Great Dane

The Great Dane, as its name suggests, is a giant dog with a long neck and a noble head. It is one of the ancient breeds of dogs whose origins can be traced back to Ancient Egypt. The Great Dane dog was also popular in Greece and Rome.

Despite its large size, the Great Dane is known for its gentle personality. In fact, it is known in some circles as the “Gentle Giant” although other large breeds, such as the St. Bernard, also go by this nickname. Great Danes are great family pets whose loyalty and devotion endear them to their owners. Today, they are the 35th most popular breeds that people want to own.

However, before you decide to get one, there are a few things to consider first. Every potential owner of a Great Dane puppy or adult dog should first educate himself or herself first about the responsibility of owning this wonderful breed. This is so because there are usually many issues involved in caring for a Great Dane dog.

As a matter of fact, Great Dane breeders will be asking you a lot of questions to help them determine whether the dog is going to get a permanent and loving home. It is important that prospective owners of Great Danes such as yourself understand the characteristics of this breed because owning one is a commitment.

All too often, owners are ill-prepared to take on the rambunctious and sometimes destructive behavior of a large breed such as an adult Great Dane. As such, many of these dogs turn up in Great Dane rescue organizations and shelters because the owners are no longer able to cope with the responsibilities of caring for this dog.

Hence, when you do decide to get a Great Dane, you should know already what you are in for. In this article, we give you some important Great Dane information as well as tips to give you a better idea of what you’re in for.

The Origin of the Breed

Knowing a little about the breed’s history is a great help if you want to know the background of your future pet. The Great Dane dogs were originally developed in Germany and England where breeders combined them with the Mastiff and Greyhound stocks in order to produce a sturdy breed powerful enough to overcome wild boar, which is its main prey during hunting sports.

Later, the uses of the Great Dane in hunting declined but the dog remained ever popular because of its strong guarding instincts. The dog thus became a companion and estate dog.

Appearance

The typical male adult Great Dane has a height of 33 to 36 inches at the shoulder with a weight of 140 to 175 pounds. The female is smaller at about 31 to 33 inches and weighing about 110 to 140 pounds.

There are six color varieties: fawn, brindle, black, blue, harlequin, and mantle.

As Wonderful Family Pets

From hunting wild boars, the Great Dane dog has certainly come a long way to become the wonderful family pets that they are now. Their affectionate and easy-tempered manner suggests a personality that is people-oriented. Great Danes need to be a part of the family and hence will need constant attention from their human owners.

Because of their size, it is not advisable to keep them indoors. In fact, most Great Danes are exclusive outdoor dogs, although they are easy enough to house train.

Moreover, like most other giant breeds, the Great Dane has a slow metabolic rate. Thus, they are not quite as active as other dogs and also consume less food per pound of dog.