Wender Pets
If you've decided you want a giant breed, the Great Dane and the English Mastiff are the headliners. The Dane holds the record for tallest dog. The Mastiff holds the record for heaviest. Between them, they define what "giant breed" means.
Living with either is a commitment that reshapes your home, your budget, and your vehicle requirements.
The Quick Comparison
🦒 Great Dane
- Height: 28-32+ inches (tallest breed)
- Weight: 110-175 lbs
- Build: Tall and elegant, like a horse
- Energy: Moderate — more active than expected
- Personality: Goofy, gentle, playful
- Lifespan: 7-10 years
🏰 English Mastiff
- Height: 27-30+ inches
- Weight: 120-230 lbs (heaviest breed)
- Build: Massive and broad, like a tank
- Energy: Low — professional napper
- Personality: Dignified, calm, gentle
- Lifespan: 6-10 years
The Cost of Giant
💰 Budget Reality Check
Giant breeds cost significantly more to own than regular dogs. Before committing, consider:
- • Food: $150-300/month (a Mastiff can eat 6-8 cups daily)
- • Veterinary care: Higher drug costs, larger surgery bills
- • Beds, crates, gear: Everything is XXL-priced
- • Vehicle: You need an SUV or larger
- • Boarding/pet sitting: Giant breed surcharges are standard
Personality: The Goofball vs The Stoic
The Great Dane is the clown of the giant breed world. They're goofy, playful, and comically unaware of their own size. They'll try to sit in your lap. They'll play with tiny dogs. They'll crash into furniture with alarming regularity because their body is bigger than their spatial awareness.
The English Mastiff is the philosopher. Calm, dignified, watchful. They don't do anything quickly or without consideration. They're affectionate but not goofy — more like a wise elder who occasionally leans their 200-pound body against your legs as a sign of love.
The Drool Factor
Both breeds drool. But the Mastiff is in a league of its own. Those massive jowls produce strings of drool that appear after eating, drinking, exercise, excitement, or basically existing. Keep towels in every room. Accept that your walls will have drool splatter marks at Mastiff-head height.
Great Danes drool less — their tighter lips contain things better. But they're not drool-free, especially after drinking from their (enormous) water bowl.
Exercise and Living Space
Despite their size, neither breed needs massive amounts of exercise:
Great Danes: 30-60 minutes of moderate exercise daily. They enjoy walks and brief play sessions but tire more quickly than you'd expect. Despite their size, they can adapt to larger apartments if exercised properly.
English Mastiffs: 30 minutes of gentle exercise daily. They overheat easily and their joints can't handle high-impact activity. Short walks at a leisurely pace are ideal. These dogs are genuinely low-energy.
Health: The Giant Breed Tax
Great Dane
- • Bloat (GDV) — #1 killer
- • Dilated cardiomyopathy
- • Hip dysplasia
- • Osteosarcoma
- • Wobbler syndrome
English Mastiff
- • Bloat (GDV) — #1 killer
- • Hip and elbow dysplasia
- • Osteosarcoma
- • Progressive retinal atrophy
- • Cystinuria
The hardest truth about giant breeds: Their lifespans are heartbreakingly short. Great Danes average 7-10 years. Mastiffs average 6-10 years. You get fewer years with these dogs than almost any other breed. This is the price of giant.
The Verdict
Choose a Great Dane if you...
- • Want a playful, goofy giant family dog
- • Prefer a slightly more active companion
- • Want less drool (relatively)
- • Enjoy a dog with personality and humor
Choose an English Mastiff if you...
- • Want the most massive, impressive dog alive
- • Prefer a calm, low-energy guardian presence
- • Don't mind serious drool management
- • Want a dog that's content to just be near you
