Your Guide to The Strongest Dog Breeds

By Theresa Miller • November 21, 2023

Theresa is a tenured PuppySpot employee and breed expert. She is currently the manager of our Profile Approval department and interacts with our breeders daily. Theresa has been involved in the pet industry for over 20 years and has hands-on experience with many dog breeds. Theresa is also the proud pet parent of Marta, a German Shepherd Dog who is a trained service dog, a miniature Labradoodle named Eleanor, and her two cats, Bonnie and Katie!

Reviewed and fact checked by Bruce Whittle, DVM

You might be interested in a strong dog because you want a dog that’s protective (or looks protective) or because you want a dog with a lot of stamina for hiking or other strenuous activities. Strong dogs can be great! While they can look intimidating, they are often gentle with their families and people they know. They tend to make good family dogs since they will watch over their home and family.

However, they should be monitored around smaller children since they don’t always know their own strength and can accidentally knock over a small child. They can get excited and jump on someone, potentially leading to injury. Or, they might run towards another dog while walking on a leash and knock you off your feet. Because of this, strong dog breeds should have proper reactive training when they are young and easier to control. Training is more difficult when they are older since their strength can make them harder to manage.

	Mastiff Weighs between 120-230 pounds Affectionate and patient Great with children Can be weary of strangers Protective and powerful
	Cane Corso Weighs between 90 and 120 pounds Smart Courageous and loyal Easy to train Great with kids Medium energy level Browse available Cane Corso puppies for sale by breeders
	Douge de Bordeaux Weighs 99 pounds and up Best suited in a home with older children Requires firm training as they can be stubborn, dominate, and strong Known to be an excessive drooler
	Neapolitan Mastiff Weighs 110-150 pounds Low to moderate energy level Powerful and protective Known for their heavy wrinkles and hanging lips Drools a lot
	Bullmastiff Weighs between 100 and 130 pounds Higher energy requirements Easy to train Courageous and loyal
	Saint Bernard Weighs between 120 and 180 pounds Cuddly and requires only moderate exercise Strong bark Loves cold climates
	Rottweiler Weighs between 85 and 135 pounds Calm and silly Protective, loyal, and affectionate Fairly active Smart Browse available Rottweiler puppies for sale by breeders
	Great Dane Weighs between 100 and 200 pounds Easy to train Calm and gentle Can make great apartment dogs Browse available Great Dane puppies for sale by breeders
	German Shepherd Dog Weighs between 50 and 90 pounds Smart Intimidating bark Loving and loyal Requires a lot of attention and activity Browse available German Shepherd Dog puppies for sale by breeders
	Newfoundland Weighs between 120 and 180 pounds Higher maintenance grooming requirements Gentle and good with children Natural swimmers
	Irish Wolfhound Weighs 105-120 pounds Stands a minimum of 30-32 inches at the shoulder Calm, kind, and affectionate with family and other dogs Part of the sighthound family that is capable of running at great speed (25-40 mph) Coat is rough, hard, and wiry all over the body
	Siberian Husky Weighs between 35 and 60 pounds Good family dog Energetic and friendly Higher maintenance grooming requirements Like to escape and run Browse available Siberian Husky puppies
	Alaskan Malamute Weighs between 75 and 85 pounds Loyal and affectionate Higher maintenance grooming requirements Intelligent
	Doberman Pinscher Weighs between 70 and 100 pounds Fierce bark Smart Loyal and protective Can be highly trained Browse available Doberman Pinscher puppies for sale by breeders