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The Great Dane or German Mastiff is the gentle giant of dog breeds. This giant dog needs an experienced owner who can cope with a large dog and large demands on the family budget.

The Dane is gentle, quiet, dignified, well-mannered, loyal and affectionate. The breed is wonderfully devoted to its family and it would rather lean against you for a pat, than behave aggressively towards anyone. The Great Dane is very good with family children, but toddlers and small children are subject to accidental knock down or being whacked with a wagging tail and must be supervised very carefully. Because the Dane is so large, it requires extensive socialization to learn how to behave cautiously around children and pets. Some male Danes can be dominant, so obedience training and socialization must be started with puppy school and continued until at least two years of age. Danes are intelligent and eager to please, so they can be trained for higher levels of activities and competitions. Additional information on obedience competitions and other activities for dogs can be found in my article on Fun Dog Activities.

The Great Dane is probably the tallest of all dog breeds. Male Danes stand at least 32 inches and females at least 30 inches tall at shoulder height. Depending on their height male Danes can weigh from 140 to 190 pounds with females weighing from 100 to 160 pounds. This tall regal dog has a rectangular head set on an elegant neck and the dog moves with grace and dignity. The Dane's ears can be natural or cropped and the tail is natural. The Dane's coat is short, smooth and glossy and only requires occasional brushing except when shedding. Colors can be: brindle (golden yellow with black striping); fawn (with black mask); black; black mantled (black body with white collar and trim); blue; and harlequin (white with ragged black patches).

The early ancestors of the Dane are thought to be the large and courageous war dogs, called Molossians, which were used in ancient Greek and Roman times. When these Molossians spread across Europe, they became the founding stock for many modern dog breeds including the British Mastiff. The Germans saw the need to develop a big and courageous dog to hunt the dangerous European wild boars and wolves. It is thought that the British Mastiff, the Irish Wolfhound and possibly the Greyhound all were involved in developing the German Mastiff. The original German Mastiffs were very aggressive hunting and guard dogs but many subsequent generations of selective breeding has resulted in a gentle and affectionate giant dog breed. This German giant came to America in the late 19th century and became very popular, ranking 27th out of 154 dog breeds in 2004 AKC registrations.

Danes are very adaptable and despite their large size, they are nimble footed and can easily navigate around a large apartment. Danes can adapt to apartment living and even being left alone during the day as long as they get regular exercise and lots of companionship in the morning and evening. Despite being very large dogs, they don't need a lot of exercise every day. Two good walks will suffice. Do not over exercise Great Danes when they are young because their fast growth makes them prone to injuries. The Dane loves to be warm and comfortable and this heavy dog needs a very soft bed or you may find him sleeping on yours.

Giant breeds, like the Great Dane, have a life expectancy of no longer than 10 years and large male Danes may only live for 7 or 8 years. Danes have many serious inherited health problems including: musculoskeletal disorders such as hip dysplasia, Wobblers syndrome (cervical vertebral instability), and panosteitis; heart diseases such as cardiomyopathy and aortic stenosis; eye disorders such as cataracts, ectropion, entropion, glaucoma and progressive retinal atrophy; hypothyroidism, cancer and bloat. Information on these inherited diseases and ways to help control bloat can be found in my article on Hereditary Diseases in Dogs. Before you buy a Great Dane puppy make sure you ask the breeder for the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) results for hip dysplasia, congenital heart disease and thyroid disease and the Canine Eye Registry (CERF) recent ophthalmologists report for both sire and dam. These results also may be available through the Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) program which stores results from both OFA and CERF for a growing number of breeding Great Danes.

If you are seriously interested in acquiring a Great Dane then you should check with your national pure-bred dog organizations such as the American (www.akc.org) or Canadian Kennel (www.ckc.com) Clubs to look for conformation shows in your area. Make sure you talk to owners and breeders at these shows to see if your lifestyle is really suited to this giant breed. Additional information on Danes and on specific shows and competitions in your area can be found by checking with the national Great Dane clubs which are www.gdca.org in the US and www.gdcc.ca in Canada. Both of these umbrella organizations will point you to the local chapter closest to your home that may be able to provide you with information on reputable breeders. They should also provide you with information on Dane rescue organizations in case you wish to obtain an adult dog.