Dog breed: Great Dane, the history, size, color, character and temperament of the Great Dane.
The Great Dane, a.k.a. the "Apollo of dogs," combines, dignity, courage, strength and elegance in his great size. The Great Dane is one of the giant working breeds. They are the tallest of the working breeds, the Great Dane stands 28 to 32 inches(71 to 81 cm) and weighs 120 to 150 (fully grown).
The history of the Dane goes way back to the pre-Roman times where drawings of Dane-like dogs were found on Egyptian tombs and in illustration dating back to approximately 600 B.C. that shows Assyrian huntsmen with Dane-like dogs. But it was not until the 17th Century an engraving by Richard Blomes, illustrating a boar hunt in Denmark that the ancestry of the Great Dane can clearly be
seen.
From the middle to the late 1800's, breeders in both Germany and England became very interested in the breed and from there developed it into the standards, which are seen today.
In 1880, Germany adopted the Great Dane as its national dog and called it Deutsche Dogge. The Great Dane was recognized by the kennel club in 1884 in England, as the Great Dane.
The name (in the English language) is a translation of an old French designation, grand Danois, meaning
"big Danish." It is only one of half a dozen names that have been used for centuries in France. Why the English adopted the name "Great Dane " from the French is a mystery.
The Great Dane was originally developed to hunt wild boars. This is where the clipping of the ears started. The ears were cropped as to not have them torn off by the boars. There is still controversy over whether to crop or leave the ears natural.
COLORS- Brindle--The base color will be yellow gold and always brindled with strong black cross stripes in a chevron pattern. A black mask is preferred.
Fawn--The color will be yellow gold with a black mask. The deep yellow gold must always be given the preference.
Blue--The color will be a pure steel blue.
Black--The color will be a glossy black.
Harlequin--Base color will be pure white with black torn patches irregularly and well distributed over the
entire body; a pure white neck is preferred
Mantle--The color will be black and white with a solid black blanket extending over the body.
TEMPERAMENT- The Great Dane makes a great family dog as it is known to be a "people dog." He does not readily accept strangers, but he adores children and is also very fond of other animals in the household. He is spirited, courageous, friendly and dependable. The Great Dane is typically a swift and alert dog.
The Great Dane is a happy, curious, and playful dog. He is affectionate and has lots of sympathy, and even a great sense of humor.
It is a common misconception that a Great Dane requires a large house and a huge exercise area to run in. Even full grown Great Danes seem to think that they are lap dogs and will try to curl up on the couch with their owners. They do not make good "yard" dogs, because when they are separated from their human companions they become very unruly and very destructive. They are great companions but require a lot of time and attention.
