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 see which breed you look like from a single photo.
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.
Which dog do you look like?
Take one photo and an AI model tells you which of our 321 breeds you most resemble, and which features gave it away. Free, no account, and your photo is never stored. It is a game rather than advice — but every match links straight into that breed's real guide.
See which dog you look likeFrequently 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. The same trait ratings are printed on each breed's own guide page, so you can check why a breed placed where it did.
- 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.