Great Dane
Saturday, August 26th, 2006
Great Dane Appearance: In one word, Great Danes are HUGE. With a height of 28 to 34 inches (or more) the Great Dane will catch the attention of everyone when you take this friendly dog for a walk. The Great Dane is the tallest dog breed of them all. It has long straight legs, a well toned/muscular body, long muscular neck as well as a slim and elongated head. Did I mention that they were long? They have giant nostrils and dark, round eyes. The Great Dane’s tail length is medium. Their ears droop over naturally, but many Great Dane owners crop their ears so they are pointed and erect. The coat is short and shiny usually in a color of harlequin, mantle, blue, merle, brindle or black. Overall, the Great Dane is truly a beautiful and impressive dog.
Great Dane Temperament: The Great Dane is definitely a gentle giant and perhaps the perfect dog as they have so many wonderful qualities - if you can deal with their huge size. If you plan on getting a Great Dane, you should expect this to be a member of the family, not just some dog to play with here and there.
At first you might be anxious by their huge size, but you will soon find out there are not enough adjectives to describe their positive qualities. Loving, dependable, sensitive, loyal, devoted…the list goes on and on. Great Danes love people and it is best to keep them indoors and let them make themselves at home - even to the extend of taking up your favorite couch.
They are good with children, but you may not want one if your children are small, as their huge size combined with their need to show affection can be overwhelming for tiny tots. It is recommended to train Great Danes early, when they are still small. This way, when they grow up they won’t be knocking over everything in site when they are full grown. Great Danes will not annoy you with excessive barking..
but do make great watchdogs. What more can I say..the Great Dane is one giant heap of love!
Great Dane Health: The major downside to owning a Great Dane is its short life span. On average, they live to be around 6 to 10 years old. You are very likely to become attached to your Great Dane, so keep this in mind. Depending on if they are male or female they can weigh from 100 to 200 pounds or more.
Pound for pound, they actually eat less than smaller breeds due to their slow metabolism. Health concerns for Great Danes include bloat, bone cancer, heart disease, tumors and hip dysplasia. Due to the many health concerns it is good to take your Great Dane in for tests on a regular basis.
History of the Great Dane: The Great Dane, is known as the “Apollo of Dogs” and history suggests this breed has been around for over 2000 years. They were used to hunt wild boar and other animals and introduced to the U.S. in the 1800’s. The Great Danes we know of today originated from Germany in the ninteenth century. Great Danes are believed to come from an Old English Mastiff - crossed with either a Greyhound or Irish Wolfhound.
Great Dane Breed Group: Working, Mastiff
Video: Happy Birthday Mr. Grey
Are you the proud owner of a Great Dane? Please leave a comment below to add your thoughts about this dog breed. Also, if you have a web site or video featuring your Great Dane, leave that as well.