The Great Dane is a giant dog breed and is one of the biggest dog breeds.
The Great Dane is a magnificent, intelligent, and loyal dog with a warm temperament.
This dog breed is often called a gentle giant and is loved for its radiant spirit and tender companionship.
Great Danes are attached to their owners and make incredible family pets. A properly trained dog will get along well in most households.
Owners do not necessarily need extra large space to accommodate a Great Dane, but notwithstanding, this dog needs enough space, mainly because of its tail.
Unfortunately, just like other large dogs, the breed’s lifespan is regrettably shorter than the average dog.
Nonetheless, lovers of Great Dane know that each time spent with the dog is worth it.
Breed Overview
- Group: Working
- Height: 28-34 inches at the shoulder
- Weight: 100-200 pounds
- Coat and color: Short hair in dawn, brindle, blue, harlequin (white with black patterns), black, or mantle (white and black)
- Life expectancy: 6-8 years
Characteristics
- Affection Level: High
- Friendliness: High
- Kid-Friendly: High
- Pet-Friendly: High
- Exercise Needs: High
- Playfulness: High
- Energy Level: Medium
- Trainability: Medium
- Intelligence: Medium
- Tendency to Bark: High
- Amount of Shedding: High
History of the Great Dane
This amazing dog originated in Germany. Although there are rumors that the breed has ancient origins, it most likely developed from the Irish wolfhound and the English Mastiff.
The dog was bred as a boar hunter despite having “Dane” in its name. A strong boar requires a strong dog to subdue the prey until hunters arrive.
As time passed, Great Danes were no longer considered hunting dogs but became companions and watchdogs.
German breeders focused on making them less aggressive, leading to their gentle temperament, which is most common today.
Great Danes were introduced in the United States in the late 1800s and have gained popularity. It was later officially recognized by the AKC in 1887.
Great Danes have topped the Guinness World Record for “the world’s tallest dog.” A current holder is Zeus, which stands at 44 inches.
In general culture, the comic-strip character Marmaduke and Scooby-Doo are both Great Danes.
Care
Great Danes are characterized by their short, thick coat that generally requires routine grooming and weekly brushing.
They are heavy shedders, especially during the spring and fall. This is a breed that requires bathing at least once a month.
Great Danes with flight eats require routine cleaning and ear checks. While some owners would rather surgically the ears of their Danes, this practice has become less frequent and banned in some countries.
Your dog’s nails should be trimmed every couple of weeks to help maintain them and keep them from tearing and splitting.
Good oral hygiene should also help keep your dog’s teeth healthy. Brushing your Dane’s teeth a few times per week would help to prevent gum infections.
Proper socialization and training are vital for your dog. It would be difficult to manage this large-sized dog if not appropriately trained.
Danes aren’t aware of their size, so caution is needed when preventing them from leaning, jumping, and leash pulling.
Great Danes are very playful and vigorous when young. To help keep their developing bones and joints fit, owners would have to prevent them from jumping and running till they are at least 18 months old.
Their energy level must have normalized once they’ve gotten to this age. Great Danes require routine exercise that includes daily walks to help them remain healthy and strong.
Great Danes are easy to house-train and prefer to stay indoors with their family instead of being alone in the yard.
Great Danes are generally gentle with kids, but care is needed since, like large dogs, they can easily knock a child over. Children shouldn’t be responsible for controlling a large breed on a leash.
Common Health Problems
Responsible and reputable breeders aim to maintain a high breeding standard as recognized by kennel clubs such as AKC.
Great Danes bred by these standards are at reduced risk of inheriting health complications.
Notwithstanding, the breed can still suffer from some hereditary health issues.
The following are some health problems owners need to be aware of:
- Hip dysplasia
- Gastric dilatation-volvulus
- Elbow hygroma
- Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)
- Caudal cervical spondylomyelopathy (also referred to as wobbler syndrome and cervical vertebral instability)
Diet and Nutrition
Extra attention is needed when considering your Dane diet. Even as puppies, Great Danes have a large appetite for food, but owners must be mindful of how they feed them.
Controlling how fast they grow is important, so it would help to discuss your Great Dane’s diet with your veterinarian. Puppies need to be fed at most three meals per day.
Adult Great Danes will need a lot of food—up to ten cups daily. They must be given two or more times each day instead of feeding them one large meal. It is also crucial that their feeding is controlled.
Great Danes are prone to gastric dilatation-volvulus. This implies that the breed may experience bloating when they eat too fast or too much.
This can cause stomach torsion, cutting off blood supply and holding in gas.
An emergency response is required when this happens.
Pros
- Wonderful with kids
- Tolerates other pets
- Extremely gentle and loving
Cons
- Reduced lifespan
- Expensive to feed
- Requires enough energy to guide in a leash
Adopting or buying a Great Dane
It would be helpful to contact reputable breeders if you intend to adopt a Great Dane.
There’s also the option of extending your search to rescues, such as the Mid-Atlantic Great Dane Rescue League or the Great Dane Club of America.
More Dog Breeds
Do plenty of research before you adopt any Great Dane if you think the breed is right for you.
Meet with other owners of Great Dane, reputable breeders, and rescue groups to learn more about the breed.
If your interest is in similar breeds, then you can look at the folly to compare;
Do you have a Great Dane? What does caring for one feel like? Would you recommend Great Danes to families and friends? Share your opinion with us in the comments below.