Video BIGGEST Guard Dogs in the World

Sometimes all it takes for a would-be thief to skip your house is the presence of a massive guard dog. They’re big, they’re intimidating, and when they’re pushed to their limits, they use all their muscle to keep their owners safe. The dogs on this list are as big as they come, but when it comes to their families and the proper training, they’re as sweet as the littlest lap dog.

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4. Great Dane
This photo is of Zeus, once the world’s tallest dog. At the withers, he stood an incredible 44 inches (111 cm). On his hind legs, he was 7’4” (223 cm). Zeus weighed 155 pounds or 70 kg. He was only one inch taller than the previous record holder, George, another great dane. Today, the record is held by yet another great dane named Freddy. Freddy is 40-inches at the shoulder, which is shorter than Zeus, but when he stands on his hind legs, he measures an incredible 7’6” (228 cm). That’s a lot of statistics when what we’re really saying here is that great danes are big dogs. Obviously, these record holders are over the average, but even your run of the mill great dane will measure 34 inches (86 cm) at the shoulder and weigh close to 200 pounds (90 kg). The great dane was unsurprisingly bred as a hunting dog, but the great danes we know today have had the hunting instinct bred out of them. Instead, they are generally calm dogs with playful personalities. They are people pleasers and are not as athletic and energetic as their lanky frame would suggest. Many of them turn out to be couch potatoes. They make the list of guard dogs because of their loud bark, which will alert owners immediately to strangers on the property, and their imposing figure.

3. Neapolitan Mastiff
These dogs with their drooping faces and puppy-dog eyes shouldn’t fool you. They’re actually pretty fearsome attack dogs, known for their muscular jaws and body. When they’re around their owners and family, they are sweet dogs with a silly personality. In fact, they’re most often found trying to fit their massive frame into someone’s lap for affectionate petting. But they are very wary of strangers and although they move slowly at first, don’t make the mistake of thinking this dog isn’t capable of agility when he feels he or his family is threatened. Neapolitan mastiffs are a powerful breed. They can grow to be 30-inches at the shoulder and some have been reported weighing almost 200 pounds!

2. Caucasian Shepherd Dog
This dog was bred to take on some of nature’s most dangerous predators. It originated in Georgia and Russia, where it will protect the livestock of its owners from wolves and bears. A dog that is capable and willing to take on a bear is pretty impressive--and huge. Caucasian shepherd dogs typically have a height of 30-inches at the shoulders and can weigh up to 220 pounds. They have a dense, shaggy coat to protect them during harsh winters, but their most definitive quality is their personality. They are a fierce breed and will show no hesitation when it comes to protecting their pack or territory. We cannot stress enough the importance of proper training from the time they are puppies. If they are not socialized and trained properly, they can be an extremely dangerous dog to have in your home. They are intelligent and dominant dogs who need a big patch of land to call their own, which is why they are so popular and absolutely vital to farm owners in their native Georgia. They look cuddly and adorable, but this breed is not for anyone who cannot take the role of alpha.

1. English Mastiff
When people say “mastiff,” this dog is probably the one most people think about--aside from the smaller (much smaller) more common bullmastiff. The English mastiff is a huge dog. And probably weighs more than a lot of people watching right now. Males can get up to 250 pounds (113 kg). That’s right, you heard correctly, that was 250 pounds. They are about 30-inches tall (75 cm) at the shoulder, so nearly every dog on this list matches them in height, but none will weigh more. In fact, the Guinness world record for heaviest dog belongs to an English mastiff named Zorba who weighed 343 pounds in 1989. He was 37 inches (94 cm) at the shoulder and was 8 feet from nose to tail (251 cm). The English mastiff is tolerant of strangers, but won’t hesitate to protect his owners if he feels threatened. And we’ve said that big dogs need big territory, but the English mastiff can make himself at home almost anywhere as long as he is taken out for the proper exercise. English mastiffs aren’t really an outdoor dog. In fact, they’re more comfortable indoors with their families acting like pillows for children or trying to fit their 200 pound body on the sofa with you. The English mastiff might just be the perfect watch dog. His temperament is generally docile and affectionate--at least with his family.