Meet the UK’s biggest dog, a Turkish Malakli named Abu who stands at an impressive 7ft 2in and weighs as much as a baby elephant. This two-year-old gentle giant consumes a whopping 3kg of meat every day, including a whole chicken, three mackerel, two eggs, and raw meat dog food. His extravagant diet sets his owner, Dylan Shaw, back £11 a day, totaling just over £4,000 annually. Despite his massive 18 stone weight, Abu adorably thinks he’s a lap dog and loves cuddling with Dylan’s young children on the sofa. Dylan happily shared, “Abu has been a joy to have around; he’s a wonderful family pet and gets along great with the kids.”
A massive Turkish Malakli, towering at 7ft 2in and weighing as much as a baby elephant, has been hailed as the largest dog in the UK. His owner, Dylan, shared insights into his diet, which includes raw meat, raw dog food, and a whole chicken daily.
Despite his imposing size, the Malakli is surprisingly gentle and unaware of his own magnitude. Dylan mentioned that the dog is full of energy outside but surprisingly quiet inside the house, sometimes making it easy to accidentally stumble over him.
When standing on all fours, the dog’s shoulders surpass Dylan’s hips by a noticeable margin, making him look small in comparison. The Malakli still has some growing left as they reach full maturity around three years old.
Despite his intimidating size, the Turkish Malakli is a big softie at heart, often trying to sit on laps and even shedding a tear when scolded. Dylan remains uncertain about what size his beloved canine companion will eventually reach, as he has already far exceeded expectations.
Abu, a two-year-old Malakli from Turkey, reaches an impressive height of 7 feet 2 inches when he stands on his hind legs, weighing as much as a young elephant.
The massive dog devours a hefty 3 kilograms of food daily, which includes a full chicken, three whole mackerel, two eggs, and a serving of raw meat dog food every day.
According to dog trainer Dylan, Abu’s daily diet expenses total £11, amounting to slightly above £4,000 annually.
Dylan had always dreamed of having a Turkish Malakli, but he waited until he had enough space at home to properly care for one. In November 2021, Abu arrived from Turkey at just four months old. He was already bigger than Dylan’s other dog, Luna, a Doberman, at that age.
Dylan made sure to socialize Abu with people and other dogs to ensure he was comfortable in various settings. Whenever they go for walks, they are frequently asked for pictures, and some days they can barely take a few steps without being stopped.
To Dylan’s surprise, Abu has grown to be a foot taller than expected when standing on all fours, and he is nearly 30 kilograms heavier than Dylan initially thought he would be.
During their walks, people often approach the duo for pictures, and Dylan mentioned how they sometimes find it hard to walk just a short distance without getting stopped for a photo.
Abu started off as a small and cute puppy, but then he hit a growth spurt. He’s still got another year of growing ahead of him!
Abu came all the way from Turkey and joined Dylan’s family in November 2021 at the tender age of four months. Surprisingly, Abu was already larger than Luna, their Doberman, who was already part of the family when he arrived.
Dylan made sure Abu was well-socialised by introducing him to people and other dogs to ensure he was comfortable in various settings. Abu, who weighs 18 stone, is larger than other dogs that came from the same kennels. Dylan mentioned that many people take pictures of Abu as they walk by, often making jokes about horse-related activities or asking about the cost of a ride. Despite his size, Abu is quite popular and even visited a school for “take a pet to school day,” where all the kids adored him. Dylan expressed his love for Abu, stating that he wouldn’t change him for anything in the world. Despite Abu’s massive size, Dylan believes the Doberman is more intimidating than Abu, who has outgrown all other dogs from the kennels. Balthazar, a Blue Great Dane who weighed 15 stone and stood at seven feet tall, held the record for the UK’s biggest dog before passing away in August of this year.
