‘I thought I adopted a tiny cockapoo – but he just won’t stop growing’
A couple who were told they were adopting a tiny cockapoo puppy were left puzzled when it grew up to be the size of a 13-year-old human.
Laura McFarlane, 43, and Jamie Griffiths, 51, brought Bobby home from an animal rescue centre in November 2022 and were told by staff that he was a small cocker spaniel-poodle crossbreed.
But when he grew to four times his expected size, the couple from Pontypridd, South Wales, knew something was up.
‘I don’t regret adopting him, there’s just more of him to love,’ Laura said.
‘He’s my best friend. He’s a lot of fun, he’s extremely cheeky. He’s extremely fun and he’s got lots of doggy friends.’
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When Bobby simply refused to stop growing, the couple carried out genetic testing that revealed he wasn’t a cockapoo at all.
It turned out that Bobby was in fact a Bernedoodle – a mix between a Bernese Mountain Dog and Poodle.
Bernese Mountain Dogs are bred for tasks like pulling carts because of their size and power often weighing up to 52kgs.
Bobby weighs 45kg and easily squirrels away three meals a day including full English breakfasts or even a Sunday roast on special occasions.
‘He’s always hungry anyway but we’re quite strict with his food because he does have a sensitive stomach,’ Laura revealed.
‘We don’t like leaving him at home on our days off because one of us is always working from home.
‘We just take him everywhere. He’s done everything – he’s been on speed boats, been camping.
‘He lives the life of Riley.’
Laura had some sound advice for people who want to avoid a situation like hers.
What is the largest dog ever recorded?
The longest and heaviest dog ever recorded is Aicama Zorba of La Susa, who was an Old English Mastiff owned by London resident Chris Eraclides.
He was verified by the Guinness World Records in September 1997 and measured 8 feet 3 inches (2.55 meters) from nose to tail and weighed 343 pounds (156 kilograms).
Typical male Mastiffs measure 30 inches or taller and female Mastiffs clock in around 27.5 inches or taller.
The average weight for an English Mastiff is 160-230 pounds for a male and 120-170 pounds for a female.
She said: ‘Ask as many questions as possible – if you’re going to a breeder then get their backstory maybe.
‘I would always encourage adoption over going to a breeder and buying a puppy.
‘That’s the second dog we’ve had from a rescue. We had our first dog for 10 years and we’ve had Bob for three so I would [recommend adoption] because there’s just so many dogs there.
‘We can’t live without a dog really. Bobby is no trouble to us.’
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