Large Dog Breeds

Coat & grooming — Short dense double coat; sheds seasonally and needs weekly brushing

Suits — Active families, children, first-time owners, working roles

Coat & grooming — Medium-length water-repellent double coat with feathering; sheds and needs regular brushing

Suits — Families, children, first-time owners, therapy and assistance work

Coat & grooming — Medium double coat; sheds heavily and needs regular brushing

Suits — Experienced owners, active families, working and protection roles

Coat & grooming — A short, dense double coat that is straight and coarse on top with a softer undercoat, always black with clearly defined rust or mahogany markings. Grooming is low-maintenance, but Rottweilers shed moderately year-round and more heavily twice a year, so weekly brushing (and more during seasonal moults) keeps loose hair down. Bathe only occasionally.

Suits — Best suited to experienced, confident owners who can commit to firm, reward-based training and thorough socialisation from puppyhood. They can be devoted, gentle family dogs with children they are raised alongside, but their size and strength mean supervision around small children is wise. They need a house with space and a secure garden rather than a small flat, daily vigorous exercise, and careful introductions to other dogs and pets.

Coat & grooming — A short, smooth, tight-fitting coat in fawn or brindle, often with white markings and a dark mask. Grooming is very easy: a weekly rub with a grooming mitt or soft brush removes loose hair and keeps the coat glossy. Boxers shed moderately and are fairly clean dogs that need only occasional bathing, though their short coat offers little protection in cold or wet weather.

Suits — An excellent choice for active families, including those with children, thanks to their patient, playful nature and strong bond with their people. They suit first-time owners willing to commit to training, as their exuberance and slow maturation need consistent guidance. They prefer a home with a garden over a small flat, need plenty of daily exercise, and generally get on well with other pets when socialised early.

Coat & grooming — Short, smooth, hard and close-lying with a glossy sheen and very little undercoat. Grooming is minimal: a weekly rub with a rubber mitt or bristle brush keeps shedding (which is light to moderate) in check, and baths are only needed occasionally. The thin coat offers little cold protection, so a coat is wise in winter.

Suits — Best suited to active, experienced owners who can commit to daily exercise, training and companionship; Dobermans crave being part of the household and dislike isolation. Well-bred, well-socialised dogs are gentle and protective with children, though their size suits homes with space rather than small flats. They need firm, fair guidance and benefit from early socialisation around other dogs and pets.

Coat & grooming — A thick, moderately long double coat that is slightly wavy or straight with a natural sheen, in the breed's signature black, rust and white tricolour. Bernese shed considerably, with heavy seasonal moults, and need brushing several times a week to prevent tangles around the ears, legs and tail. Occasional bathing keeps the coat clean; the breed copes far better with cold than heat.

Suits — A wonderful family dog, patient and gentle with children and typically sociable with other dogs and pets. Their calm temperament suits attentive first-time owners, though their size, strength and grooming and space needs should not be underestimated. They do best with a house and garden rather than a small flat, need moderate daily exercise, and crave close human company, disliking long periods alone.

Coat & grooming — A short, smooth, dense coat with a glossy finish, lying close to the body and coming in colours such as fawn, brindle, blue, black, harlequin and mantle. Grooming is easy, needing only a weekly brush with a rubber mitt or bristle brush to manage moderate, steady shedding. They need only occasional bathing, though their size makes bath time a substantial undertaking.

Suits — Affectionate and patient, Great Danes can be excellent family dogs, but their enormous size means they can accidentally knock over small children, so supervision is wise. They generally get on well with other dogs and pets when socialised early. Surprisingly adaptable to homes with enough room to move and stretch out, they suit committed owners; first-timers should be ready for the costs, training and space a giant breed demands.

Coat & grooming — Short, dense, straight outer coat over a moderate undercoat, in fawn, apricot or brindle, always with a dark mask. Low maintenance but a steady year-round shedder. Weekly brushing with a rubber mitt or bristle brush suffices, with occasional baths. The facial wrinkles and any jowl folds should be wiped to stay clean and dry.

Suits — Best for experienced owners with space; the sheer size, strength and drooling rule out small flats for many. Affectionate and gentle with family and tolerant of children, though their bulk means supervision around toddlers to prevent accidental knocks. Naturally wary of strangers, so early socialisation is vital. Exercise needs are moderate, but careful, controlled growth in puppyhood is essential for joint health.

Coat & grooming — Most Weimaraners have a short, smooth, sleek coat in distinctive shades of mouse-grey to silver-grey, needing only weekly brushing and occasional baths. A rarer long-haired variety exists, recognised in some countries, with feathering that requires more regular grooming. Shedding is moderate despite the short coat, and the breed feels the cold owing to its thin coat.

Suits — Best suited to experienced, active owners who can commit to two hours or more of daily exercise and plenty of mental work. Weimaraners need space, secure fencing and company, and are prone to separation anxiety if left alone too long. They can be loving family dogs with older children but are boisterous and strong. Their high prey drive makes them risky around cats and small pets, and they are not ideal for first-time owners or flats.

Coat & grooming — A short, dense, sleek and glossy coat in shades of wheaten, from pale to red. Grooming is very low-maintenance, needing only weekly brushing and occasional baths, and the breed is fairly clean with little doggy odour. Shedding is light to moderate. The defining feature is the ridge of hair growing in the opposite direction down the back.

Suits — Best suited to confident, experienced owners who can provide firm, kind leadership, early socialisation and around an hour or more of daily exercise. Ridgebacks are loyal and gentle with their own family, including older children, but are naturally aloof with strangers and protective, so socialisation is essential. They need space rather than small flats, and can live with other dogs if raised together, though their hound prey drive makes small-pet households more challenging.

Coat & grooming — Dense double coat with a soft, thick undercoat and a straight, harsh outer coat of medium length, though long-coated individuals occur. It is highly weatherproof and suits cold climates, but it sheds heavily, with two dramatic 'blow-outs' of the undercoat each year that demand daily brushing for weeks. Routine care means brushing a few times a week; the breed is naturally clean and odour-light, so baths are only occasional.

Suits — Best matched with experienced, confident owners who understand guardian breeds. An Akita can be devoted and gentle with its own family and older, respectful children, but it is naturally aloof with strangers and frequently intolerant of other dogs, especially same-sex pairings, and its high prey drive makes cats and small pets a real risk. It needs space, secure fencing and committed socialisation, and is not a suitable first dog or a casual flat companion.

Coat & grooming — Thick, coarse double coat with a dense, oily, woolly undercoat and a harsh outer coat, superbly insulating against Arctic cold. It is a heavy, year-round shedder that blows its undercoat completely twice a year, requiring daily brushing during those weeks and a couple of sessions weekly otherwise. The coat is naturally clean and odour-free, so bathing is infrequent, but regular grooming prevents matting, especially behind the ears and on the legs.

Suits — Suits active, experienced owners with space, a securely fenced garden and time for daily vigorous exercise. Malamutes are typically affectionate and good-natured with children and love being part of a busy family, but their size, strength and exuberance call for supervision with toddlers. High prey drive makes cats and small pets risky, and same-sex dog aggression is common. They are poorly suited to flats, hot climates or homes where they would be left alone, as boredom turns into digging and howling.

Coat & grooming — Comes in two varieties: a short, dense smooth coat and a longer, slightly wavy rough coat, both with a thick undercoat in shades of red and white or brindle and white. Both shed heavily, with seasonal peaks, and need brushing several times a week, more for the longhaired type, to prevent matting and manage the considerable hair. The facial folds and droopy lower eyelids need regular cleaning, and the breed is a famously prolific drooler.

Suits — Ideally suited to families with space, a garden and time for grooming and supervised exercise. Saint Bernards are renowned for being gentle, patient and tolerant, earning a reputation as wonderful 'nanny' dogs with children, though their sheer size means careful supervision around small children to avoid accidental knocks. They are generally sociable with other pets when raised together. They are not flat dogs and cope poorly with heat, and their size means real costs in food, equipment and veterinary care.

Coat & grooming — A profuse double coat: a soft, dense, woolly undercoat beneath long, straight, weather-resistant guard hairs that stand off the body. It sheds heavily year-round with two major 'blow-outs' a year, so plan on brushing several times a week (daily during a moult). The harsh outer coat resists dirt and the white-to-biscuit colour stays surprisingly clean; bathe only occasionally and never clip the coat, which insulates against both cold and heat.

Suits — Excellent with children and other dogs, and generally too friendly to be a guard dog. Best suited to active households with time and space rather than first-time owners who underestimate the grooming and exercise. They need a good hour or more of daily activity, dislike being left alone for long (separation-related barking and digging are common), and cope far better in cool climates than hot ones.

Coat & grooming — A short, dense, fairly hard coat in black and tan, liver and tan, or red, with loose, wrinkled skin that hangs in characteristic folds around the head and neck. Grooming is straightforward, with a weekly brush to remove loose hair, but the skin folds and long, low-set ears trap moisture and need regular cleaning to prevent infection and odour. They shed moderately, drool considerably, and benefit from routine wrinkle and ear care.

Suits — A gentle, tolerant breed that is typically very good with children and other dogs, suiting patient families with space rather than first-time owners unprepared for size, drool and stubbornness. Bloodhounds need secure fencing and lead walks, because a caught scent overrides recall almost entirely. They require substantial daily exercise and sniffing opportunities, are not suited to small flats, and their baying voice and slobber are best matched to relaxed, rural-minded homes.

Coat & grooming — A dense, curly, single coat of woolly texture that sheds very little but grows continuously and mats readily. It demands daily or frequent brushing and professional clipping every four to six weeks; show clips are elaborate while many owners choose a practical short cut. The low-shedding coat is often considered more suitable for some allergy sufferers, though no breed is genuinely hypoallergenic.

Suits — An excellent active-family dog, generally good with children and other pets when socialised, and large enough to be sturdy with sensible kids. It suits houses with space better than small flats, though it adapts if well exercised. Rewarding for first-time and experienced owners alike, given a commitment to training, grooming and daily stimulation. Its intelligence means it needs a job to do, or it may invent its own.