No doubt dog breeds with long hair are the luckiest breeds to win extraordinary human affection and love because of their alluring and fascinating luscious look that is soothing to pat and good to feel. Although grooming and manicuring a dog with long hair is a daunting task for the pet owner, it pays them back in the form of feeling pride in their pet’s gorgeous luscious look. If you crave to add a dog from one of the dog breeds with long hair to your family, you must be ready to invest your spare time in maintaining and grooming your dog’s meticulous grooming.
We will talk about five dog breeds with long hair, their specialties, and requirements to maintain their majestic and thick coat, and associated problems.
5 Best Dog Breeds with Long Hair
Afghan Hounds
Weight
20-27Kg
Hight:
24-29 inch
Color:
Blue, gray, tricolor, red, fawn, white, black, and Gold.
Age:
12-14 years
Appearance:
This breed seems model-ready for a catwalk because of its gorgeous dignified look, muscular body structure, exotic face, and more extended hair than any other dog breed. The Afghan hound is a regal dog breed with aristocratic lineage and majestic look bred in the mountains of Afghanistan because of its fascinating features. A thick coat of long silky hair all around its body resembles a beautiful girl’s shiny, soft hair. Its silky, flowing coat means more than just alluring humans as it keeps it resistant to the harsh cold environment in mountains and deserts.
Temperament:
The Afghan hound is Aloof, sweet, and somewhat silly. It is friendly with immediate people but snubs the strangers and fits itself best as one of the family-friendly dog breeds with long hair, primarily as one person dog.
Activities:
Afghan hounds love to run behind everything they deem as their prey, and this sighthound is bred to catch prey in mountains and deserts. They need spacious rooms and heavy activities to burn off pent-up energy and to sustain their athletic body.
Grooming:
Long hair require more grooming, and it’s a must to brush or comb their hair daily; bathing regularly will be more advantageous to maintain a spectacular look of the coat. But their long fur doesn’t shed mostly except during adolescence.
Diseases:
Cancer, anesthesia, bloating, skin allergies, Juvenile Cataracts, and Hypothyroidism.
Silky Terrier:
Weight:
Ten ponds
Height:
23-26 cm
Color:
Tan and blue
Life span
11-14 years
Appearance:
Silky terrier is a small dog with a big personality with a tan, blue silky long-haired elegant coat. Their long soft flowing hair make them among the gorgeous dog breeds with long hair. Although their fur is flowing, it’s always above the ground and conforms to the body, the major perk. Under the delicate silky coat is a brave and robust dog with a rugged personality. It’s a warn-off intruder toy breed dog but is never afraid of romping with mighty dogs. So, a unique combination of glossy and tough personality make silky terriers one of the best dog breeds with long hair.
Temperament:
Joyful, playful, but challenging character, always deeming to hang out on an adventure and ready to bear challenges. Playmates of kids, and affectionate just for family members but snub strangers. Snubbing and barking at strangers make them a good fit for watchdogs but unsuitable as guard dogs because of their small size and gentle look. They can’t bear other dogs and pets nearby, so they are not much socialized.
Activities:
Love vermin hunting, and serve the duty of unpaid gatekeeper. Adventure and hanging out with the owners is on the top of their wish list. Mental exercise and Moderate physical exercise but not the strenuous activity is must to keep them healthy. Silky terriers love to chase cats, squirrels, and rodents and dig the lawn.
Grooming:
Although they are among the list of dog breeds with long hair, they are easy to handle as far as grooming is concerned. Brushing their coat daily will maintain the natural look of the coat.
Health issues:
- Legg calve Perthes (head of the femur starts disintegrating due to insufficient blood supply)
- Patellar luxation
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Tracheal collapse
- Epilepsy
Shih Tzu
Weight:
4-7kg
Hight:
20-28 cm
Color
Black, white and gray, red and gray, and black and white
Lifespan:
10-11years
Appearance:
Shih Tzu is a perky toy breed dog with a relatively little muzzle and a long body compared to height. They are honored for spending their life in warming up the laps of Chinese Emperors for years. A thick silky double coat with long hairs characterizes it among the best dog breeds with long hair.
Temperament:
Perky, happy, and never mind temperament is unique to Shih Tzu. They are outgoing, sometimes obstinate, and the best toy-sized dog breed suitable for loyal and truly adventurous companionship. They are easy to befriend even with strangers and can bear other pets without any offense.
Activities:
Shih Tzu are famous for playing indoor games. They will never mind if you bring them for hiking and along the seashore.
Grooming:
The long silky hair of Shih Tzu will lose their charm if not adequately groomed, especially if they touch the ground. Thanks to their very low to no coat shedding characteristic, you won’t see their hair on the bed and sofa but brushing their hair daily is a must. But they mat heavily sometimes.
Health issues:
- Susceptible to heatstroke because of their short nose
- Prone to Wheezing, snoring, and dental issues
- Allergies (contact, food, and inhalant allergies)
- Hip dysplasia (formation of hip socket leading to pain and lameness)
- Patellar luxation (Dislocation of Kneecap and crippling)
- Bladder problems
- Eye problems, ear infections, and snuffles (plaques lead to difficulty in teeth growing)
Bergamasco shepherd dog
Weight:
32-38 Kg
Hight:
22-24 inch
Colors:
Silver, black, fawn, white, merle, and cream
Life span:
Almost 15 years
Appearance:
A robust and rustic dog having a solid body defines Bergamasco shepherd dog as a whole. Bergamasco dog has a long, thick matted lock that covers the whole of its body, especially on the posterior part of the dog’s body, and the hairs on the forepart of the body form a coarse and rough ringlet of wavy hairs. To be honest, they look like a mess-up dog with a matted lock. The shaggy and think wavy coat protects them under extreme weather and predators.
Temperament:
They are gentle, patient, friendly, and attention seeker like a baby among the dog breeds with long hair. They feel more than happy while surrounded by people, and someone cares about them. Its super-low coat shedding makes it the best choice for pet owners allergic to dog shedding.
Activities:
Bergamasco is an Italian dog breed initially involved in herding sheep and goats and as a guard dog in the Italian Bergama region. But nowadays, this dog breed with long hair is becoming more popular for companionship in the family and as a show dog. Tons of exercise is not a must; playing with kids and supervising kids can fulfill their exercise requirements.
Grooming:
Its shaggy mop-like coat can deceive you; it’s surprising to know that it sheds skin significantly less, and you don’t have to groom its matted coat very frequently. Bathing after some days is enough, but nail clipping is a must.
Health issues:
Just like its appearance, it’s a robust and healthy breed and is not susceptible to many diseases except
Hip dysplasia
Bloating rarely
Komondor Dog-A unique dog breed with long hairs
Weight:
50-60 Kg
Height:
30 inches, may vary
Color:
White
Life span: 10-12 years
Appearance:
Komondor is a Hungarian sheepdog meant for protecting livestock and other properties. It is well-known among dog breeds with long hair due to its long, corded and striking mop-like coat. Its long coat is counted as the heaviest canine coat so far. However, its heavy coat is soft, fluffy and the wavy coat curls with age with a soft undercoat and coarse outer lock. Its inner and outer coats form tassels and cords within two years.
Temperament:
It is meant for livestock and property guarding, so its temper is not more different than other dogs for livestock guarding purposes. This fluffy dog is calm and gentle until there is no danger but goes furious as it approaches or sniffs any sign of trouble. It is meant to make decisions independently to handle the situations and is the best dog among dog breeds with long hair. Surprisingly enough, it’s affectionate, playful, and gentle with the kids and but snubs strangers. But it’s very, very hard to train the Komondor dog and is obstinate, but overall is a good dog among the dog breeds with long hair.
Grooming:
It needs high grooming because of its long, mop-like, and shaggy hairs. Its coat is prone to messing up if left uncared. So, develop a habit of regular brushing and shearing up the coat at least twice a year. Bathing at least once a week can make your dog’s double coat free of dust and soft, but it isn’t easy to dry it off. So, you must invest your free time in dog grooming if you want a Komondor dog, which is one of the best dog breeds with long hair, as your guard dog.
Health issues:
- Hip dysplasia
- Eye problems
- Juvenile Cataracts
- Gastric torsion and bloating
Activities:
As mentioned early, Komondors enjoy guarding livestock, and 20-40 minutes of daily exercise is a must to maintain their fitness.
Conclusion:
Dog breeds with long hair are fascinating to look at, and most of them are best companions. You can feel pride in the gorgeous look of your dog not just to show off but also because of their lot of other amazing characteristics and ability to bear harsh weather conditions.
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