Broholmer

Broholmers are massive dogs that originated in Denmark. They are Molossian dogs, and were originally mixed with German Mastiffs in the 18th century. During this time, they were used to guard the homes of very rich people who had a lot of things that needed guarding. And it's easy to imagine that they did a good job-- these are huge, powerful dogs who, while they are actually gentle giants, certainly are big enough that a potential robber would think twice before messing with them.

Because they were so highly prized, Broholmers were often given as gifts between royal families. Sadly, as with many European dog breeds, the Broholmers' population dwindled dangerously during World War II, (due partially to the fact they required so much food and were so expensive to maintain) but eventually grew in number in the 1970's when lovers of the breed spent time making sure they didn't go extinct.

If you can actually manage to find one in the United States (they are still relatively rare outside their county of origin), Broholmers are best kept in homes that have the capacity to actually house them. These are big dogs, and while they don't require an excessive amount of physical activity, they need space to exist. They will take up all of your couch no matter what size home you have, but before committing to a Broholmer it's important to take into account how much space you have. While they made excellent guard dogs, they are really only useful because they appear so intimidating. The reality is that they are more likely to invite an intruder in for cuddles than actually attack. Even if you are looking for an imposing looking dog, Broholmers should not be brought into the home specifically or exclusively for that purpose- you'd be missing out on a wonderful, loving and loyal family companion. Broholmers love the company of their family, and do splendidly with children and other pets. That being said, they should be supervised with smaller animals, even smaller dogs, just because of their sheer size.

Some very good news about the Broholmer: they are not known for drooling excessively. While other mastiffs will unwittingly spray you and all of your belongings with strings of slobber, Broholmers are relatively "dry mouthed" and won't ruin your furniture with their drool(and make no mistake, they will definitely try and sit on your furniture. And sit on you). All in all, if you have the space and can afford to feed them, Broholmers are exceptionally sweet and loving gentle giants who make wonderful additions to any family.