Great Dane 101

The Great Dane has a long and noble history. Their origins likely go back further than we can currently trace. Three-thousand-year-old illustrations of canines resembling the Great Dane have been found, which indicate that these behemoth canines were revered in ancient times.

Great Danes were once called “Boar Hounds”; named for the prey they hunted. Their ears were cropped to prevent injury from angry boars. Several European countries claimed the breed throughout the 1600s.

Their name was changed to the “Great Danish” dog in the 1700s, even though it is likely that it was German breeders who developed the regal breed as we know it today. In fact, in Germany, they are called Deutsche Dogs or “German Dogs” instead of Great Danes.