Helen Clark
The Great Dane has been called the “Apollo of Dogs.”
#1 With his regal bearing, muscular body and imposing size, he is immediately recognizable and, once seen, never forgotten.
#2 Bred to hunt boars, bears, and deer, the Great Dane was called the German boarhound.
#3 He is not a Danish creation.
A few German breeders attempted to introduce names like the German Dodge and the German Mastiff because they wanted the breed promoted as a dog of luxury and nobility, not a working dog.
#4 The breed comes in six colors and patterns.
Golden fawn with a black mask is the most commonly seen color, but the breed standard recognizes five other colors and patterns: brindle (black chevron stripes on a gold background); glossy black; pure steel blue-gray; harlequin (a white base color with black torn patches distributed over the entire dog); and mantle (a solid black blanket extending over the body and a black head, with a white face blaze, neck collar, chest and white on the forelegs).
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Merle is also a recognized color/pattern!
#5 Great Dane combines power with elegance in a smoothly muscled body.
#6 Although most Great Danes in the U.S. have their ears cropped for the show ring to stand erect, many pet owners prefer a natural, dropped ear.
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That’s a beautiful dog