The Great Dane
How not to open the ball with the Great Dane? He is indeed known and recognized as one of the greatest dogs in the world. It can indeed reach 90 cm at the withers! It will clearly be difficult for you to go unnoticed with this dog by your side during walks.
He is a very big dog but also and above all very sensitive. He is friendly, affectionate and very attached to the people who take care of him. Rather reserved in front of strangers, it is however a sociable dog, docile and never aggressive if it is well socialized.
" The Great Dane puppy must benefit from an education that is both firm (to avoid having you wander around during walks on a leash when it has reached adult size) and gentle (unjustified reprimands will be very badly experienced by this great sensitive)."
The Saint Bernard
This breed was more than popularized by the film Beethoven, which highlighted the adventures of a Saint Bernard within a more than crazy family.
He can also reach 90 cm at the withers but the average is more around 80 cm. It is a good companion dog but above all an ancestral guard and defense dog. It is also an outstanding rescue dog, often used to find and save people lost in the mountains.
Otherwise, he is a very cheerful dog, somewhat intrusive and sometimes even a bit stubborn.
He must be educated and socialized from an early age to best adapt to the various situations that will be imposed on him throughout his life.
The Leonberger
The Leonberger Dog was originally the result of a cross between a two-tone Newfoundland female and a Saint Bernard. Later, a Montagne des Pyrénées even enriched this crossing.
There is no doubt that the Leonberger would be one of the tallest dogs in view of the crossbreeding that allowed its development. A male Leonberger can reach the height of 80 cm at the withers, but the standard specifies that subjects measuring between 70 and 76 cm at the withers (depending on gender) are sought.
He is a confident dog, always even-tempered, docile, with a great memory and incredible reliability. At the time, he was used as a farm dog, to guard livestock but also for his draft dog skills.
Today, the Leonberger is mainly used as a companion dog. He must benefit from early socialization to be able to accompany his masters everywhere and better integrate family life and modern life in general, with all the stimuli that this engenders.
The Neapolitan Mastiff
This dog, as large as it is impressive in its stature, can measure up to 75 cm at the withers. He is an unequaled protection and guard dog. His nearly 70 kg are usually enough to dissuade anyone from approaching the property he guards.
The Neapolitan Mastiff is a very calm dog, never aggressive without reason and who is always vigilant. In this, he is a dog you can count on.
The Landseer
This is definitely the least known breed on this list. And yet, it does have its place here because this large mountain-type mastiff can measure up to 80 cm at the withers. It is a guard and companion dog that looks a lot like the Newfoundland, and for good reason, it is a derivative.
Indeed, for many years, this breed was considered a two-tone variety of Newfoundland. It was not until 1960 that the two breeds were separated and the Landseer breed was officially recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale.
He is an alert, courageous, affectionate and very gentle dog who needs space to flourish. Like the Newfoundland, he is very fond of water and can be a good rescue dog at sea if he is well trained.
The Pyrenean Mountain Dog
Otherwise called Patou, the Pyrenean Mountain Dog is a very old breed used for the protection of herds in mountainous regions. It can measure up to 80 cm at the withers.
Dog-star of “Belle et Sébastien”, the qualities attributed to him in the film are more than verified in real life: he is a reliable dog, very affectionate and above all particularly intelligent and vigilant.
Very courageous, he can alone protect a herd against predator attacks. Strong, agile but also and above all tender, gentle and affectionate, he is both an incredible protection dog as well as an excellent family dog. However, his intelligence often leads him to take initiatives that must be controlled by his master in certain situations. Early education that respects the principles of positive reinforcement is essential.
The Anatolian Shepherd
The Anatolian Shepherd Dog, of Turkish origin, is part of the mountain-type molossoids. It measures on average between 65 and 78 cm at the withers, depending on its gender.
It is a dog recently introduced in France, which was used in its country of origin to guard farms (herds, houses and inhabitants) from predators such as wolves.
He is a bold, robust dog, with a strong character, who is not afraid of anything. Some have tried to make it a herding dog, but this big mastiff prefers to join the troop in order to protect them from any threat.
Contrary to appearances, this large dog is particularly athletic and can even excel in many disciplines, mainly agility and tracking.
He needs to exert himself physically but also and above all mentally and olfactory as regularly as possible. This dog could suffer a lot from a sedentary life.
The Mastiff
Able to measure up to 80 cm at the withers and weigh nearly 100 kg, the Mastiff is typically a deterrent dog that combines nobility and courage.
Very versatile, throughout history this dog has been used for many missions: guard dog, war dog, combat dog, hunting dog, etc. However, guard dog is indeed his favorite activity and it is for this that he was most used.
It is a very hardy breed that is satisfied with little to be happy. Sociable with humans as well as with other animals or their congeners, it is however formidable if it feels that an individual represents a threat.
Never aggressive without reason, he is a gentle, docile and rather calm dog when he is well educated and socialized.
The Irish Hound
This list would not have been complete without an Irish Greyhound who has largely deserved its place since it can measure nearly 86 cm at the withers.
Thinner than the previous breeds mentioned, it is no less robust.
His standard compares him to a lamb when he is at home and a lion when he is hunting. It is, it seems to me, a perfect analogy which sums up very well the temperament of this huge greyhound.
In the past, it was used to hunt wolves and deer. Today, in France at least, it is no longer authorized to hunt with a greyhound. However, with their instincts remaining intact, many PVL (Sight Pursuit) and coursing clubs allow greyhound handlers to spend their race dogs properly.
The Borzoi
This Russian greyhound also has its place here because it can reach the height of 85 cm at the withers, which even ranks it at the top of the basket.
" On a daily basis, he is a calm and balanced dog but who can quickly get triggered at the sight of game.His gaze never deceives him and he can see from very far away. It is sometimes disarming to observe his reactivity as he can go from absolute calm to almost uncontrollable excitement."
At home he is a rather exclusive dog who can even pass for haughty in front of guests.
Like his Irish counterpart, mentioned above, the Borzoi is above all a greyhound who needs to run a lot to be fully satisfied. Race and hunting dog, the activities of PVL and coursing are particularly intended for him.
Newfoundland
He is a heavy duty sled dog but also an amazing sea rescue dog.
The Newfoundland measures on average 70 cm at the withers.
He is particularly appreciated for his qualities combining dignity, loy alty and patience. He is a strong, powerful but also lively and intelligent dog. Very versatile, he is a very good show and companion dog, but above all an incredible working dog.
Very docile, he is particularly attached to his master and his social group in general, from which he does not like to be separated at all. He is a very comfortable dog in the water, often used for rescue, which earned him the nickname Saint-Bernard des Mers.
Besides, it is not uncommon to observe a Newfoundland “rescue” a human in the water when the latter is not particularly in distress. So don't be surprised if, when you are swimming peacefully, a big black dog grabs your arm to bring you back to dry land.
The Tibetan Mastiff
Let's end this ranking with this majestic guard, protection and companion dog. It is not the tallest, but the Tibetan Mastiff can still reach 70 cm at the withers.
He is a fairly independent dog, not very demonstrative but above all a great protector, very loyal to his family and his environment, not to mention his territory.
He needs very high quality socialization, from an early age, because in addition to being very distant towards strangers, he can also become aggressive if he is not sufficiently educated.