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Great Dane |
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Description... |
 The
Great Dane is a large, mild mannered, easygoing breed, but can be
spirited on occasion. While a good family dog, it's not such a
good idea to have a Great Dane if you have toddlers. The dog is
large, and tends to be slightly clumsy with toddlers. In addition,
the Dane is wary of strangers and can be aggressive with other
dogs. Because of its size, it requires lots of exercise to stay
fit. Space and companionship are priorities for this breed!
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History...
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Despite its Americanised name, the Great Dane, or
German Mastiff, actually originated in - you guessed it - Germany!
Some date the breeds origin as far back as 2200 B.C. Initially the
dog was used for guarding and for hunting the savage European wild
boar. When it was eventually introduced as a show dog, it was
listed under the name Siberian or Ulm Dog.
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Traits...
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The Great Dane loves a good, long walk. In
addition, it gets very lonely when not included in family
activities. If you are the athletic type, train your Dane to
work-out with you. They are very athletic dogs, and do especially
well with sports such as competition obedience, fly-ball, and
tracking.
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Good aspects...
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 A
family-oriented dog who likes companionship, the Dane is a good
watch dog to boot. This is an active breed and likes an active
owner, although the dog does adapt well to apartment living. In
addition, the Dane makes a good dog for a novice owner, as it is
slow to mature and responds fairly well to training. Its coat is
short and requires little grooming - a good weekly brushing will
do the trick!
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Health...
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The Great Dane is a fairly short-lived breed, but
can suffer from several, common health problems: hip dysplasia,
bloat, bone cancer, heart disease, and tumours.
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Be aware...
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The Dane can be aggressive with other dogs, so it
does not make for a good dog if you have other pets. In addition,
it requires a lot of companionship and can become destructive if
abandoned for significant periods of time.
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Summary...
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The Great Dane's ears can be cropped or left
hanging, his eyes are dark but may be lighter. In
harlequin-coloured Danes, the eyes are often blue or two different
colours! However, be cautious when buying from a poor breeder.
Danes can become hyperactive or aggressive if bred improperly.
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source: petcare information centre-
petcare.umn.edu
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