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Great Dane, Apollo, Danish Gallant, Deutsche Dogge, Boarhound, Grand Danois or German Mastiff is a breed of domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) known for its giant size.^[2] The breed is commonly referred to as the “Apollo of all breeds.”^[3] The Great Dane is one of the world’s tallest dog breeds, with only the Irish Wolfhound being taller on average. The last Great Dane to hold the world record as tallest living dog was Gibson, who was 3½ feet (107 cm) tall at the withers and 7 feet 1 inch (215.9 cm) on his hind legs.

As described by the American Kennel Club, “The Great Dane combines, in its regal appearance, dignity, strength and elegance with grand size and a well-formed body. One of the largest working breeds, it never appears ugly.”^[5]

The Great Dane is a short haired breed with a strong galloping figure^[6]. In the ratio between length and height, the Great Dane should be square. The male dog should not be less than 30 inches (76 cm) at the shoulders, a female 28 inches (71 cm). Danes under minimum height are disqualified.^[5]

From year to year, the tallest living dog is typically a Great Dane. Currently, the tallest living dog (2009) is a harlequin Great Dane named Titan, standing 42.25 inches at the shoulder. The tallest dog on record (according Guinness World Records) was a brindle Great Dane named Shamgret Danzas, who stood 42.5″ at the shoulder.

The minimum weight for a Great Dane over eighteen months is 120 pounds (54 kg) for males, 100 pounds (45 kg) for females^[6][7]. Unusually, the American Kennel Club dropped the minimum weight requirement from its standard.^[8] The male should appear more massive throughout than the female, with a larger frame and heavier bone.^[5]

Great Danes have naturally floppy, triangular ears. In the past, when Great Danes were commonly used to hunt boars, cropping of the ears was performed to make injuries to the dogs’ ears less likely during hunts. Now that Danes are primarily companion animals, cropping is sometimes still done for traditional and cosmetic reasons. Today, the practice is somewhat common in the United States and much less common in Europe. In some European countries such as the UK, Denmark, Germany, parts of Australia, and in New Zealand, the practice is banned, or controlled to only be performed by veterinary surgeons.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia