These lovable mop dogs sure look like they’ll keep your kitchen floor clean!
The Bearded Collie is originally a Scottish cattle herding dog that needed long, shaggy fur to keep them warm. These dogs are exceptionally energetic, great with highly active families, and like to take long walks or runs.
You probably don’t think your kitchen mop is the cutest item you’ve ever owned. But somehow, the dogs on this list have found a way to look almost precisely like mops and still look so adorable!
If you own a dog that you think looks like a mop and you want to know which other breeds look like mops – or you’re just a general dog lover – then you’ll appreciate this list!
The Komondors’ ancestors were bred to help guide Hungarian shepherds. This fact is why its alternate name is Hungarian sheepdog.
A side note: If your dog’s hair completely covers their eyes, you should consider getting a trim. They cannot see easily through their eyes, just as you cannot see easily through your hair.
Can Mop Dogs See through their Hair?
Are you able to see through your thick bangs? No? Then how can your dog? When you uncover your dog’s eyes, you’re making life better for them! Sure, that’s an obvious thing to state. However, many dog owners don’t realize why that is important.
With their vision unhindered, a pup can navigate the world without colliding into things. Moreover, they would also be able to communicate with their fellow dogs. A dog’s main method of communication is body language.
Besides preventing clumsiness, there are other reasons to remove the fur from your dog’s eyes. Even partially obscured vision can be a problem for them. Dogs miss out on the information only available to them through visual perception.
Additionally, some breeds are naturally easy to surprise or startle. They would find the world much less scary if they can see the threat coming. They aren’t taken by surprise and, thus, won’t react out of fear. Small dogs, for instance, can get snappy when startled. Trimming the hair back from their eyes can help prevent that.
There’s one more reason for trimming the fur around your dog’s eyes so that you can see them. Not only are they lovely, but much of the affection your canine companion displays for you is through their eyes. Why would you want to miss that?
Finally, when you let fur hang over your pooch’s eyes, it can get into their eyes. Therefore, you might be putting them at risk of getting an infection. Furthermore, the fur can scratch their eyes. In both cases, leaving the eye unclean would cause your fur baby pain or result in serious damage!
Mop Dogs: 6 Unique Dog Breeds With Dreadlocks
If you have a fondness for fluffy dog breeds, you might have seen a dog resembling a mop at the park or on the internet. Such dogs are unique and rare to find. Their striking appearance can be astonishing, thanks to their coats that look like household mops.
So, what type of dog breeds are these mop lookalikes, and are they suitable to adopt? Here’s a list of 10 dogs that look like a mop you may want to consider.
The Bergamasco Sheepdog is a rare breed that hails from the cold and snowy regions of the Italian Alps. These dogs have shaggy coats with thick, flat flocks to protect them from the harsh mountain climates.
Bergs have their origin as herding dogs and have helped farmers in herding livestock, especially sheep.
Unlike other mop dogs, Bergamascos’ coats come in three layers to help them survive the harsh climate and predator attacks. The undercoat is made of short, slick hair, while the other consists of long, wiry hair. The topcoat is long and curly, making the dog look like a mop.
Despite their mop-like coat, these dogs can regulate their temperature during warm and cold seasons. Their shaggy coats fall over their face, covering their eyes. As a Bergamasco parent, you should not worry about its coat covering the eyes. The coat protects these dogs from snow blindness.
Bergs are intelligent, independent, and family-friendly. They’re good to train and will pick commands easily. Their gray-to-black coats make them look dirty. However, coloring helps the dog blend with the Alps’ rocky surroundings.
If you’re worried about how to groom this dog, Bergamasco’s matted flocks of fur occur naturally and hardly require maintenance. The mop-like looks occur between its second and fifth years. Bergs can live up to 15 years, making them ideal for dog parents who prefer breeds with a long lifespan.
If you ask dog enthusiasts about dogs that look like a mop, they’re likely to mention the Komondor. These dogs have long cords that develop naturally throughout their body. If you encounter this dog for the first time, you may mistake it for a walking mop. The dog has fabulous dreadlocks that are soft to the touch.
The Komondor (Hungarian sheepdog) is a Hungarian dog that was bred as a guard dog to protect sheep from wolves. The dog’s coat helps it to blend with sheep and surprise the unsuspecting predators. Its thick corded coat is white and protects it from the harsh winter climate in Hungary and predators’ sharp teeth and nails.
Komondor is also a large dog, weighing between 80-100 pounds. Its distinctive cords weigh over 10 pounds.
Because the Hungarian sheepdogs are guard dogs in nature, they are independent and good at protecting their families. However, their guarding instincts make them suspicious of strangers. If you’re raising this dog breed, you should start its training programs at an early age.
Socialize this dog with family members and other dog breeds from an early age. Your dog may be stubborn and challenging to train, but with a professional trainer, it can learn and become a good family dog.
Komondor is a working dog and requires plenty of exercise. It’s also a good choice for experienced pet parents with older children. Ensure you have ample space at home where your dog can play around. Their intertwining locks require regular maintenance to ensure your dog doesn’t end up with thick matted fur.
Like Komondors, Pulis hail from Hungary and have a rich history as herding dogs. These dogs look similar to their close cousins, Komondors, but they’re small and have thinner cords. Their mop-like coats range in color; black, silver, and white. Their thinner cords form naturally as the dog grows to maturity.
Pulis have strong herding abilities and are known as acrobatic dogs because they’re fond of jumping on the backs of slower-moving sheep. Their coats protect them from the harsh winter climate and predators.
Hungarian shepherds used Pulis as herd dogs during the day due to their size and thinner coats. The shepherds would then use the thicker-locked Komondors to guard after nightfall.
Pet parents raising this mop-like dog should consider routine fur maintenance. The dog’s cords can quickly become matted if not taken care of. It’s also advisable to train your pup at an early age and socialize it so it can blend well with people and other canines. Luckily, Puris are incredibly intelligent, and master commands quickly.
Because they’re hard-working dogs, Puris need to be exercised daily and offered mental stimulation. They are loyal and friendly to children and adults. However, their strong herding instincts make them try to herd toddlers, other pups, birds, or anything near them.
An adult Puli can weigh between 25-35 pounds and reach a height of 16-17 inches. If you’re interested in a mop-like dog that can live longer, Puris have a lifespan of 10-15 years, making them good family dogs.
Spanish Water Dogs (SWD) are among dogs that look like a mop. It has curly and wooly coats that turn into mop-like cords as the dog ages. The humid weather where SWDs come from makes their fur curl when young, and as your dog matures into an adult, the curls elongate into tight cords.
SWDs have a single coat with fewer undercoat hairs. The single coat allows these dogs to live in humid habitats. And as their name implies, SWDs love the water and enjoy retrieving things in the water. The good news is that these dogs look cuter when wet. However, you should completely dry their long cords after their time in the water.
Spanish Water Dogs have a history as herding dogs. As a result, they’re intelligent and hard workers who can be a good choice for anyone interested in a working dog. Being hard workers, these dogs require at least one hour of daily exercise. You should provide your pup enough space to play around.
When raising the SWD, socialize it from an early stage to help it blend well with the family, strangers, and other dogs. The dog’s guarding instincts make it overprotective and suspicious of strangers. Early training should be part of adopting this dog.
Thankfully, SWDs are easy to train and love helping out with outdoor tasks. To keep SWDs happy, provide them with puzzles because they love problem-solving tasks.
SWDs can weigh between 31-49 pounds and reach 16 to 20 inches tall. As a family-friendly dog, you can trust it with your little kids. The breed can also live between 12-14 years.
Most people know Poodles as a dog breed with fluffy fur. Unlike other dogs that resemble mops, Poodles don’t grow cords naturally. Poodle parents interested in the unique coat can alter their dog’s fur to produce a mop-like coat.
The first step to creating cords in your dog is trimming the coat and allowing hair to regrow. Avoid brushing it so that the cords can form. You can separate the thick cords to create thinner ones. When cleaning your mop-like Poodle, avoid using shampoo. You can soak its thin cords in water and squeeze them dry.
Poodles are among the most intelligent dogs in the world and learn quickly. Most breeders crossbreed them with other dogs to produce intelligent dogs. They’re excellent family dogs and love to play with family members. You should schedule daily exercise and mental stimulation to avoid seeing bad habits in your dog.
Pet parents interested in Poodles can find them in three sizes, Toy, Miniature, and Standard. Poodles are generally healthy dogs and can live between 12-15 years.
Havanese can be a good choice if you’re fond of smaller dogs with unique coats. The dog was bred as a companion dog for Cuban aristocrats in the 19th century. It is also known to be funny, playful, and outgoing and was a popular performer in the circus. People may sometimes call Havanese “Velcro dogs” since they have a deep attachment to their owners.
The Havanese’s coat is long and silky and tends to shine in the light. Like Poodles, Havanese don’t grow cords naturally. If you want to alter its coat and create a mop-like dog, you must work hard and be patient when developing the cords.
This process requires a lot of grooming while separating thick cords that can develop into mats. For your dog to develop into a mop lookalike, the process might take up to two years. You should also bathe and dry your dog to keep its cords clean.
Most pet parents like this dog because of its charming looks, thanks to its coat, button eyes, and round nose. The dog is also small, weighing 7-13 pounds, and can reach 8-11 inches tall. Havanese is smart, social, and adaptable. It likes playing with people, performing tricks, or taking daily walks. The dog can live between 14-16 years, making it a suitable companion pet.
The Barbet is a rare breed that features in our dogs that look like a mop list. Barbets have a long history as waterfowl retrievers in hunting games. They’re medium-sized and agile dogs best known as retrievers, water dogs, and flushing dogs by the French Kennel Club.
Barbet means “beard” to refer to their shaggy coat that looks like a mop. Their coats can grow long to form cords, especially on their chins. Barbet owners should groom these dogs regularly and separate thick cords that can develop into matted fur. These dogs display a range of colors, with the accepted ones being solid black, brown, gray, white, fawn, or pale fawn.
Since Barbets were bred as water dogs, their thick, curly coats protect them from water during hunting games. As a potential owner, you should be ready for a long heavy coat that can carry mud, leaves, thorns, and spikes collected outdoors. Regular cleaning and trimming are required to avoid shaggy mop-like cords.
Barbets are non-shedding and hypoallergenic, making them suitable for people prone to allergic reactions. They’re friendly and fun-loving and will get along well with children, adults, and other pets. They’re also intelligent and quick to learn.
An adult Barbet can weigh between 37-62 pounds and grow 20-25 inches tall. They can also be good companion dogs with an average lifespan of 12-15 years.