Mary Allen
Today, no one really knows where the term “mastiff” came from. In the past, it was used for large, strong dogs that did not necessarily belong to a breed. The Great Dane, as its name suggests, comes from Germany.
This breed was bred from various giant mastiffs, such as the Ulmer Mastiff and the Danish Mastiff. It was shown for the first time in 1863 at a dog show in Hamburg. Breeding has been registered under the German Dogge since 1876.
Great Dane – is a very affectionate elegant family dog
In the same year, the Great Dane became the German national dog; Chancellor Bismarck was a fan of this giant breed. The dogs were also used as guards and hunting dogs in the past.
Today they are almost always kept as pets. More than a hundred years later, the Great Dane has changed little since its days as a working dog, but it has become gentler in temperament.
Today they are considered friendly, trusting, and dignified, but can be wary of strangers and overzealous in protecting their owners or their territory. In general, the dog is easy to train: the only problem with this docile and intelligent dog is quite simply its size.
Owners must also consider the space requirements of a well-behaved Great Dane when bringing one into the home: despite its attractiveness, the dog is serious business—even as a companion or pet.
The characteristic of the Great Dane is its elegance: the expressive head inherited from the mastiff, the impressive size, and the long-legged body of the dog, which is particularly beautiful when moving, contribute equally to the noble overall appearance.
Unfortunately, like other large dogs, the Great Dane is very short-lived – with a life span of only eight or nine years on average. And like everything about this dog, health issues and vet bills are huge as they age.
Great Dane breed info: Appearance
The build of the Great Dane shows harmony and at the same time expresses pride, strength, and elegance. Ideally, it is square with a short back, a slightly sloping croup, and a tucked-up belly at the back. The length of the muzzle and head must match the length of the neck, with a clear stop.
The eyes are of medium size, deep-set, and at times dark. The ears are triangular, medium-sized, and set high, with the front edges touching the cheeks. Their coat is short, dense, and glossy – it can be spotted with thorns, yellow, blue, black, or black and white. At competitions yellow and brindle specimens are judged together, the blue ones separately, and the harlequin mastiffs together with the black mastiffs. The long and thin saber tail is carried in line with the spine when moving.
Great Dane dog info: Care
As with all dogs of this type, grooming is easy, but the food costs for such “giants” are of course maximum. You should always let the dog lie on a soft blanket so that no unsightly lying spots can develop in the first place.
Fast-growing dogs like the Great Dane need to be raised with care. First of all, of course, wholesome food is part of this, but you should also pay attention to the well-dosed exercise of the young dogs. Don’t put too much pressure on the dog, don’t force anything, and avoid signs of fatigue, because all of this can have a negative effect on the development of bones, tendons, and muscles.
Great Dane puppy info: Temperament
The Great Dane, also known as the Apollo of dog breeds, is very balanced in character, affectionate and gentle, extremely loyal, and never nervous or aggressive. Because of their size, it takes firm but sensitive training from an early age to become a controllable watchdog. Therefore, the dog owner should train the dog together with a specialist.
Due to its physique and powerful teeth, the mastiff must learn to quickly obey any command. However, the “hard way” does not give good results, as the animal closes off and then stubbornly offers passive resistance. Big in every way, this dog loves to be cuddled. He seeks his master’s attention, is gentle with children, but is extremely shy around smaller dogs and puppies.
At times he even seems afraid of them. He rarely barks, and often his size and majestic stature are enough to dissuade someone with malicious intent. On the other hand, the dog only becomes violent when it can no longer be put off and its threats are ignored.
Despite the fact that the dogs rarely bark, male dogs, in particular, make excellent guard dogs. It has often been shown that a burglar may be able to enter the house but is guaranteed not to be able to leave if a Great Dane is on guard. Like many other mastiffs, the dogs are not particularly self-pitying, so that illnesses or infirmities are often only noticed at a later stage.
Upbringing
The Great Dane grows into an exceptionally large dog in an extremely short period of time. You should therefore get the dog used to not pulling on the leash from an early age. He must grow up with a lot of feelings in a harmonious environment because the dog is very sensitive to the tone of his owner’s voice – a friendly word at the right time often works wonders.
Compatibility
As a rule, these dogs get along well with other dogs, other pets, and children. They are very reserved towards strangers, but acquaintances of the family are greeted exuberantly.
Great Dane info and facts: Area of life
Paradoxically, despite its size, a Great Dane easily adapts to living in an apartment, even if it is small. It moves almost noiselessly, even in the smallest of spaces. They feel most at home on a carpet in a heated room, as they have been used to living in castle salons since the Middle Ages. Apart from the cold, loneliness affects them the most. Left alone or chained, they become unhappy, introverted, anxious, or aggressive, depending on their disposition.
Information about Great Dane dog: Movement
Great Danes can even live in an apartment, but of course, they must always be allowed to use their long legs sufficiently and plentifully. If the dog is well behaved, you can let it run off the leash next to the bike without worry. As long as the Great Dane gets enough exercise in the great outdoors, they will be calm and balanced indoors.