Description

A giant among dogs, the Great Dane is tall and powerfully built. They tend to have a square body, though males are often more compact than the females. The Great Dane has a long rectangular heads, with high set floppy ears. The neck is arched and long, and the chest deep. The Great Dane has long, straight legs with round feet and dark nails. The tail is long and straight – watch out, because an excited Great Dane’s wagging tail has been known to knock objects off tables!

Origin: Germany

Look

Great Danes have short, thick fur with a sleek texture, though they are prone to shedding. The Great Dane’s coat can be many colours: brindle, fawn, black, blue, and harlequin (black and white). Merle and chocolate sometimes occur, but are not recognised colours.

Health

While the Great Dane is generally a healthy dog, they are prone to a few health conditions:

• Hip dysplasia
• Gastric torsion (bloat)
• Bone cancer
• Heart disease
• Developmental issues

At Newdoggy.com we promote puppies coming from reputable breeders, who use genetic testing and good breeding practices to remove genetic conditions from their breeding lines. Newdoggy.com’s Health Guarantee certifies that all promoted puppies are in good health.

Learning

The Great Dane is quite intelligent. While they are usually sweet-tempered and gentle, Great Danes should go to obedience classes simply because of their enormous size. A large dog with bad manners is a recipe for disaster: you do not want this giant of a dog jumping or leaning on people, or misbehaving on the leash. Start as you mean to continue, and train your Great Dane puppy to be polite from an early age. Spoiling your puppy will only lead to problems as they grow bigger.

Temperament

You’d never suspect that the Great Dane was originally bred to be a fearsome hunter. The modern Great Dane lacks the ferocity of its forebears, and is a sweet and gentle dog. The Great Dane’s size can be a little intimidating, and their loud bark will certainly scare any intruders!

The Great Dane is wonderful with children and loves to play. Their large size means that basic obedience training is essential: you do not want this dog jumping up on unsuspecting strangers, or chasing after stray cats and dragging you with him. Though the Great Dane is gentle, it is also a courageous breed, and won’t hesitate to defend its family.

Living with

A word of warning: be prepared for some drooling, shedding, and a wagging tail that knocks everything over! The sheer size of the Great Dane makes them a poor choice for people with smaller houses or apartments. They need a lot of space to move around in comfortably, and shelves high enough to prevent them from stealing food (Great Danes can be very greedy). Their huge size also means they have special dietary and exercise requirements: you may want to consult with your local vet in order to choose the best diet and exercise routine for your Great Dane.

If you are willing to meet the Great Dane’s needs, then your gigantic dog will reward you mounds of affection.