Great Dane is a gentle giant breed known for its benevolence and kindness. It is an ideal family dog that loves to do have humans around him. This dog will share the couch with you and can even watch television with family members. Despite being huge in size, this breed is one of the best natured dogs.
This breed relish children and loves to play with them. Its hunting ability is remarkable and has a graceful appearance. This breed is even admired in cartoon named Scooby-doo, newspaper comic character Marmaduke. This breed is also referred to as “Apollo of dogs.”
This dog is the perfect combination of grace, agility, courage, loyalty, and a dependable nature. Great dale is one of the tallest and heaviest breeds. American kennel club recognized this breed in 1887 and categorized it into working class breed.
Great Dane Origin
You might be in illusion that this dog originated from Denmark which is totally a wrong guess. Germany is its native place where it is called by name Deutsche Dogge. It is believed that Great Dane is a result of cross mating Irish wolfhound, Mastiff and Greyhound.
Irish mastiff is responsible for its height; Mastiff contributed the heft and its sleek body is the contribution of Greyhound. Historically this breed was used to hunt boar. But later it was bred for protecting estate. Now the dog is bred for companion purpose as sweet family member.
Great Dane Facts And Characteristics
- This breed originates from Germany
- It is one of the tallest and heaviest dogs
- Even being tall, it is known for its even temperament and best behavior
- They are cheerful and lively among children
- They live around 6 to 8 years
- Their height is around 76–86 cm
- Their weight is around 54 to 90 kg
- They are gentle, loyal, calm and amiable breeds
- They are available in colors like black, fawn, white, brindle, harlequin or combination of any two colors
- It is a people oriented breed and responds well to training lessons
- They make good apartment dogs but the room should be big so that it can move freely
- It is important to teach your puppy not to jump on person
- You need to take special dietary care of this breed else it can suffer from orthopedic issues
- They are not hypoallergenic breeds.
Appearance
Great Dane is an elegant looking dog. Its long legs make it look even more desirable. It is a sleek yet muscular dog. It is one of the giant working breeds with well-formed body and strong muscles. Along with height this breed possesses powerfulness too. Its tail is long and thin that gets naturally tapered at the end. Ears are of medium length and sets top of the head.
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Size and Weight
A standard dog is 32 inches at the shoulder or higher while female standard dog has a height of 30 inches or higher. Average weight of the male breed is between 135 to 150 pounds while the female breed is between 120 to 135 pounds.
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Coat and Color
This breed possesses a short haired coat which is smooth to touch. Its hair sheds heavily. It is available in one of six colors or intermixes of two colors- black fawn, blue, harlequin, brindle or mantle.
Great Dane Temperament
- Personality - This dog possesses a fearless and bold personality. Historically it was bred for hunting savage boar. Apart from hunter dog it is also a watch dog. Its peaceful, loving and caring nature towards humans make him call “Apollo of all dogs” It is a spirited and devoted dog and is never timid at work place. This dog is a great combination of beauty with height as well as even temperament. This dog has majestic attributes which is possessed by no other dogs.
- Behavior - They make an affectionate and loyal family dog. They are naturally protective in nature but care should be taken that it doesn’t get over protective. Great Dane ever shows aggression and is always calm and composed. Many people get frightened by looking at this breed because of its huge size. At public place you should be careful and vigilant with this dog. They are also escape artist so backyard should be fenced from all over.
- Trainability - They are average intelligent dogs. Teaching them basic obedience lesson is not difficult because they are human pleasure and will do anything to bring a smile on their owner’s face. You should teach your dog not to jump on people because that can be fatal because of their huge size. Gentle training is the key to train them.
- Activities Requirements - They have low exercise requirement. They make decent apartment dogs only if the size of the room is spacious enough for them to run and wander. They have a habit of spinning and jumping whenever they get happy or excited so room should be built keeping in mind of this dog’s need. A regular walk of half an hour is sufficient for this breed. It is strictly prohibited to take your 1 or 2 years old puppy on jog or run because at that time their bones and joints are not fully developed and overexertion can prove fatal for them.
Feeding
It is important to give this dog, bone building food that foster in development of bones and joints. This dog is prone to suffer from bloat so it is recommended to feed it food before going on a walk or exercise. A low level of physical activity is required so that it can burn its extra calorie and doesn’t get obese. Obesity can reduce its lifespan so make sure that you do not over feed it.
Lifespan
This dog lives up to 7 to 10 years.
Health Issues
This breed is not hypoallergenic. This breed has a chance of suffering from bloat. It is a condition where dog’s stomach expand because difficulty in digesting food. They also have a chance of suffering from cardiomyopathy which enlarges the dog’s heart. Apart from this they may also suffer from hip dysplasia.
Grooming
Despite having short hair, this breed sheds a lot. Daily brushing with firm bristle brush is recommended. Bath the dog only when required. Many owners hire professional for its grooming because cleaning it can be a daunting task. Check its ears for sign of infection or wax build up. Brush its teeth daily in order to keep the bad smell from its mouth at bay.
Habitat
This dog is suitable for apartment size house provided the room is spacious enough for it to roam freely. This dog thrives well in moderate temperature.
Pet Names
- Cutie
- Leila
- Lambu
- Sumo
- Juju
Things To Consider Before Buying
Pros
- They are affectionate and obedient dogs.
- They are playful and goofy around children.
- Their exercise needs are low so it is an appropriate pet for not so active owners.
Cons
- Their lifespan is relatively less and are prone to suffer from few health issues.
- They are huge in size so people at public places might get afraid of this dog.
- They drool a lot.
