12 Best Large Dog Breeds — our top picks
Great Dane
Great Dane: giant-sized, medium trainability and very high friendliness — a genuinely big dog that stays controllable. German gentle giant known for size and calm temperament. Friendly, patient, and excellent family companion. Worth knowing before you commit: the Great Dane does badly left alone all day.
Newfoundland
Newfoundland: giant-sized, high trainability and very high friendliness — a genuinely big dog that stays controllable. Canadian water rescue dog with sweet temperament. Gentle, patient, and excellent swimmer. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Newfoundland needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Saint Bernard
Saint Bernard: giant-sized, medium trainability and very high friendliness — a genuinely big dog that stays controllable. Swiss rescue dog with gentle giant temperament. Patient, friendly, and excellent with children. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Saint Bernard needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Irish Wolfhound
Irish Wolfhound: giant-sized, medium trainability and very high friendliness. Tallest dog breed, gentle giant with calm temperament. Ancient breed once used to hunt wolves. Worth knowing before you commit: the Irish Wolfhound does badly left alone all day.
Saint Berdoodle
Saint Berdoodle: very large-sized, medium trainability and very high friendliness. Saint Bernard and Poodle cross creating gentle giant with reduced shedding. Calm and patient family dog. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Saint Berdoodle needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Newfypoo
Newfypoo: very large-sized, high trainability and very high friendliness. Newfoundland and Poodle cross creating gentle giant with reduced shedding. Calm and patient family dog. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Newfypoo needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
English Mastiff
English Mastiff: giant-sized, medium trainability and high friendliness. Massive, gentle giant with a calm temperament and natural guarding instincts. One of the largest dog breeds, known for their docile nature despite imposing size. Worth knowing before you commit: the English Mastiff drools enough to notice.
Mastiff
Mastiff: giant-sized, medium trainability and high friendliness. Massive English guardian with gentle temperament. Ancient breed known for size, strength, and calm nature. Worth knowing before you commit: the Mastiff does badly left alone all day.
Labrador Retriever
Labrador Retriever: large-sized, very high trainability and very high friendliness. Most popular family dog worldwide. Excellent retriever with gentle mouth, high intelligence, and outstanding temperament. Worth knowing before you commit: the Labrador Retriever sheds heavily enough that cleaning becomes a daily routine.
Golden Retriever
Golden Retriever: large-sized, very high trainability and very high friendliness. Beautiful, gentle retriever with flowing coat. Outstanding family companion with high intelligence and eagerness to please. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Golden Retriever needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Bernese Mountain Dog
Bernese Mountain Dog: large-sized, high trainability and very high friendliness. Large, gentle Swiss working dog with a striking tricolor coat. Known for their calm temperament, intelligence, and strong desire to please. Worth knowing before you commit: the coat is real work — the Bernese Mountain Dog needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Boxer
Boxer: large-sized, medium trainability and very high friendliness. German working dog with playful nature and distinctive square head. Energetic, loyal, and excellent family companion. Worth knowing before you commit: the Boxer needs serious daily exercise, and gets destructive without it.
How this ranking works: each of DoggyQ's 321 breeds is scored on the traits that decide this particular question — the same trait ratings shown on each breed's own guide page, so you can check the reasoning rather than take a ranking on faith. Read more about our methodology, or take the free quiz for a ranking based on your own answers.
Popular breeds that are a poor fit for big-dog lovers
Chihuahua (Long Coat)
The Chihuahua (Long Coat) is a popular choice, but very small-sized put it at odds with big-dog lovers. On top of that, the coat is real work — the Chihuahua (Long Coat) needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
Chihuahua (Smooth Coat)
The Chihuahua (Smooth Coat) is a popular choice, but very small-sized put it at odds with big-dog lovers. On top of that, the Chihuahua (Smooth Coat) is vocal, which matters if you share walls.
Yorkshire Terrier
The Yorkshire Terrier is a popular choice, but very small-sized put it at odds with big-dog lovers. On top of that, the coat is real work — the Yorkshire Terrier needs frequent brushing and regular professional trims.
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Find your perfect matchFrequently asked questions
- What is the best large dog breed?
- Based on temperament and care needs, the Great Dane ranks as the top choice for big-dog lovers, followed by the Newfoundland and Saint Bernard.
- How was this list of dogs for big-dog lovers chosen?
- Each breed is scored on the traits that matter most for big-dog lovers — such as energy, size, grooming and temperament — using DoggyQ's breed database. For a recommendation tailored to your exact situation, take the free quiz.
- Which popular breeds are a poor fit for big-dog lovers?
- The Chihuahua (Long Coat), The Chihuahua (Smooth Coat), The Yorkshire Terrier all rank near the bottom for big-dog lovers despite being widely chosen — usually because the traits that make them appealing elsewhere work against them here.