Quick question: what’s better than a dog? Dogs that look like bears, duh! The internet has gone wild over the past year for super fluffy enormous dog breeds, which have all the cuteness of baby bears - with none of the danger. And, obviously, all of the wonderful benefits of a dog!
If you’re thinking of adopting one of these enormous adorable fluff balls for yourself, you’ll firstly want to make sure you’re 100% ready for a dog. With that out of the way, you can start to get excited about which breed you’ll choose!
Or perhaps you’re not dog shopping and just love looking at pictures of gorgeous bear-dog hybrids. We totally understand. Either way, read on for the low-down on the biggest, cuddliest and fluffiest dog breeds around…
Chow Cow
Think dogs that look like bears, think Chow Chows. This Northern Chinese dog breed is known in its native country as the Songshi Quan, which translates as “puffy-lion dog” – and it’s not hard to see why! With more fluff than you’ll ever know what to do with, Chow Chows make the perfect teddy bear cuddle companions.
Image credit: rabendeviaregia on Flickr.
Maremma Sheepdog
Maremma Sheepdogs aren’t the most well-known breed in the world, but they gained a moment of fame earlier this year when three Maremma puppies were found alive in the rubble of an Italian hotel. Those three adorable fluff balls captured the hearts of the world, and it’s not hard to see why! With the temperament of your beloved border collies but about five times the fluff, we predict that this breed is about to get a whole lot more popular.
Image credit: Simone on Flickr.
Tibetan Mastiff
Tibetan Mastiffs were originally bred to protect sheep from wolves and (you guessed it) bears in the Himalayan Mountains, so perhaps it’s not surprising that they’re so bear-like themselves! These noble dogs are as beautiful as they are loyal, and are always much loved by their owners. Make sure you’re ready for a serious commitment if you do decide to adopt a Mastiff, however – they need an awful lot of exercise!
Image credit: mathiasbert on Flickr.
Ovcharka
Also known as the Caucasian Shepherd Dog, Ovcharka’s were bred in the mountains of Russia – so we probably don’t need to tell you that these are some super tough dogs. With enormous heads, big ol’ paws and some of the thickest fur you’ve ever seen, you’d genuinely be forgiven for mistaking them for bears. Luckily, their lovely temperaments mean that they wouldn’t mistake you for food!
Image credit: Harold Meerveld on Flickr.
Newfoundland Dog
Newfoundland’s have wonderful, bear-like faces – how can you resist those great big brown eyes!? Bred in Newfoundland (surprise surprise) they’re used to cold temperatures and hard work, as they were bred to help pull nets for fishermen. With super sweet temperaments, these great big fluff balls are far more teddy bears than grizzlies.
Image credit: Doug Brown on Flickr
Alaskan Malamute
Even bigger than their husky counterparts (it’s often easy to get these breeds mixed up), Alaskan Malamutes are perhaps more wolf than bear – but how could we neglect to include them? As with many of the other breeds on this list Malamutes were bred as working dogs, which perhaps accounts for their super strength and size. Their coats are actually double coats, making them a strong contender for the crown of Fluffiest Bear-Like Dogs Of All.
Image credit: Brandon on Flickr
Akita
This Japanese breed has become incredibly popular over the past few years, and – like many other dogs we’ve featured here – was bred to be a working dog in the mountains. As they grow, Akitas become slightly leaner and more dog-like, but when they’re puppies these dogs are basically identical to teddy bears! Altogether now: aww.
Image credit: Alden Chadwick on Flickr
Pomeranian
Okay, so we realise this is a bit of a curve ball, as Pomeranians could certainly never be accused of being ‘large’! These pint-sized pups could never really be mistaken for bears, obviously, but how much do these little tiny balls of fluff resemble miniature bear cubs?! So, if you fancy a bear-like dog without any of the actual bear-ness, Pomeranians are the breed for you.
Image credit: youngthousands on Flickr
Are you lucky enough to own any of these super snuggly breeds? We’d love to see pictures! Tag us in your doggy Instagram snaps with #SnoozerUK, and we’ll feature our favourites.
