Giant dog breed

A giant dog breed is a breed of dog of gigantic proportions, sometimes described as a breed whose weight exceeds 45 kilograms (100 lb).^[1] Breeds sometimes described as giant breeds include the Great Dane, Newfoundland, St. Bernard and Irish Wolfhound.^[2] These breeds have seen a marked increase in their size since the 19th century as a result of selective breeding.^[2]

A Great Dane and an Irish Wolfhound, two giant dog breeds

Dog breeds described as giants tend to have more health problems than smaller dogs and have the shortest life expectancy of all dog breeds.^[3]

See also

• Selective breeding
• List of individual dogs § Dogs of unusual size