Alice White
Large dogs attract the attention of every caring animal lover. Still, tall, heavy dogs have a special become – they are beautiful, majestic. With them, you feel confident and calm, because even their mere appearance instills fear in the ill-wisher.
Advantages of having a large breed
The advantages of large dog breeds are many. For example, large pets can, if necessary, protect the owner’s life and property. Moreover, they will affect the enemy not with the help of powerful barking, but due to their serious dimensions. The weight of some healthy dogs can exceed a centner, so a rare intruder will risk fighting them. Such dogs-guards and watchmen, possessing impressive dimensions, include the Caucasian and Central Asian shepherd dogs, St. Bernards.
Another indisputable advantage is the endurance of large dogs, their readiness to serve a person, to be useful. Breeds such as Newfoundland and Leonberger serve in the ranks of the police and rescuers. Thanks to their excellent instinct, the ability to make quick decisions, and the absence of anger towards humans, these animals save other people’s lives, sometimes risking their own. They are also able to become guides for blind and visually impaired people. They can look after the kids when their parents are not around. Despite the lack of aggression, such dogs can intercede for the owner, because they have fearlessness. 
Large dogs are not sissies, they can live not only in an apartment but also in outdoor enclosures. Usually, they are not afraid of cold winters, they can survive the heat normally. You can take such pets with you on a trip – to the sea, to the forest, without fear of accidentally losing sight of them. According to many breeders, it is the large dogs that are distinguished by their greater ability to learn and train (in comparison with small decorative breeds). Also, sometimes healthy dogs are distinguished by a more balanced and calm disposition, they rarely bark, they can be friends with other pets in the house. True, provided that the owner pays a lot of attention to their correct upbringing since an untrained and disobedient giant is a headache for everyone around.
However, giant dogs also have some weak points. First, their life expectancy is relatively low – from 6 to 12 (rarely 15) years. While some small breeds live up to 15-18 years. Also, the ailments of most heavy and tall dogs are joint diseases (dysplasia of the hip and elbow joints, arthritis, osteoarthritis, etc.). Often, healthy dogs have problems with the cardiovascular system.
The largest dog breeds in history
The largest dogs can be judged on two dimensions – weight and height. The heaviest dog in history is considered to be a dog named Aikama Zorba, who lived in the UK in the late 1980s. This English Mastiff weighed as much as 155 kg. Slightly lighter (128 kg) weighed a dog of the same breed Hercules. Also known as the record of St. Bernard named Benedict, who reached 140 kg in weight.
The tallest dogs are considered to be Great Dane. Their usual height is 75-90 cm or more. But such rates are not the highest. The Great Dane from the USA George (now, unfortunately, already deceased) has reached 110 cm at the withers. Its weight exceeded a centner – 111 kg. When George stood on his hind legs, his height exceeded 2 m (213 cm). George’s follower is Great Dane Zeus, whose height is 111 cm.
10 largest dogs in the world
- Great Dane. These giants were bred in Germany at the end of the 19th century. Their usual height, as mentioned above, is over 70 cm, and the record figure exceeds 1 m. Great Danes are excellent guards, although they can be human companions if necessary. They are loyal to the owner, love children, but they are distrustful of strangers.
- English Mastiff. These heavyweight dogs appeared at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries in Great Britain. Their height is 75-80 cm, and their weight is usually 75-90 kg, although there are individuals and larger ones. The task of the English mastiff is to protect the owner and his home. And earlier such dogs were used as pickling dogs. These animals, unfortunately, do not differ in life expectancy. They usually live 6-10 years, although sometimes they even live up to 12-15 years.
- Irish wolfhound. These dogs are hunters, but if necessary, they can be retrained as companions. They do not have anger towards humans, so they cannot become watchmen. Their weight is 40-55 kg, and their height often exceeds 80 cm. The exact year of their appearance is unknown, since already in the 4th century there were dogs similar to Irish wolfhounds.
- Newfoundland. These giant dogs are native to Canada, although they are popular in almost all countries. They are very kind, smart, can get along with everyone. Such animals are often attracted to serve people – they can be rescuers, search engines, and guides. The growth of black giants is 65-80 cm, and the weight is 55-70 kg. They look impressive not only because of their weight and height but also because of their chic thick coat.
- Leonberger. These dogs were bred in Germany in the mid-1800s. Their parameters are as follows: height – 65-80 cm, weight – 35-50 kg. These animals are so kind and friendly that they will suit anyone, even an inexperienced owner. They can get along with other pets, they treat the host’s guests well. They are rarely purchased as watchmen, but they do an excellent job of finding people, they can help the blind, be dog doctors in Canis therapy.
- Caucasian Shepherd Dog. These dogs are also large – they are over 65 cm tall and weigh 50 kg. The origin of the Caucasian Shepherd Dogs began in the Caucasus, Russia. These animals used to cope with herding activities, and today they are increasingly involved in guarding the house. They are extremely distrustful of outsiders, which plays into the hands of the owners. Also, they are very hardy, can easily tolerate cold, and are almost indifferent to heat.
- Central Asian shepherd dog. Such a dog is also famous as an Alabai. Her homeland is the USSR. At first, the Central Asian Shepherd Dogs were used as shepherd dogs, but today they do a good job of guarding housing, they are on guard duty, participating in the search for drugs and explosives. Their height is 65-70 cm, weight is 40-50 kg.
- St. Bernard. This breed is not less than 4 centuries old, and St. Bernards first appeared in Switzerland. The growth of these giants is 70-80 cm, and their weight is at least 80 kg. Such pets get along well with people but can conflict with other animals in the house. Often St. Bernards are filmed in films, you can admire these stalwarts, for example, in the films “Beethoven”, “Cujo”, “Where are you, Bagheera?”
- Scottish Deerhound. These tall dogs are native to Scotland. Their height is not less than 70-75 cm. They are very indicative in hunting, but they can also take root as companions. However, as guards, they are usually not attracted – deerhounds are not vicious towards people, including strangers.
- Komondor or Old Hungarian Shepherd Dog. These dogs are at least 70 cm tall, although due to their unusual coat they seem even taller. Their weight is 45-65 kg. Such animals perfectly guard the owner’s home, and, if necessary, become good companions. Their original purpose was to protect sheep flocks from a predator. Thanks to the white cord-like wool, these dogs “merged” with the sheep, which often caught the wolf by surprise. In Russia, however, this breed is not one of the most popular because of their rather high cost and whimsical peculiar wool.
