The mastiff is a collective term for a variety of large dog breeds with a common heritage. Some of the most popular Mastiff breeds today are the English Mastiff, the Spanish Mastiff, and the Tibetan Mastiff. Other large dogs can also be considered a Mastiff, such as the Rottweiler, the Danish dog, and the bulldog. Due to their size and strength, most of these breeds were developed to guard livestock or hunt prey. In the article below, we’ll dive into the largest Mastiff ever, as well as take a look at some of the largest Mastiff breeds.
How Big Do Mastiffs Get?
The mastiff dog type includes a large number of breeds, which vary widely in size, shape and appearance. The English Mastiff tops the scales, with an average weight of 150 to 230 pounds. Medium-sized Mastiffs are popular, such as the Cane Corso or the Tosa Inu, which usually weighs just over 100 pounds. Smaller Mastiff-type dogs also exist, such as the bulldog (about 50 pounds on average) and even the pug (under 20 pounds). This smaller dogs are relatives of the Mastiff breed and not always considered a true “Mastiff”.
The biggest Mastiff dogs can reach lengths of 7 to 8 feet. Standing on their hind legs, they are taller than most humans and can easily overpower their owners. This is why consistent training and socialization are necessary to ensure a well-behaved Mastiff.
Zorba: the largest mastiff ever recorded
The largest mastiff ever was Zorba, an Old English Mastiff who grew to about 345 pounds. Also known as Aicama Zorba of La-Susa, Zorba may still hold the record for heaviest dog in the world, regardless of species.
Zorba broke two Guinness World Records in 1987: both the longest and heaviest dog in the world. At the time, he weighed only 314 pounds, but eventually grew to about 345 pounds and a total height of 8 feet 3 inches.
Zorba will always hold the “official” record of largest Mastiff ever, as the Guinness Book of Records stopped accepting entries for the largest pets after the year 2000 due to animal cruelty cases.
Euphrates: one big puppy
Born in 2017, Euphrates is an American Molossus, a cross between the English and Neapolitan Mastiffs. The Molossus was an ancient breed of guard dog that may even be the ancestor of today’s Mastiffs.
In 2018, at just nine months old, Euphrates had reached a height of six feet and a weight of over 180 pounds. She would become one of the largest Mastiffs ever, but her current size and weight are unknown. Hopefully her owners will release information about her adult size in the future.
What Are The Largest Mastiff Breeds?
There are a number of mastiff breeds, let’s take a look at some of the largest in the world.
English Mastiff
English Mastiffs are one of the most popular and largest breeds of Mastiff. Adult English Mastiffs usually reach a weight of between 150 and 230 pounds. According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), the standard height for a male English Mastiff is 30 inches.
The English Mastiff is known for its docile and gentle disposition, as they were bred as a guard dog (as opposed to an attack dog). The breed holds the record for the largest dog breed in the world. On average, they are over 100 pounds heavier than their wild cousin, the Wolf.
Spanish Mastiff
In ancient Spain, the Spanish Mastiff was used as a watchdog by itinerant merino sheep farmers—the huge dogs could protect livestock from wolves and other dangers. They are known for being majestic and noble dogs, with the ability to fiercely defend their territory while showing affection towards their family.
An adult Spanish Mastiff usually weighs between 140 and 200 pounds, with a shoulder height between 28 and 35 inches.
Tibetan Mastiff
The Tibetan Mastiff has a distinctly different appearance than most other Mastiff breeds – this is due to the fact that they are not a true Mastiff, but rather a huge mountain dog that was mislabeled a long time ago.
In any case, the Tibetan Mastiff still grows to enormous proportions. According to the AKC, adult males typically weigh between 90 and 150 pounds with shoulder heights of about 26 inches. Their fuzzy coats often give them the illusion of being bigger than they are. They don’t quite match the size of English Mastiffs, but they are still an imposing force that works well as herders.
Neapolitan Mastiff
The Neapolitan Mastiff is a large dog breed with Italian heritage. In Italy, the breed is called Mastino Napoletano. This dog has a particularly dro
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y, wrinkly face and usually has a dark gray coat. The Neapolitan Mastiff grows to about 150 pounds with a shoulder height of 26 to 31 inches. These gentle giants were used as guard dogs throughout history, possibly as early as ancient Roman times.
Cane Corso
The Cane Corso is another large Mastiff breed with Italian heritage. The breed has been used as a guard, to protect livestock and for hunting. Male dogs are about 28 inches tall and often weigh over 100 pounds.
In the 1960s, the Cane Corso almost died out due to a change in the agricultural system in Italy. But with the help of dedicated breeding programs in the 1980s, the Cane Corso made a comeback and now enjoys healthy populations around the world.
What about the tiniest Mastiffs?
While Mastiffs often tip the scales with huge weights, some are smaller breeds.
english bulldog
The English Bulldog is a medium-sized breed with strong similarities to the much larger Mastiffs. The Bulldog has the characteristic wrinkled face and muscular body of Mastiffs, but in a much smaller form factor. The average English Bulldog weighs 50 pounds with a shoulder height of about 15 inches.
pug
The pug is not a true Mastiff, but is considered a descendant or relative of the breed. The Pug shares many physical characteristics with Mastiffs, such as the wrinkled face, black muzzle and muscular build. Pugs usually weigh between 14 and 18 pounds and are only 10 to 13 inches high.