Great Dane

The Great Dane is a giant, powerful dog. Square in body, but females may be slightly longer than tall. The long head is rectangular in shape. The muzzle is deep, with a pronounced stop. The nose is black, blue/black on blue Danes or black spotted on the harlequins. The dark, deep-set eyes are medium in size. The medium-sized ears are set high. The well-arched neck is set high, firm, and muscular. The front legs are perfectly straight. The feet are round with dark toenails. The tail is set high, thicker at the base, and tapering to a point. The coat is short and thick. Colours come in brindle, fawn, black, blue, mantle harlequin, and sometimes merle.

The Great Dane is a very old breed, known as the "Apollo of all dogs." Dogs resembling the Great Dane have appeared on Greek money dating back to 36 B.C. There are also drawings of these dogs on Egyptian monuments from roughly 3000 B.C. The earliest writings of dogs that sounded like Great Danes were in Chinese literature dating back to 1121 B.C. In 407 A.D. German Gaul and part of Italy and Spain were invaded by an Asiatic people (the Alans) who brought with them powerful mastiff-like dogs. They were admired for their ability to bring down bear and wild boar. The dogs were thought to have been Wolfhound mixed with the old English Mastiff. With selective breeding, the Greyhound was added in to create the Great Dane. Besides being used as a hunter, they were also used as estate guard dogs.

The Great Dane has a good disposition, often called a "gentle giant". Charming and affectionate, they are playful and patient with children. They love everyone and need to be around people. The Great Dane does not bark much and only becomes aggressive when the circumstances require it. They are reliable, trustworthy, and dependable. Courageous and loyal, they are good watchdogs. The Great Dane does not stay little for long and consistent training and rules should start right from puppyhood.

The Great Dane needs plenty of exercises. They need to be taken on a daily long walk. The smooth short-haired coat is easy to groom. Comb and brush with a firm bristle brush and dry shampoo when necessary. Bathing this giant is a major chore, so it pays to avoid the need by daily grooming. The nails must be kept trimmed. This breed is an average shedder.