Dog owner shocks viewers with ‘alarming’ size of 13-month-old puppy: ‘How are you not scared?’

‘What kind of horse is this?’

(TikTok / @appathealabai)

A dog owner has left people on social media astounded, and slightly intimidated, after showing the size of his puppy at just 13 months old.

The owner of Appa, an Alabai puppy, frequently shares videos of the dog on TikTok, where he posts under the username @appathealabai.

In one recent video, Appa’s owner attempted to convey the actual size of the dog with a video of the Alabai, also known as a Central Asian shepherd dog, standing on its hind legs in front of the front door.

In the clip, which included the text caption: “Is the front door a good comparison?” it showed Appa’s owner encouraging him to stand up to reach for a snack.

After finally deciding the snack was worth the effort, the dog proceeded to place its enormous paw on his owner’s shoulder to reach for the treat, which was held aloft.

While reaching for the snack, the dog’s impressive height was clearly displayed, with the animal’s snout reaching past the top of the front door as he towered over his owner.

In the caption, Appa’s owner added that the dog is just 13 months old in the video.

The video has since been viewed more than 10.5m times on TikTok, where viewers have expressed both disbelief and horror over the dog’s size.

“Is this real,” one viewer asked, prompting Appa’s owner to reply: “I genuinely love this comment.”

Another person said: “I’m starting to think you’re the pet.”

Others were convinced that the puppy is not actually a dog, but rather a different animal entirely. “What a doll! What kind of horse is this?” one viewer person joked, while someone else wrote: “That’s a whole bear.”

“That’s a dinosaur,” another person suggested.

The video also prompted some to share their fear of the dog’s massive size, with one viewer noting that they were “actually terrified” of the pet, while others questioned whether Appa’s owner has ever been concerned. “How are you not scared?” one person asked.

While the video is the latest to convey the dog’s size, this is not the first time that viewers have been shocked by the animal, as his owner has previously shared other videos showing off Appa’s size, including one in which his paw was placed next to his owner’s to show the similarity in size.

In another TikTok, Appa’s owner revealed that the dog, which he said he had imported from Lebanon to their home in Alabama, weighs 180lbs already, despite being just over a year old.

In response to one comment from a viewer who claimed the dog’s size was the result of CGI, the dog owner, who also owns another Alabai named Astrid, shared a video of a towering Appa trotting towards him inside the house.

“That’s some scary stuff right there bro,” one viewer replied in response to the video, while others urged the dog owner to dye Appa red so that he could become a real-life Clifford the Big Red Dog.

According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), Alabais are “courageous” and “have a high working capacity, endurance and a natural instinct of territory”. The breed, which has a history spanning more than 5,000 years, is also said to be known for their “fearlessness towards large predators”.

The AKC also states that the dog breed is not suitable for first-time dog owners.

The Independent has contacted @appathealabai for comment.