Largest Dog Breed

Dogs are very lovable creatures with distinct personalities and characteristics. They have been loyal to man from centuries, in fact they were among the first animals to be domesticated. Did you know that the DNA of all dog breeds can be traced back to three female wolves? It's through careful breeding that we now have such a diversity in dogs. So much so, that we have a breed that doesn't bark - Basenji, we have Chow Chow with blue tongues, then we have Great Danes and Irish Wolfhounds that compete for the tallest dog title and The English Mastiff which is the largest dog. Usually when people ask what is the largest breed of dog, I wonder do they mean the tallest or tallest and heaviest? Let's take a look at both.

Dog Breed	Weight in Pounds	Height in Inches
Irish Wolfhound	105-125	35-35
Great Dane	100-120	28-32
The English Mastiff	175-190	29-32
Neopolitan Mastiff	150-180	26-31
Newfoundland	130-150	28-30
Saint Bernard	150-200	27-30

If you look at the world records, a Great Dane named Gibson held the world record for the world's tallest dog. He stood at a towering height of 7 feet when on he stood on his hind legs, otherwise he measured up at 42.2 inches. An English Mastiff, known as Zorba holds the record for the heaviest dog in the world since 1989, it weighed over 343 pounds! Imagine this dog sitting on a queen size bed! An English Mastiff rightly called Hercules is the worlds largest dog, weighing in at 282 pounds, in 2001. So I guess that settles it, the English Mastiff is at the top of the large dog breed list after all.

The Largest Breed of Dog: The English Mastiff

A male English Mastiff stands tall at 30 inches and females stand at 27.5 inches. The males can weigh in about 150 to 250 pounds and the female weighs about 120 to 200 pounds. Yes, these dogs are huge, and no wonder they are not one of the largest dog breeds, but in fact, they are the largest in the world!

Head & Muzzle: They have a heavy square shaped head with a prominent separation between the eyes. The muzzle should be in proportion to the skull to be precise, it should be half the size. The eyes have black markings around them and the nose is black or dark brown.

Coat: English Mastiffs usually have a short coat. Though rare, long haired mastiffs are called "Fluffies". This breed is known to be a medium shredder, that is, its coat doesn't shed excessively. Good dog care is essential for a healthy coat that shines. The coat can vary from fawn, to chocolate brown, to silver brown or even brindle.

Temperament: By temperament, these dogs are relatively docile. They don't bark that much, by instinct they are loyal guard dogs, therefore one doesn't need to train them to guard. They are calm and affectionate and are also very good with children and other small dogs. If they are to deal with burglary they are most likely to sit on the intruder to immobilize him rather than execute an offensive attack.

Health: Due to their large size, these dogs need plenty of exercise and a good diet to stay healthy and fit. They need regular walks and should be fed three proper dog food meals a day instead of one big meal. They are prone to certain diseases like arthritis, hip dysplasia, obesity, progressive retinal atrophy, vaginal hyperplasia and cardiomyopathy. The life expectancy of this breed is about 10 to 12 years.

If one had to look into the history of the largest dog breed, one would find a lot of blood and cruelty, all in the name of sports like bull baiting and dog fights. Even though this breed has an aggressive past, these dogs are ideal pets, and are just what a loving family would need. Thus, it is rightly said 'As a lion is to cat, an English Mastiff is to dog'.