Great Danes Are Nature’s Gentle Giants

If you have a Great Dane, one thing is for certain, you get attention wherever you go. The pure size of the dog is enough to draw stares no matter where you happen to find yourself. Anything large tends to get a bad rap as dangerous, but the truth is that the Great Dane is among the gentlest of the big dogs. Regardless of his seven foot stature, this animal is a lover, not a fighter.
As might be expected from a breed of this size, Great Danes are considered working dogs. They were bred to take down dangerous game animals such as wild boars and even lions. Today, that is mainly in the past. The dog is more common as a family pet than as a ferocious hinter.

Great Danes are mainly a black and tan breed. They often are seen with a black mask dotting the eye area. Some Danes have a tiger stripe patter referred to as brindle. Other variations are darker with blue and black markings. For show purposes, two colors are desired and the white blotches common in the breed are undesirable. Other variations have different combinations of black, tan, blue and brown markings.

The Great Dane’s disposition is very calm and gentle. They usually react well with both cats and other dogs. Kids, though dwarfed by the animals, are usually not a problem. Of course caution must be exercised anytime dogs and children are paired. Instincts being what they are, sometimes the Great Dane can’t resist chasing small animals and caution should be taken when walking the dogs in public.

Great Danes have great stamina, but they really don’t need a lot of exercise. Their large size takes care of most of their physical exertion. These giants can even live in apartments as long as they ar walked daily. It’s actually better to not exercise puppies, lest they grow too fast and develop structural problems.

Though a Dane can weigh over 200 pounds, they eat very little. Their metabolisms are slow and overfeeding can lead to an obese animal. Their feeding dished need to be elevated in order to avoid gastrointestinal torsion. Like many big animals, heart conditions are common and can lead to a short life. It’s common for dogs with white coloring located near organs to have problems with those organs. Danes often have a spot around the chest area.

A major problem with the breed is being abandoned by their owners. People sometimes are not prepared for their massive size. This leads to abandonment. Even a puppy can quickly grow to more than 100 pounds, and still be full of energy.

Like all dogs, Danes need a great deal of human company. They shouldn’t be left alone in front of the house to guard it. They do much better with the family. Their life span will be greatly increased with plenty of human company.

If you are thinking of a Great Dane as a family pet, please consider the situation carefully. Though these dogs cause very few problems, their sheer size can lead to difficulties. If you can’t handle a dog that weighs over 200 pounds, please consider another breed.