Great Dane

The Great Dane is a large and impressive dog. German Dogs are proud, strong and elegant. The Great Dane immediately stands out because of his impressive head. They also have large hanging ears which were cropped earlier (and in some countries this still happens) at an age of about 7 weeks. In England, ear cropping was banned in 1899. The expression of the Great Dane is, also because of his large hanging ears, very gentle and melancholic.

Characteristics

Country of origin: Germany

Also known as:

Body build: Square-built. Long, dry, well muscled neck with a nice round profile. Sticking out chest. Curved ribs. Short, almost straight back. Wide slightly arched loins. Wide, slightly sloping croup. Extended belly line.

Weight: 50- 70 kg

Height: Minimum 80 cm. Females: minimum 72 cm.

Health risks: Gastric dilatation volvulus. Hip Dysplasia/ Elbow Dysplasia. Epilepsy

Colour

The coat is short and smooth. There are different colours:

Black
Blue
Brindle
Fawn
Harlequin
Mantle

The colours above are recognized by the Great Danes Club. However, the gray scale nowadays is also recognised, only not yet at exhibitions.

Approach to the training

A German dog should be raised with a soft but certainly consistent hand, in a balanced environment. German dogs can simply be kept in the house where they are quiet, provided they are able to play and run outside. It is best to start the training early as they grow into an extremely large dog within a short time. This way the owner can teach them when they are still puppies not to pull on the leash. Great Danes are sensitive to the intonation of the boss’s voice, often a friendly request is sufficient to let the dog do what is asked of him.

Dog sports

Dog sports are not always suitable for the Great Dane because they are too large to, for example, crawl through tunnels. Flyball or obedience could still be an option.