Hello all! This is the first issue of the column Breed About It.  Our topic today is the biggest dog in the world: the Great Dane.

Also known as Danish Hounds or German Mastiffs, the Great Dane is the tallest dog species.  Most individuals weigh around 180 pounds and stand 6’5″ or so.

The first Great Danes were bred to hunt boar for sport and accompanied the nobility into the field.  Their sheer size makes it easy to take down a small boar, and they are much quicker than they appear.  Long limbs and a lithe frame make for fast galloping.

Ear-cropping

Many people today see the practice as unnecessary and inhumane, but ear-cropping actually began as a precaution to prevent future injury.  While on the hunt, wild boar would scratch, bite, and claw at anything they could find to escape.  This frequently meant Great Danes’ long, drooping ears.  When the dogs returned the boar to their owners they saw torn, ragged, and bleeding ears from where the boar had attacked.  Rather than subject their prized dogs to this repetitive torture in the name of sport, they began the practice of “clipping” the ears when young to prevent damage when old.

One important note for any future owners: Great Danes eat less than you think they will.  Their size slows down their metabolism and reduces their food intake per pound compared to smaller breeds.