Great Danes Make Great Pets

Many large breeds of dog have friendly, mild tempered natures and Great Danes fall into this category. Usually, they make great pets and get along with other pets, including other types of dog. They are good with children and give strangers a warm welcome. There are different theories on the time and place of their origin. Some people date them back over four centuries or so and they are mainly thought to have originated in Denmark or Germany.

The breed were hunting dogs, bred to hunt wolf, deer and wild boar. Two breeding lines existed, from English and Danish stock. Breeders began to cross breed the two lines, resulting in the dog that we are familiar with today. Great Danes come in different colors but only six shades are accepted for entry into dog shows. These include the common fawn, black and the more unusual black and white, known as harlequin. Many show dog owners crop the ears of the dog, especially in the United States. There are some countries that ban this practice or put limitations on it.

Not many dogs have found their way into the Guinness Book of World Records, but Gibson, a Great Dane from California, wasn’t a run of the mill dog. In 2004, he was officially declared as the tallest dog in the world, standing at an impressive 42.2 inches.

The dog is depicted as a lovable character in the children’s cartoon, Scooby Doo. The dog is a valued companion to his human friends and helps them to hunt down ghosts. The show popularized Great Danes as a pet and Scooby Doo merchandise is very popular. The cartoon dog is a pretty touch character but, unfortunately, the breed is susceptible to a number of health problems. Many of this breed suffer from congenital heart disease. They may also fall victim to painful bloating of the stomach and hip dysplasia.

Another fictional dog of this breed appears in a successful comic strip. Marmaduke delights his fans in over 600 newspapers across the globe and has also featured in an animated series.  He lives with a loving family, who sometimes despair of his tendency to get into mischief. He is the creation of Brad Anderson and the first strip appeared in 1954. The strip continues today and Anderson is still enthusiastic for Marmaduke and Great Danes in general. He even owns one of his own, called Marmaladee, who provides inspiration.