Great Dane: Everything About This Large Dog Breed

Great Dane

The Great Dane originally comes from Germany, where it was used to hunt boars and bears. Today, the Great Dane is a beloved family dog. It is a big dog with a big heart. He is affectionate, loyal and friendly. It is a real family dog that sometimes even crawls on the lap of its owner. The Great Dane has a calm character, but needs a lot of exercise. He prefers to live in a house with a large, enclosed garden. The Great Dane is an elegant dog with a very fine character. Would you like to know more about the Great Dane? Then read on!

 

History: a hunting dog from Germany

The Great Dane originally comes from Germany. Crossbreeding Mastiff and Sight hounds created this dog breed. The English did this crossing around the 16th century. Hunting big game was one of the tasks of these dogs. Boars and bears were the target, but these animals were very large and strong. Therefore, they wanted to breed a stronger and more imposing hunting dog. At that time, the Germans were given a role in the breeding program and the Great Dane was born.

The Great Dane played an important role in big game hunting. This dog was strong enough to hunt large boars and bears. While hunting, the dogs were protected by a kind of shield around their bodies. This was to prevent injuries to their bodies.

Times changed and hunting the larger game became less and less popular. At that time, the Great Dane was considered a companion and guard dog for the princesses and noblemen. The Great Dane slept next to their bed to protect them from burglars.

 

The character: friendly, dedicated and confident

The Great Dane is a big dog with a big heart. It is a friendly and loving dog. He is loyal to his owner and is generally a quiet dog. A puppy is often shy, but as an adult dog the Great Dane is confident. It is a real watchdog that likes to protect his owner. So don’t be surprised if your Great Dane barks regularly. It is important that you unlearn excessive barking early on. The Great Dane is reserved towards strangers.

The Great Dane benefits from a calm owner who stands firmly in his shoes and raises him consistently, kindly and clearly. He does not like to be alone for a long time and prefers to be with his owner a lot. The Great Dane is affectionate and likes to sit on your lap despite his size.

The Great Dane gets along well with children. It is wise to calmly get the dog and the children used to each other. The same applies to other (domestic) animals. Towards strange dogs the Great Dane can sometimes react fiercely, this happens especially with males. To ensure that your Great Dane shows desired behavior, a good socialization is very important.

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The appearance of a Great Dane

The Great Dane is a large-sized dog and is even one of the largest dog breeds in the world. He has an imposing and powerful body. A male Great Dane has a height at the withers between 76 and 86 centimeters and weighs between 54 and 90 kilograms. A female has a height at the withers between 71 and 81 centimeters and weighs between 45 and 59 kilos. A pet of size so.

The coat of the Great Dane is short, thick and smooth. A healthy coat looks shiny. The coat comes in different colors and color combinations, namely:

  • Brindle: a yellow gold base color with black, brindle stripes.
  • Fawn: yellow gold
  • Blue: a pure steel blue color
  • Black: full, glossy black
  • Harlequin: a white base color with black spots.
  • Cloak: black and white, where a kind of black cloak lies over the dog
  • Merle: a light gray to dark gray base color with black spots

The Great Dane is large, elegant and strongly built. He is as tall as he is long. The chest is deep and his back is short and straight. The tail is usually set high. The legs are straight and strong and the feet are round. The head is long, narrow and has distinct facial features. The muzzle is deep and it has drooping upper lips and muscular cheeks. The eyes are almond-shaped and dark in color. The ears are set high and hang down. In summary, the Great Dane has a distinctive and powerful appearance.

 

The care

The Great Dane has a short coat that requires little special care. It is sufficient to brush him briefly every week with a soft brush or to remove the loose hairs with a damp cloth. Twice a year the Great Dane loses a little more hair. This period is also called the molt. During this period, it is wise to brush the dog daily. A Great Dane needs to be bathed only very occasionally. It is advisable to do this only if he has landed in something dirty.

Besides brushing, it is important to clean the ears and eyes weekly. The nails should also be trimmed regularly. It is wise to get the Great Dane used to grooming rituals from a young age. This will make grooming a lot easier when the dog is an adult.

Because stomach problems are the number one cause of death in this breed, it is essential to give the Great Dane high quality food. Educate yourself on which foods are appropriate for a dog and which are not. Feed your dog several small meals a day, as eating too much can lead to a bloated stomach in dogs. A bloated stomach is dangerous for dogs. In addition, a Great Dane should not run or play for the first two hours after eating.

This can cause gastric torsion. It is important that he first digests his food before he starts exercising intensively. The right food and a good diet can therefore significantly improve the health of the dog. You can ask your veterinarian for advice on what kind of food is suitable for your dog.