Had a guy across the street from us growing up that had a Bull Mastiff that he rode. I have never heard anything to this day that sounded like this dog howling, it was like something out of horror movie.
Had an Old English Mastiff as a kid. He got up to 220 lbs. and stood just under 30 in. He was a big boy; even took a hunk of flesh out of my armpit when I was a kid—complete accident.
The howl is very chilling, but when you can sleep soundly knowing there’s a very large, very protective dog in the house with you. I never worried about burglars with Pee Wee on the prowl.