Giant dog breed
A Great Dane and an Irish Wolfhound, two giant dog breeds
A giant dog breed is a breed of dog of gigantic proportions, sometimes described as a breed whose weight exceeds 45 kilograms (99 lb). Breeds sometimes described as giant breeds include the Great Dane, Newfoundland, St. Bernard and Irish Wolfhound. These breeds have seen a marked increase in their size since the 19th century as a result of selective breeding.
- The heaviest dog ever was a Saint Bernard (named Benedictine) weighed in at an astonishing 167kg, stood 39.55 inches (100.5 cm) at the shoulder and was 8 feet 6 inches (259 cm) from the tip of his nose to the tip of his tail and currently holds the record as the heaviest dog of all time. American Kennel Club
Dog breeds described as giants tend to have more health problems than smaller dogs and have the shortest life expectancy of all dog breeds.