Dogs have been bred over millennia to be perfect companions, and there's a huge amount of variation between breeds. Though some pups may be small enough to fit in your pocket, many canines can grow to absolutely staggering sizes.
Dogs have been bred over millennia to be perfect companions, and there's a huge amount of variation between breeds. Though some pups may be small enough to fit in your pocket, many canines can grow to absolutely staggering sizes.
Here are some of the largest dog breeds in the world.
Here are some of the largest dog breeds in the world.
Great Dane
Though they aren't the heaviest dogs, reaching around 100-120 pounds, they are among the tallest. The average Great Dane stands around 28-30 inches tall but often they can be taller. The world record holder for tallest dog was a Great Dane named Zeus who stood an astounding 44 inches tall. However, these big dogs trade longevity for their size, and live only to be between 6 to 8 years old. Zeus died of old age at just 5 years old.
Neapolitan mastiff
Mastiff breeds are certainly among the largest dogs in terms of sheer mass. The Neapolitan mastiff originated in southern Italy. Used as a guard dog, the average male mastiff stands between 26-31 inches tall and weighs a hefty 130-155 pounds. Females are usually a little smaller, standing a few inches shorter and weighing 110-130 pounds.
Newfoundland
Newfoundland dogs stand between 27-30 inches tall and weigh as much as 150 pounds. They look even bigger because of their thick double coat, which keeps them warm even in icy water.
English mastiff
The English mastiff is enormous. Growing to a height of 30 inches, these dogs can weigh as much as 250 pounds. As a Great Dane holds the record for tallest dog, an English mastiff holds the record for heaviest. The biggest weight for a dog ever recorded was an English mastiff named Aicama Zorba, who weighed in at 343 pounds.
Saint Bernards
These giants were bred in the Swiss Alps and stand a minimum of 27 inches at the shoulder, with most weighing between 120 and 180 pounds.Though their fluffy coat may look like it requires constant upkeep, owners of Saint Bernards can usually get away with the occasional bath and weekly brushing.
Tibetan Mastiff
This is an ancient flock guardian dog breed originally bred by nomads in China, Tibet, Nepal and in 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.
Anatolian Shepherd
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.
Black Russian Terriers
These imposing canines hail from Siberia and can weigh between 80 and 140 pounds. Black Russian Terriers are also quite tall, typically standing between 27 and 30 inches at the shoulder.
Though they may look intimidating, these dogs are usually quite loyal to their owners. However, Black Russian Terriers are known to be cool to strangers, as they were bred to be guard dogs.
Afghan Hounds
These dogs can easily reach heights of 25 inches at the shoulder, but some can stand as tall as 27 inches. Afghan Hounds typically weigh between 50 and 60 pounds and need daily bushing to avoid tangling their thick coats.
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.
