by Pat Gray

Created on: January 12, 2010

"Biggest" can be measured in several ways - weight, height, length - but there are several dog breeds that are consistently find themselves in the top 10 biggest dogs lists. If you are looking for a large dog, here are ten of the biggest:

1) Mastiffs
In weight alone, the Mastiffs are truly the largest of the dog breeds, and several have held world records. Zorba, an

English Mastiff, is credited with being the heaviest dog ever at 343 pounds.

There are several types of Mastiffs from wrinkly to smooth, short coated to fluffy, but they are all generally gentle, protective and slightly lazy. They have been bred for centuries as guard dogs, but rely on intimidation rather than outright attack. Mastiffs tend to drool excessively, and this, along with the challenges of bathing a large dog, can give them a very doggy odor. Five of the more common Mastiff breeds are:

- The Mastiff (or Old English Mastiff) can reach 30 inches, 160 pounds. The Mastiff has a long history as a guardians and dogs of war, and tends to guard silently rather than barking, and by trapping an intruder rather than attacking.

- The Neapolitan Mastiff can reach 30 inches and 165 pounds - larger males can reach 200 pounds, and are considered to be as old as the English Mastiff. They tend to drool even more than the other Mastiffs, and have excessively loose skin, especially on the head, neck and shoulders.

- The American Mastiff is a cross between the English Mastiff and the Anatolian Mastiff (sometimes called the Anatolian Shepherd). They can reach 36 inches, and weigh over 200 pounds. This isn't an AKC breed, but there is a breed club that sets and maintains the standards. The American Mastiff allegedly is healthier and has a drier mouth than the Mastiff breeds, but this is debated by fans of the older Mastiff breeds.

- The Bullmastiff is the "dainty" member of the Mastiff family - they are usually no taller 27 inches and tend to weigh less than 130 pounds. As with the other Mastiffs they are loyal, affectionate family-oriented dogs.

- The Tibetan Mastiff (reaching 28 inches, 170 pounds). They have heavy coats and prefer to be outside in cooler climates, and tend to be more active, independent and protective than the other Mastiff breeds.

2) Irish Wolfhound - 28 to 35 inches tall, 90 to 150 pounds
Mon Ami von der Oelmühle, holds the record as the world's longest dog measuring 92 inches (over 7.5 feet!) from his nose to the tip of his tail. Even a "normal" Wolfhound is impressive, and most can look

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