Buying a large dog, but which one?

Gingham_R

I know you're asking for experience, but I just wanted to pop in and say I love newfoundlands. :j

charlea

while i dont have any of the dogs on your list i do have 4 big dogs

2 bullmastiff age 8 and 14months and 2 dogue de bordeauxs puppies who are sister from the same litter and are 15 weeks old

none of them are big barkers in fact our neighbours didnt even realise that we had bought our second dog back in the summer

despite there potential size i would say the the ddb are brilliant with kids if trained well and are incredibly lazy liking nothing more than sleep all day and very friendly dogs lots of slobber though and do like to take over the sofas

PuppyLove_2

My friends got a Bernease Mountain dog and hes gorgeous! A gentle giant and whenever we walk him people are always stopping to ask what breed he is.

The only thing that put me off getting one myself is the short life span, 6 years is only twice the length of time as a Hamster!

poppy_f1

if i had a large enough space and time i want a old english sheepdog

Caroline_a

poppy_f1 wrote: »

if i had a large enough space and time i want a old english sheepdog

If I had the space, time and money I'd have LOTS of dogs :rotfl:

rosyw

I grew up with a Pyranean Mountain Dog, and most of the time they are gentle giants, BUT, you need to be very careful with regard to temperament, and tbh I wouldn't recommend one if you have lots of kids around. I have known a few who have turned very nasty, and at the size they are it's no worth the risk. Ours was wonderful until the neighbours got a small yappy dog that drove him crazy if out in the garden, I ended up being badly bitten one night trying to get him in, 10 minutes later he was licking my face, but I still have the scars 40 years on! He wasn't trying to hurt ME, he just wanted to get to the yappy dog, and I was stuck in the middle.

lostinrates

gettingready wrote: »

I never said they are rare( in UK or not) , I said they are not very popular ie not very common to see around... in UK....sigh.....

Yes, they are at the shows but howmany do you see being walked anywhere every day?

fewer than smaller dogs...for good reason. I've been brought up with giant breeds, and have my last one now. They are unsurpassable IMO, many of them, for ease to live with and temperament but they cost a lot....to much for many people with comfort. Insurance is a lot, worming and de fleaing is more than smaller dogs, food is a lot, health is more expensive...


Practically, when my grey broke her leg this summer I could lift her in and out of the car alone but had it been big dog I just wouldn't have been able to. Life would have been very much harder. We had to buy a car with the size of big dog in mind ...easier than when we had the two giants at least, and I certainly can't carry her on an escalator if we visit london and I want to use the tube, lol.


I adore big dogs, and regret that Big-dog will be the last in a breed that has been in my life since I was a baby and that I love very dearly But there is VERY good reason they are not as common for many as pets as ''normal'' sized dogs. there are however very good breeders of many giant breeds, well influenced with lines imported to keep the genepool wider...with any breed less represented in sheer numbers its worth geting some idea of the breadth of breeding behind it IMO.

krlyr

gettingready wrote: »

I never said they are rare( in UK or not) , I said they are not very popular ie not very common to see around... in UK....sigh.....

Yes, they are at the shows but howmany do you see being walked anywhere every day?

3 Newfies in my (ickle, barely counts as a town) town! And a woman semi-local walks her Leonberger 15 mins away, have walked with them a few times. Plus the two BMDs I spotted being walked on my mum's estate the other week (again, 15 mins away)

gettingready

I have 3 Newfies around too but none of the others - few great danes and mastiffs but nothing else really. And where I live masses of people bring their dogs for walks as lovely for them to run off lead free and happy, very safe and dog friendly.

Can't wait for the OP to decide what he is going to get and see pup's photos....

gettingready

Lostinrates - very good points....and so true.

GS is the biggest "common" dog I see around and not that many of them too. People prefer smaller size dogs for the reasons you mention - that is why the giant breeds are not so popular, they are just very expensive to keep