Cats and dogs are the most popular pets around the world. For us, they are like no other animals on the planet. We love them, give them shelter and food and in exchange they proved to be excellent companions, loyal friends and brave guardians. Today there are 339 dog breeds. Your dog can match your temperament, your desired size or the purpose that you might need it for. So what size would you like your dog to be, tiny, small, medium, large or maybe a giant? They are all very affectionate creatures but large dogs need more space and a whole lot of food. Some dog like sleuth are trained to rescue people, heard flocks, they help the police catching thieves and in general they need to be trained and exercise a lot. Dogs are indeed very impressive animals. Here are the top 10 largest dog breeds.
10. Neapolitan Mastiff
The Italian Mastiff is a large dog measuring up to 31 inches and weighing 130- 155 pounds. It loves his home and prefers staying out and guarding the territory rather than being inside the house. Fearless and extremely protective of his family this kind of dog rarely barks and prefers rather sneaking up on intruders without warning. Its rather strange appearance, deep wrinkles and loose skin are the result of years of inbreeding. Its price ranges from $1200 to $2200.
9. Irish Wolfhound
This is a very affectionate and friendly dog, quiet, very loyal to his family and very good with children. Well suited for rural life, it can adapt very easily and thrive is suburban and urban environment with the proper amount of exercise. The minimum height for mature male dog is 32 inches. The Irish Wolfhound can be regarded as a national dog breed for Ireland although that is not official.
8. Great Pyrenees
This is a very old breed, used for hundreds of years by shepherds for guarding sheep. Males grow up to 39 inches and 130 pounds. The color of their hair are mostly white. This is an independent, confident, strong willed, fearless breed while guarding flock but gentle and affectionate as a domestic companion for families and children. The breed needs constant exercise and tends to be somewhat lazy if not properly trained.
7. Dogue de Bordeaux
This is a powerful, massive dog with a minimum weight of 100 pounds. The French Mastiff is not very tall but thick and muscular with a massive head that is claimed to be the largest canine head in the world. These dogs have been used to pull carts, carry heavy objects, guard flocks and protect European castles.
6. Saint Bernard
This breed was made famous by the series of movies Beethoven. Saint Bernards are giant dogs that weight around 130-180 pounds but they are gentle family companions. Originally they were bred for rescue and became quite famous by their alpine work in finding people trapped in the snow. They are no longer used for this kind of work; the last time when this happened was 1955.
5. Newfoundland
This is a Canadian breed, with waterproof coat and thick short legs. They are the perfect water dogs, hard working and loyal helping fishermen in the Newfoundland carry their fish and rescuing people from drowning for hundreds of years. Today the dogs are ideal family pets, cuddly, gentle and loving, perfect for children. Newfies are very intelligent dogs that respond well to treatment but they tend to be “droolers” so this can be an inconvenient.
4. Bullmastiff
Bullmastiff is a strong, powerful dog who needs consistent training in order to become a well-behaved family member. This is a breed of independent dogs that don’t respond to traditional training and don’t bark much. Dogs of this breed are coated in thick, short red hair and are used especially as guard dogs.
3. Leonberger
The Leonberger dog is a German breed, affectionately called Leo because of resemblance to lion. Leonberger is regal and affectionate dog.It bonds well with families due to qualities of being loyal and friendly companion. Its weight can reach 170 pounds and their gentle nature makes them very good therapy dogs.
2. English Mastiff
This dog of this breed can reach a 220 pounds weight it is very powerful and it has a massive tail from which you need to protect children and objects. Friendly and kind it needs a lot of food and exercise and it can be a droller. It has a large head and it can be more than 30 inches tall. This giant dog can be an excellent companion if you have the space and disposition for such a big animal.
1. Great Dane
This is the tallest dog breed in the world with a record of 111.8 cm from shoulder to paw. It is an elegant dog with a regal appearance, well-formed and never clumsy. This gentle giant creature can be an excellent companion if you don’t mind the enormous size of their body.
