Is this the biggest puppy in the world? Say hello to Tzar who will grow to weigh 15 stones - and needs a new home

His family were more used to hunting bears and killing wolves.

But now Tzar has been given temporary refuge by a Huddersfield-based animal charity and is looking for a permanent new home.

Not that it’s going to be easy: Tzar is a rare Caucasian Shepherd Dog, or Caucasian Ovcharka, originating from Russia, and will grow to be a huge 100kg dog.

Kathy Trout, of the Marsden-based West Yorkshire Dog Rescue, said: “It’s going to take a special kind of person to look after Tzar.

“He’s likely to want to be on a farm with lots of room but will also need secure accommodation; you cannot have a dog like this running loose”

Male Caucasian Ovcharka dogs can reach as much as 14 stone in weight and eat their way through two huge bowls of dog food a day.

Tzar, who is 10 months old, came from the West Yorkshire Stray Dog Pound after a man walked in and handed him over.

Kathy said: “The Dog Warden wanted him to go to a good rescue because he could be dangerous in the wrong hands.

“The man told them at the pound that he had spent £3,000 to import the puppy but then realised he was growing too big.

“That’s like someone buying a Shire horse foal and suddenly realising how big it is going to be.

“This breed is possibly the biggest dog in the world, growing to 100kg in weight at their mature size of two-years-old. They originate from Russia, where they were bred to hunt bears, guard livestock and kill wolves.

“They are a powerful, dominant, stubborn and highly intelligent dog.

“Tzar is a great big silly puppy and is totally adorable. You can see how big he is already, standing on his hind legs next to a 17 hands high horse.”

Tzar has also had to contend with cruelty; someone has cut off his ears and his tail, probably to stop them being injured if he was put into a dogfight.

At the moment he is being fostered on a 15-acre smallholding, with horses, sheep, poultry, pigs, cats and dogs. He is being held in special quarantine kennels until the incubation period for kennel cough is over and will then be integrated by the Rescue with other dogs.

He has also undergone a neutering operation and had to have a huge level of anaesthetic to prepare for it.

Kathy said: “It is obvious that he has never had anyone speak to him or play with him or fuss him, he just doesn’t respond.

“We work with an incredibly sympathetic behaviourist and are confident we can greatly improve his training, kindly and patiently over time.

“We want a good home for him where he can be safe and the public can be safe.

“We are also liaising with the only Caucasian Shepherd breeder in the country to see what else we need to know.”

The rescue website is www.westyorkshiredogrescue.co.uk