Cuddly family pup is so ginormous people don’t believe he’s real

It’s not surprising that the photos of an enormous dog and his two younger sisters have recently gone viral.

I Heart Dogs reports that the gentle giant towers over his family in the images, which have already amassed thousands of likes.

For some, the photos are quite comical. To others, they’re completely unbelievable. Some people are even speculating whether or not he’s actually a dog or if something so large and loveable could even be real!

Meet Barney the Boerboel!

While it may be hard for some to believe, Barney is neither part horse nor a huge stuffed animal. He’s a breed of canine called the Boerboel. They’re also known as South African Mastiffs, and despite being supersized, this giant breed can be quite quick and agile.

As you can imagine, they make excellent guard dogs which could come in handy if you’re looking to keep yourself safe.

Originally bred by farmers to protect remote villages from ferocious predators, male Boerbals can grow to be 27 inches tall and weigh anywhere from 150-200 pounds.

At two years old, Barney weighs a whopping 176 pounds (or 80 kilograms, as they use in his home country of Australia). Though, despite being so large, Barney’s dad explained that he’s particular about what he eats.

(Story source: I Heart Dogs)