Great Dane - breed description and character of the dog

Stately and proud beauties, as they are just not called, German dogs. It is difficult not to notice dogs of such a breed due to their special appearance. It is interesting that people admire them, but they are not afraid. Due to their impressive size and kind character, more and more fans appear every year. They are not evil in relation to people, and therefore can easily live together in a large family with a restless child. Today we look at everything that affects the breed.

Historical summary

If you raise the historical summary, the German dogs had ancestors who preferably lived throughout Europe. In eastern countries, they were used as effective and obedient shepherds. An interesting feature is that the ancestors of the dogs are the origins of many breeds of modernity.Including Tibetan Mastiff and Asian Shepherd.

At first, the breed lived presumably in the central part of Asia, but later migrated to China, India, and Mesopotamia. It was these dogs that were beaten out on the walls of buildings of ancient states as a symbol of strength, grandeur and free spirit.

According to some reports, which then deny, they confirm, it was the German dogs that were used as dogs in battle. In addition, of course they successfully went on the hunt and grazed cattle. All these features were previously caused by the “wildness” of dogs, that is, they were vicious and watchdogs. Modern individuals are calm, they are raised as family members.

Great Danes were bred in Europe and became the basis for the German breed. By coincidence, it happened that due to the rapid relocation of dogs in Germany there were more dogs than in other states. Partly for this reason, the breed and received a postscript "German" dog.

Later, the Danish Great Danes began to recede into the past. Breeders seriously thought about the improvement of the German breed. They began to cross Danish relatives with other pets, similar to dogs, who lived south.

As a result of the work of the breeders, Ulm dogs appeared first, which received their name in the city of Ulm. Then they were crossed with Danish and decided to form one breed - the Great Dane. Breeders long enough to achieve the "ideal" dog, suitable as a pet, guard, hunter, instance for the exhibition and at the same time friend. Finally, they did it.

The breed received the national status at the beginning of 1880. At first, no one took it, so the breeders fought for a long time and organized the club for the first time at the end of 1889. Generally accepted standards have begun even later, after 2 years.

According to the status of the dog had to learn all the signs of a proud horse, that is to be big, powerful, capricious, strong and submissive to the owner. Also a prerequisite was a shiny coat. It is important to mention that to this day such dogs are.

Today, the dogs are not uncommon, with each year they find more fans. The love for the breed is due to its gentle disposition, devotion to the owner, care for the little children, intelligence and flexibility to education.

Breed features

Moreover, the external characteristics vary depending on what kind of sex a dog. Males are more voluminous, more powerful, higher. The female sex, on the contrary, is down to earth, kind of stretched out.

Pet's body weight does not matter, there are no hard boundaries. Bitches sometimes reach 55 kg. with an error of 5 kg. Males can reach 90 kg. However, growth is important, in females this figure varies between 72-84 cm, in males from 80 to 90 cm.

It is mandatory for breeders to monitor the growth of animals, so that inflated figures will not be transmitted to the next offspring after puppies are born. Otherwise difficult labor activity, a bitch can simply not cope.

It is interesting that the Great Dane entered the Guinness Book, which was 118 cm high along the withers. However, due to these non-standard sizes, the dog did not live more than 5 years.

External specifications by standards

There are fundamental characteristics that can be attributed to the standard features of the breed. We study them in turn.

1. Head. Large, proportional when viewed from different angles, has clear contours. The flat and high forehead flows into the nose, expressed clearly and widely. The power of the skull does not cause doubts, the mound on the back of the head is developed quite well. Chin rectangular. If you look down on the dog's nose, you can see that it does not taper to the base. If you look from the front, the head seems to be flattened in the cheek area. Lips look tight and neat. The eyes are expressive, the eyelids do not stand out on them, the cheekbones are clearly visible, the cheeks are small. The lip is slightly pressed through the front, but it makes the dog look nicer. Some pigmentation on the front of the muzzle is possible.
2. Eyes. Arranged close to each other, not bulging, have an average size, set straight. Due to the almond-shaped incision, it is easy to determine the quality of the pet, the eyes should not be facing down or up. Looking at the individual from the side, you can catch an interested, deep and intelligent look.The iris is preferably brownish, in the marble-type individuals a different shade of the eyes or their lightening is allowed. By breed standards, it is unacceptable for the eyes to have a yellowish or faded shade.
3. Nose. Wide nostrils, nose oblong, has the correct form and large size. The ear can be different in black dots, but it all depends on color. If an individual is famous for bluish hair, the pigmentation in the nose area is rather slate. If the purebred representative of marble color, then the pigment is solid.
4. Ears. Everyone remembers German dogs as dogs that boast large and lowered ears. According to the standard characteristics, it is not recommended to stop the ears, especially if the individual will be exposed in the future. Due to the powerful base, the ears are lifted when the pet is interested in something.
5. Teeth. Naturally, such large animals can not have a strong bite and sharp teeth. The teeth are closed in the right bite, the upper jaw does not rise above the lower, and vice versa. The tongue is hidden behind the teeth, the lips slightly cover the incisors.
6. Housing Males from bitches differ in square body format, female individuals may have a rectangular type. A dog always has a long neck, slightly inclined forward.Typically, breeders follow standards and do not allow the appearance of a suspension (skin folds) in the area of ​​the nape. Large format dogs, as they are also called, are famous for their vast sternum, which has an oval oblong shape. The ribs are slightly pulled back, the ribcage reaches the elbows at the lowest point. Developed chest makes the dog even more stately, powerful. The neck is at first narrow, then to the withers greatly expanded. The back is straight, but some slope is allowed closer to the rump. The loin bulges a bit. Groin taut, moderate. By standards there should be a distinct transition from the belly to the chest.
7. Tail. The croup smoothly passes into a straight tail, there are no sharp tears. Tail powerful in the field of its base, closer to the end naturally narrowed. When the pet is excited and playful, the tail is put higher, it is bent with a saber, but no more. To the unacceptable characteristics include the presence of nodes, strongly rounded parts and creases.
8. Limbs. Muscle dryish, as the professionals say. That is, the muscles are clearly expressed, the limbs of athletic complexity, smooth. Due to the development of the shoulders and forearms, the dog is fairly stable and runs fast.Her elbows are located strictly back, not directed inward. If you visually assess an adult, you can see the wide wrists of the front paws. The hind legs have much more muscle, the thighs are slightly lengthened. Pigmentation is desirable on the claws, the hands are collected in a lump, the fingers are slightly bent.

Great dane color

Officially recognized only a few variations of the color of the presented breed:

1. Field. Often the main tones are shades from light golden (yellow) to a more saturated color. Owners of such pets call the color in question “red gold.” Also, a Great Dane with such a coat color should ideally have a black mask.
2. Brindle. In most cases a palette of a yellowish hue appears as a background. Also, the color can be from light to thicker with a reddish tint. It should be noted that at the same time strips are arranged vertically. They have a black color and a fairly clear outline. In a pedigree dog, the stripes will be evenly distributed with approximately the same pattern. This breed is a bit like a tiger.Also welcome black mask.
3. Marble. Often, the main fill (color) is exactly white. At the same time on the body of the animal will be scattered spots. They may have a different shape or pattern. In this case, the contours also do not have clear lines. It is important to note that the spots should be black. As the breeders say, brown or grayish shades are also welcome.
4. The black. This wool color will be monotonous with a glossy sheen. However, you should not see a yellowish or grayish tint. To the same color can be attributed to animals with black hair and white spots in the form of marks throughout the body. Because of this feature, you may feel as if the white pet was dressed in a black cloak.
5. Blue. Such a coat color in an animal has a conventional name, in fact, dogs are of a beautiful light-gray color. It is worth noting that in this case you should not see a yellow or any other shade.

Breed character

1. Dogs of the breed in question are impressive in size. At the same time, despite their size, the pets are very loyal and rather gentle.As for the breed's patience, any other dogs can only envy such dignity.
2. Proceeding from such features, breeders strongly recommend starting such a dog if you have a large family and have children. Great Dane can be attributed to one of the most loyal breeds. These dogs just love to spend all their free time with the owners.
3. It is worth noting a small subtlety, because of the increased loyalty and love of attention, dogs can not stand loneliness. A pet is required to have someone present at home. Also, breeders warn that pets are capricious and rather stubborn.
4. That is why the owner of such a dog must show leadership qualities. You must show the animal superiority over it. In order for the pet to be confident and balanced enough, it is recommended to acquaint its congeners from an early age.
5. This breed of dogs requires increased attention and constant training. Dogs often need to do. Therefore, before you start a dog, consider whether you have enough time.
6. It is also an important fact that the presented breed strongly sheds wool and increased salivation. Do not lose sight of the dog, because the young individuals are particularly active. Therefore, do not be surprised to dirty tricks. Also, the dog must be given proper physical exertion.
7. In a safe area, the animal should be released without a leash. The dog must frolic in plenty. Great Danes get along well with all family members and young children. The only thing to note is a large breed, so it can knock down or pin down a baby. Watch this carefully.
8. If you plan to have other pets after the dog, then the mastiff reaction is difficult to predict. Often the breed is quite friendly and gets on well with other animals. In rare cases, the represented breed may show a dominant position.
9. If this happens, the Great Dane must be socialized in a timely manner. As for strangers, such dogs often treat them with indifference. In some cases, the pet may show its ambiguous feelings. These dogs can make a great caretaker.The only disadvantage is their rare barking.
10. Not every attacker decides to go against such a powerful "machine." After all, the dog’s dimensions are really amazing. For many people, one type of this breed can cause genuine fear. If you go deeper, it should be noted that dogs are far from aggression and very rarely seek dominance. However, it is necessary to train dogs. It is also important to show the pet who is in charge.

Rules for the care of the breed

1. The statistics of life is not very bright, German dogs, on average, can live up to 9 years. If you provide the dog proper care, the period can be increased to 4 years. It is worth noting that the dogs have no undercoat, so it is recommended to keep them exclusively in a spacious apartment or house. Dogs need free room.
2. Wool does not need frequent care, as it is quite short. Wipe the dog 3 times a month to remove dead wool and keratinous particles. As for washing the animal, the procedure is recommended to organize only with heavy pollution.
3. Mastiffs do not need frequent cutting of claws.Systematically inspect the eyes, remove the selection with a swab. Vata should be moistened with chamomile-based broth. With uncropped ears, they should be regularly inspected and cleaned. It is not recommended to run with the dog.

Today you have learned everything that affects the German Great Dane. When choosing puppies, it is worthwhile to look in advance at the parents in order to have a clear idea of ​​how the babies will grow in the future. Particular attention is paid to the bite, setting paws, the size and weight of the pet. Also no less important is the nature of the breed, if you are going to keep the animal in the same apartment with the children.

Video: Great Dane Dog Breed