The pros and cons of owning a giant breed dog
For reference, these are my dogs: Luna and Argos. Both are purebred Great Pyrenees, with extra stubbornness included. Fully grown (a little over 2 years old), they weigh in at about 100 pounds each, and Argos can stand on his hind legs and put his paws on my 5'10'' brother's shoulders very easily. Argos is still on the smaller side of the pure Pyrenees spectrum—males can be up to 120 pounds—but he is quite a bit larger than your average golden retriever or lab. To most people, they are giant—and to me, they are giant, massive, incomprehensible babies.
PRO: They are great for general cuddling needs.
What could be better than spooning a person-sized dog? After a bad day, cuddling with the nearest fur baby makes all your troubles melt away. Pyrs, as with many giant breed dogs, are also very empathetic (they are often used as therapy dogs), so they can usually use their intuition to sense your mood. If I'm upset, mine will immediately calm down and both will try to sit on me and lick my face.
CON: Giant dogs usually don't know they're giant.
Nine times out of ten, giant dogs are not aware that they are larger than, say, your Chihuahua. So when they see your Chihuahua jumping onto the bed and curling up in your lap, they will think, "That looks fun! I can totally do that." For me, I don't mind that my Pyrs think they're lap dogs, but guests usually leave pale-faced when one of my dogs tries to smother them.
PRO: Giant dogs are like personal heaters.
As someone with circulation problems, I get cold very easily. On a frigid winter's night, there's nothing better than Argos curling up by my side, his fuzzy warm head on my chest. Luna will lay on top of my feet when I'm eating at the kitchen table, preventing icicle-like toes forming due to the freezing hardwood floors.
CON: Giant dogs are like personal heaters.
Sometimes it's the middle of summer when your giant dog climbs into bed with you, and it feels like the heat of a thousand suns has descended on your nice, cool bed. Not to mention, fluffy giant dogs are also personal heaters to themselves. Argos' normal night routine is to sleep in bed with me for two or three hours, get too hot, then wake me up because he overheats and wants to leave.
PRO: They make excellent guards.
Luna and Argos' barking can make even the biggest, toughest man shake in his boots if they're worried about their family's safety. For someone who's scared of living alone or has anxiety about robbers, etc., giant dogs can help put your mind at ease. Great Pyrenees were originally bred for fighting off bears and wolves, and their bark is designed to ward off any threats. You'll never, ever be surprised by someone getting home again because the chorus of barking will alert you as soon as they pull into the driveway.
Luna and Argos at about six months old, being ferocious.
CON: They scare away perfectly nice people.
Giant breed dogs often get judged as intimidating due to their size. I've had drive-thru workers who are afraid to pass me my food through the window because Luna and Argos were in the back, despite the fact that the worst thing the worker would have experienced was a bucket of drool. Pizza delivery men, UPS delivery workers, and neighbors have all been stricken by fear when I have opened the door, holding back Luna and Argos by their collars to prevent an assault of licking and cuddling.
PRO: You can play rough(er).
Sometimes it's fun to be able to use all of your strength in a tug of war game or get knocked down when your dog runs at you full speed. Playing with the Pyrs is definitely easier than playing with my Chihuahua because I don't have to be careful when it comes to my own strength hurting them. My best friend's Great Dane loves to play rough with her and her family and, considering he's bigger than most of them, it makes for a pretty epic tussle.
CON: They often don't know their own strength.
This goes hand in hand with giant dogs not knowing they're giant. My giant dogs would never intentionally hurt me, but considering they weigh more than me, twice as much as me when being walked together, accidents do happen. Argos' Pyr-paw (the breed's infamous act of placing one paw on you when wanting attention) has resulted in a whack to the face or a scrape on my arm. The other day, Luna and Argos saw a stray cat while on their walk, and both sprinted full speed toward it. Me, being unmoving and less powerful than 200 pounds of pure muscle, got yanked off my feet and dragged a foot on the ground before they realized what they'd done and came to check on me.
However, I will note here that giant dogs, Pyrenees and Great Danes in personal experience, are often hyper-sensitive to the small size of children. When a child is in the room, my Pyrs automatically calm down and will let that child do almost anything to them without reaction.
Luna trying to wrestle a plush ghost.
PRO: Everything they do seems cuter because they're bigger.
Maybe this is just me, but having had four other dog breeds in my life, I can honestly say that I did not become a doting dog mom until my Pyrs came along. They curl up on their old puppy bed? Aww. They walk side by side? Awww. They give each other kisses? Awwww. It's as if their size magnifies their adorable behavior. They're favorites at puppy daycare, and in public, people can't help but comment on their cuteness. The math checks out: cuteness x giant dog = giant doggy cuteness.
CON: Everything they do is bigger.
Giant dog = giant poop
Giant fluffy dog = giant fluffy hairballs
Giant dog = giant drool
CONCLUSION: Always and forever worth it.
Do you have giant dogs? What are your favorite parts about giant dog breed ownership? What are the most frustrating cons? Leave a comment below!