Great Dane

This large mastiff is thought to be descended from the Tibetan Mastiff introduced in Europe by the Phoenicians, then by the nomadic Persian Alans. In the Middle Ages, there were two varieties of this mastiff: A smaller Alaunt, powerful, agile, streamlined dog that hunted in packs for boar, wolf, and bear, and a heavier, more compact Alaunt used for guard duties. The immediate ancestors are the Bullenbeisser (now extinct) crossed with large hunting dogs descended from the more streamlined Alaunt. Later, names such as Ulm Dog, Great Dane, and Siberian Dog were used to indicate the different types of this breed. In 1878, all varieties were placed under the one name, Great Dane. The standard was written around 1890 in Germany. The French Doggen Club was founded in 1923.

The Great Dane may be the most peace-loving of all the mastiffs. He is a gentle, tender, kind, sensitive, and affectionate dog, particularly with children. This stable, calm dog rarely barks and is never aggressive unless the situation warrants. He is alert, protective of his territory and his owners property, wary around strangers, and not easily swayed. His formidable size is enough to dissuade almost anyone. Training must start early. It should be firm, but undertaken with patience.

The Great Dane can be content living in an apartment, but he must get out daily to stretch his long legs. This athletic dog needs space and exercise. However, he should not exercise too vigorously until he has stopped growing, or he may damage his joints and ligaments. This dog has a short life-expectancy of only eight years. Must be combed daily.

Head:Finely chiseled. Elongated, narrow. Very expressive. Always carried high. Strongly pronounced stop. Well developed superciliary arches. Broad nose bridge. Deep, rectangular muzzle. Black nose (lighter in the harlequin).
Ears:Set on high, naturally drop. Cropped to a point, carried rigid and erect.
Eyes:Medium size. Round. As dark as possible. Lighter eyes permissible in blue Danes. Lighter eyes or eyes of different color permissible in harlequin Danes.
Body:Square outline. Long, dry, muscular, well arched neck. Prominent forechest. Ribs well sprung. Wide croup sloping slightly. Belly well tucked up.
Tail:Medium length reaching the hocks. Set high, broad at the root tapering to a narrow tip. Curved slightly in the form of a saber when in action.
Hair:Very short, thick, smooth, shiny, lying close to the skin.
Coat:Brindle: background color is light to dark yellow gold always with strong, black cross stripes; a black mask is preferred. Fawn: light to dark yellow gold; a black mask is preferred.Black: glossy black; white markings are permissible.Blue: pure steel blue; white markings on the chest and feet are permissible.Harlequin: pure white background with glossy black torn patches of differing sizes well distributed over the entire body.
Size:Dog: at least 80 cm. (31,5 in).Bitch: at least 72 cm. (28 in).
Weight:50 to 70 kg. (110,5-154,5 lb).