If you look at the largest dogs around, they all have some things in common. They were usually bred for work – protecting their master and their property, guarding and working livestock, hunting big game and dangerous game and, often, to fight either in battle or for entertainment.
They also share many of the same genetic diseases, which can be a clue to their often intertwined histories and evolutions. Big dogs also have special developmental needs, from feeding to exercising.
If you’re in the market for one of the largest dogs known to man, make sure you select it from genetically tested stock to help ensure that your pup enjoy as healthy of a life as possible.
Here’s a look at the largest dogs alive, their histories and which genetic mutations plague them.
Made famous in America alongside Tom Hanks in “Turner and Hooch,” the dogue de Bordeaux (above) is a mastiff-type dog with a massive head and stocky body that has been used to guard, hunt and fight both wild animals and those it was forced to square off against in a pit. While they possess a guarding instinct, they aren’t vicious and make great ...