Congestive heart failure (HF) is a clinical syndrome, with hallmarks of fatigue 
and dyspnea, that continues to be highly prevalent and morbid. Because of the 
growing burden of HF as the population ages, the need to develop new 
pharmacological treatments and therapeutic interventions is of paramount 
importance. Common pathophysiologic features of HF include changes in left 
ventricle structure, function, and neurohormonal activation. The recapitulation 
of the HF phenotype in large animal models can allow for the translation of 
basic science discoveries into clinical therapies. Models of myocardial 
infarction/ischemia, ischemic cardiomyopathy, ventricular pressure and volume 
overload, and pacing-induced dilated cardiomyopathy have been created in dogs, 
pigs, and sheep for the investigation of HF and potential therapies. Large 
animal models recapitulating the clinical HF phenotype and translating basic 
science to clinical applications have successfully traveled the journey from 
bench to bedside. Undoubtedly, large animal models of HF will continue to play a 
crucial role in the elucidation of biological pathways involved in HF and the 
development and refinement of HF therapies.