Great Dane

A Harlequin Great Dane
Other names	Grand Danois (18th century French: 'Great Dane' the modern French is Dogue Allemand ("German Mastiff"). Deutsche Dogge ('German Mastiff') Dänische Dogge ('Danish Mastiff')[1]
Nicknames	Dane Gentle Giant
Country of origin	Denmark/Germany
Traits
Classification and standards FCI Group 2 Section 2 #235 standard AKC Working standard CKC standard KC (UK) Working standard NZKC Nonsporting standard UKC Guardian Dogs standard
Dog (Canis lupus familiaris)

The Great Dane (18th Cent. French: Grand Danois), also known as German Mastiff (German: Deutsche Dogge) or Danish Hound (German: Dänischer Hund), is a breed of domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) known for its giant size.^[2] The Great Dane is one of the world's tallest dog breeds; the current world record holder, measuring 109 cm (43 in) from paw to shoulder; 220 cm (7.2 ft) from head to tail, is George.^[3] Also, on a sidenote, great danes were orginally bred to hunt deer.

Description[link]

Great Danes of several coat types, from left to right: harlequin, black, brindle, blue and fawn

As described by the American Kennel Club, "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."^[4] The Great Dane is a short haired breed with a strong galloping figure.^[5] In the ratio between length and height, the Great Dane should be square. The male dog should not be less than 30 in (76 cm) at the shoulders, a female 28 in (71 cm). Danes under minimum height are disqualified.^[4]

From year to year, the tallest living dog is typically a Great Dane. Previous record holders include Gibson and Titan, however the current record holder is a blue Great Dane named Giant George who stands 43 in (110 cm) at the shoulder.^[6] He is also the tallest dog on record (according Guinness World Records),^[6] beating the previous holder who was a brindle Great Dane named Shamgret Danzas, who stood 42.5 in (108 cm) at the shoulder.

The minimum weight for a Great Dane over eighteen months is 120 lb (54 kg) for males, 100 lb (45 kg) for females.^[5][7] Unusually, the American Kennel Club dropped the minimum weight requirement from its standard.^[8] The male should appear more massive throughout than the female, with a larger frame and heavier bone.^[4]

Great Danes have naturally floppy, triangular ears. In the past, when Great Danes were commonly used to hunt boars, cropping of the ears was performed to make injuries to the dogs' ears less likely during hunts. Now that Danes are primarily companion animals, cropping is sometimes still done for traditional and cosmetic reasons. In the 1930s when Great Danes had their ears cropped, after the surgery two devices called Easter Bonnets were fitted to their ears to make them stand up.^[9] Today, the practice is common in the United States and much less common in Europe. In some European countries such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Germany, parts of Australia, and in New Zealand, the practice is banned, or controlled to only be performed by veterinary surgeons.

Coat colors[link]

Blue puppy

A harlequin Great Dane puppy.

There are six show-acceptable coat colors for Great Danes:^[4]

• Fawn: The color is yellow gold with a black mask. Black should appear on the eye rims and eyebrows, and may appear on the ears.
• Brindle: The color is fawn and black in a chevron stripe pattern. Often also they are referred to as having a tiger-stripe pattern.
• Blue: The color is a pure steel blue. White markings at the chest and toes are not desirable and considered faults.
• Black: The color is a glossy black. White markings at the chest and toes are not desirable and considered faults.
• Harlequin: The base color is pure white with black torn patches irregularly and well distributed over the entire body; a pure white neck is preferred. The black patches should never be large enough to give the appearance of a blanket, nor so small as to give a stippled or dappled effect. Eligible, but less desirable, are a few small grey patches (this grey is consistent with a Merle marking) or a white base with single black hairs showing through, which tend to give a salt and pepper or dirty effect. (Have the same link to deafness and blindness as Merle and white danes.)
• Mantle (in some countries referred to as Bostons due to the similar coloration and pattern as a Boston Terrier): The color is black and white with a solid black blanket extending over the body; black skull with white muzzle; white blaze is optional; whole white collar preferred; a white chest; white on part or whole of forelegs and hind legs; white tipped black tail. A small white marking in the black blanket is acceptable, as is a break in the white collar

Other colors occur occasionally but are not acceptable for conformation showing, and they are not pursued by breeders who intend to breed show dogs. These colors include white, fawnequin, merle, merlequin, fawn mantle, and others. Some breeders may attempt to charge more for puppies of these "rare" colors. However, the breeding of white and merle Danes is particularly controversial, as these colors may be associated with genes that produce deafness. Although they cannot be shown, white or merle Danes can usually still be registered as pedigree dogs.

Temperament[link]

The Great Dane's large and imposing appearance belies its friendly nature; the breed is often referred to as a gentle giant.^[4] Great Danes are generally well-disposed toward other dogs, other non-canine pets, and humans. They generally do not exhibit a high prey drive.^[10] The Great Dane is a very gentle and loving animal with proper care and training. A Great Dane is great for small children and a loving family as long as it grows up in the family from a pup.

Exercise[link]

A Harlequin Great Dane running in the sea

Like most dogs, Great Danes require daily walks to remain healthy. However it is important not to over exercise this breed, particularly when young. Great Dane puppies grow very large, very fast, which puts them at risk of joint and bone problems. Because of a puppy's natural energy, Dane owners often take steps to minimize activity while the dog is still growing.^[11][12]

Given their large size, Great Danes continue to grow (mostly gaining weight) longer than most dogs. Even at one year of age a Great Dane will continue to grow for several more months.^[12]

Great Danes are prone to bloat. Bloat is a serious condition in which the stomach distends and/or rotates effectively cutting of the blood supply to various part of the body including the stomach, spleen and other organs. If not treated almost immediately, usually by surgery, the condition can be fatal. Left untreated, death usually occurs within a matter of hours.^[13] There is conflicting information about how the condition is caused. It is often suggested that in order to prevent bloat Great Danes should be fed multiple small meals throughout the day as opposed to one large one and that they be prevented from engaging in vigorous exercise following meals.^[13]

Health[link]

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, including gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) (a painful distending and twisting of the stomach). This is a critical condition that can affect Great Danes and other deep-chested breeds, and which may cause death if not quickly addressed. Drinking large amounts of fluid in a short period of time can provoke GDV 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 if the dog or its relatives have a history of GDV, though some veterinary surgeons will not do the operation if the actual sickness has not occurred. New studies have shown that elevated food bowls do not help abate bloating, like first believed. When the bowl is elevated, the dog can eat faster, and therefore swallow more air, so new studies suggest that leaving the food on the ground will help the dog eat slower. Another opportunity could be to spread the food on the ground or on the grass. ^[14] Refraining from exercise or activity immediately before and after meals may also reduce risk, although this has not been validated with research. Signs that GDV may have occurred include, but are not limited to, visible distension (enlargement of the abdomen) and repeated retching that resembles repetitive non-productive attempts to vomit. GDV is a condition that is distinct from another condition referred to as bloat, though bloat may precede the development of GDV. GDV is a surgical emergency; immediate veterinary evaluation should be sought if a dog demonstrates signs of this condition.

The average life span of Great Danes is 6 to 8 years.^[15][16]

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and many congenital heart diseases are also commonly found in the Great Dane, leading to its nickname: the Heartbreak breed, in conjunction with its shorter lifespan. 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 may not develop and usually the dog will be either blind, deaf, or both.^[17]

History[link]

Male Great Dane in 1879

Dogs resembling the Great Dane have been seen on Egyptian monuments dating back to 3,000 BC.^[4] According to Barbara Stein, "The breed originated in Germany, probably from a cross between the English mastiff and the Irish Wolfhound."^[18] However, other sources maintain that the breed originated in Denmark^{[unreliable source?][19]} and still others report the question as controversial and unsettled.^[20] In 1749 Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon^[21] used the name "le Grand Danois," (translated by William Smellie as "Great Dane"). Up until that time the hound was referred to in England as "Danish dog."^[22] According to Jacob Nicolay Wilse the Danes called the dog "large hound," a terminology continued well in to the 20th century.^[23] As late as in the 1780 Germany the hound is referred to as "Grosser Dänischer Jagdhund" (English: Large Danish Hunting Hound).^[24] At the first dog exhibition, held in Hamburg 14–20 July 1863, eight dogs were called "Dänische Dogge" and seven "Ulmer Doggen."^[25]

The Great Dane Raro, Denmark 1655

Great Danes in popular culture[link]

• English poet Alexander Pope (1688-1744) kept a great dane named Bounce. Pope, who was crippled, physically weak and subject to threats due to his frequent lampoons, never left his house without Bounce for protection. His dog was immortalized in his poem, "Bounce to Fop," [1] a satirical address from his dog to the royal dog Fop, and also in the painting "Alexander Pope and His Dog, Bounce" (1718) by Jonathan Richardson [2].
• Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel was nicknamed as "the Great Dane".
• The Great Dane was named the state dog of Pennsylvania in 1965.^[26]
• Scooby-Doo, the famous Hanna-Barbera character, was based on a Great Dane by animation designer Iwao Takamoto. Takamoto based his illustrations on sketches given to him by a Hanna-Barbera employee who bred this dog. Scooby closely resembles a Great Dane, although his tail is longer than the breed's, bearing closer resemblance to a cat's tail.^[27][28]
• The athletic teams of the University at Albany have been known as the Great Danes since 1965. Damien The Great Dane has been the mascot since that time. In 2003, the school added Lil' D, a smaller Great Dane, to help Damien entertain the crowds.
• Brutus in The Ugly Dachshund, a Great Dane raised by a Dachshund mother.
• Marmaduke is a newspaper comic strip drawn by Brad Anderson from 1954 to the present day. The strip revolves around the Winslow family and their Great Dane, Marmaduke.
• Singer, the main but tragic hero of The Guardian, a novel by Nicholas Sparks.
• Elmer, a Great Dane in Oswald the Lucky Rabbit by Walter Lantz
• In each film version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Hound of the Baskervilles", a Great Dane was cast as the cursed hellhound that kills the Baskerville family.
• Ace the Bat-Hound, from the Batman comic series, was depicted as a Great Dane mix.
• Just Nuisance who was the only dog to be officially enlisted in the Royal Navy. Done mainly as a morale booster for World War II enlisted troops, Nuisance proved to be a lasting legacy of the small Cape Town suburb of Simons Town.

See also[link]

• Argentine Dogo

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Great Dane

• Great Dane breed standard at the official American Kennel Club website
• Breed Information Resource

Giant George is a blue Great Dane currently recognised as the world's tallest living dog, and the tallest dog ever by Guinness World Records. There were originally conflicting media reports regarding his height, but the official measurement showed that he was three-quarters of an inch taller than the previous record holder, Titan (at 43 inches (110 cm) at the withers). His records were announced as he appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show in February 2010.

Biography[link]

George was born on November 17, 2005,^[1] and has been owned by David Nasser since he was 7 weeks old.^[2] A runt of the litter as a puppy, he now measures 43 inches (110 cm) high at the withers,^[3] and weighs 245 pounds (111 kg),^[4] which is about 100 pounds (45 kg) more than an average Great Dane.^[2] He currently lives in Tucson, Arizona.^[5]

At home he sleeps in a queen-sized bed, and one of his hobbies is to ride around his family's neighborhood in a golf cart.^[2] While traveling to Chicago for his 2010 appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show, George was given a row of three seats to himself. He caused a commotion with fellow passengers visiting him to take photographs, "There were so many people coming to the front of the plane, the pilot ended up illuminating the 'fasten seat-belt' sign to get everyone to sit down" explained his owner, David.^[4] During the flight, George along with his owner David and wife Christine, had to sit in the bulkhead; which is the partition that divides first class from the rest of the passengers. They were to fly first class on American Airlines, but they found that there wasn't enough room for George and instead flew the following day.^[6]

Nomination[link]

Conflicting reports were made of George's height, so a Guinness judge was sent to verify it.^[7] Craig Glenday, Editor-in-Chief of Guinness World Records explained, "This is a hotly contested record and after some controversy and conflicting media reports we decided to send our own official adjudicator to put the final stamp on this record holder."^[5] The measurement by veterinarian Jim Boulay and witnessed by Guinness representative Jamie Panas showed that George was three-quarters of an inch larger than the previous record hold, another Great Dane, Titan.^[6][8]

The records were announced by Oprah Winfrey on February 22, 2010 when George appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show.^[2][9] George had been awarded the titles secretly on February 15, 2010, with Oprah's producers asking all parties and media to keep the announcement quiet until after his appearance on the show. Inquiries had been made by the show for George to appear prior to him gaining the titles, however his owner requested that they hold off their appearance until Guinness had reviewed his application.^[6]

The announcement of the new record was used by Guinness World Records to publicize a variety of other pet-related record searches, including longest ears on a dog, smallest dog (length), oldest dog, smallest cat and oldest cat.^[5]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website