Big Dog

image Just a quick note to say that I've been away for the past few days (still am), visiting my parents in the Northern Neck region of Virginia. I arrived at their house just hours before Tropical Storm Ernesto hit, temporarily knocking out our power. Which meant that I was also without an internet connection. Here's a photo of me with their dog, Falcon, a 180-pound Great Dane. He's the biggest dog I've ever known. He's literally almost as big as that hoax photo of a giant dog that was circulating a year or two ago. I'm six-foot tall, but I look tiny sitting next to him.

Animals Miscellaneous

Posted on Sun Sep 03, 2006


Comments

Beautiful dog, but jeez is he huge! That'd be almost as bad falling off a cliff onto you as a cow.
Posted by stork  on  Sun Sep 03, 2006  at  09:06 PM
Ooh, he's so cute! I love big dogs, I'd love to get an Alaskan Malamute or a New Foundland...alas I'm stuck with two Jack Russels.
*sigh*
Posted by Nettie  on  Mon Sep 04, 2006  at  03:41 AM
Nettie, a Malamute is way smaller than a Great Dane or a Newfoundland. An Alaskan Malamute is roughly the size of a Coon Hound or a smallish German Shepherd (Alsatian to our British readers).

The biggest dogs I've seen were Great Danes, St. Bernards, Great Pyrenees, and an English Mastiff. These are some of the so-called "giant breeds," and I believe all of them are descended from the old European mastiff race of dogs. Most of them seem to have nice dispositions, but apparently they don't live very long because their hearts aren't powerful enough to service such big bodies. They are also prone to skeletal problems such as hip dysplasia and arthritis due to the engineering problems of supporting such a big body mass.
Posted by Big Gary  on  Mon Sep 04, 2006  at  10:28 AM
Shouldn't a dog that size be called Ostrich?
Posted by Big Gary, pontificating  on  Mon Sep 04, 2006  at  10:30 AM
be careful garfield..
he might bite..

haha.
Posted by Kelsey Rasmussen  on  Mon Sep 04, 2006  at  12:34 PM
The biggest dog I've seen is that Mastiff that was 343lb. His tail was as big as a man's arm. I can't recall his name, but he was rather famous. Check him out on Wikipedia. Just do a search for "mastiff" or something similiar.
Posted by cronjob  on  Mon Sep 04, 2006  at  05:01 PM
I remember some years ago there was a suggestion they could breed domestic cats to be as big as a man. I hope that never happens.
Posted by Peter  on  Mon Sep 04, 2006  at  05:52 PM
I grew up with Great Danes, they are really gentle giants, they can look pretty foreboding but are usually sooo soppy. I've one photo of me as an 8 year old riding on the back of our first Great Dane Scooby Doo. And yes they don't live long 8 years is the average, I think.
Posted by Trotsky  on  Mon Sep 04, 2006  at  06:26 PM
Umm, just wondering, Alex - Did you forget to pack your razor for this visit? That's what my Mom would've asked me.
Posted by stork  on  Mon Sep 04, 2006  at  07:46 PM
big damn dog. Alex, I'm sure it's the low perspective of your photo, combined with the fact that I have been wreaking havoc on thousands of grasshoppers every time I mow the lawn lately, but your legs look abnormally long in that photo. Does that condition account for your height, and do you spit tobacco juice now and then? Just asking... big damn dog
Posted by Hairy Houdini  on  Mon Sep 04, 2006  at  09:27 PM
Big Gary, maybe the dogs we call Malamutes over here are different to over there...the Malamutes I've seen bred here at shows are massive, especially their heads and paws. They're about as tall as a good sized German Shepherd, but are much much bulkier and as I said, their heads are about twice the size. I'm guessing we have a different breed of them over here.
Posted by Nettie  on  Tue Sep 05, 2006  at  06:00 AM
Is it me or is the sofa really comfortable to sit on? You looked like youre sinking in it. Hmm
Posted by Nette  on  Tue Sep 05, 2006  at  09:04 AM
Hey Alex, are you sure that is a dog? It looks like something I once rode in a rodeo.
Posted by Lounge Lizard  on  Tue Sep 05, 2006  at  02:39 PM
So, your trying to include your own hoax? Actually, that's a terrible photoshop. Seems you got most believing it. Hmm, where are you saying that right hand is? Don't want to get to risque..LOL
Posted by george gordon  on  Wed Sep 06, 2006  at  10:29 PM
Hey Nettie,
The sinking into the sofa look is probably because of the combined weight of me and the dog. Since we both weigh 180 pounds, that was 360 pounds total pressing into the sofa. And the dog was leaning on me. Heavy dog.
Posted by The Curator  in  San Diego  on  Wed Sep 06, 2006  at  11:54 PM
The size looks plausible
Posted by J  on  Mon Oct 02, 2006  at  09:11 AM
I justblew that up and Alex, I agree with George.Your shirt changes colour part way down. There is a white line followi around your legs and to the dogsvisible leg. Status:bad photoshop.
Posted by J  on  Mon Oct 02, 2006  at  09:18 AM
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