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Great Dane
The Great Dane, Danish Hound, Danish Gallant, Deutsche Dogge, Boarhound, Grand Danois or German Mastiff is a breed of domestic dog known for its giant size, (30-32 inches at the shoulders is average for a male). Great Danes are considered one of the tallest dog breeds along with the Irish Wolfhound. More recently, Great Danes have been in the Guinness World Records for tallest dog and were named the state dog of Pennsylvania in 1965.
The Great Dane's large and imposing appearance disguise a friendly, even gentle nature. Great Danes are generally well-disposed toward other dogs, other non-canine pets and humans. As with all dogs, they should be supervised around young children. Great Danes can be protective and make good guard dogs. Some Great Danes - as with any breed - can have dominance issues, can be aggressive with other dogs, or chase small animals; but this is not typical.
Because Great Danes have a fairly slow metabolism they need daily exercise the same as any other dog, and a fair amount of it. A common misconception is that they are slow and docile and don't need walking; this is incorrect and in most cases Great Danes are full of energy and need regular walking. The Great Dane was bred to hunt wild boar and guard the manor. They are robust, alert and agile when needed to be.
Great Danes have some health problems that are common to large breeds. gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) (a painful distending and twisting of the stomach) is a critical condition that can affect Great Danes and other deep-chested breeds, which may cause death if not quickly addressed.
Great Danes generally live 8-10 years.
Some of the content on this page was originally published on Wikipedia
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