'My 6ft dog is so big people ask me if it's a lion'

Emily Cleary
Updated ·2-min read

A dog-owner has told how his oversized pet is so big it has been mistaken for animals pony and a lion.

Jamal Miah adopted Kenzo, a central Asian shepherd, after a friend gave him up because he had grown too big.

Three-year-old Kenzo is six-feet tall when he stands on his hind legs, and weighs 85 kilos - the average weight of a male adult in the UK.

Miah says that passers-by are often shocked when they see Kenzo, and many cross the street to avoid him.

Caring for Kenzo comes at a cost. He eats five pounds of raw meat a day and Miah spends £1,200-a-year on food for him.

Kenzo, three, is six feet tall when he stands on his hind legs, and weighs as much as an average weight fully grown man. (SWNS)
Kenzo, three, is six-feet tall when he stands on his hind legs. (SWNS)
Jamal Miah with Kenzo, a central asian shepherd dog who weighs a whopping 85 kilos. (SWNS)
Jamal Miah with Kenzo, a central asian shepherd dog who weighs a whopping 85 kilos. (SWNS)

Miah, from East London, said: "We saw him and said 'oh my god'. He's so big and he's just a puppy.

"It's 50/50. Some people are scared and cross the street when they see him, and others just want to stroke and pet him.

"People will question me, like; 'what is this dog'? They'll say 'what is that'? 'Is that a pony'? 'Is it a lion'?

Jamal Miah adopted Kenzo after a friend gave him up when he grew too big. (SWNS)
Jamal Miah adopted Kenzo after a friend gave him up when he grew too big. (SWNS)

"My daughters were scared of him initially because of his size. But after a few walks they got used to him. He knows they're my daughters, so he's their natural protector now."

Miah has had Kenzo for two years and has had to fool-proof his home to accommodate the huge dog.

Jamal Miah says passers-by are often shocked when they see Kenzo, with many crossing the street to avoid walking past the huge dog. (SWNS)
Jamal Miah says passers-by are often shocked when they see Kenzo, with many crossing the street to avoid walking past the huge dog. (SWNS)

He had to install iron gates to keep him from crashing through a fence in the back garden.

Miah also had to hire a professional dog trainer to condition him into accepting going inside.

Jamal Miah says Kenzo has been mistaken for both a pony and a lion. (SWNS)
Jamal Miah says Kenzo has been mistaken for both a pony and a lion. (SWNS)

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So far, he thinks he has spent about £10,000 caring for Kenzo, including food, training, and general maintenance.

Miah, the founder of youth development program OMG Education, said: "A central Asian shepherd is not a dog for the beginner dog owner.

"They are naturally outdoor dogs, and they're meant to be outside.

"I wanted him to be a friendly family dog, and to break the stigma around big dogs like him."

But despite his size, Miah said Kenzo is "really friendly with dogs and people he knows" and the two have "a really good bond together".

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