Great Dane dog breed characteristics and facts

A Great Dane, or a gentle giant, is a large breed dog known for its huge stature and a friendly personality. As one of the geographical locations on the world’s tallest dogs, a Great Dane is an intimidating breed, which can be easily recognized by its strong and muscular body and “well-knit frame”. However, a Great Dane is also a gentle and loving dog, strong and powerful but yet immensely affectionate to humans, which makes them a popular family pet.

Great Danes are also known for their loyalty and easy-going personality and are very affectionate and sociable with their families. They have a gentle nature and are more than commonly a good match for children. Great Danes are very friendly to the unfamiliar, and hence are good guard animals and company dogs. However, for how enormous they are, this breed appears to be pretty laid-back while still within the home. In other words, if you reside in an apartment and desire a big, quiet puppy, this could be the one for you. Nevertheless, don’t forget about the daily exercises.

Great Dane Facts

• Origin: Germany
• Breed Group: Working
• Great Dane Lifespan: 8-10 years
• Size: 30-34 inches
• Appearance: Sleek, muscular build, Short coat including brindle, fawn, black, blue and harlequin.
• Great Dane Temperament: Friendly and affectionate nature
• Exercise Needs: Regular exercise
• Training: Early socialization required and training is important
• Health Considerations: Great Danes are prone to some health issues, like bloat (gastric torsion), hip dysplasia and heart problems.

Great Dane Overview

The Great Dane used to be bred in hunting wild boar, but he was not actually excellent at it even then. The intense nature required to track down an enormously calculated animal was ultimately bred out of the Great Dane. This dog is now a mild soul which mainly genuinely gets on well with other dogs and animals and in most situations, humans. Nonetheless, that doesn’t mean his size and his power bark won’t scare the wits from the burglar. Everybody who has one of these dogs for a while comes to understand that while you are accustomed to their great size, most people occasionally need a little catching up.

Great Dane originated from Mastiff type dogs, but the mastiffs were more massive than this kind of dogs Great Danes represent the refined descendants of the large Molossian dogs. They look sleek and elegant. While they’ve got the typical athletic body of many large breeds, they’re unusually muscular. For a dog! Their head is massive, and we mean massive. It’s long and narrow, with a long, graceful neck. Some owner’s crop that big head, but it’s better to leave the ears natural. Cropped ears are typical in the United States, where ear-cropping is still allowed in other countries, the practice is banned. Otherwise, their size can be a problem. It’s always a little unsettling to look into the eyes of a dog who weighs as much as you do. Their tail can sweep a lot of things off a coffee table and change directions practically with a mind of its own as they excitedly wag it back and forth. And when they want to be, they’re impressive counter-surfers. Although they don’t have rambunctious or high-energy personalities.

Irrespective of their size, a Great Dane is a sweet, affectionate pet. They love to run and keep calm and gentle around kids. They continue to exhibit the fearless tenacity that enabled them to chase the ferocious wild boar, but they are also docile. They are not overly expressive, other than their “killer” power bark. However, while the dog is unlikely to attack an anything, it will easily defend its family. Since they are well-mannered, they should be taken to an inexperienced puppy class and exhibit obedience while they are still young. With their natural adult size, they would be unmanageable, and all the time, like several dogs, there will be something they can’t help but go after.

Nonetheless, they’re eager to please and extremely people-oriented people, which means they have a lot of nose congestion. They also nudges people with that big old head of theirs when they want to be petted. You may run across one with lapdog attitudes who sees no issue with hopping onto the couch and draping herself throughout your lap. Surprisingly, the Great Dane does not typically consume much food. While they should run or play outside daily, they do not need a vast lawn to do so–however, they definitely delight in it. The beauty and temperament of the Great Dane keep growing in popularity. Because of their size, they only have a short life expectancy of around eight years. It indicates they grasp hold of a massive portion of your heart in for a short time.

Great Dane History

The Great Dane seems to date back at least to the days of middle Egyptian artifacts, where there are engravings of dogs that look like Great Danes. Moreover, some Great Dane counterparts have similarly been known in Babylonian temples, which were fabricated around 2000 B.C. Additionally, there are records that similar dogs were held in Tibet; the first written report involving such a dog appeared in Chinese literature around 1121 B.C. Most of this evidence seems to suggest that during the expansion of the Assyrian, these dogs were carried into different countries because the Assyrians traded with the country of Greece, which later traded the dogs with Rome.

With other breeds as other dogs breeding the dogs, the Greeks and the Romans then bred the dogs. In terms of breed development, the ancestors of the English Mastiff probably were used, and the Irish Wolfhound or Irish Greyhound also may have been involved, as some folks believe. What they were bred to prey on was Boars, and that’s why the Great Danes were initially named Boar Hounds. They had their ears cropped since the Boar tusks would tear them. Almost a century later, however, in the 16 th century, they were issued a new breed name as “English Dogges.” Nevertheless, in the 16th century, many German noblemen and dignitaries began to maintain the largest and most attractive of their dogs in their homes, calling them Kammerhunde,”Chamber Dogs” which were bred late in the 1600s. They enjoyed a luxurious lifestyle and wore gilded collars that were covered with velvet.

In the 1700s, the name Great Dane developed when a French naturalist saw a slimmer version of the Boar Hound in Denmark. He compared the dog’s conformation to a Greyhound and called him the Grand Danois. Through the years, the name changed to the Great Danish Dog because the biggest of the breed were known as Danish Mastiffs. Even though Denmark did not develop the breed, the name stuck. German breeders refined to a well-balanced, elegant, and admired dog, which is what the Great Dane standardized to be. Many breed historians give German breeders the credit for standardizing the breed to what it is today. Therefore, in 1880, breeders and judges in Berlin met and agreed to come up with a specific name gefliger Hunder, Deutsche Dogge. Their dogs were distinctly different from the English Mastiff, so they decided to call them Deutsche Dogge, or “German Dog”.

They founded the Deutscher Doggen-Klub of Germany. The Italians and English-speaking countries refused this name. The former still call the breed Alano, meaning Mastiff; and in English-speaking countries, of course, they’re called Great Danes. They founded the Deutscher Doggen-Klub of Germany. Throughout the late 1800s, some of German breeders continued to refine Great Dane breed. These breeders managed to produce more gentle animals, and – luckily for us today – they succeeded. We don’t know when the first Great Danes were brought to the US, or even where they came from, however, the Great Dane Club of America was founded in 1889 – the fourth breed club allowed to join the American Kennel Club.

Great Dane Size

Male Great Dane is 30 to 34 inches and weighs in the range of 120 to 200 pounds, while that of the femle is anywhere between 28 to 32 inches and weighs upto 100 to 130 pounds. However, there are dogs that fall below or exceed the averge.

Great Dane Personality

The Great Dane is certainly one of the most elegant dogs around, picked for his wonderful disposition. The Dane is indeed a beautiful, sweet-natured pet who delights in nothing better than romping around. He is especially low relaxed with youngsters. He is relaxed and naturally likes to play. Great desire to please, so they are reasonably simple to train. The Dane wishes to be ultimately wherever the family is. He enjoys people, including strangers and children, and greets tourists warmly unless he suspects justice.

Danes would be lapdogs if they could—they may even behave as though they were, regardless of how many times you and your lap seem to move–no matter how good-natured. However, Goodness is not enough, and Great Danes need to be well-socialized when they are young. Socialization means exposure to various situations–people, sights, sounds, and occasions–both as puppies and adults to guarantee that your Great Dane grows up to be a well-rounded dog. The Great Dane responds well to puppy kindergarten classes. Regular guests and taking him to active parks, stores that allow dogs, or strolling them to meet the neighbors can all help him enhance his social skills from an early age.

Great Dane Health

Great Danes are healthy, but like all other breeds, Great Danes are prone to some health conditions. Not all Great Danes will get any or all of these diseases, but it’s crucial to be aware of these diseases if you’re considering Great Dane breed. Great Dgames have a life expectancy of eight years and can succumb to many of the same illnesses and conditions to which larger dogs are susceptible, such as:

• Development Issues
• Hip Dysplasia
• Gastric Torsion
• Bone Cancer
• Heart Disease

Great Dane Care

Despite his giant size, the Great Dane is a mellow companion and a well-mannered house canine. This breed, however, is not suited to small dwellings because he unwittingly knocks everything in his path. They are quite thin-skinned and should not be kept outdoors in winter even when wearing a coat – but no dog should ever be. They’re calm inside and require only one walk per day or a big playzone. An adult Great Dane requires 30–60 minutes of daily exercise, while puppies and adolescents require 90 minutes. They can be kept in a yard if they have a six-foot fence, although they are not jumpers.

If you’re a gardening fan, know they really enjoy digging up the landscaping; just a safety tip to avoid potential human heart attacks. You might want a running partner, but don’t take the Great Dane jogging until they are at least 18 months old. Before then, their bones are still developing, and they are unfit or unprepared. In reality, your Dane may not be ready for long-distance running until they are two years old. Crate training suits every dog, and it is a gentle method for ensuring that your Great Dane does not have wetting accidents in the house or breakdowns where it shouldn’t. A crate – a very large one – is also a way for him to sleep or retire for a nap. Other people have other beliefs about this; but, when your Dane is young, they must be crated much of the time when you’re not around to supervise. Never crate your Great Dane all day, though.

Great Dane Grooming And Coat Color

Great Danes come in six usual colors for their smooth, short coats, the fawn that is golden with a black mask, Brindle, around and black intermixed throughout the body in a tiger-stripe pattern, Blue, which is steel blue, but it is a sort of gray, that its tones vary, black, Harlequin that is white with irregular black patches all over the body, and Mantle, the seventh which is a solid black blanket-covered body white and black. They shed a lot, but their coat is easy to keep in top condition with a few minutes of brushing a day. A squint bristle brush will work best, and you may use some shampoo when necessary. Regular brushing keeps their coat healthy and clean, and it reduces how many times you will have to give the dog. As you would expect, bathing a Great Dane is a huge job, mainly if they don’t like it. It’s difficult to picture a Great Dane trying to sneak out of the room showering under the dinette, but it happens! If possible, begin grooming your Dane as a puppy to get them comfortable with being brushed and examined.

Get them used to having their paws done-on dogs are usually sensitive about their feet-and look at them frequently. Gently rub their tummies and handle their mouths. These activities enable dogs and puppies alike to get accustomed to being blown on the couch, whether at the park or the vet, which makes things easier as an adult.

Great Dane Children And Other Pets

A Great Dane adores youngsters and is kind to them when reared with them from puppyhood. Keep in mind that they do not realize how large they are relative to a small child; nevertheless, they can inadvertently knock kids to the ground if they get in their way. You must train your kid how to approach and touch a dog properly with this breed, as you must with any breed, and at all times, you must oversee any interactions between canines and little children to avoid biting or pulling on ears or tails from either party.

Your child should be taught not to approach any dog while eating or sleeping keep away from the dog’s food. A Great Dane generally gets along with other pets in the home, but sometimes, one can be aggressive with livestock, or merely not care much about other pets. It depends on the dog some refuse to accept another pet in the house, while others will sleep with the cats and the dogs.