I have this dog. Her name is "Sasha"
She is I suppose, in a way anyway, a "rescue" dog.
I got her at 2 years and 8 months from a woman who rescued her from another woman who didn't realize, a lot of things......I had been walking by her house and petting her and her companion Great Pyrenees ever since she was about a year old.
She is absolutely enormous. She is half Great Pyrenees and half Anatolian Mountain Dog. She is 33" tall at her shoulders and 34" tall at her hips. She now weighs a very good looking 180 pounds. That is 3 to 7 pounds more than me. When I first brought her home she was an anorexic looking thing at barely 130 pounds. She and her lot-mate, a rather large Great Pyrenees named "Joshua" didn't like to let each other eat. Joshua has gained a lot of weight since July too. Joshua is a really big dog, Sasha by comparison is enormous.
I live in a pretty small town, significantly less than 4000 people live here, and this is the county seat too...So, when I walk most every day, I always stop and see at least a few of the dogs along the way. And the few really big dogs around I have made nice with their owners and stop over to play rough with the big things once in a while. I used to stop see Sosh and Josh on an almost daily basis and would play with them at least once or twice a week.
Sasha can clear a 5' fence from a standing leap, more than several people have seen her do this on more than several occasions. Every couple of weeks or so, she would get out and go wandering about town. Like I said, this is a really small town, people would come by the house and ask if I would go and get "that great big white dog" and take her back home. People had actually called the house and told me where she was and wanted me to come and get her. One weekend she was particularly frisky feeling and I brought her home 3 times, a few days later my wife comes home and tells me where she was and to go and get her, telling me that Sasha's owner woman told her that I am the only person in town that Sasha seems in any way responsive too. Later that same evening my son calls me and tells me that the dog is clean across town with he and his GF and to come and get her. So I went and got her.
Ends up me and the woman talked and she asked if I would take the big dog in, and so I said yes and brought her home. She has been her ever since.
She is incredibly strong. She was not used to playing rough when she first moved in up the road, but now she really enjoys it. I let no one play rough with her except me, though my rather large son insists on doing so on occasion. And despite the warnings of more than a few folks, it's my opinion that playing rough with her is a very good form of physical therapy for me. It is most assuredly a pretty good workout for what the PT's called "balance training". I don't recommend anyone else do this though.....There is a certain amount of insanity involved in playing with a dog that not only outweighs you, but is 3 or 4 times as strong to boot....
Apparently I look really dumb when I am out with Sasha.... No kidding now, I know that things can get rather boring here in small-townville, but I swear sometimes people stop and tell me "Hey man, that's a really big dog". The church down the road has a daycare with a really big fenced in playlot, I walk her by there most weekdays, the little kids adore her. One day on Main Street a fellow stopped and told me that "that's a people sized dog".... and one day up on the square (yes we really have one, with a courthouse and a clock and all....) this SUV pulls over and this woman gets out and wants to know if her husband can take some pictures of her and the dog....
Odd thing about it is my best friend inherited his uncles long haired chihuahua "Peanut" and he and his wife and my wife too had a few days prior admonished me for expressing my desire to get a big dog and all told me that a dog about Peanuts size was a big enough dog for me now a days.....
When I told one of the neuro's about this he told us he doubted I could handle a dog that big, so the next time I went, we brought her with us. He seems to think "a dog that big is going to get you killed". But since she likes to walk with me, and we walk at least 1.75 miles a day at least once a day most days now, I figure that far from getting me killed, she is probably helping keep me alive. She certainly makes walking uphill much easier, and she helps to straighten out the wobblies somewhat when I get a little on the really wobbly side of things. And sometimes when we're walkin and talkin and the words just don't want to come out right, she just listens right along and acts as if she understands everything I'm saying.....
Now, if she could just take dictation......

What a great read! Thank you for all the visuals I got. You know a picture of Sasha would be a nice addition here. *grin

Thanks for the great story Arthur...,

I lived in a town of 4,000, according to the signage, for 6 years. It was also the county seat. I can just see you and Sasha walking past the courthouse, the funeral home, a corner market, stopping at one of two signal lights in town, and people calling out from their cars or trucks to you; "That's a beautiful dog!" or "Hey, is that a horse?".

A photo would be welcome. Sasha must be a stunner!

Hi Arthur.

What fun it was to read about Sasha. We have another member here, KathyM, who has a gigantic dog and I think she's a Bernese Mountain dog, but I'm not sure. At any rate, she's HUGE!

I loved your story and yes, a picture of this sweetie would be wonderful! I'm glad you found this companion.

That was a great story, thanks! I have peanut sized dogs and dream of one day getting a HUGE dog!

I know I could never afford it or find one in the states, but I want a Komondor. It would compliment, my 5'3 and 105 pound frame.
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I don't know about everyone else, but waking up to a face like this would make my day!


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I wouldn't grow the full herding coat out, I'd leave it at half of their normal full grown length and then puff it out into a huge frizzball!!!

Hi Ellie,

I've never known one of these fabulous dogs, but have always admired them at dog shows! But admit that I would be a bit leery of the grooming. Lo! What is involved?
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Is the Komondor's coat anything like the English Sheep Dog's?

I also have peanuts; 4 LH chihuahuas and 1 medium & 1 large of mixed heritage. (We're about the same size. You have me by an inch.)

Thanks for sharing the photos!

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website makes them sound so naughty!

Hi Ellie,

Thanks for the post & link. Well, they do sound like quite a handful don't they.LOL But I'm sure that "all it takes" would be well worth it if one has the energy & physical strength to handle such an awesome animal.


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There is nothing like a wonderful pet to raise your spirits. Whatever works, for ya!

But can you tell us, who cleans up the uh....you know, poops...for this huge
animal? If it is you, then he is very lucky indeed!

LOLOL Mrs. D!!!! E
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3 cat litter boxes is enough for me!