Where the Great Dane came from
Despite the name, the Great Dane came from Germany. Their ancestors were large mastiff-type and sighthound-type dogs. German courts bred their own versions from the early 1600s to catch and hold boar for hunters.
When hunting with firearms replaced the old boar hunts, nobles kept the dogs as estate guards and companions. In 1878 a committee in Berlin renamed the old Englische Dogge the Deutsche Dogge, which is still the name in Germany. The English name came later, from the French Grand Danois, even though the breed has no known link to Denmark. The German breed club wrote a standard in 1881.
A United States club formed about 1889 and later became the Great Dane Club of America. The AKC recognized the Great Dane in 1887. Today they are family companions, known for their size and their gentle, leaning personalities.
- Early 1600s German courts breed large boar hunting dogs
- 1878 A Berlin committee names the breed the Deutsche Dogge
- 1881 The German breed club writes a standard
- 1887 AKC recognizes the Great Dane
- About 1889 A U.S. breed club forms, later the Great Dane Club of America
The job a Great Dane was bred for
The job was catching and holding dangerous boar, then guarding a noble's home. The breed was shaped to be brave but steady with the household. Many Danes are mellow indoors, though they can still be startled, so quiet confidence helps.
Sports that fit a Great Dane
- Scent work. Low impact and a good use of their nose
- Tracking. Easy on the joints and satisfying
- Rally. Teamwork without hard impact
- Therapy work. Gentle giants often make calm visitors
- Carting. Strong dogs can learn light pulling work when fully grown
Training tips for a Great Dane
- Teach good manners while they are small, such as no jumping up and loose leash walking.
- Use soft rewards and a calm voice. Many Danes are sensitive.
- Practice settling on a bed so a huge dog stays relaxed indoors.
- Socialize early and often to build a confident adult.
Body and health
Giants are at high risk of bloat, and fast growth stresses joints, so avoid jumping and hard running, especially while young. Heat tolerance is limited.
Fun fact. A Great Dane named Zeus stood 44 inches at the shoulder and was the tallest dog on record, according to Guinness, before dying in 2014.
Breed is where we start
A study of more than 18,000 dogs found breed explains only about 9 percent of the differences in behavior between dogs (Morrill and others, Science, 2022). So your Great Dane is a starting guess, not a label. We find the drive your dog actually runs on, give it a job, and teach you to read them.
Looking for a different breed? See what 75 breeds were bred to do.