Resources | Colorado Great Danes

History of the Great Dane Breed

The great dane is a true giant among breeds, descending from the mastiff. The great dane was developed in Germany to hunt wild boar, and was known as the boar hound when it appeared in America late in the 19th century.

While intimidating in size and stature, this is a breed noted for its gentleness and “human-like” compassion. They make excellent family dogs. Its impressive size, family devotion, and gentle nature combine to create a first-rate companion.

The breed is highly successful in obedience trials, agility competitions, tracking, scent work, lure-coursing, and therapy dog work. Permissible conformation colors are black, blue, brindle, fawn, harlequin, mantle, and merle.

FAQs

“The Great Dane combines, in its regal appearance, dignity, strength and elegance with great size and a powerful, well-formed, smoothly muscled body. It is one of the giant working breeds, but is unique in that its general conformation must be so well balanced that it never appears clumsy, and shall move with a long reach and powerful drive. It is always a unit-the Apollo of dogs. A Great Dane must be spirited, courageous, never timid; always friendly and depend-able. This physical and mental combination is the characteristic which gives the Great Dane the majesty possessed by no other breed. It is particularly true of this breed that there is an impression of great masculinity in dogs, as compared to an impression of femininity in bitches. Lack of true Dane breed type, as defined in this standard, is a serious fault.” (Great Dane Breed Standard, taken from www.gdca.org )
The accepted colors for Great Danes, as found in our standard are: Fawn, Brindle, Blue, Black, Mantle, Harlequin, and Merle/Merle Mantle. Black masks are found on Fawn and Brindle Danes.
One of the defining qualities of Great Danes is their size. Great Danes are considered a giant breed. This certainly adds to their majestic appearance, but also can create unique challenges. Please bear in mind, living with a giant dog is not for everyone! If at all possible, please take the opportunity to observe a Great Dane at home. Notice the absence of objects on most coffee tables, and the presence of drool on most walls. A giant breed is a LIFESTYLE as much as it is a dog!

Males range from 30-37 inches, and weigh from 120-185 pounds
Females are smaller, ranging from 28-34 inches at the shoulder, and weigh from 100-125 pounds
Most adult Danes can reach to the middle of a kitchen countertop, and on hind legs, might reach something on top of a refrigerator
The amount of food a dog eats varies tremendously, but if feeding a diet of primarily dry dog food, 8-10 cups a day would be typical
For more information on feeding of Great Danes, please talk to your breeder, a member of our club, or look at www.greatdanelady.com

Ask lots of questions!
- “Where did you sleep the night the puppies were born?” – The answer should be “In the whelping box!” Most breeders want to spend as much time as possible with their new puppies, and some spend many nights with the litter.
- “What were you hoping to accomplish with this breeding?” – Every reputable breeder knows the strengths and weaknesses of his/her stock. When a breeder makes the decision to breed, he/she should have specific, communicable goals in mind. For example, you might hear a breeder say that she loves the head that is produced in her line, and is trying to develop more bone in the next generation. If you are unsure of what a breeder’s answer means, ask! She should be able to relate her goal to the breed standard, and show you on her dog or bitch the parts of the anatomy that are involved.
- “Can you tell me about the pedigree of this litter?” – A good breeder will probably take this question and run with it, giving you stories about two and three generations back. Often you can find out what the temperament, health, and conformation have been through several generations. Remember, a puppy is the product of careful genetic selection, and much of your puppy’s future is determined by its family history.
- “What happens if this puppy does not work out with my family?” – Please be sure that you discuss this with a potential breeder! You need to know what support he/she will provide if there are health issues, behavioral problems, or if you ever need to re-home your dog for any reason. In most cases, a breeder will want to be contacted first if you have any kind of problem with your Dane.
Make sure this is a person you feel comfortable with – will they be available to answer your questions after you take the puppy home?
Do they have recommendations for you about training?
If you are interested in showing your puppy, will they help you in and around the show ring?

Every litter of puppies, even those coming from top breeders, will probably have puppies that are “pet” quality and “show” quality. Just because you don’t plan to show a dog does NOT mean a well-known breeder won’t sell a puppy to you. In fact, when you buy a pet puppy from a well-respected breeder, you benefit from the careful planning and consideration that went into the litter, a strong knowledge of the pedigree (conformation, health, and temperament), and that individual’s commitment to “bettering the breed.” Any time you are buying a puppy from an individual or kennel that does not keep ALL THREE of those considerations in mind, you are not dealing with a reputable breeder.
You should also be aware that there are some unethical breeders that ONLY breed “pet” quality puppies. They often have bad things to say about “show” breeders. This says a great deal about A) the quality of their stock (not good) and B) their commitment to preserving the Great Dane’s unique qualities as specified in our breed standard (no interest in the standard). These people are often financially motivated and/or not well educated about Danes.
There are several unethical breeders that charge a higher fee for “unusual” or “rare” colors – rest assured, a “Fawnequin, “ or a “Red Merle,” or a “Piebald” is NOT something desirable in a Great Dane. In fact, it is a clear demonstration that the breeder disregards the breed standard, and should be a MAJOR red flag for you as a consumer.

They are – when bred well and socialized correctly. Great Danes are exceptionally impressionable dogs. By this, I mean that they a like sponges, absorbing every experience and incorporating it into the way they view people, dogs, and the world at large. So how do you create the right environment to end up with a “gentle giant?”
- Enroll in a basic training class with your puppy or dog while he’s still young
- Take your puppy into a variety of places, and introduce him/her to lots of friendly, gentle people (Note: Please wait until your puppy has had all of his/her vaccinations before you take him/her out and about. There are so many bad germs out in the general public, and some of these can kill your puppy!)
- Be patient and kind with your puppy, but firm. He/she needs to know that YOU are the leader of the pack. If you are unsure about how to communicate pack leadership, contact our club for additional information.
Dogs that have been abused, badly bred, or have unusual health problems may not be gentle at all, but they are still giants, and this can be a disastrous situation. Please be very careful about selecting the Great Dane you choose to bring into your family!

Training

Looking for places to train your dog? Classes held here!

Please contact the training facility directly for more information on attending listed events.

Holds conformation, obedience, and rally classes. CGC evaluator.

Website: https://www.rocwindk9.com

Phone: 303-364-8586

Veterinary Specialists

It is important to find veterinary care that is the right fit for you and your Danes. If you are looking for a vet, here are some that our club members utilize.

Inspire Animal Hospital - Parker & Highlands Ranch CO

Health Certifications

Dogs can come with a wide variety of genetic defects. Responsible breeders test that their dogs are free of such defects before they breed them, thus a purebred dog from a responsible breeder is more likely to be more healthy than one from an irresponsible breeder that does not test. It is recommended that Great Danes be screened for the following prevalent health concerns:

Hip dysplasia
Eye examination
Autoimmune thyroiditis
Cardiac Evaluation

To learn more about recommended health screenings and certifications:

Conformation

The official term for dog shows is conformation — as in, the act of conforming or producing conformity. While a dog show may look like a beauty pageant, it’s not. Dogs are not being compared to each other; they’re being measured by how closely they conform to the standard of their particular breed. Why? Because the closer a dog’s appearance is to the breed’s standard, the better that dog’s ability will be to produce puppies that meet the standard.

To learn more about how you can get started, visit AKC Conformation.

Sporting Events

Companion Sports

Companion events demonstrate the deep companionship between you and your dog. In these events, you and your dog train together to demonstrate the bond that forms between a well-trained dog and his owner. These events include:

Obedience - one of the oldest AKC sporting events, you train your dog to be well-behaved both at home and in public places
AKC Rally - you and your dog navigate side-by-side through a course of 10-20 differnet tasks

Performance Sports

Participating in performance sports allows your dog to show off their skills in performing practical functions that come naturally to them. These events include:

Fast CAT - see how fast your dog can run! A timed run where your dog chases a lure simulating prey
Scent Work - a challenging activity that gives your dog an oppotunity to use his strongest natural sense

Therapy Work

Therapy work can be rewarding for both dog and owner to help improve the lives of other people. By volunteering through organizations such as the Alliance of Therapy Dogs you can help provide a valuable sense of reassurance, joy, or calmness to those who may need it.

AKC Therapy Dog

AKC Family Dog Program

Training and socialization are essential and the AKC Family Dog programs encourage you and your dog to work together to master basic skills, help you to build a lifelong bond, and recognize you and your dog for these efforts through title certifications.