Giant Dog Breeds

These dogs with an above-standard stature include more than 30 breeds.

Giant breeds grow rapidly and therefore great care should be taken in the way giant breed puppies are being fed. The amount fed as well as the method of feeding and the calorie intake play a major role in the incidence of bone disease in young large and giant breed puppies. Contrary to popular belief giant puppies should not be fed 'more' to ensure their growth. Actually, overfeeding puppies is detrimental to their health, especially in the first stage of growth from 2 to 8 months of age, and it is even more so in giant breeds than it is in smaller dogs. Large amounts of food and high-calorie diets increase the rate of growth, which in turn increases the stress on the bones and encourages developmental bone disease to occur. Any excess weight gain in this critical period should therefore be prevented.

Pups fed free choice or ad lib also have a far greater incidence of disease. However, protein-rich diets, which were once thought to play a major role in the incidence of developmental bone diseases in large and giant dogs, have been proven to have no effect on the incidence of disease. On the contrary, low protein levels hamper the maximum developmental potential of these puppies. Large and giant breed dogs also need comparatively less calcium than small and medium breed dogs. Their diet should be adapted to these specific requirements while taking into account their low digestive tolerance.

Giant breeds are not necessarily high-energy dogs, whole the contrary. Many of them have a rather laid-back temperament, especially indoors. However, sufficient exercise is important to encourage their proper development. These breeds also need a larger sleeping area with plenty of room to stretch their limbs. Overall the costs involved in keeping a giant dog breed are higher than with a medium or small sized dog.

Their life span is generally shorter than that of smaller dogs, often living only 6 to 10 years.

Afghan Hound:
A very ancient sighthound dog breed, distinguished by its upright tail with curled end and thick, fine, silky coat. Their unique tail served as a marker in the heavier underbrush when hunting wolves, foxes and gazelles.

Akbash Dog

American Blue Gascon Hound:
An aristocratic, powerful hunting-working dog breed of the old Gascon type combining great scenting ability, stamina, agility, ruggedness, perservence, and long deep bawl or bugle voice in the hunting of larger types of tree-bay game.

Anatolian Shepherd

Azawakh:
A hunting and guard dog bred by the nomadic Tuareg tribes of the southern Sahara. It is untiring and courageous enough to ward off big predactors such as jackals, hyenas and wild dogs.

Bloodhound, see also: St Hubert dog

Borzoi

Bouvier de l'Alentejo

Broholmer

Caucasian Shepherd Dog (see also: Flock guard dogs)

Chart Polski

Deerhound

English Mastiff

Estrela Mountain Dog

Fila Brasileiro

Great Dane

Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

Great Pyrenees

Greyhound

Irish Wolfhound

Kangal Dog

Komondor

Kuvasz

Landseer

Leonberger

Neapolitan Mastiff

Newfoundland

Portugese Mountain dog

Pyrenean Mastiff (Matin de Navarre, Matin de Leon)

Saint Bernard

Scottish Deerhound

Sloughi

Spanish Mastiff (Matin d'Estremadura, Matin de la Manche)

Tosa Inu

Tibetan Mastiff