over 25 kg (55 lb). Gentle giants with shorter lifespans (typically 8–12 years) and real costs: more food, bigger vet bills, and joint health to protect from puppyhood. Most large breeds here are famously good-natured — but they need training early, while you can still physically manage them.
Is this size right for you? Best first pick if you have space, a yard or nearby park access, and time for daily exercise.
This page is a starting point — every breed's full profile (temperament, shedding, aggression honesty, health risks) lives on its own page below.

Photo: File:Labrador Retriever yellow swimming.jpg by MC Glasgow, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Believe an image infringes your rights? Report it — we remove within 24 h.





Our library maps all 201 AKC-recognized breeds; full profiles are produced in popularity order (AKC 2024 registration data). These large dog breeds are next in the queue:
Cane Corso #14Doberman Pinscher #16Boxer #17Bernese Mountain Dog #19Great Dane #21Belgian Malinois #33Mastiff #40Rhodesian Ridgeback #43
← All dog breeds by size · Before you get a dog: the full checklist