26 Largest Dog Breeds Ever
Have you ever had a thing for large dogs?
You will be amazed at the diversity among them. Some have been bred to hunt large animals, others to survive in extreme conditions, and some have been bred large to intimidate intruders and be better guard dogs.
No matter how intimidating some of these large dogs may look, they are usually loving, loyal, relaxed, and mild-tempered animals. This makes them excellent pets!
Properly socialized and trained, large dogs can get along with your other pets, with the kids, and with all of your family members.
The fact is that being large animals, these dogs will most probably prefer to take naps all day long as long as you provide them with the daily walks and exercise they need.
Make sure to get the right dog leash.
Keep in mind that medium and long-coated large furry balls will require more time to perform their grooming and keep them healthy and great-looking.
Large dogs are perfect for homes with big yards and even for smaller ones and apartments.
But their size and their instincts to protect or hunt can be a problem if you have little or no experience with dogs.
So, even though there is no general rule about which dogs are large, here are 25 of the largest dog breeds, which are all huge pups.
Largest Dog Breed
Here is the list of the most giant dogs in the world.
Caucasian Shepherd Dog
The Caucasian shepherd dog was first bred in the Northern Caucasian area as a guardian dog. It reaches up to 30 inches at the shoulder and weighs up to 130 lbs. And it is everything but a lap dog.
It is a strong-boned and muscular dog that is fierce, fearless, and self-confident whenever there is a threat. Otherwise, it is a loving, soft, and kind-mannered pet that can get along very well with the entire family and other pets.
Caucasian Shepherds have been used for centuries for protecting properties and livestock from predators (even from bears), and other duties. Today, they’re mostly used as watchdogs or companions.
There are many variations of this breed. Two of the most popular ones are the Mountain type with a long coat and the Steppe with a smaller body mass and short coat.
Given its nature of constantly feeling the urge to protect its family, the Caucasian Shepherd is definitely not for first-time dog owners. It needs very serious training and socializing to prevent incidents of attacking other people because it is protecting you.
When properly trained to understand that all household members are before it in the pack, the Caucasian Ovcharka will become an immensely devoted, loyal, and loving member of your family.
Remember that these dogs are incredibly strong, so you shouldn’t let children or elderly people walk them. Learn more about it on Youtube.
English Mastiff
The English Mastiff is the heaviest dog breed. The heaviest dog from this massive breed named Zorba weighed a massive 343 Lbs.
An average mastiff can reach a height of 27–30 inches at the shoulder and a weight of 130-220 lbs.
So, if you are looking for the biggest dog breed in terms of mass, then the definite winner is the English Mastiff.
Being bred as a working dog for blood sports such as baiting bulls, bears, and even lions, the size and the mass of this dog are crucial for this purpose.
Back in the Roman Empire, Caesar was so impressed by the Mastiff when he invaded Britain that he reportedly took a few dogs back home, where they were used in lion and gladiator fights.
But today, the large-headed, huge Mastiff is mainly preferred as a loving and gentle family pet and companion. Dogs from this breed are also often used as therapy dogs and search and rescue, weight pulling, and tracking.
It has a mellow, loyal, and even-tempered nature and is excellent for families with kids who will enjoy playing with their gigantic friends.
It needs to be with its people because long isolation can lead to destructive behavior and anxieties. Mastiffs will require daily walks and a lot of training and attention if you want the entire family to feel happy.
You can explore further this colossal ancient breed in our dedicated Mastiff guide.
Newfoundland
Unlike many other large canine breeds, the Newfoundland was bred as a fisherman’s work dog, not a guard dog. These huge adorable dogs were used to assist fishermen on boats and could haul lines and nets, as well as jump in the water to save people or restore items that had fallen off the boat.
The Newfoundland is an impressive, active water dog reaching up to 200 lbs. The largest dog from this breed reportedly weighed 260 lbs.!
Undoubtedly, the Newfies are among the best swimmers among canines. They are still used in search and rescue water operations. They are highly intelligent and gentle-natured dogs, usually black in color but can also be grey or brown. They look even bigger than they actually are, thanks to their thick double coat, which is meant to keep them safe and warm even in freezing waters.
Newfoundlands are incredibly affectionate to their families and are exceptionally gentle and protective with kids, which is why some people refer to them as Gentle Giants or Dog Nannies.
They require daily walks, exercise, and training, and you should ensure a place where they can enjoy an occasional swim to keep them active and happy.
Komondor
You may have seen this eye-catching mop-like large dog before. The Komondor was originally bred in Hungary and used for guarding property and livestock. Today the breed has been declared a national treasure in its home country.
Thanks to the distinctively long and mop-like corded coat, you can never mistake this breed for any other.
Dogs from this fascinating large breed can reach up to 31.5 inches and weigh up to 130 lbs.
They are not suitable for apartment life, even though they are quiet and calm indoors. But it is in their nature to guard and roam outdoors, especially at night, so if you have a large backyard with a fence, you can get one of these dogs. Remember that they bark quite often and can be uncomfortable with strangers if not socialized and trained properly.
Otherwise, Komondors are very loyal pets, intensely devoted to all family members, and are especially patient with children and family pets.
Overall, like many other large working dogs, the Komondor is not suitable for people with any experience with dogs. It requires a lot of serious training and socializing as well as moderate daily exercise if you want it to stay healthy and avoid trouble with the neighbors, other people, and animals.
Scottish Deerhound
The Scottish deerhound is one of the most ancient hunting breeds in the world. It originated from Scotland, where it was used for red deer chasing and hunting. With its long, big-boned legs and hound-like structure, this strong and large dog can easily reach its prey thanks to its amazing speed.
These dogs are quite tall, with a height of up to 32 inches and a weight of up to 110 lbs. for males.
Scottish deerhounds look like Greyhounds but with coats. Their long tails hang to the ground, and they can have either black or blue noses. The coat’s coloring can be in various color combinations, and it is harsher and wiry on the legs and body and softer at the head, belly, and chest.
Interestingly, the breed almost became instinct at one point in history when only aristocrats with high titles were allowed to own one. Thankfully, the breed was successfully restored in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Dogs from this large breed are very loyal, gentle, loving, and affectionate, close to their families, and friendly with strangers.
They are very good with kids but should be kept away from other animals, due to their strong hunting drives.
One of the best features of the Scottish deerhound is that it barks very little, which makes it a lovely quiet large dog suitable for a family pet. They do require long walks but not too much extensive exercise.
St. Bernard
St. Bernard was bred in the Swiss and Italian Alps for mountain rescue operations by the monks in the Saint Bernard Hospice. They were used for clearing paths in the deep snow and human rescue operations in the very snowy and dangerous St. Bernard passes connecting Switzerland and Italy.
More than 2,000 people, including Napoleon’s soldiers, were saved in the last 200 years by dogs from this amazing large dog breed.
One of the most legendary dogs from this large breed named Barry reportedly saved nearly 100 lives in the mountains at the beginning of the 18th century. His body is exhibited at the National History Museum in Berne, Switzerland.
These dogs are enormous and were used to walk through heavy snow and search for avalanche victims and lost people in challenging mountain terrains.
Dogs from this breed can reach up to 36 inches tall and can weigh up to 120 lbs. The record for the heaviest St. Bernard is held by a dog named Benedictine, who weighed 366 lbs.
They are highly resistant to cold and are powerful dogs with a great sense of direction.
Today, instead of roaming in the mountains and offering people in trouble a sip of rum from the barrels on their necks, they are most popular as family pets.
St.Bernards are very friendly, gentle, and loving with children and other pets.
Leonberger
The Leonberger is a crossbreed from St.Bernards, Newfoundlands, and Pyrenean Mountain Dogs. As you can imagine, the size of these canines is quite impressive. Even though they were bred as companion dogs, they are great dogs for rescue work, herding, and swimming.
The average height of the males is about 29.5 inches, while females are usually about 27.5 inches. These dogs weigh about 140-150 lbs.
The Leonberger has a striking, furry, water-resistant coat and is quite a robust dog. It is brilliant, loyal, kind, and playful, making dogs from this breed perfect family pets. It does shed quite a bit, so be prepared to deal with all that grooming and cleaning if you add a Leonberger to your family.
Unfortunately, they have a relatively low life expectancy of just 7 years. But for its relatively short life, a dog from this breed will bring pure love and joy to your whole family.
It will also attract a lot of attention when you go for a walk, so be prepared to be stopped by complete strangers who will want to pet it and take photos with it.
Neapolitan Mastiff
The Neapolitan Mastiff is not as colossal as the English Mastiff but is still a huge and popular dog breed. Its proportions can reach 130 to 155 lbs. for males and up to 140 lbs. for females. The height of an average Neapolitan male mastiff is between 26-31 inches.
Their distinctive facial wrinkles, as well as their body folds, make them easily recognizable.
Neapolitan Mastiffs are highly intelligent dogs that are very protective of their families and home, making them excellent guard dogs, but can pose problems if they are not socialized and trained right. They are not as reliable as alarms, as they tend to be discreet and prefer to sneak up on potential intruders rather than bark.
These dogs are inappropriate for novice dog owners as they need extensive socialization and training.
The ancestor of the Neapolitan Mastiff was the Roman molossus dog. Today, the dogs from this breed require personal attention and love and should not be left in isolation outdoors because this can lead to destructive behavior. They can go well with only one long walk per day and still feel happy.
Overall, they are loving and calm animals, making them great pets for families with grown-up children.
Russian Black Terrier
The Russian black terrier was created in the USSR before WWII and was used as a working military dog. It is a cross of 17 dog breeds and a brainy and highly trainable working dog.
The height of the males can reach 30 inches at the shoulder, and their weight is up to 130 lbs. Their thick, coarse, waterproof double coats protect them from freezing temperatures, which makes dogs of this breed suitable for colder climates.
The Russian black terrier is a courageous, calm, and self-assured dog. It has a strong guarding instinct, which makes it an excellent watchdog. It is very protective of the children at home and gets along well with other smaller pets if they are raised together.
But they are large, strong, and muscular dogs that need a strong trainer and leader and extensive socialization due to the natural suspicion of all strangers.
Also, they require intensive exercising, as they are very active dogs with huge energy and stamina levels. But they are quite sedentary when indoors, so you can get a Russian black terrier even if you live in an apartment. They shouldn’t be left outside or crated alone for long periods of time.
The Irish Wolfhound
The Irish wolfhound is one of the highest dog breeds. The minimum stature of dogs from this breed is at least 34 inches, but their weight will rarely exceed 120 lbs. for males and 105 lbs. for females.
The breed was developed for hunting wolves and for guarding. The first records of this breed are from as early as 7000 B.C.
Irish wolfhounds have varied personalities but are often quite individualistic and have their own quirks. At the same time, they are not notorious for being aggressive or for acting impulsively.
Irish wolfhounds are popular family dogs known to be quite reserved, easygoing, intelligent, and quiet.
They don’t have problems with territorial aggression toward other dogs, but due to their hunting experience, they do tend to course other dogs.
Irish Wolfhounds are generally quite gentle with children and are easy to train, but they are individualists who have been bred to hunt alone and far away from their owners.
Great Dane
The Great Dane is widely considered as a giant dog breed, and while it is not the heaviest of the dogs (100-120 lbs.), it is definitely among the highest ones.
The height of the average Great Dane is about 28 to 30 inches, but it can be taller. In fact, a dog from this breed named Zeus still holds a record as the highest living dog with a height of 44 inches.
Unfortunately, as with other giant dogs, the lifespan of the Great Danes is only about 6 to 8 years, even though some dogs can live to 10 years and older. The aforementioned Zeus died at the age of 5 from old age in 2014.
They were bred in Germany from a cross between Irish wolfhounds and English Mastiffs.
These giant dogs are friendly to familiar people and other dogs and pets and are especially gentle with children. They are, after all, guardian dogs, so they shouldn’t be taken lightly.
Great Danes come in various colors, with the most impressive ones being the black and white harlequin types.
These gentle giants are elegant and noble-like creatures, requiring a lot of attention, training, and love. But they are people pleasers and will give back all of their affection and loyalty in return.
Tosa Inu
The Tosa Inu is a gigantic Japanese fighting dog, resulting from crossbreeding Japanese breeds and European ones, such as Mastiffs, Bull terriers, St.Bernards, and Great Danes.
Tosa Inus are sometimes referred to as Japanese mastiffs and Canine sumo wrestlers.
The height of this rare dog can reach 32 inches at the withers, and its weight among non-Japanese breeders is 130 to 200 lbs. In Japan, the dogs from this breed are typically smaller and weigh less.
Tosa Inus have cute faces, thanks to the wrinkled foreheads and sad brown eyes, but remember that they were explicitly bred for fighting. They are incredibly robust and muscular and, thankfully, are not people-aggressive.
Tosa Inus are very affectionate and gentle with kids but will have a tendency to protect them at all costs.
If you choose to adopt a dog from this breed, make sure that you are prepared to spend a lot of time and energy training it, socializing it but without being too harsh, because this can have the opposite effect and make the dog unstable and unsafe for family life.
They are easy to groom and have a rather long life expectancy of 10 to 12 years compared to some other giant breeds.
Bernese Mountain Dog
As its name suggests, the Bernese mountain dog originated in mountain farms in the Bern region in Switzerland.
Apart from being very large, the most distinctive feature of this breed is the beautiful tri-colored markings on the coat and the face.
Male Berneses reach a height of up to 27.5 inches and can weigh up to 125 lbs. and females are slightly smaller.
In general, these beautiful dogs are very kind-natured and docile dogs that are friendly with other pets and with children.
Their affectionate and sweet nature contrasts with their large and powerful build. They live to please their owners and will be happy to join you along wherever you go.
At home, Berneses are calm and prefer napping, but being built for hard work, they do require long walks, exercise, and playtime.
They are protective of their families but are not threatening to strangers. They will get attached to all family members, so there will be no jealousy among you when it comes to who is the dog’s favorite person at home!
Boerboel
The Boerboel is a large dog breed originating from South Africa. Boerboel means “farm dog” in Dutch. Boerboels have a height of about 27 inches and higher, and can weigh up to 220 lbs.
They are perfect as companions and playmates for children and are kind and loyal to their family members.
Although these dogs are very intelligent and obedient, they do have a strong territorial instinct, so they can be great watchdogs.
Of course, like all other large dog breeds, you need to pay special attention to socializing and obedience training them to keep everybody safe. It is especially important to keep puppies away from aggressive dogs to prevent your Boerboel pet from becoming defensive and fearful later on. Also, be careful when introducing strangers to your home, and make sure you introduce them to your dog before letting them in.
They are intelligent and loving dogs but are definitely not recommended for first-time dog owners.
Tibetan Mastiff
This is an ancient flock guardian dog breed originally bred by nomads in China, Tibet, Nepal, and Central Asia. The male dogs from this breed can reach a height of up to 33 inches and a weight of 100 to 160 lbs.
These dogs were used to protect flocks in Asia, which means that they were bred to fight off attacks by large predators such as wolves and leopards.
Tibetan Mastiffs are very impressive large dogs with long beautiful coats and tails. They are bound to stop the traffic as you walk around with them wherever you go.
But looks aren’t everything. Even though dogs from this breed are kind, patient, and loving dogs, they are bred as flock guardians and will often have their own opinion about what they should do, which is why Tibetan mastiffs are definitely not champions when it comes to obedience or agility competitions.
Overall, they are fearless and very protective of their owners. They can get along with children as long as they grow up together, but bringing a Tibetan Mastiff into a home with young children is not recommended. The problem is the strong protective instinct that may kick in when your child is playing with other kids, which can be mistaken for aggression by the dog. This may cause you to stop inviting guests and play friends for your kids at home. You should socialize the dog properly from an early age to teach it to control these instincts and its natural suspicion of strangers.
Also, they are generally quiet at home and can be barkers and diggers if left outside, so it is a good idea to let your dog sleep indoors.
Anatolian Shepherd
Anatolian shepherds are believed to have originated more than 6,000 years ago in the Anatolia region of Turkey. They were bred and used for guarding flocks without their owners nearby, so it is crucial to properly socialize Anatolian shepherd pups when they are young.
The height of these large working dogs can reach over 31 inches, and their weight over 150 lbs. for males and slightly smaller for females. Their impressive thick coats make them look even larger.
The life expectancy of dogs from this breed is longer than that of many of the other large breeds and is about 11 to 15 years.
In Turkey, the ears of the Anatolian shepherds are cropped, but in other countries where ear cropping and tail docking have been outlawed, they have their natural V-shaped hanging ears. There are short and rough coat variations of this breed, and they have high set tails that can be curled and remain curled no matter the dog’s mood.
The classic coloring of the coat is fawn, with a specific black mask on the face, but you can see Anatolian shepherds in all kinds of colors and with all kinds of markings.
Anatolian Shepherds are intelligent, independent, calm, and loyal dogs, who are very reserved to strangers and have a strong protective instinct when it comes to their families. So, very serious socialization needs to be done in order to prevent this type of extreme guarding behavior against other dogs or people.
Dogo Argentino
The Dogo Argentino is a pack hunting large white dog originating in Argentina. It was bred to hunt boars and pumas, which is why it is a very large, athletic, and strong dog.
Dogo Argentino dogs can reach a height of 30 inches and weigh up to 120 lbs. They are very loyal dogs that are gentle to their families but have a strong prey instinct and can be very protective and distrustful of other animals or humans. This is why this breed is recommended for skilled dog owners only.
Dogo Argentino dogs have white and very short coats and can sometimes have a black spot somewhere near one of the eyes or on their heads.
They require a lot of exercise, activity, and mental training because if they get bored, they can become destructive.
Even though they are naturally bred to get along with the other dogs in the hunting pack, some dogs of this breed have been used as fighting dogs, which is why the breed has been prohibited in several countries, including the U.K., Australia, Denmark, Singapore, Iceland, and others.
Today, Dogo Argentinos are still used for big game hunting, as well as for search and rescue, police, and military work. They can be excellent family pets, watchdogs, and loyal companions if they have undergone good training and socialization.
Bully Kutta
The Bully Kutta is often referred to as the Pakistani Mastiff but is actually a decedent of an ancient and now extinct Pakistani dog called Alaunt. It was bred for hunting and fighting and has a strong resemblance to the ancient Mesopotamian and Central Asian warfighting dogs. Bully Kutta means “heavily wrinkled dog” in Urdu.
The Bully Kutta is mainly white, but there are other color variations, including black, brown brindle, fawn, and bi-colored.
They are very large dogs that are about 35 inches tall and can weigh up to 210 lbs.
Dogs from this breed are friendly, docile, and trainable, which makes them excellent companions and watchdogs for people who have experience with large dogs and can establish themselves in front of the pack before the dog.
But remember that they drool a lot and take up a lot of space, so only adopt a Bully Kutta if you can ensure sufficient space. Also, it is not the right dog for families with young children.
This rare dog has very thick and strong bones and is one of the strongest dog breeds in the world. Also, its jaws are incredibly strong and provide a very strong grip, as a result of its history of being used for flock guarding and hunting big game such as cheetahs, lions, bears, tigers, and buffalos.
Its lifespan is about 8 to 10 years, and it doesn’t require too much exercise, as it will rather sleep all day long instead.
Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
Like the St. Bernard, the Greater Swiss mountain dog comes from the Swiss Alps. It is a heavy-boned, strong dog that is fast enough to be an effective working farm dog – as a guard, a herder, and for pulling heavy carts.
The Greater Swiss mountain dog is the oldest Swiss breed and is also the largest of them all. Adult males can reach up to 30 inches in height and over 150 lbs.
As a pet, this dog is an intelligent, happy-natured, and sociable dog that will get along and show a strong affinity for both children and adults.
Swissies are often winners in various dog sports disciplines such as weight pulling and agility because they enjoy staying busy.
Swiss Mountain Dogs are rather rare but have a strong following from their devoted fans. They are beautiful dogs with deep and loud barks. Being so big, the Greater Swiss dogs are not suitable for small apartments. They do need some moderate exercise, so you can easily have them as pets as long as you have sufficient space for them at home. If you have a fenced yard – that’s even better.
As with the other giant breeds, you must start socializing and training dogs from this breed early on. Puppies must be taught to be friendly with people and with other dogs. They do have a long puppyhood and will remain with a puppy-like mentality up to the age of 3 years.
So, even though they are gentle and good with children, a large puppy can accidentally knock over very young kids, which is why you need to supervise it around very small children.
Kangal
The Kangal is another gigantic Turkish livestock guardian dog breed that makes it to our list. The Kangal male dog has an average height of 30 to 32 inches and weighs up to 145 lbs. Female Kangals are a bit shorter and lighter.
It is not as heavy as some Mastiff-type breeds, making it much agiler and faster than the other large dogs. In fact, dogs from this breed can reach a speed of 30 miles per hour!
If you socialize it properly, the Kangal will be very friendly to all family members – adults and children alike, as well as to other people.
It is an independent and powerful dog, which is calm and controlled and can be very defensive of its family.
It is quite inactive indoors but will feel better if you have a fenced large yard, so apartment living is not suitable for dogs from this breed. It is a human-oriented dog that may be aggressive to intruders at night.
Regular coat grooming is required, especially during the shedding seasons, when it sheds heavily.
Kangals need both physical and mental stimulation, such as daily jogs, walks, or runs, as well as socialization in order to stay calm and happy.
Remember that just like other large dogs, you will need to supervise your Kangal around very small kids, even though it is loving and affectionate, because it may accidentally tip over and injure a baby or toddler.
Dogue de Bordeaux
This breed is often called a French or Bordeaux Mastiff and is recognized as one of the oldest French canine breeds.
The Dogue de Bordeaux is a very muscular and powerful dog that is not as tall as some of the largest breeds (it reaches up to 27 inches) but weighs over 150 lbs. on average. Its head is massive and probably the biggest in the canine world compared to body size.
It was traditionally used as a guard dog and for hauling and pulling heavy objects.
The dogs from this French breed, unfortunately, have one of the shortest life spans of all dog breeds and are expected to live for only 5 to 6 years.
It is calm inside but energetic and active outdoors, so you must ensure it takes daily walks and enjoys some games and play outdoors before getting back home and snoozing on the couch together for the rest of the day.
Landseer
The Landseer looks a lot like Newfoundland but has a black and white coat. It has similar body proportions and reaches a height of 32 inches and 180 lbs. of weight.
It is an unusually sweet, serene, and gentle dog breed.
The Landseer is also a swimming dog, often used to search and rescue drowning people. It is more responsive and faster than Newfoundland and, thus is easier to train.
Having longer legs than the Newfoundland, the Landseer is an elegant, hardy, and agile dog with a wide muzzle and small triangular ears. It has webbed feet for faster swimming and a water-repellent coat. If it lives indoors, it may lose its oily undercoat. You should avoid shampooing and bathing the dog unless absolutely necessary. Use dry shampoo to keep it clean instead.
Overall, the Landseer is a devoted and dignified dog with a generous and calm temperament. It is an intelligent and patient dog that can become a very loyal and devoted pet. It is great with children and is a sociable dog that requires companionship. It prefers cooler climates and has a life expectancy of fewer than 10 years.
If you want your Landseer to be completely happy, make sure that you take it somewhere near the water so that it can enjoy some swim time!
Cane Corso
The Cane Corso is a close cousin of the Neapolitan Mastiff. It is highly valued as a guarding and hunting dog. It has lots of muscles but is not as bulky as the other mastiff breeds. It is also a bit smaller than the Neapolitan Mastiff. The height of the Cane Corso reaches up to 28 inches, and its weight up to 110 lbs.
The life expectancy of these elegant dogs is 10 to 12 years.
Cane Corso dogs are easy to train and very smart but are also confident and assertive protectors. Their imposing appearance is sufficient to scare away intruders, so you can feel secure at home with your Corso.
Again, socializing dangerous breeds with dogs and people from an early age is vital if you want to avoid hazardous situations and problems later on with your faithful and devoted personal guard.
Being bred to hunt big game such as wild boar, as well as to guard properties, the Cane Corso dogs are very powerful and athletic animals. They are suitable for experienced owners who have a large and securely fenced backyard.
Corsis are family-only dogs, so don’t expect your dog to be friendly with absolutely everybody it meets!
Akbash
The Akbash is yet another livestock guardian dog originating from Turkey. It can reach up to 34 inches in height and up to 140 lbs. in weight.
It is leaner and taller than the other large Turkish livestock guard dog breeds. Its double coat is white, but it can have some markings on the ears. Actually, the name of the breed means “white head” in Turkish.
The lifespan of the Akbash is about 10 to 11 years.
In general, the dogs from this large Turkish breed are calm but always focused and aware when protecting their family or property.
Like all other big dogs, the Akbash requires serious training and socializing early on in life. It is used to work with people as partners rather than as a subordinate, which is something to keep in mind when training your Akbash dog. It is definitely not for novice dog owners due to its strong protective instincts. But you should never use or strength of cruelty when training it. Rather, a dog from this breed requires firm, kind, and consistent training.
Great Pyrenees Mountain Dog
There are fossils that show the existence of this breed from the Bronze Age. It is believed that the Pyrenees Mountain Dog originated in Siberia or Central Asia and later moved to Europe with the migrants from those areas.
It was used as a shepherd dog and had keen eyesight and scent.
The Pyrenees is a very large and powerful dog with a thick coat. It is a working dog bred to stop predators such as wolves from attacking and stealing the sheep from its flock.
Its height reaches 32 inches at the shoulder, and its weight is often over 100 lbs.
Today, the Pyrenees is a mellow companion and a vigilant guardian of its family and home. Normally dogs from this breed are very calm, but they are always ready to spring into action if a threat is detected.
Since it has been bred to work on its own away from its owner, you may have some problems with its training and with the fact that it has a mind of its own.
Otherwise, the Pyre is very calm at home and will give you all of its unconditional love, but be prepared that it will guard absolutely everyone and everything on your premises. To avoid problems, take the time to socialize your young Pyrenees mountain dog with as many dogs and people as possible as it grows up.
Bullmastiff
The Bullmastiff dog breed is a large, muscular, and powerful dog that is sometimes referred to as the “British Bulldog.” They are used for guarding property and livestock, but are also loving family dogs. Let’s explore more about this beautiful breed of dog!
Bullmastiffs were originally bred to hold and chase poachers out of the property and chase away other intruders. They are very dominant and protective over their home.
The bread was created in the 19th century by mixing the Bulldog and the Mastiff.
The breeding programs were started by Mr. James Hinks from England. He wanted to create a dog breed with a shorter coat, but kept the same strength as the breed they had been mixed with, so he created this wonderful breed of dog.
After the English Mastiff, this is the second-largest dog breed in the U.K. The Bullmastiff’s health and life expectancy is around 8-10 years, just like most other giant dog breeds. Its height ranges from 24 to 27 inches.
They are quite heavy and muscular in build with deep chests and short backs, makinge their movement easy and agile. Their heads are broad, and their noses are much shorter than the English Mastiffs.
Mastiffs have powerful jaws which come in handy when they need to grab hold of a straying cow’s horn.
Final words
Large dogs can be quite impressive and seem a bit intimidating, but if they are properly raised with sufficient socializing and training, most of them can make perfect family pets.
Overall, larger dogs are calmer and less energetic than smaller ones. They tend to be very gentle and affectionate to children and very loyal to their families.
Make sure that you check out the specific requirements for training and socializing of the particular breed you are interested in, as well as its other characteristics, before considering adding a large dog to your family.
Unfortunately, larger dogs usually have a much shorter lifespan than smaller dog breeds, which is also something to consider before adopting a large pup.
In most cases, large dogs are recommended for people with previous experience with dog training and dogs in general.
Remember that some of these dogs are probably taller than you when they stand up and can weigh more than you, so do your research before adopting a large dog to avoid problems and troubles related to the dog’s instincts or its huge size and weight!
Hopefully, you will soon have a furry little puppy that will grow into one of these beautiful giant creatures if you have decided that you are up to the challenge of adding an extra-large dog to your family!