed, the Shiba Inu skyrocketed in worldwide popularity after going viral as the ‘Doge’ meme.
Said to have existed since 300 B.C, the Shiba (meaning ‘Brushwood’) spent generations upon generations hunting in the rugged mountains of Japan before their accidental internet fame and immortalization as the face of a cryptocurrency.
Shibas possess feathered, fluffy dog tails, which, like those of their fellow Spitz breeds, developed to help cover their muzzles while they slept in freezing conditions.
8. Eurasier
Average Lifespan: 12-16 years
Average Size: 40-60 pounds
Coat: medium, double
As the Eurasier breed is a combination of the Chow Chow, Keeshond, and Samoyed breeds, its inclusion amongst the dogs with fluffy tails was inevitable!
Bred to be intelligent and independent, but also suitable as a family dog, the Eurasier is serene, gentle, and beautifully diverse in appearance. Their thick coat comes in an array of colors and they may have dark face masks or light ‘reverse’ masks.
The Eurasier has long, feathered hair covering their tail. Grooming needs for this breed are high, but as they have all the best qualities of the Spitz breeds, they are well worth the effort!
9. Finnish Spitz
Average Lifespan: 13-15 years
Average Size: 20-33 pounds
Coat: medium, double
The Finnish Spitz is a Shiba Inu look alike, who also shares the courage and liveliness of the more famous breed.
The national dog of Finland, the Spitz has a beautiful foxy face and a thick, golden-red coat. An exceptionally vocal breed, owners in Finland frequently hold competitions to crown a ‘King Barker’.
The gorgeous, feathered, tightly-curved tail of the Finnish Spitz is appropriately known as their ‘crown’.
10. Keeshond
Average Lifespan: 12-15 years
Average Size: 35-45 pounds
Coat: long, double
A symbol of Dutch patriotism, the Keeshond is a bear-like breed recognized for its unusual facial markings and copious fluff.
Previously known as the Dutch Barge Dog, the Keeshond has the dense double coat of its Spitz relatives. It is primarily differentiated from other breeds by its ‘spectacles’. This term refers to the shading around the eyes and dark line that slants from each corner of the eye.
The Keeshond has a tightly curved tail that lies flat and close to the body and is thickly feathered.
11. Newfoundland Dog
Average Lifespan: 9-10 years
Average Size: 100-150 pounds
Coat: medium, double
The Newfoundland is a powerful working dog and a sweet-natured companion and rounds out our list of dog breeds with fluffy tails.
Exceptional swimmers, Newfoundland’s have long been prized by Canadian fishermen. They have partially webbed feet and have earned a reputation for performing daring water rescues, a task they still carry out to this day.
Their thick, coarse outer coat is waterproof, and their considerable size (up to 150 pounds) does not impede their athletic prowess.
The Newfoundland’s heavily feathered tail acts as a ‘rudder’ and helps propel them through water. It does not have the curl of the Spitz breeds previously listed, as it developed to serve this singular purpose.