Great Danes
HEIGHT
30-32 inches (male)
28-30 inches (female)
WEIGHT
140-175LBS (MALE)
110-140LBS (FEMALE)
LIFE
7-10 YEARS
HISTORY
This information provided by Wikipedia:
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In the middle of the 16th century, the nobility in many countries of Europe imported strong, long-legged dogs from England, which were descended from crossbreeds between English Mastiffs and Irish Wolfhounds. They were dog hybrids in different sizes and phenotypes with no formal breed.
These dogs were called Englische Docke or Englische Tocke – later written and spelled: Dogge – or Englischer Hund in Germany. The name simply meant "English dog". Since then, the English word "dog" has come to be associated with a molossoid dog in Germany and France.
These dogs were bred in the courts of German nobility, independent of the English methods, since the start of the 17th century.
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The dogs were used for hunting bear, boar, and deer at princely courts, with the favorites staying at night in the bedchambers of their lords.
These Kammerhunde (chamber dogs) were outfitted with ornate collars, and helped protect the sleeping princes from assassins.
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While hunting boar or bears, the Englische Dogge was a catch dog used after the other hunting dogs to seize the bear or boar and hold it in place until the huntsman was able to kill it. When the hunting customs changed, particularly because of the use of firearms, many of the involved dog types disappeared. The Englische Dogge became rare, and was kept only as a dog of hobby or luxury.
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In Austria and Germany the Molossian hound, the Suliot dog and other imports from Greece were used in the 18th century to increase the stature of the boarhounds.
Name change
In 1878, a committee was formed in Berlin which changed the name of the "Englische Dogge" (English mastiff derivatives) to "Deutsche Dogge" (German mastiff), this being the Great Dane. This laid the foundations from which the breed was developed.
During the 19th century, the dog was known as a "German boarhound" in English-speaking countries. Some German breeders tried to introduce the names "German Dogge" and "German Mastiff" on the English market, because they believed the breed should be marketed as a dog of luxury and not as a working dog. However, due to the increasing tensions between Germany and other countries, the dog later became referred to as a "Great Dane", after the grand danois in Buffon's Histoire naturelle, générale et particulière in 1755.
The GD Ranch is a proud supporter of www.daneoutreach.org for in depth information and resources please visit their site and consider a donation! The chart below, developed by them is a color chart for the different variety of Danes available.
Well, now that you have the facts, lets see what life with a Great Dane is really like.... watch these hilarious compilation videos I found on YouTube.
This information provided by
AFFECTIONATE WITH FAMILY
Independent Lovey-Dovey
How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.
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GOOD WITH YOUNG CHILDREN
Not Recommended Good With Children
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.
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GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS
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Not Recommended Good With Other Dogs
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.
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SHEDDING LEVEL
No Shedding Hair Everywhere
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.
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COAT GROOMING FREQUENCY
Monthly Daily
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.
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DROOLING LEVEL
Less Likely to Drool Always Have a Towel
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.
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COAT TYPE
Wiry
Hairless
Smooth
Rough
Corded
Double
Curly
Wavy
Silky
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.
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COAT LENGTH
Short
Medium
Long
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.
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OPENNESS TO STRANGERS
Reserved Everyone Is My Best Friend
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!
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PLAYFULNESS LEVEL
Only When You Want To Play Non-Stop
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.
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WATCHDOG/PROTECTIVE NATURE
What's Mine Is Yours Vigilant
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.
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ADAPTABILITY LEVEL
Lives For Routine Highly Adaptable
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.
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TRAINABILITY LEVEL
Self-Willed Eager to Please
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!
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ENERGY LEVEL
Couch Potato High Energy
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.
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BARKING LEVEL
Only To Alert Very Vocal
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.
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MENTAL STIMULATION NEEDS
Happy to Lounge Needs a Job or Activity
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.