Great Dane | Dog Breed Information & Facts – Pictures

The Great Dane dog breed also known as German Bulldog is a very popular dog breed due to its large size and delicate personality, which is considered by the International Cynological Federation as the “Apollo of Dogs”.

A giant dog, is the description of a Great Dane dog. At first glance, the Great Dane may seem aggressive and dangerous. In fact, these dogs are gentle and affectionate, only if the owners are in danger, they turn into brave, reliable defenders.

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A large dog, but at the same time elegant, is a Great Dane. He has a harmonious physique and a well -developed musculature. Adult growth is:

• Males size: 76-86 cm
• Females: 71-81 cm
• Male weight: 54-90 kg
• Females: 45-59 kg

• Head: the head is large, elongated. The front part is flattened, high and wide. The muzzle is rectangular, fairly bulky. The length of the muzzle and the skull is equal. The Stop line is expressive.
• Jaws: the jaws are strong and wide. Large, white teeth in complete dental formula. “Scissors” bite.
• Ears: the ears are triangular, pointed, slightly erected in the area of ​​the whole on the head, the rest of the ears hang. Fully erected when moored.
• Eyes: eyes of compact size, almond -shaped, not apart. The color of the iris is dark, but with a marbled color, it is clear, there are sometimes heterochrome eyes.
• Frame: The body is large, pronounced athletic, the body format is slightly shortened. Neck of harmonious length, strong and muscular with a well -developed tourniquet. The back is straight, elastic, short with an unexpressive curved kidney. The rump is wide, muscular with a slight slope. The trunk is spacious and deep, rectangular with a slight rounded on the edges. The belly is rolled up.
• Members: The legs are extremely long, fine and muscular with good elasticity. The legs are rounded with well -adjusted toes. The pads are distinct, dense. The nails are short, but powerful and strong, dark in color.
• Pelage: the hair root is short, smooth and uniform with a shiny shine. There is no sub-point. Merle color, bridging, wheat, blue, arlequin and black.

The physically strong and incredibly charismatic Great Dane is a perfect example of a calm temperament and an unshakable self -confidence in its own power.

As a puppy, representatives of the breed are quite active, are not opposed to playing and having fun, but as they age, they become more calm and balanced.

The dog has a strong attachment to the owner, feels his mood perfectly and even knows how to guess his desires. Strongly loves all family members, is happy to spend time together, because close and regular contact with the people he loves is important for the dog.

The Great Dane does not tolerate the long absences of family members, such situations must therefore be avoided, but if the nature of the work is associated with frequent and long absences, it is preferable to obtain another race.

We can say that nature has awarded these dogs with good health, but a predisposition to some diseases is still observed:

• Gastrointestinal problems – bloating, volvulus, diarrhea.
• Dysplasia of the hip joint – accompanied by pain, lameness and immobility.
• Dermatitis is an inflammation of the skin.
• Lymphoma is a type of malignant cancer.
• Pyoderma – accompanied by an accumulation of pus. With a superficial form, the outer layers and hair follicles are affected. The deep form of pyoderma is accompanied by skin lesions throughout the entire thickness.
• Instability of the cervical spine.
• Demodecosis is a parasitic disease. Caused by microscopic mites of the genus Demodex, which feed on skin and loose fiber.
• Congenital idiopathic megaesophagus – disorders of contractility and dilatation of the esophagus.
• Osteochondrosis of the shoulder is a serious disease that affects the joints. It is characterized by cartilage degeneration. It is manifested by ossification of cartilage with further destruction of the joint.
• Twisting, eversion of the eyelids is eliminated by surgery.
• Obesity.

The disease is easier to prevent than to treat it later. Therefore, it is important to regularly undergo preventive examinations with a pet in a veterinary clinic. Also, timely vaccination and treatment against skin parasites is mandatory.

The Great Dane is a breed of smooth hair dog and therefore does not need to be brushed frequently. Always keep your eyes clean – they must be cleaned daily deposits. It is also necessary to clean the ears of the dog 2 to 3 times a week and to cut the claws once every ten days. Bathe the animal once a month or more often, depending on the living conditions and the needs.

• Different types of Great Danes had different names in the past: Great Dane, Ulm Great Dane, Boar Dog, Hunting Great Dane. In 1978, in Berlin, it was officially decided to give the listed species one name – Great Dane.
• Italians don’t like the name “Great Dane”, so they call these dogs “Alano”.
• The Guinness Book of Records includes a Great Dane named Giant George, who lived in America. Its weight was 111 kg., With a height of 110 cm. If the dog was put on its hind legs, its height was 2.2 m.
• The Great Dane breed differs in that its representatives have the lowest life expectancy (6.5-7 years).
• Great Dane is a talented artist, representatives of the breed have become heroes of many films and cartoons: “Marmaduke”, “Ugly Dachshund”, “Silver Fang”, “Once upon a time there was a doggie”, “Scooby-Doo”.

The Great Dane breed belongs to the very ancient. 3000 BC in Egypt, during excavations, drawings were found, which depict dogs very similar to Great Danes. The same drawings are found in ancient Babylonian temples, these temples arose 2000 years BC. Ancient manuscripts dating back to 1121 indicate that the Great Danes were kept by Tibetan monks. They were engaged in their breeding, exchanging pedigree dogs between monasteries for this, so that new blood would flow in the puppies.

The ancestors of Great Danes are Irish wolfhounds, English mastiffs, Irish greyhounds. There are suggestions that this is not a complete list of the breeds that participated in the formation of the Great Dane. During the time of the Assyrians, who were engaged in the trade of dogs around the world, mastiffs interbred with many other species, so it is impossible to compile an exact list of ancestors of the Great Dane.

Initially, Great Dane dogs, due to their enormous growth and power, were tried to be used as hunting dogs. Specifically, they were intended for baiting wild boars. It was at that time that the decision was made to dock the ears so that a wild animal could not tear the dog’s ears with its fangs during a fight. But breeders and owners of Great Danes had to admit that they were not adapted to hunting skills.

Therefore, in the late 1600s, the Great Dane took a place near the fireplace of its noble owner. It has become prestigious to keep such a large pet in your home. The rich owner did not spare money for the collar for his dog, they were decorated with precious stones, which indicated the wealth and high place in the society of the owner of a huge dog.

The modern appearance of the Great Dane was formed thanks to the great contribution of German breeders. It is thanks to their work that the Great Dane looks somewhat extravagant, this dog is tall, slender with a proud gait. During the formation of the breed, they achieved not only a beautiful appearance, but also a certain form of behavior. As a result, the Great Dane has a friendly and docile character, the high level of aggression that was present in the ancestors was tamed.

In 1880 at the Berlin conference the name of the breed “Great Dane” was officially approved. The first Great Dane Club was also founded in Germany. Then the representatives of the breed gradually spread to all countries of the world and gained popularity.