Great Dane
The Great Dane is a dog with massive personality. It is a large breed of dog and is appropriately named the "Apollo of all breeds". It is one of the tallest if not the tallest breed of dog. It currently holds the record for the tallest dog in the world. Great Danes were originally bred to hunt boars, but now they are primarily companion animals. The origin of this breed is though to come from Germany. It is probably a cross between the Irish Wolfhound and the English Mastiff. It has also been suggested the breed may be from Denmark
Appearance
The appearance of this dog is dignified, elegant and powerful. It is a short haired breed. The male dogs of this breed are normally not shorter than 76 cm. The minimum weight for a great Dane is 54 kilos for a male. The ears of the great Dane are normally floppy and triangle in shape. Common coat colour include Harlequin, Black, blue, brindle and mantle.
Temperament
The great Dane has a friendly nature. They are generally happy in the company of other animals and humans, however they have been known to attack if they feel threatened, and given their large size this can be dangerous.
Grooming and care
These dogs need long walks, but it is important not to over exercise this breed, as otherwise the likelihood of joint and bone problems can be increased.
Health
This dog has a relatively short life expectancy even when compared to other large dog breeds, its life expectancy is about 7 years. Health problems for this breed include Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus. This condition generally affects most deep chested breed. It can cause death if it is left untreated. This problem can be triggered if the Great Dane over drinks water. To reduce risk it may be helpful to avoid exercise before and after meals. Another common condition for this dog breed is Dilated Cardiomyopathy, this has lead to them having the nickname the "Heartbreak breed". Another problem specific to this breed is that they that if a Great Dane is born with white around its eyes or ears this can indicate that its organs will not develop properly and the dog can end up being blind and/or deaf.