Some dog breeds have been around since ancient times. It's amazing to see how dog breeds have changed over the last 100 years.
Most dogs are bred for a lot of different purposes, from protecting livestock and their owners as guard dogs, to being faithful and loyal companions.
But in order for a dog to be protective, it should be bred with the size it needs to be effective.
Take a look at 10 of the abnormally large dogs in the world below!
Related: 10 Most Aggressive Dogs You Should Avoid
Hulk, the Pit Bull
The name ‘Hulk’ fits this pit bull dog perfectly because he is a giant 175lbs, and stands on his hind legs almost 5 feet tall.
And while he might seem big and scary, his owners say that he is very gentle and is even trusted around their young son.
His owners train guard dogs professionally and even Hulk is a trained professional guard dog who will heed his owner's every command and protect them with his life.
A dog this size needs to eat, and eat a LOT. Every day, he is fed 4lbs of raw ground beef mixed with his special supplements. This along with his regular dog food and dog treats that he gets on the side. Wow!
He recently was the proud father of adorable puppies of which some are likely to be his size or maybe even rival their father's size!
Freddy, the Great Dane
Source: Freddy Great Dane/Facebook
It's probably no surprise to many that the Great Dane is one of the largest breeds of dog in the world, but Freddy takes the breed to a whole new level of big.
He stands 7ft 6 inches on his hind legs, 2 feet taller than his owner, and weighs 200lbs!
Freddy's owner, ex-Glamour model Claire Stoneman is entirely devoted to her Guinness World Record holder and his sister, Fleur.
But, having big dogs also means having big expenses. Clare spends about $16,500 a year to feed and take care of these big Great Danes.
With a dog this size, it's hard to argue with it. For more adorable pics and video of Freddy, go HERE.
Zorba, the English Mastiff
This English Mastiff was a legend when it comes to some of the world’s biggest dogs.
You may know that when it comes to the combination of weight and height, nothing can beat this breed of canine.
Many Mastiffs average up to 190 pounds, but it's not unusual for these giants to weigh around 225 pounds at full maturity.
However, a dog comes along once in a while that amazes even the most seasoned big dog enthusiasts.
That's where Zorba came in. Zorba the English Mastiff was so massive that he easily earned a place in the Guinness Book of World Records in September of 1987 as the heaviest dog.
But, shortly in November, Zorba weighed a hefty 343 pounds with a height of 37 inches at the shoulder and was measured at 8 feet 3 inches from the tip of his nose to his tail, and earned the title as the heaviest AND longest dog in the world!
No one is sure what happened to Zorba but one thing is sure that he will always be a legend among the world's biggest dogs.
CH Samson, the Neapolitan Mastiff
This breed of Mastiff, called ‘Mastino Napolitano’ is actually an ancient dog breed, and that might explain the size of this rare dog.
CH Samson was one of the largest and heaviest Mastiffs and weighed a whopping 225 pounds at just two and a half years old.
His size, health and strength of his breed was rare so no other Mastiffs like him have been found since.
Samson was so big he could easily fetch a small car tire and and carry it around.
There is not much more known about Samson except that he won a lot of titles and Best in Show awards.
But this Neapolitan Mastiff will remain a legend until another bigger dog comes along to take his place. That is, if that ever happens…
Zeus the Great Dane
Zeus, who lived in Otsego, Michigan, was named the world's tallest dog by the Guinness World Records in 2012.
He measured an incredible 44 inches from his feet to the middle of his shoulder blades. Standing on his hind legs, he stretched a towering 7 feet 4 inches over his owner.
He ate 30 pounds of dog food every day and could easily get a fresh running water drink from the kitchen sink without having to jump up to reach.
In addition to his international fame, Zeus was well known throughout the Kalamazoo area due to frequent trips to area schools and hospitals where he served as a therapy dog.
Sadly, he only lived five years which is actually the average old age for a dog of this size.
He is still a legend among big dogs to this day.
