In India, the demand for rare and unique breeds has been increasing gradually. Breeds like St. Bernard, Siberian Husky, and Great Dane are becoming the fascination of the riches of our society. Breeds like these are not meant for the masses as they require heavy financial investment for their maintenance. Great Danes in particular, are quite expensive to purchase and then the cost of maintaining and raising them efficiently is very high. But for someone, who is fine with the substantial amount of expenditure and has some experience in dog ownership, the Great Dane can be a good choice. They are a fine breed to raise and have a good tolerance to hot weather conditions which are quite common in India, and anyone would be happy to have them in their life.
Great Danes are well-made large sized dogs possessing great power and strength. They have a muscular and robust body and are often considered the giants of the dog community because of their enormous stature. Official standards for the Great Danes are as follows:
Great Danes are widely recognized as one of the largest dogs in the whole world. They have a great height that compliments their body and a full grown Great Dane can sometimes weigh more than an adult human. Male Danes can be significantly heavier than their female counterparts. The average weight of a Great Dane hovers anywhere between 45-85 kg while their height can be somewhere between 28-34 inches at the shoulders.
|
GENDER |
WEIGHT |
HEIGHT |
|
MALE |
55-85 kg |
30-34 inch |
|
FEMALE |
45-60 kg |
28-32 inch |
Great Danes possess a clean and thick coat which is mostly shorter in length and have a smooth and glossy appearance. Also, their coat can have a variety of different colors with distinct markings on it.
They possess a very powerful and tightly muscled body. Their neck is long, well arched and brawny and flows smoothly into the broad, deep and well-made chest area. They have a sturdy back region with a smooth and tapering tail which is set high into the croup. Forequarters and Hindquarters are strong, burly and well angulated and provide the required balance to the whole body.
Their head is slightly on a longer side than being broad, distinctively rectangular in shape and is finely chiseled. They have almond shaped medium sized eyes which are deeply set and are mostly darker in color. Their ears are moderate in thickness and size and are set high.
They have a robust and sturdy jaw region with strong and well-developed teeth firmly placed inside their mouth. They also have a long and deep muzzle.
Their massive size and intimidating personality do not take away from the fact that they are extremely friendly and affectionate. They are very warm with almost everyone especially their family members and often seeks the attention and affection of their owners. But, they can also be a bit reserved with strangers if not properly socialized. They possess a confident personality and are very gentle and loving in nature. Common temperamental traits of Great Danes are:
One of the largest dog breed in the world, the Great Dane is surely the Burj Khalifa of the dog community. They are widely renowned for their size and built are considered a symbol of power and pride by their owners.
But, they are also known as the Gentle Giants because of their extremely tender and affectionate behavior. They love their family members to the fullest, always wants to be around them and are also very happy to sit in their laps whether it is possible or not.
They are also very gentle and careful with the small kids and are equally warm to other canines. But because of their huge size, they also have to face quite a few problems in their life. They are not comfortable in small apartments and houses and require a good amount of space for themselves. They can unintentionally knock over small objects and items and sometimes even small humans and the frailed-bodied.
Although, their heart is always in the right place and they want to please their loved ones most of the times, there are some shortcomings that come with such a massive physique. But it doesn’t matter to a passionate dog lover who wants to raise this mighty pooch who may be gargantuan in size but possess a heart of gold.
Great Danes are categorized into various types on the basis of the color of their coats. They can possess numerous colors but the acceptable ones are only six and are as follows:
|
Adaptability |
** |
Sensitivity Level |
***** |
|
Affection Level |
***** |
Potential for mouthiness |
** |
|
Apartment-Friendly |
** |
Drooling Potential |
**** |
|
Barking Tendencies |
*** |
Energy Level |
**** |
|
Friendly towards dogs |
**** |
Health Issues |
**** |
|
Friendly towards other animals |
***** |
Intelligence |
*** |
|
Child Friendly |
**** |
Playfulness |
**** |
|
Exercise Needs |
**** |
Shedding Level |
**** |
|
Grooming Needs |
* |
Social Needs |
***** |
|
Good for novice owners |
* |
Stranger Friendly |
**** |
|
Trainability |
*** |
Watchdog Ability |
**** |
|
Tolerates Heat |
*** |
Tolerates Cold |
** |
The Great Dane being a massive dog requires a substantial amount of food to be fully satisfied. But, in the case of Great Danes, the number of times the food should be fed per day is as important as the amount and the quality of food. They should be given food in multiple doses at regular intervals per day rather than feeding them large amounts only twice a day.
They are prone to obesity and bloat; hence proper attention must be given to their exercise needs. They require a decent amount of exercise on a daily basis to be in shape. Long walks, preferably them on a leash, in an open area are good for them. They also enjoy playing with their owners in a park with a ball and are happy to fetch the ball. It is also very important to note that heavy exercises around the mealtimes must be avoided as it is believed to be the reason behind bloat in them.
Great Danes response positively to any kind of training exercise. They are thrilled to learn new things from their trainers/owners and are happy to spend time with them. They are quite agreeable and alert during the training sessions and are always looking to please their trainers. Obedience training is also very important for such a massive and powerful breed.
Minimal grooming is required to keep their appearance intact and top-notch. Weekly brushing of the coat, occasional baths, and sporadic trimming of nails and brushing of teeth are enough to fulfill their grooming requirements. Also, they are very light shedders and sheds on an infrequent basis. They only shed once or twice per year profusely, at that time, daily brushing of hair is advisable.
There is a high chance of a condition called Bloat to occur in the Great Danes. Bloat is a condition in which the stomach distends and twists and it can prove to be fatal for the doggy. Early recognition of signs and symptoms of bloat by the owners is very important to keep these gentle giants away from this dangerous disease. Some other health issues commonly found in the Great Danes are:
Great Danes moderately requires the assistance of a skilled veterinarian. Full body check-ups after every 3-4 months are recommended to ensure their health.
Because of their name, there is a little confusion among some people about the origin of this breed. Their origin has nothing to do with Denmark, as suggested by their name, Great Dane which translates to Big Danish, but they were bred in Germany.
The German forests were filled with various wild animals, games, and boars around the 15th century. The German hunters at that time required a well-built dog that could accompany them and help them in hunting large boars. A careful breeding between the English Mastiff and possibly the Irish Wolfhound resulted in the formation of the first ancestors of the Great Danes.
These ancestors were very large and heavy and were known to be fairly aggressive. They helped the hunters in hunting various wild animals including the boars. And, thus they were also known as the German Boarhounds at that time.
But after some years, when these ancestors started breeding with the English Greyhound, temperamental traits like aggressiveness and high intensity gradually fizzled out of the breed and they slowly developed and became gentle and mellow dogs that we now know. They are immensely popular all around the world but especially in Germany, which in 1876 named this mammoth canine as its National Dog.
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