There are few things more beloved than a puppy dog. Dogs have remained our most loyal companions, trusted confidants, stress relievers, and source of emotional support. Not only are we so fond of our furry friend’s sweet disposition, but their cuddly fur, and adorable looks make them even more lovable.
Dogs, like people, come in all shapes and sizes. The large dog breeds with long hair may seem intimidating with their bigger posture, and shaggy fur, but they are often more mellow than their smaller counterparts.
Here, we are showcasing 15 of the most popular large dog breeds with long hair for you to review.
The 15 Different Large Dog Breeds With Long Hair
Owning a dog with longer hair certainly has its added perks, and can be quite easy, and manageable as long as you perform simple, daily maintenance. However, these breeds do require frequent, typically daily, brushing with a high-quality brush to avoid matting, and knots in their coat.
Setting aside a few minutes each day ensures that the quality of life in large, long-haired dog breeds is supported by maintaining healthy hygiene.”
1. Old English Sheepdog
Height: 22 inches – 24 inches
Weight: 60 pounds – 100 pounds
Life Expectancy: 10 years – 12 years
The Old English Sheepdog is a very large, eye-catching dog. Its fur is quite puffy, almost resembling that of a snowball. This breed, in particular, is probably among the largest when speaking of long-haired dogs with an impressive size.
As their hair is quite poofy, and unruly, it is important that Old English Sheepdogs receive regular haircuts, and professional grooming, especially to keep their hair out of their eyes. If their hair is not well maintained, this would result in shaving of their coat, which can have a negative impact on this canine.
Despite having so much hair, this breed sheds very infrequently, which may be a positive for some dog owners looking to avoid this.
2. Afghan Hound
Height: 25 inches – 27 inches
Weight: 50 pounds – 60 pounds
Life Expectancy: 12 years – 14 years
When mentioning large dog breeds with long hair, the Afghan Hound certainly deserves a place on this list. They actually don’t have fur, but long, straight hair that is constantly in a state of growth, much like human hair.
Their coat is silky, and comes in a variety of colors ranging from white to brown. Unlike other breeds, they do not have an undercoat, and therefore, produce minimal shedding, if any at all.
This certainly does not mean that there is limited care, as their hair is fast-growing, and requires frequent trimming, bathing, and daily care to maintain a beautiful shine. This breed is actually hypo-allergenic, and therefore, a chosen favorite among pet owners with these concerns (and even for those without).
3. Briard
Height: 22 inches – 27 inches
Weight: 50 pounds – 90 pounds
Life Expectancy: 10 years – 12 years
Another form of a Sheepdog, the Briard is a large, furry French canine. Similar to the Sheepdog, their eyes are often covered by their fuzzy coat, and they are often described as having a mustache and a beard.
Of all large dog breeds with long hair, this canine is certainly not to be missed.
To avoid matting, and knotting in their furry coat, brushing, and combing should be a part of their daily grooming routine. Trimming the fur around their eyes, paws, and other necessary areas is also necessary to maintain proper health.
Without proper grooming, their undercoat can become matted right down to the skin, and therefore, require shaving, which is unfortunate for not only the dog, but the owner as well.
4. Irish Setter
Height: 22 inches – 26 inches
Weight: 53 pounds – 71 pounds
Life Expectancy: 12 years – 15 years
The Irish Setter has been described as a beautiful breed, with its luscious, shining coat, and shockingly gorgeous mahogany hues. With a coat this stunning, it is necessary to comb your Irish Setter daily with the appropriate brush to avoid knotting in their long fur.
Their fur is fine in texture, and should remain long, so minimal trimming should be executed, but can be done for maintenance. Of all large dog breeds with long hair, this breed has more shedding, and therefore, is not ideal for those looking for a low-maintenance canine.
5. Komondor
Height: 25 inches – 30 inches
Weight: 110 pounds – 130 pounds
Life Expectancy: 10 years – 12 years
This breed is the Hungarian Sheepdog and is certainly giant in its physical mass and the amount of its hair. Its hair is very unique, as it is wrapped in ‘cords,’ which begin to form naturally as the dog ages.
While their coat does not require grooming, it certainly is not maintenance-free. These cords do need to be cleaned, and washed to ensure proper hygiene. This breed is not hypoallergenic, as their cords are formed from a canine-fur. However, they only shed seasonally, which may be ideal for some pet owners.
6. Caucasian Shepherd Dog
Height: 26 inches – 30 inches
Weight: 100 pounds – 110 pounds
Life Expectancy: 10 years – 12 years
The Caucasian Shepherd Dog is one of the more distinguished large dog breeds with long hair. Large in mass, and amount of fur, this breed is certainly not to be missed. As their coat is quite thick, it should be brushed a couple times per week to remove any loose or dead hairs.
This breed only sheds once annually, and therefore is low maintenance as far as shedding is concerned.
7. Scottish Deerhound
Height: 28 inches – 30 inches
Weight: 80 pounds – 100 pounds
Life Expectancy: 8 years – 11 years
The Scottish Deerhound is a unique breed when discussing large dog breeds with long hair, as they are quite thin in mass compared to other breeds.
Their coat, although long, is thinner, and fine in texture, and does not hang down such as that for other breeds. Although their hair in and of itself does not require much care, their skin may become quite dry as it is exposed to more elements without additional hair.
8. Leonberger
Height: 26 inches – 31 inches
Weight: 90 pounds – 160 pounds
Life Expectancy: 8 years – 9 years
Out of all the extra-large dog breeds with long hair, the Leonberger certainly fits this description the best. They have a thick, full coat, almost resembling a bear, and shed more than most breeds.
Due to their heavy shedding, this breed should be brushed frequently to remove dead hairs and to maintain the hygiene of their coat. As their coat is quite thick and long, they certainly are not a low-maintenance canine, but are equally adorable and likable.
9. Bernese
Height: 25 inches – 26 inches
Weight: 84 pounds – 110 pounds
Life Expectancy: 6 years – 8 years
Similar to the Leonberger, the Bernese is a large breed with a thick, heavy coat, which sheds frequently. This breed requires daily brushing, and care of their coat to prevent matting, and knots, especially to their undercoat.
Frequent bathing with proper soaps should also be incorporated into their care routine to retain their deep coloring, and shine of their coat.
10. Belgian Shepherd
Height: 24 inches – 26 inches
Weight: 65 pounds – 70 pounds
Life Expectancy: 10 years – 14 years
The Belgian Shepherd has long, straight, and thick hair that comes in a variety of colors. As other large dog breeds with long hair, this furry friend has an undercoat which also requires attention and care to maintain ideal health.
As their hair feels hard to the touch, it is important to find the correct brush for this breed to ensure that their coat is well cared for. They shed twice annually, which is quite common for most large dog breeds with long hair.
11. Black Russian Terrier
Height: 25 years – 28 years
Weight: 80 pounds – 150 pounds
Life Expectancy: 10 years – 11 years
Black Russian Terriers are similar to other large dog breeds with long hair. Although they do not shed often, they do require extensive care in the way of grooming, brushing, and bathing to ensure that their coat is well maintained, and tangle-free.
Their hair tends to grow excessively around their eyes, and ears, and it is important that these areas are checked frequently, and cared for to ensure optimal health. Keeping up a grooming routine can also help ensure that your home is filled with less unwanted pet hair, or even hair-free!
12. Borzoi
Height: 26 inches – 28 inches
Weight: 55 pounds – 100 pounds
Life Expectancy: 7 years – 10 years
The Borzoi is another slimmer version of these mentioned large dog breeds with long hair. Although quite thin in stature, their hair is long, thick and silky, and can be straight, or wavy.
To keep their hair in its most natural state, it is important to brush their coat frequently. The Borzoi will actually groom themselves, but does require bathing. This breed sheds depending on their gender. While female dogs shed seasonally, the males only shed annually.
13. Gordon Setter
Height: 23 inches – 27 inches
Weight: 45 pounds – 80 pounds
Life Expectancy: 10 years – 12 years
Gordon Setters are distinctly beautiful dogs with unique markings, and long, flowing hair. As their hair can grow quite long, it is important to ensure that it is trimmed around their eyes, face, ears, and feet so that the Setter can live, and play comfortably.
This also ensures that their coat can grow back in a healthy state. This breed sheds quite frequently, due to the excessive rate at which their hair grows, and to ensure that their coat can maintain its beautiful quality.
14. Newfoundland Dog
Height: 27 inches
Weight: 99 pounds – 130 pounds
Life Expectancy: 8 years – 10 years
The Newfoundland Dog is a fan favorite of all the mentioned large dog breeds with long hair. Their distinctive markings, and beautiful, thick coat are not only pleasant to look at, but require extensive love and care.
They require frequent bathing and brushing to prevent knotting in their fur, and trimming to maintain its long length. They also shed quite frequently, and unpredictably, and require frequent clean-up of their fur.
15. Tibetan Mastiff
Weight: 90 pounds – 120 pounds
Height: 26 inches – 28 inches
Life Expectancy: 12 years – 15 years
Last but certainly not least on our list of large dog breeds with long hair is the Tibetan Mastiff.
This fuzzy breed is akin to a teddy bear with its fuzzy fur, and puffy coat. Considering their coat is so thick, it requires near daily brushing to prevent knots, and damage to the undercoat.
Surprisingly, this breed sheds very minimally, which is often seen as an advantage for so many dog owners.