What makes a great dane

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Other Careers. Pet Care Center. Great Dane At a glance. Size: Weight Range : Male: lbs. Female: lbs. Height at Withers: Male: 32 in. Female: 30 in. The breed has poor longevity; Great Danes live only years or less. Personality: Great Danes are considered gentle giants. Living With: Anyone who wants a Great Dane must be willing to accommodate this dog's great size. Great Danes must be obedience trained to assure they are manageable when fully grown. They are not good choices for fastidious housekeepers, or for those with no sense of humor.

Young Great Danes up to three years old can be boisterous, and unless supervised, will dismay you with the magnitude of their destructiveness. Keep in mind that the inheritance of temperament is less predictable than the inheritance of physical traits such as size or shedding. Temperament and behavior are also shaped by raising and training. Since you need to minimize their exercise, young Great Danes can be very rambunctious.

They will romp with uncoordinated gawkiness all over your house. You need to substitute extra quantities of companionship and supervision.

Otherwise, left alone, young Great Danes become bored and destructive. Their powerful jaws can destroy your living room.

Without careful socialization, a Great Dane may be suspicious of everyone. Great Danes generally measure 30 to 32 inches tall and weigh anywhere from to pounds. Female Great Danes tend to be on the smaller end of these ranges and top out closer to pounds whereas males are generally - pounds. They have tall pointy ears and long faces. Remember to keep up with ear cleaning , nail clipping and teeth brushing.

Long nails can cause pain or infection if not maintained properly. Oral health is also important for dogs! To minimize shedding you can brush them out regularly. In addition to helping with shedding, brushing can be a great way to bond with your dog if it is something they enjoy. Living up to the saying that the larger the dog the shorter the life expectancy, Great Danes live on average only years.

By contrast, some pugs can live 13 years or more on average. Some breeders or veterinarians may discuss with you a preventative surgical procedure called a prophylactic gastropexy which can help prevent your dog from developing a more serious form of bloat called gastric dilatation-volvulus. Additionally, Great Danes are prone to eye and cardiac diseases, hypothyroidism, and autoimmune thyroiditis, and hip dysplasia.

Great Danes are known for their playful personalities. They are great with kids but due to their size, they may need to be taught to be gentle with small children. As with any other breed of dog, you should not leave young children and dogs unsupervised. Great Danes are affectionate dogs and they love to please their humans. They are happy to spend time with the family - whether that means strolling along a walking trail or on the couch for a movie night. Beware of their extra long tongues licking your face - you might want to keep a towel handy!

These pups are intelligent, fast learners and want to make their humans happy. Derse tells all Great Danes owners to have the procedure done early on. In addition, this breed is more likely to suffer from heart disease and eye conditions , autoimmune thyroiditis, hypothyroidism, and hip dysplasia.

Great Dane owners should seek advice from their veterinarian about measures they can take to reduce risks and improve their dog's health. The "Dane" part of the name can be confusing, but the breed has German, not Danish, origins. In his own motherland, he's referred to as the Deutsche or German dog. Though bred to be boar hounds and guard dogs for estates and carriages, by the late s German noblemen were breeding them as pets. Today, they're more likely to serve as loyal companions rather than hunting in the field.

Cartoonists love Great Danes. Scooby-Doo, Astro from "The Jetsons," and Marmaduke are all famous fictional representatives of the breed. Great Dane Breed Photo. Great Danes are enormous, gentle dogs that love spending time with their family, whether on walks or lazing at their elbows.

Is this gentle gargantuan dog breed right for you? By Kate Silver Updated February 22, Breed Group Group Breed Group herding hound hybrid non-sporting none sporting terrier toy working. Dog Size Size Dog Size extra large lbs. Other Traits Traits Other Traits apartment-friendly cold weather tolerant easy to groom easy to train good for first-time pet owners good hiking companion high potential for weight gain high prey drive highly territorial hot weather tolerant hypoallergenic loves water low prey drive prone to health issues requires lots of grooming strong loyalty tendencies tendency to chew tolerates being alone.

Temperament Temperament Temperament aggressive aloof anxious friendly gentle outgoing playful protective timid willful. Great Dane.