Extra! Extra! Breed all about it!!!

It's easy for us "Dane People" to go on and on about our love for Great Danes. We know why we love them and why they are popular to us. We get smiles on our faces just thinking about our big fur kids. Looking back, the reason I initially wanted a Dane was because of their size, their "look", and their gentle ways. I had no idea that they were so multifaceted! Their personality traits are numerous and complex. They are such "old souls". Even now, as I try to explain their many great qualities, I'm at a loss for words. They are what their name states.....GREAT!!

So, where did their great name from??

The name Great Dane is the English translation of the the French's name for them, Grand Danois, which means "Big Danish". However, Great Danes have no historical connection to France or Denmark. Great Danes are German through and through and the breed dates back more than 400 years or longer. So they might like to eat a big danish but that's about it.

What did they do in Germany??

Did you know our cuddly couch potatoes were once bred to be boar hunting machines?? I've seen my Danes kick in their hunting instincts to chase rabbits, squirrels, and toads.......that's right.......toads......but wild boar?!? In fact, Europe's wild boar are some of the most savage of their big game. They needed a dog that was agile, strong, and tough. Their ears were originally cropped so the boar couldn't rip them off. Yikes!!! Lucky for us (and the wild boar) they aren't used for that today. They might want to watch a boar hunt on TV and then take a snooze.

So, Great Danes have a great history and currently their popularity is on the rise! In 2010 they were listed as the 17th most popular breed in the United States by the American Kennel Club. That's up 4 spots in just one year and up 11 since 2000! Sadly, for any breed, growth in popularity means you will see more and more in shelters and rescues. As Great Dane fanatics, we can do our part to educate the public and make their popularity more of a positive thing! We can let people know that with owning such great dogs comes GREAT responsibility! We can tell them to research the breed, research their health needs, talk to Dane owners, and meet some Danes in person. We can tell them about RMDGR! Also, let's tell them that we forgot our saddles at home...... ;-)