Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Great Dane
| Great Dane | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The Great Dane is a breed of dog known for its large size (giant) and gentle personality. The breed is commonly referred to as the "Gentle Giant".
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Appearance
There are six show-acceptable coat colors for Great Danes.
- Fawn: Light tan coat, possibly with a black mask.
- Brindle: Deep brown and black in a chevron stripe pattern. Often also referred to as a tiger-stripe pattern.
- Blue: Deep grey with a bluish tinge. Reminiscent of Weimaraners.
- Black: Pure jet black.
- Harlequin: Torn black patches on white. The Great Dane is the only dog breed that shows this particular coat color pattern. (Dalmatians have round black spots.)
- Mantle: Black coat and mask on white. Looks like the markings on Boston Terriers.
Other colors occur occasionally but are not acceptable in the show ring. Because they are not valid for show dogs, they are not pursued by breeders. These colors include white, fawnequin, merle, merlequin, fawn mantle, and others. These are sometimes advertised as "rare" colors to unsuspecting buyers. Any coat that includes "mouse grey" is disqualified from show.
Cropping of the ears is common in the United States and much less common in Europe.
Males are required to be no less than 30" at the shoulders. The female are required to be no less than 28 inches at the shoulders. Danes under minimum height will be disqualified from showing.
Temperament
Typically they are smart, strong dogs who are protective and loyal to their owners. They take to training well and are fairly low maintenance compared to many other breeds.
Health
Great Danes, like most giant dogs, have a fairly slow metabolism. This results in less energy and less food consumption per pound of dog than in small breeds.
Great Danes have some health problems that are common to large breeds. Bloat (a painful distending and twisting of the stomach) is the primary cause of death in Great Danes. It is a commonly recommended practice for Great Danes to have their stomachs tacked (Gastropexy ) to the interior rib lining during routine surgery such as spay/neuter. Another problem common to the breed is in the hips (hip dysplasia). Typically an x-ray of the parents can certify whether their hips are healthy and whether they are likely to have healthy pups.
Great Danes also suffer from several genetic disorders that are specific to the breed. For example, if a Great Dane lacks color (not white) near its eyes or ears then that organ does not develop and the dog will be either blind or deaf.
History
Often referred to as the "Apollo of Dogs", the Great Dane we know today is thought to be originally bred in Germany for hunting large wild boar.
Miscellaneous
- Brad Anderson (cartoonist)'s newspaper comic character Marmaduke is a Great Dane, as is Hanna-Barbera's Scooby-Doo.
External links
- Great Dane Club of America
- Great Dane Rescue
- Great Dane Rescue of North Texas
- DMOZ entry for Great Dane
- Ginnies Great Dane Links
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