Although the current holder of the world record for tallest dog is a 42-inch tall Great Dane, the Irish Wolfhound is the breed that tends to be tallest, though it is lighter in weight.
Great Danes Gislev church, Denmark 1500-25
The Great Dane Raro, Denmark 1655
The Great Dane Sultan, Denmark 1699
Historians claim that there are drawings of dogs that resemble the breed on Egyptian monuments from roughly 3000 B.C. The earliest written description of a dog resembling the Great Dane can be found in Chinese literature of 1121 B.C. Some sources state that dogs similar to Great Danes were known in Greece and Rome too. The dog was developed at least 400 years ago in Germany, where it was used for boar hunting. Various sources report that the Great Dane was developed from the medieval boarhound, and of the Mastiff and Irish wolfhound lines.
It is also reported that the Great Dane was developed from mastiff-like dogs taken to Germany by the Alans. The Bullenbeisser may be its direct ancestor, composing about the 40% of its make-up.
According to Barbara Stein, "The breed originated in Germany, probably from a cross between the English mastiff and the Irish Wolfhound." However, other sources maintain that the breed originated in Denmark and still others report the question as controversial and unsettled. In 1749 Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffonused the name ”le Grand Danois,” (translated by William Smellie (encyclopedist) as ”Great Dane”). Up until that time the hound was referred to in England as ”Danish dog.”
According to Jacob Nicolay Wilse the Danes called the dog ”large hound,” a terminology continued well in to the 20th Century.
In Germany in 1780 the hound is referred to as ”Grosser Dänischer Jagd Hund” (English: Large Danish Hunting Hound). At the first dog exhibition, held in Hamburg 14-20 July 1863,[citation needed] eight dogs were called ”Dänische Dogge” and seven ”Ulmer Doggen.”
There is, without a doubt, no more curiosity in dog breed names than in the Great Dane. However, it can be clearly traced back that this breed originated in Germany, not in Denmark as often mistaken by its Anglo Saxon name.
The reason why in Anglo Saxon and French speaking countries refer to the German Mastiff still as Great Dane are political reasons of historical issues especially during the unification of Germany by Prussia and Bismarck.
In the Holy Roman Empire of German Countries this breed had many names and not a united one.
The variety of names were depending on its origin. The oldest trackable breeders were in the Wuerttemberg Region and Hessian Region of Germany.
All regions had they favourite colour of coat.
This led to the confusion during the first dogs breeder exhibition in Germany in 1863 that breeders from all different areas signed in this breed with its local name although it was the same breed.
When it was decided during the German Dog Exhibition in Hamburg Altona that they should be a united name for this old German breed it was decisive that this dog would be called "Deutsche Dogge" (German Mastiff) at a time when Germany united and Prussia became a European Power in defeating France. Therefore it is clear that Britain or France would not call a dog " Great German".The precursors of today's Great Dane are the old "Bullenbeisser" as well as the so-called "Hatz- and Sauhunde" (hounds), which are a cross between the strong Mastiff of the English type and a fast and nimble Greyhound.
At first, big and strong dogs that did not necessarily belong to a certain breed were considered as Danes.
Later on, names like Ulmer Dane, English Dane, Danish Dane, "Saupacker" (wild boar hunt) and big Dane described the different sizes and colors of this type.
In 1878 a committee of seven, consisting of committed breeders and judges with the chairman Dr Bodinus, decided in Berlin to unite all varieties of the above-mentioned types under the term "Deutsche Dogge" (German Dane, ie Great Dane).
Through this the foundation for the first German dog breed has been laid. In 1880, on the occasion of a dog show in Berlin, a standard for the Great Dane was determined for the first time. Since 1888, the "Deutsche Doggen Club 1888 e.V." is in charge of this standards and repeatedly modified it since. Today's edition fulfills the demands of the F.C.I.
The Great Dane combines, in its regal appearance, dignity, strength and elegance with great size and a powerful, well-formed, smoothly muscled body. It is one of the giant working breeds, but is unique in that its general conformation must be so well balanced that it never appears clumsy, and shall move with a long reach and powerful drive. It is always a unit-the Apollo of dogs.
A Great Dane must be spirited, courageous, never timid; always friendly and dependable.
This physical and mental combination is the characteristic which gives the Great Dane the majesty possessed by no other breed.
It is particularly true of this breed that there is an impression of great masculinity in dogs, as compared to an impression of femininity in bitches. Lack of true Dane breed type, as defined in this standard, is a serious fault.
Size, Proportion, Substance
The male should appear more massive throughout than the bitch, with larger frame and heavier bone.
In the ratio between length and height, the Great Dane should be square.
In bitches, a somewhat longer body is permissible, providing she is well proportioned to her height.
Coarseness or lack of substance are equally undesirable. The male shall not be less than 30 inches at the shoulders, but it is preferable that he be 32 inches or more, providing he is well proportioned to his height.
The female shall not be less than 28 inches at the shoulders, but it is preferable that she be 30 inches or more, providing she is well proportioned to her height. Danes under minimum height must be disqualified
Head
The head shall be rectangular, long, distinguished, expressive, finely chiseled, especially below the eyes.
Seen from the side, the Dane’s forehead must be sharply set off from the bridge of the nose, (a strongly pronounced stop).
The plane of the skull and the plane of the muzzle must be straight and parallel to one another.
The skull plane under and to the inner point of the eye must slope without any bony protuberance in a smooth line to a full square jaw with a deep muzzle (fluttering lips are undesirable).
The masculinity of the male is very pronounced in structural appearance of the head. The bitch’s head is more delicately formed.
Seen from the top, the skull should have parallel sides and the bridge of the nose should be as broad as possible.
The cheek muscles should not be prominent.
The length from the tip of the nose to the center of the stop should be equal to the length from the center of the stop to the rear of the slightly developed occiput. The head should be angular from all sides and should have flat planes with dimensions in proportion to the size of the Dane.
Whiskers may be trimmed or left natural. Eyes shall be medium size, deep set, and dark, with a lively intelligent expression. The eyelids are almond-shaped and relatively tight, with well developed brows. Haws and mongolian eyes are serious faults.
In harlequins, the eyes should be dark; light colored eyes, eyes of different colors and walleyes are permitted but not desirable. Ears shall be high set, medium in size and of moderate thickness, folded forward close to the cheek. The top line of the folded ear should be level with the skull.
If cropped, the ear length is in proportion to the size of the head and the ears are carried uniformly erect.
Nose shall be black, except in the blue Dane, where it is a dark blue-black. A black spotted nose is permitted on the harlequin; a pink colored nose is not desirable.
A split nose is a disqualification. Teeth shall be strong, well developed, clean and with full dentition.
The incisors of the lower jaw touch very lightly the bottoms of the inner surface of the upper incisors (scissors bite).
An undershot jaw is a very serious fault.
Overshot or wry bites are serious faults. Even bites, misaligned or crowded incisors are minor faults.
Forequarters
The forequarters, viewed from the side, shall be strong and muscular. The shoulder blade must be strong and sloping, forming, as near as possible, a right angle in its articulation with the upper arm. A line from the upper tip of the shoulder to the back of the elbow joint should be perpendicular. The ligaments and muscles holding the shoulder blade to the rib cage must be well developed, firm and securely attached to prevent loose shoulders. The shoulder blade and the upper arm should be the same length. The elbow should be one-half the distance from the withers to the ground. The strong pasterns should slope slightly. The feet should be round and compact with well-arched toes, neither toeing in, toeing out, nor rolling to the inside or outside. The nails should be short, strong and as dark as possible, except that they may be lighter in harlequins. Dewclaws may or may not be removed.
Hindquarters
The hindquarters shall be strong, broad, muscular and well angulated, with well let down hocks. Seen from the rear, the hock joints appear to be perfectly straight, turned neither toward the inside nor toward the outside. The rear feet should be round and compact, with well-arched toes, neither toeing in nor out. The nails should be short, strong and as dark as possible, except they may be lighter in harlequins. Wolf claws are a serious fault.
Coat
The coat shall be short, thick and clean with a smooth glossy appearance.
Color, Markings and Patterns
Brindle--The base color shall be yellow gold and always brindled with strong black cross stripes in a chevron pattern. A black mask is preferred. Black should appear on the eye rims and eyebrows, and may appear on the ears and tail tip. The more intensive the base color and the more distinct and even the brindling, the more preferred will be the color. Too much or too little brindling are equally undesirable. White markings at the chest and toes, black-fronted, dirty colored brindles are not desirable.
Blue--The color shall be a pure steel blue. White markings at the chest and toes are not desirable.
Black--The color shall be a glossy black. White markings at the chest and toes are not desirable.
Mantle--The color shall be black and white with a solid black blanket extending over the body; black skull with white muzzle; white blaze is optional; whole white collar is preferred; a white chest; white on part or whole of forelegs and hind legs; white tipped black tail. A small white marking in the blanket is acceptable, as is a break in the white collar.
Exercise
Although Great Danes have a fairly slow metabolism they need daily exercise the same as any other dog, and a fair amount of it.
A common misconception is that they are slow and docile and don't need walking; this is incorrect and in most cases Great Danes are full of energy and need regular walking. The Great Dane was bred to hunt wild boar and guard the manor. They are robust, alert and agile when needed to be.
Health
Great Danes, like most giant dogs, have a fairly slow metabolism. This results in less energy and less food consumption per pound of dog than in small breeds. Great Danes have some health problems that are common to large breeds. Bloat (a painful distending and twisting of the stomach formally known as Gastric volvulus) is a critical condition that can affect Great Danes and results rapidly in death if not quickly addressed.
Drinking large amounts of fluid in a short period of time can provoke Bloating in Great Danes, as well as other larger breeds of dogs.
It is a commonly recommended practice for Great Danes to have their stomachs tacked (Gastropexy) to the right abdominal wall during routine surgery such as spaying or neutering if the dog or its relatives have a history of bloat, though some veterinary surgeons will not do the operation if the actual sickness has not occurred.
Elevated food dishes are often believed to help prevent bloat by regulating the amount of air that is inhaled while eating, although one study suggests that they may increase the risk.
Refraining from exercise or activity immediately before and after meals may also reduce risk, although this has not been validated with research.
Another problem common to the breed is hip dysplasia.
Typically an x-ray of the parents can certify whether their hips are healthy and can serve as a guideline for whether the animals should be bred and are likely to have healthy pups.
Great Danes generally live 8-10 years, but with responsible breeding and improved nutrition they can live to be 12-14.
Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and many congenital heart diseases are also commonly found in the Great Dane.
Great Danes also suffer from several genetic disorders that are specific to the breed. For example, if a Great Dane lacks color (is white) near its eyes or ears then that organ does not develop and usually the dog will be either blind or deaf.
Great Danes in culture
• Scooby-Doo, a Hanna-Barbera character.
Creator Iwao Takamoto based this famous animal character on a Great Dane based on sketches given by a Hanna-Barbera employee who bred this dog, although Scooby's tail is longer than a real Great Dane's and actually bears a closer resemblance to a cat's tail.
Technically speaking, his tail notwithstanding, Scooby-Doo would be a Fawn.
In one episode of the original series, one of the characters says that he's part-terrier and "part-terrified" in response to someone asking what kind of dog he is.
"Part-terrified" was most likely added for humor, but he might possibly be part-terrier.
• Brad Anderson's newspaper comic character Marmaduke.
• Brutus from Disney's version of The Ugly Dachshund, who is a Great Dane raised by a Dachshund.
• Chester, Alan's dog is a harlequin Great Dane in Two and a Half Men.
• The school mascot for the University at Albany is the Great Dane. The Big Purple Growl, the annual basketball event held in early February gets the name from their mascot.
• Fang from the Harry Potter series is a boarhound, but in the films he is portrayed by a Neapolitan Mastiff.
• In rapper Lil' Wayne's song Got Money he mentions a Great Dane in his lyrics.
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