Meet Boris, the bull mastiff so large you can see him from SPACE - News - Evening Standard
       

Meet Boris, the bull mastiff so large you can see him from SPACE

Most owners worry about losing their dogs if they slip through the front door - but with Boris, the bull mastiff, it is unlikely to be a major concern.


The dog, which weighs in at a stagger 14 stone, is so large he can even be spotted from space.

Boris, who is only three-years-old, can be seen on Google Earth images as he lazes in the sun outside his owners' house.

Spot the dog: Boris, the 14st bull mastiff, can be seen lazing in his owner's front garden from space using Google Earth

Spot the dog: Boris, the 14st bull mastiff, can be seen lazing in his owner's front garden from space using Google Earth

His enormous brown body is clearly visible stretched out in his favourite position on his front garden.

The dog often lounges for hours on end next to the sundial and was in his usual spot when the Google satellite snapped him in the garden.

His owners, the Milner family, were stunned when they zoomed in on their seaside hotel on the internet to find a brown blob in the garden.

Family pet: Owner Fran Milner says Boris loves nothing more than lying in the sun

Family pet: Owner Fran Milner says Boris loves nothing more than lying in the sun

Boris is now considered a celebrity among guests who line up to have their picture taken with him.

Fran Milner, whose parents run the Tudor Grange Hotel in Bournemouth, Dorset, were looking at their grounds on Google Earth when they spotted their pet.

Fran, 24, said: 'My brother-in-law was on the internet one day when he decided to look at a satellite picture of our hotel.

'He zoomed in a little way and noticed a big brown blob on the grass in front of the sundial.

'Then he realised it was Boris. He was in his favourite place. He loves lying there because it is a bit of a suntrap.

'We all had a look and couldn't believe it. I knew he was big but didn't think he was big enough to be seen from space.'

Weighing in: Boris is just three years old but already weighs as much as an adult man

Weighing in: Boris is just three years old but already weighs as much as an adult man

It is thought the satellite internet-giant Google uses to take images of earth has a range of between 300-450 miles.

The Milner family have owned Boris since he was eight-weeks-old.

The average size of a bull mastiff is nine stones but they suspected he would be on the large size as his dad was also enormous.

Fran said they also think Boris' size is also down to a full English breakfast he eats every morning.

He has also suffered problems with his cruciate ligaments which prevents him from walking long distances to exercise.

Fran said: 'Boris really belongs to my brother Doug who got him as an eight-week-old puppy.

'He was obviously small but we had a feeling he would grow to be bigger than average size.

'From the day we got him he just kept growing and growing. Luckily though he appears to have stopped and shouldn't get any bigger.

'We have since found out his dad used to win competitions for being so big so he obviously takes after him.

'He eats a lot of dog food and mince but his favourite food is a full English breakfast. The guests at the hotel often throw him their left-overs which he loves.

'Boris gets on brilliantly with our guests because he is so gentle and beautiful. They all want a picture with him - he's probably the most photographed dog in Bournemouth.

'Although he can't do much exercise he loves swimming in the sea. But for the moment he's doing what he loves best which is lying by the sundial for hours on end.'

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