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GREAT DANE |
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Except for lacking
the undershot jaw, the Great Dane represents the closest modern example
of the Alaunt. In Italy, the breed is called Alano, the Italian
word for mastiff. Although not the heaviest, they are the tallest of the
mastiffs, and their racier build may indicate a cross to hounds in past
centuries. Merle hounds or shepherd dogs could have introduced the merle
(harlequin) gene.
That the type
is ancient is without question. Dogs of Dane or Alaunt type are depicted
in drawings in the tombs of Beni-Hassan, dating
about 2200
BC. Some of these dogs are shown as harlequins. Other pre-Christian
replicas appear on coins, on bas reliefs and in paintings.
His name is
the only thing about him that is Danish. He is all German, used long
ago by Germanic and Celtic tribes as a war dog, and is called Deutsche
Dogge by the FCI. Only in English-speaking countries is he still a "Dane."
At first a
giant bull-baiter, he was also used as a boarhound since the Middle
Ages. In 1592, the Duke of Braunschweig showed up for a boar hunt with
his pack of 600 male Danes! The breed was declared the national dog
of Germany in 1876. A great favorite of the Iron Chancellor, Bismarck,
they were his body guards and constant companions. In modern times,
the Dane serves as a guardian and friend. His noble, statuesque appearance
gives him the designation of "Apollo of dogdom."
An early admirer
and owner was William "Buffalo Bill" Cody, when specimens
were brought to American shores in the mid-1800s. Some of these early
imports came directly from German estates where they had been trained
in attack work. Thus the breed gained an early false reputation for
ferocity. Temperament was soon "tempered." They were first
shown under the name of Siberian or Ulm Dog. The Dane was introduced
to British exhibitors in 1877, where his great, majestic height amazed
spectators.
As a giant,
it is essential for buyers to research their purchase, finding pups
of strong, sound, good-natured parents. Large males may often reach
as much as 180 pounds, though the tallest dog on record, a Great Dane
named Shamgret Danzas, weighed 238 pounds at 41 Va inches!
Although Danes
are as content living in an apartment as on an estate, it is necessary
to allow them to stretch those long legs frequently. Grooming, as with
most of the mastiffs, is minimal—and feeding costs are maximum! They
require involvement with family activities. If bored, these giants can
become destructive— and a large dog can turn a table into toothpicks
in minutes.
Danes' ears have been cropped for many years on the Continent and in the States; however, it is becoming more common to see natural drop ears even in the show ring.
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