Great Dane

Apollo of dogs, Deutsche Dogge, German Mastiff, German Boarhound

This magnificent specimen has a noble look and exceptional stature. This gentleman, so called by the English, will not go unnoticed. He will never be discreet and wherever he goes, he attracts all eyes by his presence and his extreme elegance. This fabulous dog stands out from all others by his impressive size and he deserves to be known. Even if he is not as heavy as the Mastiff nor as big as the Irish Greyhound, he is still one of the most impressive dogs on the planet.

Height 71 to 86 cm
Weight 45 to 91 kg
Life expectancy 8 to 10 years
Home country Germany

Index

Personality Appearance Price Breeders Pictures Tips Health History

Quick Overview of the Great Dane

Temperament

  • Very sociable with his peers
  • Rather soft and calm nature
  • Very easy to educate, very respectful
  • Faithful and protects his own

Appearance

  • One of the largest in the world
  • Muscular and slender
  • Very impressive and elegant look
  • Never goes unnoticed

Health

  • Growth to watch
  • Generally healthy

Temperament of the Great Dane

The Great Dane is very sociable with his fellow creatures as well as with humans, and generally has a very good character. Like all large dogs, however, it is imperative to provide him with a good and firm education to enable him to become a well-balanced dog.

Despite his very impressive stature, a well-trained Great Dane will make a wonderful companion for adults and children alike.

Of a rather gentle nature, he will be moderate and quite calm. Very easy to train, he is highly respectful. Of all the molosses, the Great Dane is one of the most respectful. He will be faithful and will defend his own until death if necessary. He is totally devoted to his family.

His education will make all the difference but given his size, he doesn't need to be aggressive to make a good guard dog. Criminals will leave totally discouraged when confronted with this hound. His imposing size is more than enough to guard the household and its surroundings.

great dane temperament

Breed Appearance

great dane

This canine Apollo never goes unnoticed. This dog is considered a giant in dog breeds. Even if he is not the largest dog, that position belonging to the Irish Greyhound, he is still one of the largest dogs in the world. Even though the Greyhound is considered the largest, Gibson, a Great Dane living in the United States, held the position of the largest dog in the world for some time. Even today, Giant George, another Great Dane, still holds the record.

Height

Between 76 and 86 cm (29.92 to 33.86 inches) for the male
Between 71 and 81 cm (27.95 to 31.89 inches) for the female

Weight

Between 54 and 91 kg (119.05 to 200.62 pounds) for the male
Between 45 and 59 kg (99.21 to 130.07 pounds) for the female

Color

The Great Dane's coat can be white with black (harlequin), blue (very dark grey, steel-coloured), black, fawn or brindle (light or medium brown with darker brown spots).

Hair

The Great Dane's coat is smooth, dense and very short, glossy and flat down.

Morphology

His head is very well proportioned to his body and has a rather elongated shape, but still quite broad. The Great Dane has lively, intelligent, dark eyes, which are lighter in colour for steel-coloured Great Danes. The ears are naturally drooping even if they are often cut shorter by humans. His nose varies according to the colour of the coat.

According to the FCI breeds nomenclature, this breed belongs to group 2, section 2 and is #568

Price and monthly budget

Price you can expect to pay for a Great Dane puppy: between 1000 € / $ 1 / £1 and 1500 € / $ 1 / £1
These prices are indicative and may vary from breeder to breeder
Average monthly budget for a Great Dane: 170 € / $ 1 / £1
The monthly budget includes the average expenses for food and hygiene products (grooming, anti-parasite...)

Great Dane puppies near me

Great Dane pictures

Tips About this breed

Since the Great Dane will weigh around 90 kg (198 pounds) as an adult, it's wise to teach him to walk on a leash at a young age to avoid pulling on his leash once he reaches maturity and adult weight.

Obviously, the Great Dane may not be the ideal dog for a city dweller living in a 2 room apartment. His size and stature requires a minimum of living space.

However, if a sporty city dweller is willing to get regular daily exercise with his dog, it is still possible to make him a city dog, but be sure you provide him with all the winning conditions to make him a happy dog. A city dweller with a house with a large garden would definitively be more suitable.

Of course, wide open spaces and countryside are ideal for the Great Dane. This giant will appreciate being able to roam freely in the grass or in the fields.

Health of the Great Dane

The first years of a puppy's life will require a high-protein diet and good regular exercise to ensure proper growth. The Great Dane grows very quickly and care must be taken to ensure that the bones and body are able to keep up with this rapid growth, hence the importance of proper nutrition and exercise.

Food and exercise will need to follow the puppy's evolution and should be constantly adapted according to his personal growth. The Great Dane is generally in excellent health.

It is best to keep him from jumping, sliding and running during growth to avoid potential injuries, as his bones are more fragile during this period.

GROOMING

The Great Dane requires no special care. His coat can benefit from a good regular brushing without being too frequent and his ears can be maintained regularly but no specific care is necessary for this large hound.

History of this breed

In spite of his name, the Great Dane is not from Germany. Instead, he is a descendant from the Alans, the dogs that accompanied the Alans on their journey to Europe during its conquest, around the 15th century.

Today's Great Dane is believed to be the result of many crosses between different dogs, including the Bullenbeiser. However, all information on his origins is still very controversial. The name Great Dane was perfectly suited to him as it was used when the breed was undetermined.

Used by the Alaunt warriors at the time, the Great Dane was later recognized for his great abilities in hunting with hounds, especially wild boar.

It was around 1870 that Chancellor Bismarck, who owned two magnificent Great Danes, greatly popularized the breed among the Germans. Around 1878, the Great Dane was received in the great German canine nation and his first standard was awarded.

Since that time and his growing popularity, he is more and more considered an excellent companion dog all over the world.

Visual encyclopedia of dog breeds

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French spaniel French Spaniel
Last Updated: 24/03/2021

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