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Perhaps no other breed is as well recognized as the Great Dane. Prominent in literature and Hollywood, these larger-than-life dogs make fantastic companions. Great Danes are as giant as they are gentle and while they are certainly great, they probably do not hail from Denmark! We’ll untangle some myths and facts about these gentle giants.
History
Legend has it that the Great Dane is descended from an ancient Greco-Roman war dog and a greyhound—which may be why these big boys are nicknamed the “Apollo of Dogs”. And while this origin is up for debate, their German roots are not. Perhaps as early as the 1300s, an ancestor of the modern Great Dane was used to hunt wild boars in Germany. To this day, Germans refer to this stately breed as the “Deutsche Dogge” (German dog).
So where does “Great Dane” come from? No one can say for sure, but some attribute the name to a French naturalist, who spied one of these boar hunting dogs while in Denmark and dubbed him “le grand Danois”, or, as you might expect, “the great Dane”.
Breed Characteristics
So besides a massive size and sweet personality, what can you expect from a Great Dane? Here’s a list of a few characteristics that seem to run in the Great Dane family:
- Social—they love people and love to make friends…with just about anyone (cats, kids, grandma)
- Good-natured and patient
- Friendly and dependable
- Fantastic watchdogs (you probably guessed this)
- Attentive to their humans
The bottom line is—these dogs are fantastic companions. While their size may be intimidating, they were bred to exhibit gentle behaviors. They are wonderful with children and adults and are even known to befriend other household pets. These guys are social by nature and can be agreeable companions to just about anyone.
With that in mind, do not take their gentleness as a weakness…they absolutely can be fantastic watchdogs and exhibit the strength, courage, and of course—size to accomplish any watchdog tasks.
Breed Appearance
The Great Dane is a highly recognizable breed, and while they are the “largest” breed, they are not the “tallest” breed. That prize goes to the Irish wolfhound.
For large breeds, there is often a noticeable difference in size between the males and females, and this absolutely the case for the Great Dane. According to the American Kennel Club, males can grow to be 30-32 inches (at the shoulder) and can weigh up to 175 pounds (which is actually the average weight for an adult human male!) The ladies are a little smaller and can stand about 30 inches and weigh up to 140 pounds.
With all that weight, you can rest assured these dogs are pretty muscular, and they come in a wide variety of colors and markings (think anything from Scooby Doo to Marmaduke). They have short, sleek coats that don’t require too much grooming and shed minimally, but keep in mind, minimal shedding for a 175-pound dog is still quite a bit of hair.
Great Dane Personality
Here’s where the fun starts—these guys have wonderful personalities, and that is no myth. Words like sweet, gentle, patient and good-natured abound when owners describe their beloved Great Danes.
That being said, these are really big dogs, so training becomes very important to make sure they learn correct behaviors. A 50-pound hound pulling on a leash is a lot different than a 150-pound Great Dane deciding he wants to run after the neighborhood cat to introduce himself. Training is imperative, particularly if you have children.
Unlike some of the other social (and sensitive) breeds, the AKC notes that Great Danes respond well to firm and consistent training. They are naturally social creatures and do well when they are socialized from a very young age. Similarly, they love and need attention, and do well when their humans can give them the one-on-one that they crave.
Ideal Environment
It probably goes without saying that these guys aren’t ideally suited for studio apartments. Their sheer size makes them indistinguishable from a bull in a china shop. And those tails can lay waste to pretty much anything in their paths. These guys need room to move.
But don’t be discouraged if you don’t have a ton of outdoor space. For their size, they surprisingly only need moderate exercise. They can be great running partners, but because they take so long to reach their full size (sometimes up to two years), rigorous exercise isn’t advised before they are full-grown in order to protect their growing joints. Usually, a few vigorous walks per day will do the trick.
Remember those greyhound genes and that boar hunting prowess? This comes into play when thinking about an ideal environment for your Great Dane. They have a tendency to follow their noses, so owners usually have to make sure they are in secured enclosures (this means a pretty durable fence) or leashed.
Ideal Human
These wonderfully friendly dogs can do well with just about anyone who has the time to devote to them. They do great with families and other household pets (or even farm animals). The key to creating an ideal home for Great Danes is the ability to provide them with enough space to keep them healthy and enough love and attention to keep them happy.
For training, owners who can be consistent and firm and commit to proper socialization are well-positioned to set their Great Danes up for success in pretty much any household.
At their core, these dogs are social creatures. Because of this trait, they can get lonely or become frustrated when left alone for long periods of time. And because of their size, destructive behaviors associated with separation are all the more…destructive. at the end of the day, Great Danes do well in homes where they can have plenty of social activity and have a friend to dote on.
Great Dane Training
As mentioned above, consistency and firmness are the necessary ingredients for a good training regimen with these gentle giants. But, you have a lot of things going for you. For all their size and strength, these guys truly are patient, gentle and good-natured sweethearts, which makes training a dog of their size a little less daunting.
Nevertheless, training is a safety issue with Great Danes because many owners would otherwise be unable to control them on a leash or in a situation where they become nervous. It will be time well spent when you have a happy, well-adjusted and controllable, lovable buddy.
If you want to go above and beyond, take advantage of their great athleticism. Great Danes are known for their agility and can be very competitive in some doggie sports, such as flyable. Whether you are in it for the blue ribbon or just for some backyard fun, games are a great way to exercise these dogs’ bodies and minds.
Breed Health
As you may know, many large dog breeds have a short lifespan, and the Great Dane is sadly no different. While they are generally a very robust breed and are prone to few illnesses, the average lifespan is only 7-10 years. This may be an important consideration for you as you decide which breed of dog is right for you and your family. One thing is certain: with their lovable and goofy personalities, they will pack a lot of life into those years.
The Great Dane is generally a hardy breed, but almost every reputable resource on the breed (including the American Kennel Club and PetMD) warn of a dangerous condition known as “bloat”, which can occur in larger dogs. Symptoms of this illness include a distended abdomen, labored breathing, and excessive drooling, and it is a life-threatening emergency.
Some owners will opt to have preventative surgery done to their dog’s gastrointestinal tract to lessen the chances their dog will fall ill. There are some ways to naturally help prevent the problem, including avoiding exercise around mealtime, not offering big meals or letting the dog drink too much in a short period, all of which can trigger an episode. Prospective Great Dane owners are advised to talk to their vet about this potential illness.
Other, less dangerous, medical conditions can include the usual suspects, such as hip dysplasia.
Getting a Great Dane Dog
So, after separating the myth from the fact, are you thinking the Great Dane might be for you? If so, because he is such a popular breed, there are lots of rescues and breeders available to research. As always, do your homework before deciding which route is right for you.
Great Dane Rescues
Rescues are very important in general but all the more impactful for dogs with shorter lifespans. The faster a Great Dane can find his forever home, the better. If you are looking into the rescue route, here are a few places that might be good starts to your research, or can at least point you in the direction of an organization in your area:
Great Dane Breeders
If you decide to go the breeder route, be sure to ask about your breeder’s practices and whether or not conditions such as hip dysplasia are common in their lines. The American Kennel Club is a reputable place to start your research.
Want to learn more? Check out these Great Dane resources.
