16 Top BIGGEST Dog Breeds!

16 Top Biggest Dog Breeds!
16.
Komondor Also known as the Hungarian Sheep Dog, the
Komondor is a very large, typically white-colored livestock guardian which is distinct not just
for its size, but the strange nature of its coat.
Komondor dogs are also typically called “Mop Dogs” because their coat clumps together
and very closely resembles a floor mop.
The earliest mention of the Komondor is a Hungarian codex from 1544, and the breed has
since been classified a Hungarian national treasure.
Bred for its large and muscular frame as well as its natural instinct to protect livestock,
the Komondor is the perfect companion for a shepherd and is well equipped to carry out
its duty.
They have been upholding this task in Hungary since at least the 13th century, when they
were brought to the region by nomadic people who originally fled their homeland after the
Mongols invaded in 1237.
15.
Newfoundland dog Known for being a robust working breed, the
Newfoundland dog is instantly recognizable not just for its size, but its full, long
coat.
Males of the breed reach a maximum weight of 176 pounds on average and a height of about
28 inches, while females are just a couple inches shorter on average and weigh up to
143 pounds.
They are ideal dogs for a cold, wet climate due to their water-resistant coat and webbed
feet.
These dogs are ideal for working close with as well as being owned as pets by humans,
as they have a very cool temperament and are generally fairly calm in nature.
As the name states, they originate in Newfoundland, Canada, and it’s thought that they gained
their mastiff-like characteristics from breeding with Portuguese Mastiffs brought over by fishermen
in the 16th century.
14.
Caucasian shepherd dog Originally registered as having been bred
in the USSR but native to Georgia and other parts of Caucasus, the Caucasian Shepherd
Dog is well known for its size.
Males get between 27 and 31 inches tall and typically weigh in between 110 and 220 pounds,
while females average 25 - 28 inches tall and weigh anywhere between 100 and 180 pounds.
As the name implies, Caucasian shepherd dogs were originally bred for the purpose of aiding
shepherds in the Caucasus mountains.
Now they are widely kept as pets, but can still frequently be found aiding in their
original occupation.
They do require special training, however, as they don’t typically get along well with
other dogs, and their large size can make them difficult to control.
13.
Scottish deerhound The Scottish deerhound is another very large
breed of dog, originally bred to hunt Red Deer by a type of pursuit hunting known as
coursing.
Males of the Scottish deerhound breed reach anywhere from 85 - 110 pounds, and up to 32
inches in height at the shoulder, whereas the females come in at 28 inches and up to
95 pounds on average.
These dogs have a long lineage, too - their ancestors reach back long before recorded
history in the region.
While they aren’t as fast as a Greyhound on smooth surfaces, Scottish deerhounds can
easily outpace a Greyhound on rough or uneven terrain.
This, along with a better disposition toward rough weather, is some of the reason why they
were so popular as hunting hounds.
12.
Neapolitan mastiff Another example of the massive mastiff family,
the Neapolitan mastiff is revered for its absolutely colossal size.
Males of the breed can easily reach 150+ pounds and a height of 30 inches or more, while females
aren’t much smaller at anywhere from 24 - 29 inches and 130 pounds.
Because of this large frame, Neapolitan mastiffs are well known for their usefulness as guard
dogs.
Aiding in this role is the fact that these mastiffs are known to be extremely protective
of their family and property.
Around their family, though, they are known to be gentle and loving - rarely barking unless
they are provoked.
The breed has existed for hundreds of years, but the modern iteration derives from Italy,
when after World War II an Italian painter who sought to establish the breed by way of
a kennel he built specifically for breeding these dogs.
11.
St. Bernard The St. Bernard is perhaps the most well known
breed of large dog, due mainly to the celebrity status of certain individual St. Bernards.
Most famously, the movie series starting with 1992’s Beethoven featured a lovable but
unruly St. Bernard.
Another example is 1993’s Sandlot, in which A St. Bernard portrayed “The Beast”.
Additionally, the 1981 Stephen King horror novel and subsequent 1983 movie Cujo starred
a St. Bernard.
However, the St. Bernard was not established as a breed to be movie stars.
In fact, the breed goes back far beyond the invention of motion pictures; the earliest
written record of the breed dates back to 1707.
At a maximum weight of 260 pounds and a height of up to 35 inches, they are ideal working
dogs.
This was indeed their primary use - serving farmers and dairymen as well as pulling duty
as livestock guardians and hunting dogs.
Most notably they were supposedly used as rescue dogs, and this is where they get their
iconic barrel of brandy around the neck.
The legend says that St. Bernards would carry these barrels of brandy to victims of avalanches,
who would drink the brandy to stay warm until rescuers arrived.
10.
Alaskan Malamute Well revered for their beauty and intelligence,
the Alaskan Malamute is a favorite by far among lovers of large dogs.
In terms of functionality, the Malamute is well suited for things like sledding and pulling
large loads, with an emphasis on serving as a draft animal due to its robust strength
and the fact that it is not quite as fast as other sled dogs.
These dogs are also one of the oldest breeds of large dogs - with their lineage dating
back as far as 12,000 years, when dogs first arrived in the region.
The Alaskan Malamute itself was first bred at least 1000 years ago, when the Thule people
moved to Alaska from Siberia.
These dogs can reach as much as 130 pounds and stand as high as 30 inches tall, though
they often appear to be much heavier due to their thick, double coat.
9.
The Irish wolfhound Another very popular breed of large dog is
the Irish Wolfhound.
Given this name not for their appearance but rather for their original purpose, Irish Wolfhounds
were bred specifically to hunt wolves.
They were very successful at this task too - their huge stature was not only intimidating
to wolves, but when it came time to fight, they were formidable.
The American Kennel Club considers the Irish Wolfhound to be the tallest of all dog breeds
- males reach a minimum height of 32 inches and females reach at least 30 inches.
Additionally, males weigh at least 120 pounds and females weigh at least 105 pounds.
8.
Russian black terrier When most people think of terriers, they probably
picture the tiny breeds like the Yorkshire or the Jack Russell, but it’s worth noting
that dogs of the terrier name reached the complete opposite end of the size spectrum
as well.
The Russian black terrier, for instance, is a huge dog which can reach 130 pounds and
30 inches in height.
Interesting to note is that the Russian black terrier, despite the name, are not true terriers.
They are somewhat of an amalgamation of many dog breeds, with up to 17 different breeds
believed to have been used in their creation.
This is another breed which was developed in the USSR - having been made specifically
for working tasks within the Russian military.
As a result they’re one of the younger breeds on this list - the first examples showing
up in 1955.
7.
Leonberger Another large dog to come from Germany is
the Leonberger, which was originally bred in the city of Leonberg, Germany, to serve
as a symbol for the town.
The city’s crest featured a lion, and the legend says the the Leonberger dog was developed
to mimic the lion on the crest.
This was done in the 1830s by a dog breeder named Heinrich Essig, who also happened to
be the Mayor of Leonberg.
Males of the Leonberger breed can get up to 170 pounds in weight and 30 inches in height,
with females reaching up to 135 pounds in weight and 28 inches in height.
6.
Tosa Inu Another version of the mastiff is the Tosa
Inu, which originates from Japan.
These dogs are considered to be a fairly rare breed, and as a result purebreds can fetch
a high price.
The dog was developed in Tosa, Japan, ostensibly for the purpose of fighting, and it is still
used for that purpose today.
The Tosa Inu also has one of the most varied size ranges on this list, with individuals
of the breed which are born in Japan typically reaching between 80 and 135 pounds, while
breeders outside of Japan have focused on larger size dogs, allowing them to reach up
to 200 pounds and 32 inches in height.
5.
Bernese mountain dog One of four large and closely related dogs
bred in the Swiss Alps, the Bernese mountain dog is regarded not just for its large size
and usefulness herding livestock, but also for its beautiful and full mountain coat.
The breed was officially established in 1907, and these dogs are most at home in the Swiss
mountains, whether they are pulling loads, herding sheep, or just being generally helpful
around the farm.
Males of the breed reach up to 120 pounds and 28 inches tall, while females are only
a little lighter at 110 pounds and just slightly shorter at 26 inches.
They are distinctive for their tri-colored and shiny coats, which are known to shed year-round.
4.
Boerboel
Also known as the South African mastiff, the Boerboel is yet another example of the far
reach of the mastiff family of dog breeds.
This particular breed was originally developed for use on the farm but most notably as a
guard of the homestead - their large and fearsome appearance coupled with fierce loyalty to
their family has made them an ideal breed for protection and general guard duty.
At an upper weight range of 170 pounds and heights of up to 28 inches, the Boerboel is
known to be one of the more powerful dog breeds, thus they’ve made great worker dogs as well
throughout their history.
The breed is thought to date back to 1652 when Jan van Riebeeck arrived in the region
and began breeding dogs with those indigenous to the region.
3.
Anatolian shepherd As the name implies, the Anatolian shepherd
dog originates in the Anatolia region of Turkey, where it was originally bred as a protector
and herder of livestock.
Its large stature makes it well suited for this task, with males of the breed weighing
in at around 140 pounds and standing 32 inches tall at the shoulder, and females of the breed
not being much smaller, at up to 120 pounds and 31 inches.
It is thought that Anatolian shepherd dogs have been doing their job at keeping wolves
and other predators at bay in the region for as long as 6000 years.
2.
Great Dane It’s nearly impossible to put together a
list of the largest dog breeds without at least mentioning the Great Dane.
Like the St. Bernard, the Great Dane is one of the most iconic large-stature dogs, coming
in at up to 180 pounds and 30 inches tall.
Notably, the famous cartoon dog Scooby Doo is a Great Dane.
The breed itself, however, originates long before cartoons.
Dogs resembling Great Danes can be found dating back to Ancient Greece, with depictions recorded
in at least the 13th and 14th centuries BC.
Nevertheless, the modern breed is known to have originated in Germany, and was used to
great success as a hunting dog.
The name, which was originally the “German Boarhound”, was changed in the 19th century
after tensions with Germany began to grow in the rest of the world.
1.
English mastiff By far the most prevalent kind of mastiff
is the English Mastiff.
They are best known for their huge size - with males reaching sizes of 30 inches tall at
minimum and weighing up to 250 pounds, and females coming in just a few inches shorter
and 180 pounds on the higher end.
English Mastiffs have led to many other breeds of mastiffs around the world - which can be
confusing for people who don’t know how to tell the breeds apart.
English Mastiffs, however, trace their lineage back quite a ways.
There are depictions of English Mastiffs in paintings as far back as the 16th century,
possibly even farther back.
The modern breed dates back to the late 19th century, when a dog named Beaufort outbred
all other dogs of the type and became the progenitor of the modern English Mastiff breed.

16 Top BIGGEST Dog Breeds!

Latest Posts