Big or giant friendly breed?

[UseAMuckySock]

Thinking of getting a giant breed next (yes I know about the life expectancy).

MUST be a friendly trustworthy breed - preferably with other animals as well as kids.
Low prey drive.

Not too much energy but enough to manage a good walk (say about an hour, more at weekends).

A breed that will be happy to chill out and relax whilst I’m WFH

Dog will be left home alone for 5 hours a day twice a week only.

My “potential” list includes:

Newfound
St Bernard
Leonberger
Bernese Mountain Dog (although cancer risk is putting me off here)

Any recommendations?

How do you feel about slobber? (everywhere, on the ceiling, on the walls in your hair)

If you dont mind slobber any of the above
If you do mind slobber Leonberger

Great Dane, I've had three. My last two were rescues, they're great with children, don't need too much exercise and hate the rain! Expensive to keep as food and vets bills can be high,luckily my DH was a vet! So As they can be quite hard to hold, I always put a halti on them, they're not thrilled when you start but soon get used to it. After a while when they were used to walking calmly I could just put the lead on their collar. Still miss having a dog too old now!

Have they ever been dog reactive? Could you reliably let them off lead? I do love Great Danes but was put off after an episode of dogs behaving badly!

I love giant breeds ( other people's) Sorry I can't be of help just being nosey .

Irish Wolfhound?

Would love one but I think that maybe a bit too big 😂 plus they look like they need tons of exercise?

I have leonberger (obviously)
They are the best! Exercise enough to keep me busy but not excessive (40mins- 1hour is enough for mine) chilled in the house, great with kids, brilliant with other pets (we have cats, horses, chickens) never bark, think they are 80kg lap dogs. Very easy to train, intelligent but not to the point you have to worry about mental stimulation all the time. They also don’t drool. Mine don’t have a prey drive at all…but some do. After a walk both will spend most of the day asleep, moving is too much effort. They are also very loving, loyal and playful…like big clowns!

Downsides…well there are many with giant breeds. The coat is thick, it needs drying out every properly time it gets wet or they stink for days. They shed very badly. The mud gets everywhere, literally to the ceiling if you let it and then some. They damage the house unintentionally just by being so big and knocking things over or lying upside down and gouging holes out of the wall as they get back up. They cost a lot, insurance is extortionate as are any sort of flea/wormer/surgery. They also are terrible at jumping so you’ll need a car with a low but huge boot.

They intimidate people but also other dogs, most other normal sized dogs hate them and will attack them so I never let them off lead around anyone I don’t know. The amount of times I’ve heard an owner say he’s never done that before is unbelievable as their dog (usually a doodle!) hangs around my dogs neck!
Also having a dog that weighs 80kg it’s not easy to let them play with others without injury so I wouldn’t have them if I had to walk in a dog park daily.

Males in particular can be challenging, especially as teenagers and need someone who knows how to handle a dog of this size. Behaviour even a lab could get away with they can not so training is so important. Some can be dog reactive (more than the breed clubs would admit I think!) They also have some origins from livestock guardians so some of them are guardier than others. Mine aren’t but one of my males is funny with other dogs shoving their faces in his, probably due to the amount of times he’s been attacked though and not necessarily because of his breed.

Oh and finally if you do consider a leo be prepared not to be able to walk anywhere without being stopped constantly and have to prevent people grabbing your dog at every opportunity. If I walk down a busy street they genuinely stop traffic. You’ll answer the same questions over and over and over until you want to print it on a T-shirt to give your mouth a rest 😄

I have a Bernese Mountain dog, and a lot of Leonberger's great post are very similar to my experiences with a large breed. My berner is such a joy, and has a great personality, he's a proper part of the family rather than being a pet. He's nearly 3 now and has calmed down to be a lovely dog, great with my kids and so friendly towards other animals, but other dogs aren't always as friendly back due to his size. He was a bit of a dick when he was a teenager, and I did say I'd never have a puppy again, but I wouldn't change him for the world, infact we've just got a Newfie puppy to go with him.

With the health risks, you really need to go to a good breeder who has all the health checks of both parents done. Obviously it doesn't eliminate the risk, but at least you know you've given it your best chance.

Another vote for a Great Dane. They don’t need as much exercise as you may think. A couple of laps of a field at top speed and they’re knackered! Longish lead walks are also fine. Soppy as hell with kids . I thought the hatred of rain was just my girl! Didn’t realise it was a breed thing. She pretends to be asleep at our usual walk time if it’s raining! If it starts to rain while we’re out she will turn around and lead me home.

I can manage her fine on walks (although she did pull me clean off my feet once when she wanted to run up to a horse and I wasn’t concentrating). Dogs are significantly larger than bitches though. I think I would struggle to hold onto a dog if he was really insistent on going somewhere.

You might want to consider a Dobermann too, we have a giant girl and she is the soppiest dog I’ve ever met, very sweet and gentle with all other animals And humans.

Don't have one but the Great Danes I've met at dog shows have all been absolutely lovely to me and my dog. Wish I could have one.

Bernese Mountain Dogs are fantastic.

The only thing I would say about owning a giant breed is that lots of smaller dogs find them quite scary so you may get lots of reactivity towards your dog.

The one I walk is bombproof with other dogs and walks amazingly on the lead - but lots of other dogs are wary of him and will react which would be really troublesome if he was reactive himself.

Another Leonberger owner here. Agree with Leonberger’s post except mine has a very high prey drive and could not live with cats or small furries. He’s fine with other dogs off his territory and not at all reactive. He also has a very high natural guarding instinct. Leonbergers can prefer to be solitary dogs and most of the rescues tend to be in this category on the rare occasions they pop up.

I have a Landrover telescopic dog ramp for mine which solves the high boot issue but mainly my car choice is governed by the dog as he likes to be able to stand up on the boot and have enough space to turn around.

Be warned though, they look cuddly but hate being hot so spend most of their time outdoors where they are happiest but also this means they are filthy at this time of year….they also come alive as soon as it’s dark and spend a great deal of time ‘guarding’ in the small hours which can be a PITA.

I've had a Leonberger and although she was the best good girl ever, because of the excessive hair, we have decided not to get another. However we are looking at a greater Swiss Mountain dog which seem to have all the benefits of the large breeds but short haired and very healthy. Worth investigating.

I have an English Mastiff.

As long as you don't mind slobber, they are a loving, loyal, calm dog.

Good with children, aloof with strange dogs rather than aggressive. To be honest they just ignore other dogs, even if they walk up to them, mine will let them have a quick sniff and then start walking off 🤷🏻‍♀️

Work with dogs all day everyday & even though these aren't recognised as giant, I'd recommend a golden retriever they can be huge! Friendly, beautiful dogs the only drawback on all the breeds you mention are the grooming too! Research this thoroughly as big dogs=more coat to look after!!

Leonberger here too! She’s exactly as energetic or as chilled as you want. When in season she’s happy just to play in the garden or nap, but she’s not averse to a 3 hour walk every so often. Day to day 30 minutes to an hour is fine. She’s great with kids and happy to lie on the floor watching them do lego/ watch you tube, or to play a massive game of tag!
She’s great with other dogs, though has a tendency to want to lick the ears of the really tough looking ones (who are generally so bemused they let her!). No real prey drive, though she insists on checking under every car on a certain road a few streets away because she saw a cat there once. She’s intelligent enough to train easily, but fairly daft (see comments about the cat).
Mine is a definite mummy’s girl, though DH is working hard to win her over.
only downside is the fur….

Oh, thought of another downside! In her head, she’s still puppy sized… sitting on my shoulder isn’t actually as realistic as she believes…