A Brief History:
The Great Dane (Deutsche Dogge) is the national
dog of Germany.
The Great Dane is rich in history, however the
true origin is not definitely known.
This breed has changed it’s name many times and
there is nothing in history of the breed to show
it has any special connection with Denmark. The
naturalist Buffon, in France, for the first time
used the name Grand Danios or Great Dane.
Evidence of Danelike dogs have been found in
ancient Assyrian artefacts and in the Royal
Museum of Munich a Grecian coin, which dates
from the fifth century B.C. Depicts a likeness
of a dog that resembles the Great Danes of
today.
Originally hunting dogs in European forests,
they were used to chase and bring down mainly,
the fearsome wild boars.
Ear cropping was done during this time, not for
cosmetic reasons, but for utility reasons, the
large hound ears were very vulnerable, boars
often grabbing and lacerating them, many dogs
sustained horrendous injuries and infection,
sometimes dogs died as a result.
Although the first Great Dane Club (1883) was in
United Kingdom, German enthusiasts are credited
with the early refinement we see in the breed
today.
Great Danes are wonderful with children and
other animals, if introduced as soon as possible
and mutual respect observed, do remember though
some, not all, may have chasing instincts with
some animals.
All children and dogs need to be supervised.
Caring, responsible breeders in several countries, over many years bred out the aggressive and fierce nature, preserving the breeds integrity and retaining the Great Dane’s enormous capacity for loyalty and devotion and now are referred to as GENTLE GIANTS.
Typical Dane Puppy Growth Chart - A guide
ONLY
WEIGHT-----------------------AGE------------HEIGHT
AT SHOULDERS
64 Lbs------------ 29 Kgs (4 months)
---------23.5" --------- 60 cm
75 Lbs------------ 34 Kgs (5 months)
----------26.0" ---------66 cm
85 Lbs------------38 Kgs (6 months)
----------28.5" ---------72.5 cm
90 Lbs----------- 41 Kgs
(6-1/2months)-------29.0" ---------73.5 cm
110 Lbs----------- 50 Kgs (8
months)-----------32.0“----------81.5 cm
120 Lbs----------- 54 Kgs(10
months)----------33.0" ---------84 cm
130 Lbs----------- 60 Kgs(1 yr old)
--------------34.0-----------86.5 cm
Nutrition & Health:
Both these subjects are extremely detailed and
too long to go into in great detail here, a
responsible breeder should always be willing to
help you with any nutrition or health issues.
There are no hard and fast rules on feeding, and
is largely common sense, however, Great Danes
need to be fed twice a day and good quality
food, there are differing views on feeding and
this is a personal choice. Again, the breeder
will supply you with a detailed diet and check
list. DO NOT OVER FEED.
I cannot stress enough the importance of taking
a little more time and expense when rearing a
puppy, the first eighteen months, especially are
a crucial time of their growth, do not make
those young bones carry too much weight, it is
impossible to make a dog bigger than he is
genetically intended to be, as the ultimate size
is determined long before birth, correct rearing
will result in strong, sound bones.
Get your puppy used to having his/her nails
clipped, as the feet are of the utmost
importance, grooming should start early.
Like all pure-bred dogs, Great Danes are
susceptible to a variety of health problems.
These range from the life-threatening to
conditions easily controlled with daily
medication. It is your responsibility to learn
as much as possible about these issues before
committing yourself to this magnificent breed.
Before purchasing a Great Dane, PLEASE, educate
yourself about their specific needs, costs
involved and housing requirements. There is a
large supply of reference materials available,
both in written form and on the web.
When you have decided on a male or female, what
colour, type etc, research breeders carefully,
there are many pit-falls and visiting the kennel
is recommended.
Don’t allow your puppy to get on beds or
furniture, if you will one day, because he/she
is now to big to do so, forbid this practice,
this is a common issue and is unfair to the
grown Dane, as stated previously the closer they
are to you and your family the happier they are,
set rules and stick to them.
Breeding is a time and money consuming exercise
and should not be entered into lightly.
Bettering the breed should be your goal.
Some widely practiced Do’s and Don’ts.
- Elevate food and
water. It makes it more comfortable
for them and is thought to help
prevent bloat, there is no proof why
Great Danes or other breeds get
BLOAT, however I do everything
possible.
- Remember unlike smaller breeds Danes are
puppies until 18 months of age.
- Basic obedience is important – An untrained
Dane can be more than a nuisance once fully
grown.
- Vaccinate puppies, however do-not over
vaccinate Adult Danes.
- Consult your vet about worming and heart
worming treatments. RESPONSIBLE BREEDERS ARE THE
MOST IMPORTANT ALLY YOU WILL HAVE.
- Do feed a good quality food.
- Always have fresh water available.
- Vitamin C should be started around 8 – 10
weeks – 250mg at first increasing to 1000/1500mg
by 3 – 4 months up until maturity. This is an
excellent help with teething and hips and any
that the body doesn’t use gets flushed out in
the urine so don’t worry about overdosing.
- Provide soft thick well padded bedding to
support your puppies elbows and joints.
- Remember puppies chew. Supply enough safe toys
so they are not eating your furniture.
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- No forced
exercise – No jogging or road work
until bones are set. (Consult your
breeder).
- Do not feed standard puppy or performance food
as they are high in calories and promote
accelerated growth. It is important these dogs
grow slow and even, so that the bone develops at
the same rate as the muscle. High
protein/fat/calories food does not mean a bigger
dog.
- Do not encourage jumping on your shoulders as
it is damaging.
- Do not exercise for 1 –2 hours after meals.
- Do not play tug of war games, no chasing games
or wrestling on the floor games with your puppy,
their bones are more delicate than you would
think.
- Don’t put your Great Dane in the backyard and
forget about him/her. THEY NEED HUMAN
COMPANIONSHIP.
- Do not let young puppies climb up and down
stairs as it is very hard on their shoulders and
can cause serious injury, beware slippery
floors.
- Do not overfeed. Dane puppies need to be on
the lean side.
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