American Great Dane: description of the breed

Description and history of the breed

This breed is often compared to its closest relative, the English Bulldog, and in rare cases may be called the Old English Bulldog. The uniqueness of representatives of this breed lies in the fact that they have not changed their external characteristics at all and have retained all the features of their English ancestor. These dogs are descended from the ancient Assyrian and Egyptian baiting dogs that first appeared in Greece and later spread to Europe. In medieval England, these dogs were especially popular as they were involved in bloody bull-baiting. Later, with the appearance of the breed in the vastness of America, this Old English Bulldog turns into a farm dog and does an excellent job of guarding houses and herds, and sometimes even transports various loads and babysits small children. In a word, very versatile dogs, if not universal.

The American Dane is far from being a lap dog, and its stern appearance speaks to this. They are also called the symbol of the US Marine Corps, and depending on the state, the full name of the breed was extremely different. The American bulldog began to be called only 15 years ago. However, many cynological organizations still do not recognize the Great Dane breed, thereby affecting its popularity in the modern world.

American Great Dane: description of the breed

According to the general standard, this breed has a fairly well-coordinated, powerful, athletic build, which justifies its purpose. This is primarily a guard dog. American Danes have a powerful, muscular body. Depending on the gender, the dimensions of the dog may vary. Thus, males are stockier than females.

The American Dane, the photo of which you see in the article, has a very massive head and a strong jaw. He is very mobile, despite his large size, and can easily knock you down. On average, the height of a male at the withers reaches from 57 to 68 cm, and of females - from 54 to 65 cm. As for weight, it also differs depending on the sex: males weigh 45-55 kg, and females - 35-50 kg. These dogs have short hair (1.5 cm), which makes caring for them as easy as possible. Their color may vary, but is always diluted with white spots.

Today there are two varieties of this breed:

classic - these are dogs with a short muzzle and a powerful body;
standard - these are dogs with an elongated muzzle and a lighter build.

Breed standard

A purebred Great Dane dog must meet a number of standards of structure, body proportions, and color.

Size. The breed exhibits good sexual dimorphism. Females are noticeably smaller than males - 74-84 cm, while males are 80-90 cm. The standard body proportions are almost square - the height at the withers and length are approximately the same.
Frame. The back has a slight slope towards the rear of the body. Withers - in front of the back near the shoulder blades. The chest, lower back, shoulders, forearms and croup are muscular. The chest is very well defined, in its lower part descending below the elbows of the front legs.
Wool. Extremely short, widespread pigmentation.
Head. The muscles in the cheek area are poorly developed, so when viewed from the front, the head looks narrow and elongated. The occipital bone protrudes slightly. The eyes are spaced far apart and a wide bridge of the nose is formed.
Muzzle. The length should be up to 60% of the total length of the head. The upper lip is well developed and hangs below the lower jaw. Pigmentation of the inner side of the lips is required; its absence is allowed only in the Great Marbled Dane subspecies.
Neck. Well defined, located almost vertically, with a slight forward slope.
Legs. The forelegs, when viewed from the front, are almost perfectly straight. The rear ones have good angles and are more massive. The supporting parts of the paws resemble those of a cat, wide, curved. The claws are always dark in color and short in length.
Tail. Relatively long, minimum length to the hock joint of the hind legs.

A distinctive feature of males is their small testes. After maturation, they descend into the scrotum. The color of the Great Dane is different and is divided into several main groups, which in turn have subgroups:

Fawn - from a pale shade to a deep, golden color. Darker pigmented areas are strictly absent. Small splashes of lighter colors on the legs are allowed. There is a variety of brindle dogs with the same coat color as the fawn, but in the area of the ribs decorated with clear, even stripes of black.
Marble is a strictly white color, with small black spots scattered throughout the body. There is a gray marbled variety with a darker color and black inclusions.
Black – uniform tone throughout the body with or without white markings. In varieties with a raincoat color, light coloring of the muzzle and chest is allowed.
Platten - as in the black version of the color, the whole body must be white, the head and chest can be black. Contrasting dark markings are permitted.
Blue – steel and light blue shades are allowed. Only well-contrasted white pigment spots in the chest and front legs are allowed.

The color of a purebred dog appears only when it grows up. Great Dane puppies are often born with a characteristic light shade of fur. They may also lack pigmentation, which appears several months after birth.

Albino births are quite common. Although not conforming to breed standards due to their eye color, they are popular among dog breeders. Unfortunately, albinos are sickly, prone to genetic diseases, vision problems, and deafness.

Character

By nature, this dog is very stubborn and temperamental, it never gives up and, thanks to its extraordinary strength, is accustomed to always winning. In the family they are very cheerful and sociable and can become a real support.

Many believe that this dog breed has highly developed guard qualities, and this is evident not only from its physique, but also from its alert and impressive appearance. And it’s true, in the character of any American bulldog there is a certain sense of arrogance towards other four-legged brothers. But in a relationship with his owner, he can be an excellent friend, companion and reliable guard, capable of withstanding heavy physical stress. Among other things, this breed has a very developed sense of smell, and therefore there are many among them who like to hunt foxes and wild boars.

It is also important to say that they do not have a sense of pain as such, they are fearless and seem to lack the instinct of self-preservation. The American Dane is an extremely smart dog, as it skillfully disguises its true mood and passes it off as cold-blooded, thereby leaving time to think about its tactical step. In a word, he is difficult to outwit or distract.

FCI standard for Great Danes

A standard is a document that lists all the characteristics that distinguish a particular breed from other breeds. It lists both positive and negative characteristics of the breed. The recognized standard for all dog breeds is a document approved by the FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale - FCI). FCI standard for Great Danes:

Standard number: 235, the breed was bred in Germany, the last date of publication is 10/08/2012, the dogs are classified as “guard, companion”, and according to the classification - pinschers and schnauzers, molossians.

The Great Dane is a large breed, very graceful in the stance, an almost square format, often well-developed bones and a wide croup, a large head with clear proportions of the cranial and facial parts, strong, muscular limbs. There are three groups of color: fawn, marbled black, and blue. It should be noted that the short fur lies tightly to the skin. In a word, the Great Dane is a harmony of strength and stature . But, like any living creature, the Great Dane is not without shortcomings and deviations. They have a tendency to deafness, dysplasia (anomaly) of the joints (elbow, hip); instability of the cervical vertebrae, baby teeth are not always replaced by permanent ones.

Care and feeding

What does the American Great Dane like? What should I feed this dog? Ambulus does not need any special care, he is not at all picky. Frequent washing is contraindicated for this breed; it is recommended to do this 2 times a year. You can simply wipe the paws after a walk, and areas such as the eyes, ears and nose. Despite the short coat, it is advisable to brush the ambulee once a week. Many representatives have their claws trimmed approximately once every 2-3 months.

Breeders of this dog should not forget about regular physical activity, without which this dog will not be able to fully develop.

Proper development and health are promoted by balanced food with dietary supplements, vitamins and traditional nutrition with fresh foods such as cereals, meat and dairy products.

Nutrition

The diet, in general, is not much different from that of other large breeds. The main requirement for nutrition is balance. Dry food is well suited for animals; there are special mixtures specifically for Great Danes. It is beneficial for the body to supplement the diet with natural products, but not from the master’s table, but only from the list of permitted ones:

Black Great Dane

Dairy products.
Raw chicken, beef, turkey.
Raw fish – preferably sea fish.
Eggs – raw, no more than 2 eggs per week.
Porridge.

There is also a list of products that are contraindicated for Great Danes. They are poorly absorbed by the digestive system and may be one of the reasons for the deterioration of a dog’s health:

Floury.
Sweets.
Smoked meats.
Bean porridge.
Spicy food.

Do not forget that a dog is a predator by nature. The abundance of food of plant origin is harmful to her. Although vegetables and fruits are not prohibited for dogs, they are accepted willingly and should not be abused.

Great Dane puppies

The volume of food eaten can be determined based on the weight of the animal. Up to 5% of its own weight is enough per day for an adult. The feeding frequency for dogs of all breeds is the same - twice a day.

Training

Like any other dog, the ambulatory needs to be trained from childhood. According to dog handlers, the American Great Dane needs training like no other dog, given its wayward nature. Therefore, it is impossible to do without constant monitoring and education. Ambul always acts as a dominant, so it is necessary to let him know who is in charge in the house. It is forbidden to allow him to bite and pull on the leash while walking while still a puppy, so that this does not become a habit. If necessary, you can punish with a severe reprimand and a slight shake on the withers. Their manifestations of independence and obstinate character should be suppressed. Especially in relation to other dogs or cats, the Great Dane must understand that it is impossible to fight without a reason. By following these simple rules, you can raise a wonderful bulldog.

Price

The price of a Great Dane is determined by its color. Even purebred fawn and black animals are valued less than the rarer merle or plateau ones. Average prices for dark-colored puppies range from 15,000 to 30,000 rubles. You can buy a marbled or plateau puppy for 30,000 – 50,000 rubles and more.

The cost also depends on the seller. Prices are set higher than average by Great Dane kennels, and prices are set lower by private breeders. In addition, purchasing through a nursery is more reliable if the priority is the purebred of the animal’s breed.

Purebred Great Danes are highly valued. They are noticeably more expensive than puppies of such common large breeds as German Shepherd, Caucasian Shepherd, Labrador, and Retriever. That’s why only sincere connoisseurs of the breed prefer to have such a large dog, especially in urban conditions.

Choosing a puppy

The choice of a puppy should be taken quite seriously, and therefore you should only purchase it from a real nursery. In this case, there is no risk of getting a crossbreed of this breed, because its purebredness is one of the main aspects when purchasing, and the slightest crossbreed can have different effects on both the appearance and character of the animal.

The nursery must provide a document certifying the puppy’s health status, with veterinary examinations prescribed in it. It is better not to take very tiny ones; their age should not be less than 1.5-3 months. It is also important to know about the number of puppies in the litter; it should be a maximum of 8 puppies. When choosing, be guided by external signs: silky coat, clear eyes, general reaction and behavior. The healthiest puppy is usually the most active and cheerful fat one. But often people choose those with whom they form an “invisible contact,” and this friendship may not be watered down for many years.