Located in Middle Tennessee, USA |
Great Danes |
| The Great Dane is an ancient breed (originally a hunting and guarding dog, nowadays companion and family watchdog) that belongs to the Working Group of dog types classified by the AKC. Somewhere in the middle between the mastiff and the greyhound, this type of dog was already known at the time of Alexander the Great and later on was developed in central and northern Europe as Great Dane, Grand Danois, Danische Dogge, Deutsche Dogge, Dogue Allemand or Alano (the latter name used in Italy, Spain and the Latin countries).
Characterized by great size and nobility that earned him the epithet gentle giant, he also possesses the classic proportions and beauty for which he was rightfully called the Apollo of Dogs. This is a dog that, although he is grand beyond doubt, standing over 30 inches in height at the withers and exceeding 100 lbs. in weight, can equally adapt to living even in an apartment with grace and ease, as he is a house dog, definitely more suitable to live indoors because he is clean in habits, calm, aristocratic, discreet and sensible in disposition. It is a must, of course, that he lives close to us, next to us, because otherwise the Dane withers: the easiest and most certain way to harm him is to exclude him from human company and tie him by a chain to a dog house, confine him to the back yard, the corner of the garden or the balcony; soon there he will get ill, as only near his human family the Dane feels happy and ready to go anywhere and do anything (in the words of the old breed standard). His short, sleek, single coat (lacking undercoat) does not protect him from dampness or drafts and the breed is susceptible to colds and pneumonia if not sheltered from the winter conditions. So if you love your dog you must safeguard him against these great dangers. The Great Dane, if well-bred from healthy ancestors and reared properly by his keepers with love and care, is a magnificent animal, sound in mind and body, expected to live about ten years without problems. The dogs temperament, of course, is of the highest importance: the Dane must be friendly and confident, a real gentleman, fearless in the face of danger but never aggressive or quarrelsome; that is precisely why you must never get a Dane from an unreliable source, such as the numerous puppy-trading shops that import surplus stock from puppy-factories of Eastern European countries: you are very likely to be disappointed, ending up with a poor specimen riddled by behavioral or health problems. Only through personal contact with a reputable breeder who keeps dogs as a hobby and not for profit may a prospective puppy owner receive all the information necessary for the proper puppy rearing known only to a true breed expert but not to the professional profiteer that deals in all breeds. The Great Dane is a very intelligent canine and displays a graceful, almost human sense and behavior, but only if he is a typical representative of his breed that has been properly nurtured and reared. He is not a four-legged robot that can be trained by anybody with violence, but a quick and positive learner eager to please the teacher(s) he loves and respects: his beloved masters. The Apollo of Dogs is a true four-legged aristocrat, full of heart and generosity, superior spirit and courage; a companion that is protective, gentle, always attentive to his people's wishes and needs, proud and distinguished in appearance, beautiful like a classic statue, a dog that deserves to belong to people as good as himself. The stature and looks of a Great Dane are impressive without doubt; combined with a uniquely charming personality and such a deep-understanding mind that made one of the greatest animal trainers of all time (Barbara Woodhouse) to call the breed Almost Human, this is a charismatic creature that has understandably become one of the most beloved four-legged companions in the world. But this is definitely not a breed for the superficial egotist who just wants a large dog to show off, because in his magnificent body lies a sensitive heart full of unlimited love and affection to be unconditionally given only to the right recipients: the ones who truly deserve the privilege of living in the company of the brave and the beautiful, the truly kind and thoroughly good and gentle and nice, the one and only Apollo of Dogs. Excerpts from an article by Maria Winsor-Ginala |
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