One of my earliest fascinations with dog breeds focused on what we probably think of mostly as cold weather type dogs,

Dogs with thick fluffy fur to protect them from the elements.

This fascination grew stronger when I was first introduced to Alaskan Malamutes.

I love that they are a large breed of dog and they have that thick luscious fur. It just makes me want to snuggle up to them to keep warm.

Photo details: Nikon D300S. Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8. Focal length 110mm. ISO 640. 1/4000 sec. f/2.8.