Lions are the most respected and noble-looking creatures on this planet. Therefore, it’s totally understandable why pet owners would want to own dogs that look like lions. To make it easier for you, we have shortlisted 16 dog breeds that look like lions, you’ll definitely find the perfect dog breed to own from the list.
Among the dog breeds mentioned below, we found the Tibetan Mastiff to be the closest replica of a lion. Following the same traits, the next best choices for you would be the Pomeranian and the Pekingese dog breeds. Other dog breeds such as Leonberger and Chow Chow, also share a cunning resemblance with lions.
16. Tibetan Mastiff
The Tibetan Mastiff is a breed of protective and loyal dogs that’ll serve you till the end. The signature mane of Tibetan Mastiff, originally meant to keep the dog warm, has a striking resemblance to a lion’s mane.
Being a large-sized dog, a Tibetan Mastiff’s height ranges between 24 to 26 inches, and its weight stays between 75 to 160 lbs.
The Tibetan Mastiff possesses a resilient doublecoat that can retain a wide range of colors namely black, brown, gold, and blue.
15. Pomeranian
The Pomeranian is a small-sized, adorable-looking dog breed of German origin. They’re agile, intelligent, and active dogs who can give stiff competition in dog training activities.
Typically, a Pomeranian weighs 3 to 7 lbs and measures 7 to 12 inches at the shoulder, thus regarded as the smallest member of the Spitz family.
The true glory of Pomeranian dogs lies in their long, shiny, and dense double coat fur, that’s reminiscent of a lion’s glory. Pomeranian fur can retain any color one can think of.
14. Gaddi Kutta
Gaddi Kutta, less popularly known as Mahidant Mastiff, is a Himalayan dog breed commonly employed as a herding dog breed.
The ultra fearlessness and unfiltered strength of Gaddi Kutta dogs makes them worthy of comparison with lions. In fact, a Gaddi Kutta even manages to chase away snow leopards.
You’ll find a tuft of long, straight fur, encompassing the skull of Gaddi Kuttas, more or less resembling a lion’s mane. Their body fur is medium to-large sized, black and brown colored, and well-suited for harsh winters.
13. Shetland Sheepdog
The Shetland Sheepdog is a medium-sized, Scottish dog breed, not exactly known for its lion-like strength. However, its elegant body traits makes this dog breed resemble lions in appearance.
An average adult Shetland Sheepdog is 13 to 16 inches tall at the shoulder, with weight staying below 20 lbs.
Shetland Sheepdogs harbor a beautiful, fury mane, while the rest of the body has medium-sized fur. Their fur can take a combo of their colors namely sable, black, and blue merle.
12. Caucasian Shepherd
The Caucasian Shepherd is a fierce guardian of its territory. This dog is highly-protective, vigilant, and courageous. It is not suitable for novice pet owners.
Flaunting a medium-sized build, the Caucasian Shephred’s heights stays between 24 to 34 inches, and its weight rests between 80 to 220 lbs.
One should know that there are three variants of Caucasian Shepherds, harboring long, medium, and short coats respectively. The Caucasian Shepherds with long-fur length flaunt the most prominent manes. Main coat colors that are exhibited by these dogs include gray, fawn, red, cream, tan, and white.
11. Alaskan Malamute
The Alaskan Malamute is a small-sized dog breed with its physical traits showcasing cunning resemblance to lions. They’re sturdily built dogs with stamina that can last for days.
The average height of an adult Alaskan Malamute ranges from 23 inches to 25 inches, and its weight stays between 75 and 100 lbs.
Alaskan Malamutes possess dense, oily double coats with wooly undercoats and thick, coarse overcoats. The fur size increases around their neck, shoulders, legs, etc. Most commonly exhibited colors are light gray, black, sable, and shades of red.
10. Bangar Mastiff
The Bangar Mastiff is an indian origin mastiff developed for the purpose of herding, protection, and participation in pet-related sporty activities.
About their physical traits, Bangar Mastiffs weigh around 70 to 105 lbs, and their height stays in the range of 22 to 26 inches.
Bangar Mastiffs are less hairy when compared to Tibetan Mastiffs, but feature extra cushioning around their necks, legs and tails. The most common fur color is a combo of black and gray.
9. Nepali Mountain Dog
Also known as Himalayan Sheepdog, Nepali Mountain dog is native to Nepal, and renowned in India, Bhutan, and Pakistan, for its expertise in guarding the sheep.
Nepali Mountain dog’s height ranges between 21 and 26 inches. This dog is sturdily built, powerful, and very courageous.
The uneven-length thick, black colored fur of Nepali Mountain Dogs is resilient enough to survive the harsh winters of Himalayas. The beautiful, black-colored mane around their necks gives them a strong resemblance to lions.
8. Newfoundland
Newfoundland is a large-sized, strong, and hardworking dog breed. These dogs are gentle with children, and desirable for novice pet owners.
The average height of Newfoundland adults ranges between 25 and 30 inches, while their weight stays in the range of 100 to 150 lbs.
The coat color of Newfoundland dogs varies between solid black, brown, gray, landseer, and white coat with black markings. Their long, straight outta coats and soft, dense undercoats bestow them with water resistance.
7. Chinese Crested
Chinese Crested dog breed comprises small-sized, effervescent and gentle dogs. They’ll literally cuddle you for hours without making any fuss.
Measuring 11 to 13 inches at the shoulder while weighing only up to 12 lbs, Chinese Crested is a great dog breed for small apartment dwellers.
The Chinese Crested come in powder-full (fully-haired) and hairless varieties. Both these varieties show resemblance to lions because of their long, straight hair that shows abundance around the neck and legs.
6. Löwchen
The lion-like appearance of Löwchen has popularised it as the “Little Lion”. This dog breed features miniature-sized dogs with chiseled bodies like that of lions.
The body weight of an average adult Löwchen stays between 9 and 12 lbs, while its height ranges from 12 to 14 inches.
Löwchens possess dense, long to moderately long coats that can retain a diverse range of colors. After giving them a lion trim, their manes resemble exactly like that of lions.
5. Chow Chow
Chow Chow is a versatile working dog breed of Chinese origin. This dog breed is known for being independent-spirited and may act aloof around strangers.
The height of Chow Chows stays between 17 and 20 inches and weight can range from 40 to 70 lbs.
Featuring a double coat that consists of outer rough coat and inner soft coat, a Chow Chow can easily withstand harsh winter conditions. Its coat forms a ruff or mane around its neck and head, giving Chow Chow a lion-like appearance.
4. Leonberger
Named after and originated from a city named Leonberger, this dog breed comprises large-sized, intelligent, and elegant-looking dogs that were meant to be working dogs.
Leonberger adults range from 25 to 23 inches in height and weigh between 120 and 170 lbs.
Featuring a long-haired, water-resistant double coat, Leonbergers are well-suited for winter climates. The coloration that their coats retain include lion-yellow, golden to reddish-brown, with a black face.
3. Pekingese
The Pekingese is a sociable and docile Chinese origin dog that adapts to live with literally anybody. That’s why, this dog breed is suitable for novice pet owners as well as apartment dwellers.
The average height of an adult Pekingese dog stays between 6 and 10 inches, and can weigh 7 to 10 lbs.
The Pekingese dog harbors a distinctive tuft of fur around its head and neck, very similar to a lion’s mane. Commonly exhibited colors include black and tan, fawn or red brindle, and parti-color, with one being white and another being any other color.
2. Rhodesian Ridgeback
The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a medium-sized dog that was originally bred in South Africa to hunt big game. Back in the days, Rhodesian Ridgeback packs were used to corner the lions and hunt them, thus getting the name African Lion Hounds.
The average height of an adult Rhodesian Ridgeback stays between 24 to 27 inches, and its weight ranges from 70 to 85 lbs.
The short and shiny fur of Rhodesian Ridgeback dogs retains colorations ranging from light-wheaten to red-wheaten, accompanied by black markings around eyes, ears, and the muzzle.
1. Shar-Pei
Although recognised as the 134th dog breed in American Kennel Club, the Shar-Pei is of the Chinese origin. They were meant to be experts in hunting, guarding, and herding, but today they’re well known for their affection, wrinkled skin, and short, bristly coat.
The Shar-Pei is a medium sized dog breed, with an average adult attaining height of 18 to 20 inches, and weighing between 40 and 55 lbs.
The high-set tail of Shar-Pei, along with their signature “hippopotamus” head makes it a unique dog breed. Shar-Pei dogs may not give you a lionish vibe, but they’re still worthy of consideration.
Related Questions
Can A Dog Fight A Lion? A courageous dog can put up a great fight against a lion. However, it is not possible for a single dog to kill a lion. Though, a pack of dogs can cause fatal damage to a lion. In fact, lions have been killed by giraffe, buffalo, kudu, and other animals.
Can Lions And Dogs Be Friends? Yes, although rare, some instances are known where a dog and a lion were seen getting along well with each other. This is a rare pairing that’s almost never seen in natural settings. Such instances are more common with tamed lions and dogs.
What Is The Strength Of A Lion? On comparing average dog bite force with average lion bite force, we come to know that lion’s 650 PSI bite force is comparatively much stronger than that of dog’s 150 to 180 PSI bite force. However, the English Mastiff dog breed is said to have a bite force of 550 PSI which is very close to an average lion bite force.
