Everyone knows the German Shepherd. Everyone knows the Labrador Retriever.
And those are great dogs. Nobody’s arguing that.
But there is a whole large dog breeds out there. Massive, breath-taking, rare. Dogs that have been guarding mountains, protecting livestock from wolves, pulling sleds across tundra, and forming unbreakable bonds with their humans. For centuries… and still somehow don’t get the credit they deserve.
These are not your standard big dogs. These are the dogs that make even experienced dog owners stop and go, “WAIT, what is that?”
And the loyalty these breeds carry is deep. Ancient. Wired into the bone. The kind of loyalty that means this dog will sleep in front of your door, notice a stranger from 20 yards away, and still be the gentle giant in the room.
These are the rare large dog breeds with unparalleled loyalty.
Rare Large Dog Breeds With Unparalleled Loyalty
1. Leonberger
The Leonberger looks like someone crossed a lion with a teddy bear and then taught it to be unreasonably gentle.
This giant dog breed comes from Germany, developed in the 1800s in the town of Leonberg. There, a politician named Heinrich Essig quite literally wanted to create a dog that resembled a lion on the town’s coat of arms, as per the American Kennel Club.
So he bred Saint Bernards, Pyrenean mountain dogs and Newfoundland dogs together until he got… this!!
A massive size, mane-wearing, deeply affectionate creature that is somehow both intimidating in appearance and completely soft in personality. Leonbergers are a water dog, they love swimming and can easily dive because of those webbed feet.
Leonbergers form strong bonds with every single family member, not just one person. It is unusual for a giant dog of this size and rarity. They extend that watchful eye and patient temperament equally to children, other pets, and anyone their family trusts.
Their loyalty is NOT exclusive. It is just enormous.
These large dogs need regular exercise and their thick double coat has grooming needs. But the trade-off is a dog that is so warm-hearted and incredibly loyal owners say the Leonberger is the dog they did not know they needed.
2. Komondor
The Komondor arrives looking like a mop that gained sentience and chose violence.
The cords on that corded coat are not decorative. They are centuries of engineering. Hungarian shepherds developed this breed to blend into flocks of sheep while secretly being the most terrifying thing in the field.
A wolf would approach what it thought was an oddly shaped sheep. Then that sheep would stand up and. All 100 pounds of it.
These herding dogs have a loyalty that is territorial, an ancient type. This breed bonds completely with its flock, which in a modern house means its family, and it does not take that responsibility lightly.
These big dogs are natural guard dogs who survey their surroundings with total seriousness and an independent nature. It means they make protection decisions on their own.
Not a breed for first time pet parents. The Komondor needs experienced pet owners who understand an independent thinker with very strong opinions about strangers.
This dog is an utterly unique and completely devoted giant who has been doing this job for 1,000 years without a single complaint.
3. Tibetan Mastiff
Loyal nature in a physical form. Only it weighs around 150 pounds and has thick fur.
The Tibetan Mastiff spent millennia guarding Himalayan villages and monasteries from wolves and leopards. Alone. At night, at altitude, in temperatures that would hospitalize most dogs.
No handler giving instructions, no backup, and just the Tibetan Mastiff and its own ancient and immovable commitment to protecting what is theirs.
This Mastiff-type dog breed is incredibly loyal to their family members, plus they are naturally wary of strangers. It is exactly what you’d expect from a dog literally bred to decide for itself what’s a threat.
They have a calm demeanor at home but switch into full guardian mode with protective instincts when something feels wrong.
Their massive size, giant head, and thick double coat make them one of the most visually striking dog breeds.
They also need space to roam around, plenty of space, as per PetMD. Tight spaces are really not their thing because of that big frame. Pet parents who can give them room, consistent training, and respect for their independent nature… this dog gives back unconditional loyalty.
4. Kuvasz
Most people can’t pronounce it. Almost nobody knows it. And that is honestly a crime.
The Kuvasz (pronounced “KOO-vahz”) is a Hungarian livestock guardian with a history that goes back to the 15th century.
When Hungarian King Matthias I trusted his Kuvasz dogs more than his human bodyguards. He reportedly kept them in his bedroom. When you are a medieval King, and you pick a dog over your own security detail, that dog has earned it.
The Kuvasz is a large dog breed with a white, dense coat that looks angelic, and a protective nature that is anything but passive.
These beautiful white dogs are big, who form strong bonds slowly. They don’t hand out loyalty like treats. They decide you are worth it, and they are yours completely.
These fluffy dogs need experienced dog owners who can match their intelligence and earn their respect through consistent training.
Plus, they are NOT eager to please dogs, they are equal partners. Incredibly patient, gentle with family members, and immovable on the topic of protecting their people.
5. Black Russian Terrier
The Black Russian Terrier was literally engineered by the Soviet army.
After World War II, the USSR set out to develop the perfect working dog. Large, gearless, cold-weather resistant, highly trainable and deeply loyal.
They cross bred over 17 breeds over decades until they produced the Black Russian Terrier, the military dog. An energetic dog made by the government. For a government. That now just… wants to sit next to you on the couch.
Despite the intimidating appearance and the origin story straight out of a Cold War thriller, the Black Russian Terrier is an incredibly affectionate, warm-hearted companion with its family.
These big dogs are the ultimate family pets, confident, calm, and form exceptionally strong bonds, as noted by Omlet. The kind of loyalty that makes you feel genuinely looked after.
They need mental and physical engagement. This is a working dog brain inside a large dog frame. But, with training and enough activity, the Black Russian Terrier is one of the most devoted, capable, and rare large dog breeds you will ever meet.
6. Boerboel
The Boerboel is South Africa’s contribution to the world of rare, giant dog breeds. And South Africa did not hold back.
“Boerboel” translates roughly to farmer’s dog in Afrikaans, and these dogs were bred to protect remote South African homesteads from predators. Baboons, leopards, and whatever else showed up at the door.
The Boerboel’s job was not mainly to bark but handle the situation. Physically, conclusively.
At home, the Boerboel’s affectionate nature and protectiveness make them fantastic family dogs. You will find one of the most loving dogs in the giant breeds category.
They are gentle and patient with children, which surprises people who only see the massive size and giant head of this guard dog first.
Their loyalty is the South African frontier kind. Unshakeable, unquestioning, and unconditional toward their family.
7. Dogue De Bordeaux
The Dogue De Bordeaux is one of the oldest French dog breeds in existence. And also, one of the most loyal large dog breeds, most Americans only knew because of a 1989 Tom Hanks movie.
Turner & Hooch introduced this wrinkled, drooling, ancient French Mastiff to mainstream America. And the French Mastiff has never quite left, because they are wonderful companions.
This dog has a quiet demeanor, which is what makes it remarkable. These bog dogs don’t make loud declarations. They just show up. They position themselves between you and the door. They watch with those soulful eyes and track your movements like keeping you safe is their job.
With a short coat and shorter life expectancy (5-8 years) than most large breeds, the Dogue De Bordeaux packs extraordinary devotion into a limited window.
Pet parents of these wrinkled dogs tend to say the same thing. They have never felt more loved by a dog.
With less time on the clock, they somehow give more.
8. Borzoi
The Borzoi is one of the tallest dog breeds on this list. They look like they were painted by a Renaissance artist who wanted to capture something impossibly elegant.
Long legs, a silky coat, an impossibly narrow face, and built like a Greyhound or Great Dane. Originally bred by the Russian aristocracy to hunt wolves across open steppes, yes, wolves in packs.
These hunting dogs have been one of the most beautiful and underestimated large dogs.
Borzois are quiet dogs with an independent, gentle nature that reads as aloof to strangers but pure and undemanding devotion to their people.
They don’t follow you around the house. They don’t need to. They have picked a spot in the room where they can see you, and they will stay there. Calm and watchful, spending time in your presence.
That is a different kind of loyalty. The kind that does not need to announce. The Borzoi is your dog. They are just elegant about it.
9. Broholmer
Almost nobody in the U.S. has heard of the Broholmer, which needs to change immediately.
Denmark’s national dog is a massive, calm, incredibly affectionate, and loyal dog breed that nearly went extinct after World War II. As per the American Kennel Club, they have a long history and were only saved by a dedicated group of Danish breeders in the 1970s, who were not willing to let them disappear.
The fact that this breed exists today is because people loved it too much to let it go.
The Broholmer carries a calm demeanor that makes it one of the most settled giant dog breeds you will find.
They are affectionate with family, patient with kids, and make strong bonds that develop slowly and last completely.
For pet parents who want a rare large dog with a gentle disposition, an ancient history, and loyalty so steady it barely needs expressing… the Broholmer is waiting.
Exactly like this rare dog has been doing for centuries. Pretty fantastic companions.
Conclusion
The popular big dogs get all the attention.
But these nine rare large dog breeds with unparalleled loyalty have been guarding mountains, protecting families, hunting small game, and picking their people long before Instagram existed.
Other dogs that are incredibly giant dog breeds worth knowing: Irish Wolfhound, Great Danes, Neapolitan Mastiff, Doberman Pinscher, Bernese Mountain Dog, all carry that same depth of loyalty and friendly nature in a big frame.
These dogs prove that loyalty every single day.
And hence, they make the ultimate excellent companions.
