Imagine sharing your life with a dog that attracts the attention of everyone due to its magnificent appearance and impressive look. The biggest dog breeds, because of their broad, powerful frame, beautiful eyes, and heroic aura, make them difficult to ignore.
Apart from well-known large dogs, many other dogs are not kept by everyone and are quite rare. Moreover, despite being massive in size, such gentle giants are calm and affectionate towards the family. They were bred for guarding, pulling loads, and to be a faithful companion.
However, they still carry such traits with them. Keeping a large dog breed has never been a bad choice for those who are always inclined towards giant breeds. This article will explore such breeds that have a strong demeanor, a protective nature, and are gentle with their owners.
Discover Rare and Impressive Giant Dog Breeds to Consider
1. Neapolitan Mastiff
The Neapolitan Mastiff is a true giant breed with huge size, a heavy-boned frame, and wrinkled, loose skin around the face and overall the body. It dates back to ancient Rome, where it was bred as a war and guardian dog.
This Mastiff-type dog is calm, loyal, and deeply devoted to the family members. According to the American Kennel Club, due to its wrinkles and pendulous lips, it looks like a marzipan Mastiff that has been bout in the sun for too long.
Mastino does not need to bark excessively to show its aggression and dominance. Its overall strong appearance is enough to make others respect it. Besides, it loves to bask in the sun and be a couch potato as well. It is always protective of its family.
However, the thing to be kept in mind before petting it is that it needs to be taken on long walks for enough exercise. Skin wrinkles need to be cleaned regularly, particularly on the face.
2. Caucasian Shepherd Dog
Caucasian is a rare, massive, and powerful breed with proportionately the largest head and dense double coat. Its area of origin is a matter of debate, but a recent study shows that Mesopotamia as an origin.
Caucasian Shepherd Dog, also known as Caucasian Ovcharka, because Ovcharka means “Sheepdog”. It was originally bred to protect livestock and guard estates, and its abilities should never be taken lightly.
The Caucasian Shepherd Dog is intensely loyal to the family and loves to play with children and other pets in the home. Interestingly, it has both wary and protective tendencies, but also quite independent. The Caucasian is always suspicious of strangers and does not like to interact with them.
But it is not suitable for inexperienced owners and demands consistent training due to its independent nature. Due to strong territorial instincts, it sometimes becomes quite aggressive. Besides, also prone to elbow, hip dysplasia, and certain eye conditions.
3. Black Russian Terrier
Being smart, muscular, and a large dog with majestic black fur, the Black Russian Terrier has a commanding presence. It was developed by the Soviet government as a guardian dog during the time of World War II. Interestingly, it remains tranquil in stressful situations. It is a confident, alert, and gentle companion of the family.
It is highly intelligent and always responsive to training. It is protective of the family and never gets aggressive. It is bestowed with controlled power and always thinks and assesses the situation before reacting. Since it has been used as a military dog, it is quite disciplined.
Although it is a calm dog, it also requires regular mental exercise to hone its clever mind. Weekly brushing and grooming are needed due to the dense coat.
4. Leonberger
One of the oldest giant breed dogs, the Leonberger, has a big size, athletic stature, a black mask, and water repellent outer coat. It was bred in Germany as a versatile working dog and a great companion as well. Leon is well-known for its patient and gentle temperament.
The Leonberger is a people-pleaser and is liked by children owing to its gentle nature. It thrives on human companionship but shows its dominance over strangers. Although its lion-like appearance gives a commanding look, it is quite friendly to approach.
Sadly, it has a shorter life expectancy than small dogs and also demands daily exercise, being a loyal working dog. To stay healthy, it requires good food quality and has a huge maintenance cost.
5. Scottish Deerhound
Being the Scottish royal dog, it is one of the tallest dog breeds in the world with a slender body. It is stated by PetMD that its wiry coat is similar to that of the Irish Wolfhound and a lanky build like the Greyhound. It was bred to run and hunt deer as it has good speed and sight.
When indoors, it is a “couch giant” and quite calm, dignified, and soft-natured.
The Scottish Deerhound is well-known for its unmatchable strength and aristocratic presence. It is always affectionate with the family but quite aloof of strangers. In addition to this, it represents a different kind of impressiveness. Its effortless movements give it a poetic appearance.
Furthermore, it has a strong prey drive due to its hunting background. Since it is sensitive in nature, harsh training methods are not appropriate.
6. Irish Wolfhound
Irish Wolfhound is a massive, shaggy, and powerful hound that originated in Ireland. It was bred for hunting purposes and comes in a variety of colours. It has a lovable, calm personality and always remains gentle with the family members. Interestingly, it is a huge teddy bear when it comes to being a companion animal.
It is one of the tallest dog breeds with an imposing appearance but a calm demeanor. With good training, it is also gentle with kids. It is not that aloof of strangers but always alerts the owners about something unusual and remains calm instead of being aggressive.
But it can develop separation anxiety if left alone for a long period of time. And also needs a lot of space to exercise and roam around.
7. Spanish Mastiff
It is a Spanish dog with massive size, heavy build, almond-shaped eyes, and loose skin. It is a popular giant breed that was bred to guard livestock from the wolf population and bears. It is always gentle and amiable with the family members, but cautious of strangers.
Undoubtedly, the Spanish Mastiff is a reliable guardian, being one of the largest dog breeds. This Mastiff dog all the time relies on its instincts, strength, and powerful appearance instead of aggression. Its independent nature is the hallmark of its personality. Moreover, it always prefers slow and deliberate movements, which adds more to its presence.
Due to strong guarding instincts, it needs early training and socialization. It is also prone to joint health issues due to its huge size. Daily grooming is imperative, particularly during shedding season.
8. Estrela Mountain Dog
Estrela is one of the ancient breeds of dogs that came all the way from Portugal. It is a powerfully built dog with a thick double coat and a black mask with a confident stance. Estrela forms a strong bond with the family and is gentle with them as well.
The Estrela Mountain Dog always remains distrustful of strangers but friendly with the primary person in the family. It is both physically and mentally strong, as it originated in rough terrain. It is protective, and its heavy stature is enough to keep unknown people away. It always proves itself as an efficient guard dog.
Since it is dominant, not everyone can handle it, and training is necessary to stop it from becoming aggressive. It is not ideal for confined and small living spaces.
9. Kangal
Kangal is a Turkish livestock protector from predators and is always an alert guardian. It is a large, athletic giant dog with a dense, short coat. The Kangal dog is calm, loyal, and even-tempered with the family. It is one of the great options for dog lovers.
Being quite an intelligent dog, it is proficient at sensing something unusual in its territory. It is always ready to protect its owners and never hesitates to confront any kind of danger. It can easily patrol large areas due to its great senses and alert demeanor.
According to Purina, Kangal is not suitable for naive owners as it likes to be an independent thinker without the input of a human handler. Besides, it can also be territorial and dominant with unfamiliar dogs in the area.
Conclusion
All in all, rare giant dog breeds are more than just pets. They are a living symbol of history, loyalty, and endurance. Their commanding appearance and confident personality are enough to protect their estate and owners as well. However, always remains amiable with the family.
They are not the ordinary companions but the special ones due to their aura. Be it Neapolitan Mastiff, Irish Wolfhound, or Kangal, they are all well-known for their guarding nature and ready to go the extra mile when it comes to defense.
Furthermore, they are always willing to take responsibility. They are not only protectors but also great companions. They also come with great responsibilities as they demand regular care, training, and exercise. Choosing a rare giant dog breed is the testament of great taste of owners.
