If you’ve got a thing for seeing pooches with pendulous ears that droop down rather than point up, allow us to introduce you to the world of floppy-eared dog breeds.
One of the best things about dogs (aside from their capacity to fill our world with unconditional love, companionship, and tons of furry cuddles) is the fact that they come in all shapes and sizes. For example, some breeds have lobes that hang way past their chin, while other dogs have beards.
You might think that longer ears equal better hearing, but this isn't always true. Instead, the size and drooping shape of a dog’s ears will help with sound localization and will often determine how good they are at scent tracking. In some cases, longer lobes can even help prevent dirt from getting inside ear canals while four-legged friends search for prey in dense areas.
To help you find out more about floppy-eared dog breeds, we’ve pulled together a handy list. Just know that if you intend on adopting a dog with longer lobes, it’s well worth knowing how to clean a dog’s ears, as their larger-than-average lugholes can make them prone to ear infections due to the warm and moist environment they create.
20 dog breeds with floppy ears
1. Beagle
Excitable yet gentle, the much-loved beagle is known for its pendulous ears, which are an important part of their hunting breed heritage as their lobes help them to gather scent particles and direct them towards their nose.
Pair this with their big eyes and sensitive nose, and this energetic British dog breed, which was originally bred as a scent hound, and it’s no wonder why beagles are believed to be one of the best tracking dogs.
2. Basset hound
Upon first glance, it can be easy to mix up a basset hound with a beagle—they’re both scent hounds and hound breeds after all.
But this laid-back beauty comes with soulful eyes, a heart of gold, and droopy face and ears that you can’t help but fall in love with. Perhaps one of the biggest differences when comparing a beagle vs basset hound is the fact that the latter comes with very long and floppy velvety ears, complete with a wrinkled brow. They also have a low-slung body with powerful, short legs. But both use their ears to help with scent tracking.
3. Dachshund
Introducing the smallest of the hound breeds! Along with their long, sausage-like body, a dachshund is instantly recognisable for their floppy, triangular ears. Of course, their ears might not be as long as a basset hound’s, but that doesn’t stop this small but big-personality pooch from using them to the best of their advantage.
In days gone by, dachshunds used their floppy ears to protect their ear canals from debris while hunting in burrows. But in more recent times, they use their ears to sweep the ground to help scoop up scents as they go.
Due to their size, these lively and playful creatures are considered to be the best dog breeds for apartments. Just know that dachshunds can have a stubborn streak, so they are best trained early.
4. Cocker spaniel
Just look at that little face! Cocker spaniels are another breed that is characterized by their adorable floppy ears, complete with bundles of fur, which shape their face.
Like most dogs on this list, their long, floppy lug holes act like funnels, trapping and directing smells towards their noses. Back in the day, this helped them retrieve game birds, which was their original purpose.
5. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Long, feathered and set low on its head, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel has naturally floppy ears, and it makes sense, because they were bred for their strong hunting instincts.
Today, this spaniel breed is a bundle of fun as they’re sociable, gentle, and playful. Plus, due to their small size, you won’t need a lot of space for them to run around.
If you are thinking of adopting this breed, one thing to note is that they will shed all year round. So their coat and ears will need regular grooming with one of the best dog brushes to keep them matt and tangle-free.
6. Golden retriever
Another floppy-eared dog to add to the list? The humble golden retriever. This breed's ears won’t stand at attention like a Corgi's. Instead, they'll hang downwards, framing their face.
Originating as hunting dogs, these large dogs have lots of love and energy to share. This means, to prevent them from becoming bored and exhibiting destructive behaviours, they’ll need at least two hours of exercise a day.
The good news is that these floppy-eared dogs can be trained reasonably easily. So, as long as you have a whole load of patience and bags full of the best dog treats, these obedient fur friends will be loyal and loving.
7. Poodle
No matter whether you have your heart set on a toy poodle, miniature poodle, or just love poodles in general, you’ll be pleased to know that all different types come with their signature curly-coated floppy ears.
These beautiful and regal-looking dogs are very low-shedding dogs, which means that you won’t have to follow them around your home with your vacuum. However, you will need to set aside some time to groom them to stop their coat (and ears) from getting matted and tangled.
8. Shih tzu
If you looked up the phrase ‘pampered pooch’ in the dictionary, you’d probably find a shih tzu underneath. With their long fur—which coats their floppy ears—these small four-legged friends always look like they’ve just come out of the groomers.
And that’s because they probably have. This high-maintenance dog breed requires a bath almost every week, along with daily brushing and a trip to the groomers every six weeks or so to keep their coat and lobes looking fabulously flowing and mat-free.
9. Maltese
Under all that glorious, free-flowing white fur lies a perfect pair of floppy ears that’s just waiting to be brushed and groomed to keep them (and the rest of their coat) in perfect pristine condition.
The Maltese is undoubtedly one of the cutest dog breeds, and along with its bright white coat, it’s characterized by their drooping, feathered ears.
10. Havanese
Even when alert, a Havanese dog’s ears will remain floppy, right by their side. Considered to be a toy dog, this small breed doesn’t shed much, so you won’t constantly be picking up after them or finding hairs all over your home.
Instead, if you are thinking of adopting a Havanese, you’ll inherit a gentle soul that’s known for being one of the friendliest dog breeds. What’s not to love?
11. Bluetick coonhound
A bluetick coonhound is a scent hound that’s known for its powerful nose, mottled, glossy coat of blue and black, and unique howls while out on a hunt.
The very friendly breed is also characterised by its floppy ears, which hang way down past its chin to enhance their scent tracking ability to detect and follow scents more effectively.
Coming with a soulful expression, blueticks are relentless in their pursuit of a scent. But they’re also relentless in their love for affection. Therefore, this sweet and affectionate dog will love nothing more than spending time with its pet parents.
12. Great Dane
Great Danes have naturally floppy ears, but you might have spotted some with cropped ears. The difference in ear appearance is a combination of genetic factors and, unfortunately, breeding practices.
These gentle giants might be tall in stature, but they sure are one laid-back dog breed, as this calm and placid pooch is an affectionate breed that adores people, big and small. This makes them the perfect companion for family life.
13. Labrador Retriever
There are many reasons to love labradors—and their fluffy, floppy ears are just one of them.
Looks aside, Labrador Retrievers make great search and rescue dogs as they have an outstanding sense of smell and are incredibly cool, calm, and collected when in an emergency. This much-loved retrieving breed has bundles of energy, and they get on just as well with kids as they do with adults.
14. German Shepherd
Did you know that all German Shepherds are born with floppy ears, which tend to gradually stand up with age? The breed standard is for German Shepherds to have erect ears that stand up tall. However, some have dropped lug holes due to one or both parents having floppy ears.
Ears aside, German Shepherds have a brilliant sense of smell, and because of this, they like to sniff just about everything. Due to their impeccable olfactory sense, they are often used as search and rescue dogs or for bomb and drug detection.
15. Boxer
Much like the Great Dane, you might have noticed that some boxers have floppy ears while some have cropped ears. The latter is because their ears have been cropped—a method which the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) stands against, as it’s done solely for cosmetic reasons rather than health benefits.
Some more facts about boxers include their highly energetic nature and their willingness to learn new skills (which makes them easy to train). Though their strong bodies and serious faces might look a little intimidating, they actually love spending time with people and are happiest when they are surrounded by their human family.
16. Afghan Hound
If you plan on adopting an Afghan Hound, their impressively long and silky coat, complete with floppy ears, will mean you will spend a lot of time brushing them daily to keep them looking their best.
While their need for speed (they can run at up to 40mph) will also have you spending a lot more time outside than in. That's because these sighthounds were bred to run fast over long distances, and they are believed to be one of the fastest dog breeds in the world. Pretty impressive, huh?
17. Irish Setters
Coming with floppy ears, primarily due to their background in hunting and scent tracking, this pointing breed makes for one of the best family dogs, as it gets on well with children and other dogs.
Its lovable and playful personality, coupled with its glamorous looks, including its long and drooped ears, has helped maintain this breed’s popularity.
Just know, an Irish Setter will need plenty of exercise to meet their needs, and they respond well to training thanks to their intelligent nature.
18. Papillion
Stealing the title of being one of the cutest dog breeds around the world (and it's quite clear to see why!) and considered one of the smartest dog breeds, a papillon also has one more title to add to its list: and that’s being a dog that comes with floppy ears.
While the breed is most often known for its butterfly-like ears, which stand upright, there is also the papillon variety called a phalène, which has drooped ears.
19. English Springer Spaniel
Just like it’s cousin the cocker spaniel, an English Springer Spaniel has floppy ears coated in glorious fur, which help them in hunting and tracking.
Springers are larger and more muscular in size, compared to their cocker spaniel counterparts. They also have higher energy levels, so they fit right in in busy family homes or for those who lead an active lifestyle.
20. Bloodhound
Known as the ‘king of tracking dogs’, the humble bloodhound is said to have 230 million scent receptors as opposed to humans, who have five million. But it’s not just their noses that make them one of the best dogs for tracking. Their large and droopy ears are specifically crafted to act as scent-sweepers, which helps direct scent particles towards their nose.
It is worth noting, though, that due to their having large ears, this can cause moisture and warmth to become trapped in their ear canal, which can lead to ear infections. So it’s something to watch out for.
Read next: Hairless dog breeds
Edited by Georgia Guerin and Alexis De Leaver.
Last updated July 2025.
