Perhaps you just love the stark contrast between black and white or it is just that you want to own something similar to a giant panda.
Whatever the reason, welcome to my list of black and white dogs who are also large.
And my list contains a lot of variety.
From Great Danes (the tallest and the dogs with shortest hair) to Landseers (the heaviest and the dogs with the thickest coats) my list will give you plenty of options.
The two things that the dogs on my list has in common are the colour of their coat and their large size.
Just make sure that you have lots of space or that you don’t mind being squashed!
So let’s take a quick look at this list:
- Great Dane
- Landseer
- Bernese Mountain Dog
- Borzoi
- Saluki
- Canaan Dog
- Alaskan Malamute
- American Bulldog
- Bluetick Coonhound
- Pointer
- Pyrenean Mastiff
- Cao de Gado Transmontano
- Wetterhoun
Great Dane
Harlequins ²
Great Danes are large and elegant dogs.
They have very muscular and athletic bodies which their ancestors used for hunting wild boar in Germany.
The Great Dane has prominent eyebrows and a massive head which sits on a long and strong neck.
The long muscular bodies of dogs of this breed can reach up to 32 inches at the shoulder for the males and the females grow to around 30 inches tall.
Great Danes are the tallest dogs in the world.
These large dogs weigh from about 110 pounds to 170 pounds and their elegant bodies are covered with short fur that comes in different colours and patterns.
The coat colour ranges from fawn, black and white.
Some breeds have an all black fur with white patterns while others come with a primary white coat with irregular patches of black.
Despite their size, Great Danes are very gentle and sweet-natured dogs, and are great with family.
Landseer
The Landseer is a working dog native to the Newfoundland region of Canada.
As a mastiff-type dog, the Landseer is a giant breed with a large head and short square muzzle.
These dogs have deeply set brown almond-shaped eyes, a black nose and triangular ears.
On average, Landseers weigh from 100 to 150 pounds and they can grow up to 28 inches tall, with the males slightly taller and heavier than the females.
Dogs of this breed usually have white coats and black patches, black head with white blaze and muzzle.
Landseers are known to be intelligent and loyal to family, they are great with kids but because of their large size they should not be left with children unsupervised.
Bernese Mountain Dog
in their coat ⁴
My next breed has a splash of rust on its coat as well as black and white.
The Bernese Mountain Dog is a heavy Swiss working dog breed known for its distinctive tricolour coat; black background with white chest and rusty red markings around the white chest and some parts of the face. These dogs were originally used for herding and make good watchdogs.
A Berner (as they are sometimes called) can grow to about 28 inches tall and weigh from 80 to 120 pounds. The females are a bit smaller and will grow as tall as 23-26 inches and usually weigh no more than 100 pounds.
These dogs thrive in cold weather, thanks to their very thick coat and long fur. The Bernese are very intelligent, they are gentle with kids and non-threatening to strangers. Hillary Duff, an American actress and songwriter, had a devoted Berner who lived for 10 years.
Borzoi
Borzois are large and elegant dogs.
A mature male stands at least 28 inches tall at the shoulder and weighs between 75 to 105 pounds.
The females are usually a bit smaller.
These large dogs are large Russian sighthounds and as hunting dogs, Borzois were bred to be very fast and strong enough to chase down a prey.
They can be stubborn with a cat-like independence, but with proper training they make affectionate family dogs.
Borzois have silky, flat and wavy coats that come in many different colour combinations.
There are Borzois with completely black coats, some come in yellow and white, or completely white coats.
You will also find Borzois with red and white coat, black and white coat, white and brown coat, or white and grey coat. They come in virtually any colour.
Saluki
Salukis are one of the oldest of dog breeds alive and were once considered as gifts from Allah.
These dogs are very skinny with long legs and can pass as dog supermodels.
Salukis are sighthounds and are as fast as the wind.
Adult male Salukis are usually between 23–28 inches tall at the withers and weigh up to 65 pounds, and the females are slightly smaller.
These dogs have a slender body with a deep chest, narrow waist and very long legs.
Their neck supports a long and narrow head with large oval-shaped eyes and ears with long silky hair fringes.
Salukis come in a variety of colours and patterns.
You will find tri-coloured Salukis with black, white and tan coats, and others with different combinations of cream, white, fawn, red, grizzle and tan, or black and tan.
Dogs of this breed make great companions and loyal family pets.
Canaan Dog
The Canaan dog is a medium-sized split-like dog breed from the Middle East.
This dog is known for its square body, thick coat and a tail that curls over its back.
Canaans have dark almond-shaped eyes, pointy ears and cat-like feet with hard paw pads.
Their short to medium length coats come in different colours and marking, including cream, golden, red, black and white.
Canaan dogs are usually very alert and react quickly, they are very defensive but not aggressive — even to strangers.
These dogs are obedient, clever and highly adaptable, they cherish and protect their families.
Mature male Canaans measure between 20-24 inches at the shoulder and will weigh up to 55 pounds, while the females measure between 19-23 inches and weigh between 35-45 pounds.
Alaskan Malamute
The Alaskan Malamutes are large dogs originally bred for their strength and stamina to haul sleds.
This dog breed has a powerful body for strength and endurance, it’s one of the oldest dog breeds and is believed to be part-wolf because of the wolf-like facial markings.
Malamutes often come in black and white with wolf-like marking including blazes, a splash at the nape of the neck, and a collar or half collar.
Although white is the predominant colour, this breed will also have dogs with white and grey or sable and white coat.
A fully grown Malamute will stand 23-25 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh between 70 to 90 pounds.
Alaskan Malamutes have varied sizes, some weight less than 70 pounds and some others will weigh over 100 pounds.
Dogs of this breed have a playful disposition and will greet everyone as a friend even total strangers, they rarely bark and don’t make good watchdogs.
American Bulldog
The American bulldog is a dog breed with a muscular build and strong jaws, they were originally used for hunting wild pigs in 17th century America.
These dogs are descendants of the English bulldog, and they stand taller than both the English and French bulldog.
An American bulldog will grow to about 20 to 28 inches tall and weigh up to 120 pounds.
These dogs come in different coat colours, but are mostly white with black patches. Some have red, brindle or brown patches on a white coat.
American Bulldogs are intelligent and affectionate, they are very protective of family and will not hesitate to protect what they perceive as theirs.
Bluetick Coonhound
Blueticks are nocturnal hunting dogs named after the black and blue patterns of their fur.
These dogs are very agile with athletic and well-muscled bodies fit for hunting. Blueticks have cat-like feet and well-arched toes.
Their glossy coats have a black ticking on a white background which gives it a characteristic blue colouring.
These dogs will either have markings, or not. Dogs with markings will have brown markings above the eyes, on both sides of the muzzle, the chest and down each leg.
Bluetick Coonhounds are usually between 21 and 27 inches tall at the shoulder and their weight varies from 45 to 80 pounds depending on the sex — the males are always heavier.
Like other hounds, Blueticks are very intelligent and agile but can be challenging to train.
With very high energy levels, these dogs require lots of exercise and active socialization.
Pointer
The Pointer is a versatile field dog bred to “point” birds and small game.
These dogs are energetic, very playful and affectionate, they make great companions and love to hang out with family.
Pointers have a short and dense coat which is primarily white with markings and a dark-coloured nose.
These markings can be black, lemon, orange or brown.
Pointers got their name from their special way of assisting hunters, when they smell a prey they stand still and use one foot to point the hunter to the direction of the prey.
They were especially used to hunt birds, and will retrieve the kill.
An adult pointer will stand as tall as 23-28 inches at the shoulder and weigh from 45-75 pounds.
Pyrenean Mastiff
The Pyrenean Mastiff is a large dog breed native to the Pyrenees Mountains in Spain where they were used to protect livestock from wolves and bears.
These very large dogs grow up to 30 inches tall at the withers and weigh 130 to 200 pounds.
Despite their large size, these dogs are very gentle and good-natured, they make good family pets and love to protect their humans.
The Pyrenean Mastiffs have heavy white coats with patches of black and sometimes other colours, they will also have dark masks and dark spots on their ears.
Although they were extensively used as guard dogs, Pyrenean Mastiffs are not prone to incessant barking and are not known to be aggressive, they are generally gentle and will act only when they perceive a serious threat.
Cao de Gado Transmontano
A very rare Portugese guard dog, the Cao de Gado Transmontano is a giant working dog native to the northern Iberian Peninsula and rarely seen outside of this area where it’s used to guard livestock from Iberian wolves.
These dogs are excellent watchdogs with a very good sense of hearing and don’t hesitate to give an intruder a good scare.
Cao de Gado Transmontanos are large dogs and a mature male will weigh between 121 and 144 pounds while the females weigh from 99 to 137 pounds.
When standing, the males measure up to 32 inches at the withers while the females are a little shorter at 17 inches.
The most common fur colour for dogs of this breed is white with black spots, or sometimes yellow or fawn on a white background.
Cao de Gado Transmontano can have varied colours and patterns, some can have tri-coloured coats while some others will come with single-coloured coats of fawn or yellow colour.
Wetterhoun
The Wetterhoun is a water dog breed native to the Netherlands and rarely seen elsewhere.
These dogs have a long history as working/part guard dogs, they were mainly used to hunt waterfowls in the Netherlands.
The Wetterhoun is a great companion and excellent family dog, they have an enormous amount of energy and love to play.
A mature Wetterhoun will weigh between 55 and 80 pounds and grow as tall as 23 inches.
Dogs of this breed have thick curly coats with a greasy feel, their coat colour can range from white and black to white and brown or black and brown solid colour.
Photo Credits
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⁴ Photo by Andy Blackledge on Flickr
⁵ Photo by Aslak Raanes on Flickr
⁶ Photo by cayenne2006 on Flickr
⁷ Photo by Shelley Groomer on Flickr
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