His height at the withers and the expression of his eyes, lively and intelligent, are remarkable. Some like to cut the ears of the Great Dane, which are naturally drooping, to a point to give it a more threatening look. In France, this is prohibited.

Poil : Very short and smooth. Three color varieties: fawn and brindle, black and harlequin, blue.

Size (height at the withers): 80 to 90 cm for males and 72 to 84 cm for females.

Weight : From 50 to 90 kg.

Classification FCI : N°235.

The first Great Dane standard established and adopted by the ” Great Danes Club 1888 eV Dates from the 1880s. Before that, the term “Mastiff” was used to designate any very large dog that did not belong to any identified breed: the Ulm Mastiff, the Dane, the Big Dogge, and so on. The current breed of the Great Dane originated from crosses between the bull dogs Bullenbeisser, and the hunting dogs Hatzrüden and Saurüden.

The physique of this mastiff contrasts with his peaceful, calm and affectionate character. Of course, as a watchdog, he is suspicious of strangers and is able to be aggressive when the circumstances require. He is docile and more receptive to training than many other mastiffs.

The life expectancy of the Great Dane is very low. According to a British study, the median age of death for several hundred people was 6,83 years. In other words, half of the Mastiffs surveyed had not reached the age of 7 years. Almost a quarter had died of cardiac disease (cardiomyopathy), 15% from stomach torsion and only 8% from old age. (1)

This very large dog (almost a meter at the withers!) Is naturally very exposed to joint and ligament problems, such as hip and elbow dysplasias. He is also prone to conditions that affect dogs of this size such as stomach twisting and entropion / ectropion.

It is necessary to be particularly vigilant during the first year of life of the puppy, during which its growth is very fast: the intense physical exercises are to be avoided until its growth is not completed and a healthy diet and defined by a veterinarian is essential to avoid bone disorders. Eating too much or too little can lead to various developmental disorders of the skeleton, including Panosteitis (inflammation of the bones) and Hyperparathyroidism (bone weakness). A study dating from 1991 highlighted the consequences on the health of large dogs of calcium and phosphorus intake. (2)

other bone disorders may occur, again due to its large size: Wobbler Syndrome (a malformation or deformation of the cervical vertebrae damaging the spinal cord and leading to paresis) or even Osteochondritis (thickening and cracking of cartilage in the joints).

A study published by theOrthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFFA) in dogs in the United States, Canada and Australia showed that 7% suffered from osteoarthritis and less than 4% suffered from hip dysplasia or ruptured ligaments. However, the sample is too small to be considered representative of the entire population of Great Danes (only around 3 individuals). (XNUMX)

This dog requires early, firm and patient education. Because if his temperament leads him little to aggression, a mastiff of this size must show great obedience to his master so as not to present a danger to humans and other animals. Ideally, it would take two hours of daily exercise.