Great Dane

Size
Large to Giant (27Kg +)
Exercise
40 min/day
Training
Weekly
Size of home
House with garden
Time at home
Alone with support
Grooming
Low maintenance
Barking preference
Moderate
Personality
Independent + affectionate

Breeder List

Breeder - Mrs Fiona Barrett (HIDALGO)

barrettsrus@bigpond.com
See Details
Breeder - Ms Shirley Ann Poole (DANEFORCE)

annalysha5@bigpond.com
See Details

History

The Great Dane was developed to hunt the wild boar of Europe. Germany is credited with developing the “Apollo of all dogs” as it exists today.

The Great Dane is an ancient breed with drawings resembling the breed found on Egyptian monuments. During the 1800’s, breeders in Germany and England established the standards as they are recognised today. Great Danes were already participating in the first dog exhibition in Germany in 1863.

Appearance

The Great Dane has not only great size, it shows nobility and courage with speed and endurance. It is very muscular, strongly and elegantly built in outline, powerful yet displaying dignity. In appearance and nature, the Great Dane is one of the most elegant and distinguished varieties of the giant breed dogs.

An adult dog grows up to 76 cm minimum in height and weighs 54 kg minimum. The bitches would be smaller, with 71 cm minimum height and 46 kg weight. There are six recognised show colours. These being Fawn, Brindle, Harlequin, Black, Blue and Mantle.

Temperament

Great Danes are calm and not particularly active. They are kind, friendly and outgoing. Their exercise requirements are moderate. They enjoy half an hour to an hour walk daily then they are happy to relax at home. It is very important to obedience train them, otherwise it would be difficult to manage the 80 kg dog on the end of lead. They love their family and would guard them against intruders.

Health

As with all deep chested breeds, Great Danes can suffer from bloat, which is a critical condition with painful distending and twisting of the stomach. Hip and elbow dysplasia is a hereditary condition and dogs should be acquired only from controlled breeding. Heart and thyroid can also be a medical problem.

Suitability

Great Danes are family dogs who can live in the house, if daily exercise is provided. They are well behaved with children and other pets, but supervision is recommended. They can unwittingly cause injury due to their size and weight.

Most Great Dane owners consider the Great Dane to be a part of the family and would keep their dog inside the house. They would not thrive being a “backyard” dog. They have to be exercised regularly and trained and young dogs should not be left unsupervised for lengthy periods.

Words: The Great Dane Club of NSW Inc

Image: Hund

In Conclusion

Now you know a little about the Great Dane, you may think that this is the dog for you. Before you make a decision, please make contact with the breed club or your State controlling body for purebred dogs. They will be able to give you information about available puppies and also suggest dog shows where you can see the breed and speak to breeders. In this way you will gain a better perspective of the Great Dane and its needs, and whether this breed would suit your lifestyle.

Official breed standard as recognized by Dogs NSW (Last Updated: 29 Apr 2016)

Download PDF

A breed standard is the guideline which describes the ideal characteristics, temperament, and appearance of a breed and ensures that the breed is fit for function with soundness essential. Breeders and judges should at all times be mindful of features which could be detrimental in any way to the health, welfare or soundness of this breed.

General Appearance

Very muscular, strongly though elegantly built, with look of dash and daring, of being ready to go anywhere and do anything. Head and neck carried high, tail in line with back, or slightly upwards, but never curled over hindquarters. Elegance of outline and grace of form most essential.

Characteristics

Alert expression, powerful, majestic action displaying dignity.

Temperament

Kindly without nervousness, friendly and outgoing.

Physical Standards

Head and Skull	Head, taken altogether, gives idea of great length and strength of jaw. Muzzle broad, skull proportionately narrow, so that whole head when viewed from above and in front, has appearance of equal breadth throughout. Length of head in proportion to height of dog. Length from nose to point between eyes about equal or preferably of greater length than from this point to back of occiput. Skull flat, slight indentation running up centre, occipital peak not prominent. Decided rise or brow over the eyes but not abrupt stop between them; face well chiselled, well filled in below eyes with no appearance of being pinched: foreface long, of equal depth throughout. Cheeks showing as little lumpiness as possible, compatible with strength. Underline of head, viewed in profile, runs almost in a straight line from corner of lip to corner of jawbone, allowing for fold of lip, but with no loose skin hanging down. Bridge of nose very wide, with slight ridge where cartilage joins bone (this is a characteristic of breed). Nostrils large, wide and open, giving blunt look to nose. Lips hang squarely in front, forming right angle with upper line of foreface.
Eyes	Fairly deep set, not giving the appearance of being round, of medium size and preferably dark. Wall, or odd eyes permissible in harlequins.
Ears	Triangular, medium size, set high on skull and folded forward, not pendulous.
Mouth	Teeth level. Jaws strong with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, i.e. the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws.
Neck	Neck long, well arched, quite clean and free from loose skin, held well up, well set in shoulders, junction of head and neck well defined.
Forequarters	Shoulders muscular, not loaded, well sloped back, with elbows well under body. Forelegs perfectly straight with big flat bone.
Body	Very deep, brisket reaching elbow, ribs well sprung, belly well drawn up. Back and loins strong, latter slightly arched.
Hindquarters	Extremely muscular, giving strength and galloping power. Second thigh long and well developed, good turn of stifle, hocks set low, turning neither in nor out.
Feet	Cat-like, turning neither in nor out. Toes well arched and close, nails strong and curved. Nails preferably dark in all coat colours, except harlequins, where light are permissible.
Tail	Thick at the root, tapering towards end, reaching to or just below hocks. Carried in straight line level with back, when dog is moving, slightly curved towards end, but never curling or carried over back.
Gait/Movement	Action lithe, springy and free, covering ground well. Hocks move freely with driving action, head carried high.
Coat	Short dense and sleek looking, never inclined to roughness.
Colour	Brindles: must be striped, ground colour from lightest buff to deepest orange, stripes always black, eyes and nails preferably dark, dark shadings on head and ears acceptable.Fawns: colour varies from lightest buff to deepest orange, dark shadings on head and ears acceptable, eyes and nails preferably dark.Blues: colour varies from light grey to deep slate, the nose and eyes may be blue.Blacks:a) Black is black.In all above colours white is only permissible on chest and feet, but it is not desirable even there. Nose always black, except in blues and harlequins. Eyes and nails preferably dark.b) Mantle: Black and white with a solid, black blanket extending over the body. Ideally - black skull with white muzzle, white blaze optional, whole white collar preferred, a white chest, white on part or whole of the forelegs and hindlegs, white tipped black tail. Nose always black, eyes and nails preferably darkHarlequins: pure white underground with preferably all black patches or all blue patches, having appearance of being torn. Light nails permissible. In harlequins, wall eyes, pink noses, or butterfly noses permissible but not desirable.
Size	Minimum height of an adult dog over eighteen months: 76 cms (30 ins); bitches: 71 cms (28 ins).Weight, minimum weight over eighteen months: dogs: 54 kgs (120 lbs); bitches: 46 kgs (100 lbs).

Faults

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and on the dog’s ability to perform its traditional work.