The majority of the dogs on this list are Great Danes for obvious reasons! This is a great opportunity to talk about the breed.
Great Danes aren't Danish, they're German. But after the great wars, German Shepherds we called Alsatians in England, even though they're not French, and the German Boarhound somehow became the Great Dane.
The Great Dane is a giant-sized breed descended from the great Molossus, a Greek war dog from ancient times that is the father of all molasses also known as the mastiff breeds. The Great Dane descends from hunting dogs from the Middle Ages used to hunt wild boar and deer and as guardians of German nobility. It is one of the largest breeds in the world along with its close relative, the Irish Wolfhound.
Adult males are between 30 and 35 inches in the breed standard and weigh up to 180lbs. The downside to that size is that it takes up to 3 years for them to fully mature, yet they only average a lifespan of 8–10 years. As with most giant dogs, they can have a lot of health issues, sadly. So much so that because of their shortened lifespan and health issues combined, they're often called the "Heartbreak Breed." Don't get one unless both parents are tested for hip dysplasia and genetic heart disease!
Also on this list is a Mastiff. The "English" Mastiff is just called the "Mastiff", and it is a British dog breed that is considered the heaviest breed on the planet. They're likely descended from the ancient Alaunt and Pugnaces Britanniae, with significant input from the Alpine Mastiff in the 19th century. They start at 30 inches and only go up from there! Sadly, they're also known for health problems and their average lifespan is only 7 years. Though health-tested parents can have puppies that live to 10 or even 12 years. Another interesting note is that the Mastiff is the largest canine on the planet by weight!
The list also includes a Tibetan Mastiff named Hong Dong who is the world's most expensive dog ever, fetching a price of 2 million US dollars! Originally these dogs were used to protect Buddhist monasteries and monks of Tibet from animals such as bears, wolves, and snow leopards.
Also on this list is the world's biggest pit bull, although they may have snuck a little Mastiff in the bloodline. Unlike the others in this group, the American Pit Bull Terrier is a medium-sized breed, normally ranging from 35-60 pounds in purebred examples. They're also incredibly healthy and can live 15 years. I had a neighbor growing up who had 2 males, one died at 16 and the other at 20. These dogs are super athletic, and after the bear and bullbaiting were outlawed, for some reason dog fighting was still legal so breeders and gambling men began to tailor Bulldog and Mastiff-type dogs with terriers for their tenacity and speed. Nowadays these dogs are great pets and exhibit only a fraction of the animal aggression that dogs from the 1800s and mid-1900s. Zeus, the dog in this video, is nothing close to average-sized as you'll see. But he's an outlier who has more in common with cattle than most American Pit Bull Terriers!
I hope you enjoy this video, it's insane to see how big all of these dogs are. We're talking you have to pick a vehicle depending on if your dog will fit in it big! If you like the video, please hit like and share. It helps more than you might think. Thank you.
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