Great Danes

The "Apollo of Dog" can be traced back to ancient times. Ancestors to the modern Great Dane date back to the ancient civilizations of Assyrians, Egypt, ancient Greece and Rome. The original dogs were called "Bullenbeisser" and were similar in type to the Mastiff. The modern Mastiff was developed in England but the Bullenbeisser was of Germanic origins and is the basic dog from which the Mastiff-type dogs have emerged. Bullenbeissers were massive and courageous dogs used as war and guard dogs or as hunting dogs who used their strength and agility to bring down wild boar. The development of the modern pure-bred Great Dane began in the middle of the 19th century as breeders worked to turn the highly aggressive dog into a gentle giant. Great Danes have developed into loyal and devoted companions.

Though regal in appearance, combing strength and dignity, the size of the Great Dane should not be taken lightly. The females should not be less than 28 inches at the shoulders and the male not less than 30 inches. Bigger is generally better in the show ring so breeders are producing bigger and bigger Danes. The appropriate weight of a Dane depends on its size and sex with males being more massive throughout and of heavier bone than the females. That being said, a healthy Great Dane will weigh between 100 and 180 pounds.

Great Dane puppies, like all puppies, require a lot of attention and financial responsibility on the part of their owner. Well-socialized dogs begin with the owner taking the time to introduce their new puppy to a variety of things early in their development and by teaching them their place in the pack, i.e. your family. Dane puppies grow fast and in one years time, a Dane puppy is likely to be over a 100 pounds. Good manners need to be reinforced early while the puppy is small and easy to manage. Like all puppies, your Dane puppy will be placed on an immunization schedule for the first few months and require annual booster shots in the coming years. Whether to have the ears cropped is a personal preference but if you choose to have the ears cropped then be prepared to post the ears for several months until the ears stay up on their own.