Although their long, luxurious locks require regular grooming to keep them looking their
best, you can take pride in the beauty and silkiness of these small dogs’ coats.
Let’s check out our Top 10 Luxurious Long Haired Small Dog Breeds.
10.
Long-haired Chihuahua
The diminutive Chihuahua comes in two different coat varieties: smooth coat and long coat.
Even though the Long Haired Chihuahua will require more grooming than its short-haired
but otherwise identical analogs, its coat is still relatively low-maintenance.
A comb and brush through about once a week is generally enough to keep them looking luxurious.
The Long Haired Chihuahua does shed a bit, but it is not excessive like some double-coated
or larger breeds that simply have more hair to shed.
The coat of the Long Haired Chihuahua will not need trimming either, as it stays the
same length throughout much of the life.
However, long-hair Chihuahuas are not born with long hair.
If you want more detail about Chihuahuas, check out the playlist in the card.
9.
Havanese
There is no such thing as a smooth-coated Havanese.
Well, not naturally anyway.
This companion breed from the island nation of Cuba, more specifically Havana, from which
it borrows its name, has a coat that can be straight, wavy, or curly, and grows to 6 to
8 inches in length.
Like its other Bichon cousins, like the Bichon Frise and Maltese, the Havanese is considered
hypoallergenic.
It’s not to say they can’t or don’t cause allergic reactions, but they are less
prone to do it than other dog breeds.
The Havanese’s fur grows quickly and without brushing it at least a few times a week, can
become tangled and matted.
The Havanese doesn’t shed; the hair just gets caught in the coat, so it needs to grooming
regularly.
The Havanese doesn’t have a dog odor on the plus side, making it a perfect cuddle
companion.
You can check out small dog breeds that love to cuddle in the description.
8.
Maltese
Also a Bichon breed and also from an Island nation, the Maltese shares many of its Cuban
cousin’s traits.
Although we often see Maltese with short hair cuts like the puppy cut, they can grow hair
long enough to puddle on the floor under the dog.
The shorter cuts decrease the amount of daily brushing you have to give your dog and gives
them that perpetual puppy look or even a teddy bear with its dark eyes and little black nose
contrasting nicely with its solid white coat.
Fun fact - Their cute black button nose can turn pink if the dog doesn’t get enough
sun.
The noses of a female can also turn pink when she is in heat.
7.
Shih Tzu
Often the butt of jokes for people who like wordplay (guilty), the Shih Tzu is an adorable
and ancient small companion dog who’s loved the world over.
The Shih Tzu’s hair will grow to the ground and grows about half an inch per month, although
most household owners keep them in a shorter puppy cut for an ever-adorable look.
With deep roots in ancient Chinese royal history, the Shih Tzu’s regal coat rules them all.
The words Shih Tzu mean “Little Lion,” and its mane attests to that.
Fun fact - The Shih Tzu was likely given this name because of its association with the Tibetan
Buddhist God of Learning, who, according to legend, traveled with a small lion dog that
could transform into a full-sized lion.
6.
Chinese Crested Powderpuff
I have a Facebook friend who is enamored by the Chinese Crested, and I know why.
They are adorable.
The Chinese Crested, a lively and alert toy breed standing between 11 and 13 inches high,
can be hairless or coated called Powderpuff.
Of course, we are concerned with the coated variety here.
The Chinese Crested Powderpuff maybe one of those best-kept secrets of the dog world.
It looks much different from the breed’s hairless variety, sometimes called a Dr. Seuss
dog.
The hairless variety can resemble some of the famous children’s author and illustrator’s
unusual characters.
But, they are indeed the same breed and can occur in the same litter of pups.
The Chinese Crested Powderpuff variety has a silky, thick double coat consisting of a
straight, silky outer coat and a short wooly undercoat.
There is little shedding, so you will not find hairs all around your home, but this
means that the coat can mat easily.
These dogs need daily brushing, and a weekly bath is often recommended to keep them looking
and smelling fresh.
5.
Japanese Chin
If you want a small dog with long hair that is clean and doesn’t require baths often,
the Japanese Chin might be the dog you are looking for.
They do shed, but weekly brushings will keep the hair from flying around your house.
The Japanese Chin has an abundant coat that's silky to the touch.
Its coat is moderately long with a thick mane, feathered ears, a plumed tail, feathering
on the back of the front legs, and light feathering resembling culottes on the rear legs.
The head, face, and forelegs are covered with short hair.
This Chin is elegant and dainty, mild-mannered, and playful.
They adapt well to apartment life and even take to novice pet parents with ease.
They also have a habit of climbing, and you may be surprised when you find your pup atop
the most unusual high places in the home, surveying their domain.
It is catlike in many ways.
Fun fact - Most experts believe the Japanese Chin actually originated in China.
The theory is the Japanese Chin and another famous Chinese breed, the Pekingese, were
once the same.
The Japanese Chin and the Pekingese still share the same characteristic of a flat face,
but the Japanese Chin has straighter legs, a squarer body, and a thinner coat.
Japanese Chin probably came to Japan as gifts from the Chinese emperor.
4.
Lhasa Apso
Lamas (Tibetan priests) are reputed to reincarnate as Lhasa Apsos if they don’t reach Nirvana.
The Dalai Lamas not only kept Lhasas as pets but also used them as gifts for honored guests.
Well, you know, there are worst things you could come back as than a Lhasa Apso.
This regal long-haired dog is hardy, friendly, assertive, and affectionate with loved ones.
Their long coat parts at the spine and falls straight on either side, just shy of floor
length.
No trimming or stripping is needed, although they require brushing about once a day to
keep their coats from matting when in full coat.
Some owners opt to cut the coats short for easier grooming and lower maintenance.
3.
Pomeranian
Not all long-haired dogs have fur that hangs to the floor like the Lhasa Apso.
The Pomeranian coat is best described as fluffy rather than flowing.
A Pomeranian’s thick double-coat of fur is one of its most defining features.
Ideally, it will be tightly packed, thick, strong, and soft to the touch.
It’s a Spitz breed, after all, like the Siberian Husky.
While grooming is not tricky, breeders recommend that it happens daily to maintain the coat’s
quality and because of its thickness and the constant shedding, with trimming every 1–2
months.
The outer coat is long, straight, and harsh in texture, while the undercoat is soft, thick,
and short.
The coat knots and tangles easily, mainly when the undercoat is shedding, which happens
twice a year.
2.
Tibetan Spaniel
The animated and curious Tibetan Spaniel was bred ages ago for sentinel work on the walls
of Tibetan monasteries, barking to alert of approaching strangers and animals and known
for a flat, silky coat and “lion’s mane” around its neck.
Are they Spaniels?
No.
They are indeed from Tibet.
Tibbies are an unmistakably Asian breed, with the same ancient DNA that produced the Pekingnese,
Pug, and Lhasa Apso.
In Tibet, Tibbies are referred to as “Simkhyi,” ehhh… it’s on the screen... which means
housedog, room dog, or bedroom dog.
This is in harmony with the Tibetan Spaniel's lifestyle of keeping monks and lamas company
in their day-to-day lives.
The Tibetan Spaniel has a silky double coat that's smooth on the face and the front of
the legs and moderately long on the rest of the body.
The ears, tail, and backs of the forelegs and buttocks have longer hair, and a mane
of long hair (sometimes referred to as a shawl) surrounds the neck.
The Tibetan Buddhists were really fond of “lion dogs.”
1.
Yorkshire Terrier
Just when you were starting to think this list was about Asian dogs, we take a trip
to jolly ol’ England to visit the Yorkshire Terrier or York Shire Terrier if you really
want to get hazed in the comments by less than beguiled Brits.
You do realize the mispronunciations are not always unintentional, right?
Winky face.
Anyway, Yorkshire Terriers come in two different types of coats.
Some of them have silky coats; others possess wavy and woolly coats.
In a Silky coat, the hair is fine, long, smooth, straight, and shiny.
A Silky adult coat is desirable in Dog shows and competitions but might not be the most
desirable for people wanting a household pet.
The second type, known as the woolly or wire coat, is wavy, dense, and looks woolly.
Though this coat is also composed of hair, it does not grow long, unlike the silky coat.
The cotton or wavy coat sheds more than the silky coat but requires less grooming.
Either coat covers a friendly, loving, and affectionate dog that excels as a family companion
or as a therapy dog.
That video was shorter than I thought it would be.
Get it?
Hey, you’ve got time to watch some more videos.
Here’s some.
You might as well smash that subscribe button for more.
And as always, catch ya next time.