20 Most Popular White Dog Breeds of Every Fluff and Size

White dog breeds may not seem plentiful at first glance but that’s down to the perception that we have when we are out in public. Think about the last time you walked down the street and noticed all the different dog breeds as they trotted past with their owners. Truthfully, how many dog breeds that you noticed were white dog breeds?

Probably not many, if any at all. True white dog breeds are difficult to come across. With crossbreeding being such a big thing as it is, there aren’t too many pure dog breeds out there in comparison. And a dog whose white coat is completely white feels very rare.

Explore the world of white pups, from tiny pups that average around 7 pounds in weight to hypoallergenic breeds for allergy sufferers!

What White Dog Breeds are There?

A wonderful question! There are actually quite a few white dog breeds that exist in the world, including white long hair dogs, as well as large white dog breeds and small white dog breeds. This isn’t a comprehensive list, but we’ve tried to include as many as possible to keep our readers informed but not overwhelmed. Therefore, you’ll find 20 different breeds across this post, including hypoallergenic dogs, large dogs, dogs that average 20 pounds, and tiny dogs, too.

Small White Dog Breeds

Great for homes that don’t have a lot of space or for people who prefer not to have a larger dog, small white dog breeds are a category that carries several adorable pups that we’re sure you’ll fall in love with. These smaller dogs are likely to be anywhere from 7 pounds to 20 pounds in weight.

Short-Haired Small White Dogs

1. Bull Terrier

Perhaps not the most conventionally “pretty” dog, the Bull Terrier certainly has a more unique look.

Originally bred to be a fighting dog, this is one of the more active small white dog breeds to own have. They have a lot of heart and are quite fearless. Above all else, this terrier is a small, independent ball of energy.

When considering giving a home to a Bull Terrier, ensure that you have plenty of space – particularly in your yard. A good-sized outdoor area will keep your Bull Terrier happy, and you should ensure that they get regular exercise several times a week.

Thankfully, they don’t have much of a coat, so cleaning off the muck from your garden won’t mean constantly going to the groomer’s and getting a huge bill. Your little terrier will be quite happy with a bath at home.

This breed is not considered hypoallergenic.

2. Chihuahua

A breed that gained a lot of its popularity from celebrities and the media (television shows and movies, especially, the Chihuahua is typically classified as a “toy” dog breed.

To be a Toy breed (whether they are small white dog breeds or other breeds entirely), dogs should be between four and twelve pounds in weight, and usually no more than 15 inches in height. These dogs are not used as working dogs (such as guard dogs) because they are so small. You’re more likely to find them being carried around in bags and dressed up. They’re a fashionable dog breed, essentially.

The Chihuahua has an average weight of three to six pounds, so they’re well within the limits to be called a Toy dog breed.

They aren’t hypoallergenic, but this small dog can be a great family pet if you’re looking for a lap dog rather than a more playful pup.

However, fully white Chihuahua dogs are not common. Their coat is usually some shade of golden brown to dark brown, so you might be looking at a bigger price tag if you were to buy a white Chihuahua.

Take a look at our review of Dog Food for Chihuahuas for more options.

3. French Bulldog

On average, a French Bulldog will weigh less than 20 pounds. As one of several small white dog breeds, the French Bulldog has its own characteristics that set it apart from other white dog breed pups.

These are very intelligent dogs that can be easily confused with terrier dog breeds. Though the French Bulldog isn’t extremely fluffy, these little dogs are great family pets that love a healthy amount of playtime.

Unlike the Chihuahua, the French Bulldog is more widely found with a white coat. Though having said that, the most common coat color is probably the fawn brown French Bulldog, and many of the white coat dogs of this breed will likely have another color or two within their coat. White and gray, for example, is a well-known coat colors for this breed. They aren’t hypoallergenic dogs.

Long-Haired Small White Dogs

1. Cavachon

Cavachon dogs are mixed breed pups that were created from crossing the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the Bichon Frise. People have found that they’re good hypoallergenic dogs to have.

They have a completely white coat, which makes them the first of the dog breeds we’ve introduced so far with no other colorations. As a fully white dog breed, they’re quite sought after, though they can be prone to separation anxiety.

As such, anyone considering one of these dogs from our small white dog breeds section should be certain that there will always be someone home with their white dog, and they should give their Cavachon plenty of time to adjust to their absence before leaving for a longer period of time. Basically, don’t suddenly go on a two-week holiday after spending every day or night at home with your small pup.

2. Havanese

The last of our long-haired, small white pups is the Havanese breed. Havanese dogs have silky white coats and will retain a good white coloration as long as they are regularly groomed, and are also hypoallergenic.

The reason that some Havanese dogs seem to have an off-white or yellow tone to their long fur is because they haven’t been taken to a groomer and washed recently.

Like the Cavachon and some other small white dog breeds, the Havanese need to be around their family. You shouldn’t adopt a Havanese if you’re planning on taking a lot of family vacations without your fluffy white dog. Separation anxiety in dogs is very serious, and you can cause a lot of undue stress to your pups if you don’t have the right information to help them cope.

Despite their anxiety, Havanese dogs are very active and love exercise. These fluffy white pups will thank you greatly for the time you give them from your life. Being part of a family is the best place for them. They may be small, but they are extremely fast and agile.

Large White Dog Breeds

Moving onto our larger dogs with white fur, the following white dog breeds are a mix of rough and tumble types and graceful-looking white dog breeds.

For a white dog that’s a little bigger but still as friendly and family-appropriate, why not look at these loyal and intelligent big white dog breeds. None of the large dogs listed are hypoallergenic.

Short-Haired Large White Dogs

1. American Bulldog

A highly recognizable American breed that has a bad reputation for no good reason. Like any dog, American Bulldogs have enough intelligent awareness to learn from their owners. It’s unfortunate that the few issues and attacks that involve American Bulldogs are so widely broadcast in America.

An American Bulldog is not a dangerous breed at all. They are actually a wonderful family dog to have and aren’t as aggressive as they’re made out to be.

Your American Bulldog can become a loving and loyal part of your family if you give them the love, affection, and training that they deserve. They aren’t hypoallergenic.

They can be quite large dogs, depending on their parents, diet, and their overall build. Most American Bulldogs will average a minimum of 60 pounds of weight, so it’s very possible to have a standard American Bulldog that is 85 pounds, 100 pounds, and this is completely normal. They usually top out around 120 pounds as a healthy weight for the breed.

2. Saluki

The Saluki is a dog with an unmistakable look. They may look like a crossbreed of a Greyhound and a lightly colored Golden Retriever, but they are a completely independent breed of their own.

They aren’t the best dog for new owners to adopt or for families to take on, nor are they hypoallergenic. A Saluki needs an experienced owner who can spend a lot of one-on-one time with them to ensure that they become a properly socialized member of society.

Otherwise, you’ll have a beautiful dog on your hand that will ignore you and runs off at the first opportunity. The worst thing about that is that this breed is prey-driven.

Long-Haired Large White Dogs

1. Golden Retriever

The typical lightly colored Golden Retriever would not be a fully white breed of dog. To match their name, most Golden Retrievers at least have a golden brown topcoat. The popularity of these dogs is very high because of how affectionate and loyal they are.

Beyond that, Golden Retrievers make great working dogs. They’re more of a medium-size than large.

The White Golden Retriever is not truly white, they are, in fact, a very light shade of gold. You will usually find this specific variation of the breed under English Cream, which is the name of the variant used to describe a “white” Golden Retriever. Despite the variation’s popularity, no, they aren’t really a fully white-coated dog. They also aren’t hypoallergenic.

However, that’s not to say that the full white variation of the breed doesn’t exist, it just isn’t recognized as a variation. Some Kennel Clubs won’t accept a white Golden Retriever because the judges of those shows do not believe that a fully white coat is an acceptable show of the Golden Retriever breed.

2. Great Pyrenees

Also known as the Pyrenean Mountain Dog, the Great Pyrenees is a large, white dog that is often used as a guard dog for livestock on farms.

These fluffy dogs have extremely friendly faces, though their powerful build is quite majestic to behold.

The Great Pyrenees is a friendly, well-mannered dog that is very suitable for home life, though they aren’t hypoallergenic. Their gentle nature is what makes them so attractive to larger families, particularly if the children in those families are well-behaved. No dog will put up with being bullied, but the Great Pyrenees has a fair bit of patience and they won’t hesitate to protect you once they’ve bonded to you. A loyal pup, for sure.

3. German Shepherd

Another well-known large family dog is the German Shepherd. With a similar average weight to that of the American Bulldog, your German Shepherd will average around 85 pounds for their weight.

This intelligent breed is another wonderfully loyal dog to have. With the correct training and proper socialization, a German Shepherd will become gentle, yet still fiercely protective of their family.

They are multi-talented dogs and were mostly employed as sheepherders for a number of years.

It’s actually quite strange to have a German Shepherd with white fur. The White Shepherd, as they’re known when they have a white coat, is a variety that was bred in the United States. In 1933, the standard of the breed in German was amended so that White Shepherds could not be registered. No breed of German Shepherd is hypoallergenic.

Similarly, White Shepherds cannot appear in Kennel Club shows in the United States, despite the variation of the breed being bred in America. They’re found to perform in UK shows, though.

Interestingly, the gene that makes a German Shepherd white is recessive.

The White Shepherd has a double coat. It’s straight and dense, though some of the breeds may appear to have a very fluffy white coat.

Fluffy White Dog Breeds

There are a couple more small white dog breeds that we’d like to highlight in this piece. This will include the ever-popular West Highland White Terrier, which is a well-known white dog breed that hails from Scotland.

Though fluffy dogs seem less likely to be hypoallergenic, you may be surprised by the hypoallergenic breeds in this section.

Small and Fluffy

1. American Eskimo Dog

Our first small fluffy white dog breed for this section is the American Eskimo Dog. The “Eskie” is a striking dog that has been labeled as one of the most beautiful dogs with a great amount of popularity.

Despite their name, they’re actually a Nordic breed of dog which comes from the Spitz breed family (like the Japanese Spitz and the Samoyed, among others). Many Spitz breeds are not hypoallergenic.

This little Spitz dog is an extreme white fluffy dog, with a fur coat so radiantly white that this intelligent Spitz breed could probably blend in with freshly fallen snow.

Although they are intelligent, American Eskimo Dogs are also very stubborn and capable of escaping in seconds if they aren’t properly tied up or fenced into your property.

2. Lhasa Apso

Groomed and with their hair grown out, these dogs resemble a mop of some kind (they’re hypoallergenic despite their long fur). Looking past that, you have yourself a highly intelligent dog.

They are not huge dogs at all. But they also don’t have a huge amount of popularity. In fact, the Lhasa Apso breed were more likely to be gifted than sold.

This wooly breed of dog is very affectionate, but only towards their owners and surrounding family. We wouldn’t recommend getting too close to strangers with this breed of pup. The lack of social manners is likely another reason that the popularity of this dog is lower than others.

3. West Highland White Terrier

Now here is a dog that ranks high on the list of popularity! The West Highland White Terrier, commonly called a “Westie”, is a small and very fluffy white-haired dog that does well in just about any household – especially because they’re hypoallergenic!

Their popularity is due to how well-mannered and well-tempered they are. This is, above all else, a perfect family dog breed. Whether you’re at home by yourself, whether it’s you and your partner, or if you have a small or large family – the West Highland Terrier will get along with everyone.

It takes a lot for this breed to show any aggressive emotion. They’re soft in personality and in looks.

And as a bonus, they’re fine in multiple dog households, too! You could have a small pack of dogs and your little Westie would fit right in.

Large and Fluffy

1. Hokkaido

Similar to the Japanese Spitz, the Hokkaido dog belongs to the Spitz breed family, which has plenty of dog breeds that have high numbers of popularity. This Japanese Spitz is also not hypoallergenic.

Like many Japanese dog breeds, they aren’t particularly big dogs and would be more suited to be called medium-sized dogs if that was a category we were using for the purposes of this post.

Hokkaido dogs have double coats, they’re intelligent and were once bred solely to help humans hunt bears. As such, they’re definitely one of the more active Spitz breeds.

As an owner, it will be your duty to start socializing your Hokkaido pup when they’re still quite young. Otherwise, you could find yourself with an overprotective dog that has a bit of a wild streak at their core.

2. Samoyed

This breed of dog is so incredibly fluffy that its fluffiness alone helps it rank high in popularity. People love fluffy dogs, especially hypoallergenic ones like the Samoyed!

You’ll find that there’s a lot of cross-over with the various duties this working dog has had in the past. Samoyed dogs were bred to herd, hunt, and used to pull sleds. In that way, they have some similarities to several other dog breeds, including Siberian Husky dogs. The Samoyed was bred in Northwestern Siberia, after all.

3. Siberian Laika

Speaking of Siberia, next is the Siberian Laika! These gorgeous pups share a lot of features with other Spitz dog breeds (such as not being hypoallergenic).

They’re more of a medium-sized dog, but their thicker coat of fur makes them look bulkier than they actually are.

The Siberian Laika breed is more often than not used for hunting. They’re a high-energy dog breed, though they aren’t aggressive towards humans. That said, it’s best to slowly introduce them to other pets that you may have or have a Siberian Laika as the only pet in your home.

Like all dog breeds, socialization is more important than popularity.

Hypoallergenic White Dog Breeds

It’s in this next section that we move on to a rather important topic: Hypoallergenic dogs.

The thing about hypoallergenic pets and their popularity is that there’s a lot of argument about their existence. There are no “true” hypoallergenic pets, but there are breeds of dog (and cat) out there that are bred to be more hypoallergenic than others.

To fully understand this, you should know that any allergy to a dog is usually caused by a certain protein that is present in that dog’s bodily fluids. Here are two breeds that are known for being hypoallergenic: The Bichon Frise and the Maltese.

1. Bichon Frise

The hypoallergenic Bichon Frise may look like it’s going to set off your allergies, but because of the Bichon Frise’s fur type, it doesn’t shed much.

Sometimes, what a person is allergic to isn’t the dog, but the pollen in their fur or the protein from their saliva on their fur. As long as you wash your hands after petting your Bichon, the hypoallergenic Bichon Frise could be the dog for you.

2. Maltese

One of the Toy dog breeds, the Maltese has silky white fur and is labeled as a hypoallergenic dog, hence the Maltese dog’s popularity.

Maltese enjoy barking, but they’re incredibly intelligent and crave affection. Maltese do suffer from separation anxiety, though, so be sure that you don’t leave them alone for long periods of time. You may come home to find a few things chewed up…

As far as hypoallergenic dogs go, this hypoallergenic breed is certainly one of the most lovable and friendly. They’re one of our favorite white dog breeds.

For more options head over to our guide on Dog Food for Maltese.

Affectionate White Dog Breeds

A quick mention of our last two dog breeds. These affectionate dogs will easily win a place in your heart or in any popularity contest.

1. Coton de Tulears

Not a very well-known breed, the Coton de Tulears dog comes from the island of Madagascar. There, they are referred to as the Royal Dogs of Madagascar and have a high amount of popularity in the country. They’re also hypoallergenic!

2. Siberian Husky

For popularity mixed with fearlessness and cuteness, there’s the Siberian Husky – another dog with a double coat. Double coat dogs will shed their bottom layer of fur twice a year. They’re a big white fluffy dog, to say the least.

Siberian Huskies have long belonged to the list of loyal dogs that retain their popularity even as time goes on.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q: Are white dogs rare?

A: Yes and no. It really depends on the breed. For a dog breed that is naturally white, the rarity level is a lot lower than a dog that is white but has recessive white coat genes (like the white German Shepherd) and was originally bred to gain that white color.

Q: Do white dogs have more health problems?

A: It’s not usually the fact that they have a white coat that causes health problems, it’s the breed of the dog.

For example, take any brachycephalic dog breed (such as a Bulldog). Because of the way these dogs were bred, they will suffer from lifelong breathing difficulties. White fur may be a recessive gene in some breeds, but it’s not usually the sole cause of health issues.

Q: Are white dogs more aggressive?

A: Not at all. Any dog that is aggressive got that way because of their owners (either their previous ones or their current ones). Dogs have trauma, the same as any person can, and they lash out when they’re scared.

Q: Are all-white dogs prone to deafness?

A: Not all white dogs are prone to deafness but it is a factor. This is because the piebald gene which causes their white coats (a lack of pigment melanin) can also cause congenital deafness in dogs who carry that gene.