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The Apollo of Dogdom
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The Great Dane, is truly the Apollo of dogdom. A beautifully chiseled head, strong neck and flat topline. The beautiful muscle structure of an athlete. The Dane has a regal, almost noble look. In the Danes bold, deep chest, beats the heart of a lion. The Dane is an excellent family dog, loyal and affectionate. Like all family members, the Dane should be in the home, this breed is not an "outside" dog. Danes are happy to hang out and just be with you and the family. Danes are gentle and patient with children, although should not be unsupervised.
Germans have been credited with the development of the Dane breed as it is known today. The Dane of the past was a hunting dog, they were used to hunt boar in ancient times, and are believed to be depicted in history as far back as Roman times. Some believe that the Dane of today may have been crossed with a few other breeds; Mastiffs and Wolfhounds are a couple examples. The Great Dane was first recognized by the AKC in 1887 as a working breed. The long legs and height of the Dane made it a strong watch dog as well as a good farm dog. Danes are intelligent and easy to train, although can be stubborn and strong willed.
Great Danes do respond well to love and patience. They are well formed both physically and mentally. They are smart and alert, and are not aggressive or cowardess. When fully matured a Dane has a nice body shape, not bulky, but sleek and well formed. A Dane's lifespan is typically 7 to 10 years. Danes are prone to some health issues such as Arthritis and heart problems, as most giant breeds. Bloat and Hip dysplasia are also concerns.
Great Danes despite their size, adapt well to country or urban settings. A nice walk each day will do for exercise for a Dane. They are smooth coated and need to be inside dogs, but a 6 foot fence doesn't hurt either; Danes love a good run.
The AKC accepts Great Dane's that are black, brindle, fawn, harlequin, blue and mantles for showing. In the breed there are many more marked Danes than show marked. In harlequins you get the occasional white pup and even more merles. White meaning almost no color pigment on the Danes face-these pups are almost always blind and/or deaf.
To crop or not? The word crop means to cut the Danes ears to stand by taking off the extra skin that weighs the ear down. This started in history when the ancient Dane was used as a boar hunter. In modern times, however, many Dane owners do not crop. Many feel if the Dane is not a show dog, there is no need to put their pet through cropping. In some countries, cropping is against the law. There are also different crops for Danes; a "show crop" which is a longer crop and takes much more work to make the ears stand. The "pet crop" is shorter and easier for a pet Dane owner to deal with. Both crops take a lot of work. The crop, when finished by the vet, has to be taped up for a matter of weeks to make stand.
Article By Kim Stark