Huan - What breed of modern day dogs is closest to his breed.

I'll bet that an Old Enlish Mastiff could defeat an Irish Wolfhound anyday...

That would be like compairing apples to oranges. If you had them in a large enclosure, it would be to the mastiff's advantage, but if it was out in the wild on a hunt, I don't the Mastiff could be quick enough to get a hold of a hound like that.

whoa, whoa, whoa, i came up with the whole half wolf, half dog idea, now everyone is claiming it theirs? talk about egoism! a mastiff and a wolfhound fighting, hmm, i'd have to say the wolfhound, know why? because a wolfhound is trained to fight it's brothers, wolves, but an mastiff is only trained to fight humans. before we launch into a flame war or whatever, let me explain:

wolfhounds are fast, nimble, and quick. a bulldog or pit bull versus a wolfhound would have a tough time because of the furrier throat, but a bulldog would eventually win, because as their name states, they were trained to fight far tougher animals, bulls.

english mastiffs were trained to be police dogs, and are strong, run fast, and have muscular bodies. however, if versus another dog, it might not win unless properly trained, because they are trained against the weakest foes, like it or not, humans. a bulldog, wolfhound, or pit bull would easily rip out a mastiff's throat because of the way it carries itself.

any more arguments?

I'm afraid you are mistaking the Old English Mastiff for the Bull Mastiff. The Old English Mastiff was used in Roman times in the Circus Maximus arena to fight bulls and bears and other wild beasts.
But its great to see so many dog lovers.

At the end of the day, each person will have an idealised view of Huan which may or may not correspond to what Tolkien originally intended, but I'm sure he would have been flattered by all of this.

Was haun a maiar or just some beast? Its weird that he can talk and stuff.

It is not certain whether he was a Maia or a descendant of a Maia, or maybe even a "plain" hound, born and raised in the Blessed Realm, and having special powers.

I myself have a Great Daen and I find it my duty to defend it's honor.
This breed was used for guard but not an ordinary on -for the German Kings and other countries(China,for example)emperors.Great Danes are really proud and magestic but they are excellent athletes as well so they are very agile and muscolar and even quite attractive.
This is why that dog is thought to be and called as well the Apolon of all dogs and also-the King.His mentality and spirit are very strong and unbreakable and in dangerous situations they don't doubt even for a second.They are also bent on their owners or friends (which is like the book)because if you let a dog be your friend(and especially a Great Dane)then he remains forever.This dog never leaves a person in danger.
Its physical and mental profile can be endless as well as its history and its role in it because he was the emperor dog.
I think this breed greatly coinsides Tolkien's character in spirital and mental point as well.Moreover,Great Dane was used for a character in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novel 'The Houn of the Baskervilles' so it could be used and here as well,but I don't think so.
First of all,I don't think Tolkien meant Huan's breed when he wrote that he was a wolfhound but probably he pictured his mentality and spirit.It's all known that hounds and wolves as well have extremely strong spirit and will-this is how they survive so even if Tolkien had chosen this 'mixture' of breeds he probably has done it to describe us his qualities but not his specific breed.
Secondly,Tolkien has richly described Huan's character but not very well his appearance so maybe we shouldn't discuss how we imagine his body but spirit and which breed it belongs to.
And thirdly,we shouldn't eliminate the option that he can be a non breed dog or 'meles' as we call them in Bulgaria.That doesn't mean he is weaker,no even exactly the other way.Sometimes and even all he times those dogs are smarter and more manageable with life because they have to survive or just that they feel they are neglected because of their appearance makes them fight to survive among men and pure breed dogs.
So to sum up,I do think that Huan can be a Great Dane,but it is more likely to think that he had no specific breed because I don't think Tolkien and many more people as well find it the most important quality for a dog to be an excellent one.

Originally posted by Finduilas
I.
And thirdly,we shouldn't eliminate the option that he can be a non breed dog or 'meles' as we call them in Bulgaria.That doesn't mean he is weaker,no even exactly the other way.Sometimes and even all he times those dogs are smarter and more manageable with life because they have to survive or just that they feel they are neglected because of their appearance makes them fight to survive among men and pure breed dogs.
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Well,you probably mean my dog!Thank you!It is a mixture of two breeds and it's the smartest dog in the world.
I don't think Huan was a Great Daen.Was Huan drooling all the time like you dog,Ben?

Well,you probably mean my dog!Thank you!It is a mixture of two breeds and it's the smartest dog in the world.

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Oh,really?Then do you think Huan was a gay?
I don't think so ,therefore your dog is out too.Sorry!

Originally posted by Finduilas
Oh,really?Then do you think Huan was a gay?
I don't think so ,therefore your dog is out too.Sorry!

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Guys I'm going to show a photo of my dog and I'm sure you will agree it can be Huan.Just wait for a day or two.
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Finduilas,ne e vinoven tozi koito qde banitsata a tozi koito mu q dava,toest Ben.

Guys I'm going to show a photo of my dog and I'm sure you will agree it can be Huan.Just wait for a day or two.

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You say my dog can't be Huan????!!!!!!!!!!!
Well,guys,I'll show a picture of mine too and you'll decide,ok?
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Ben,prosto e mnogo vnimatelen i uslujliv-kato ne moj Aleko da nameri drugo,koi mu pomaga-Ben

Guys what would you say about my dog,isn't it just like Huan? GG,what would you say?

What would you say about that picture?

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........and more........

Sexy guy ,a? Oh, sexy Huan

Originally posted by Finduilas
GG,what would you say?

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........I won't say anything,I'll post another photo and lets the other decide which dog seems more like Huan.

OK, let the judjes decide

Originally posted by Finduilas
Guys what would you say about my dog,isn't it just like Huan? GG,what would you say?

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That picture is exactly how I always imagined Huan.

Originally posted by Finduilas
Guys what would you say about my dog,isn't it just like Huan? GG,what would you say?

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What is this? The forum doggy photo album?

Finduilas, your dog is very nice looking and well groomed and all, but, if I had to make a comparison with the Sil, he actually reminds me more of Charcharoth.

GG's dog looks more like what I pictured Huan in my mind, though not precisely.

Here's an illustration of Huan by Ted Nasmith, a great Tolkien illustrator (though I don't think I quite agree with his vision either ).

Luthien escapes upon Huan