Being a moderately playful, loving companion, the Great Dane is considered a gentle giant. But still, if you are going to have this important family member, you should know that it needs a hefty car, a large house, and ample space in the garden – everything oversized, including the bank balance. 

For a breed as large and powerful as the Great Dane, appropriate training and socialization are essential. Proper harness practice and guidance towards good behavior are especially important, as the size of this important family member can be intimidating to other pets and individuals. Reward-based, consistent training pays off most in the Great Dane training process.

Great Danes need a lot of space to move around and exercise. Therefore, everyone who wishes to have this important family member in the city should be ready for its daily, long walks. Great Danes are sociable and friendly companions, however, their giant size makes them unsuitable mates for kids. On the other hand, due to its friendly attitude towards other animals, the Great Dane is an excellent choice for families where dogs or cats are raised.

Hip Dysplasia

Hip dysplasia refers to partial or complete loss of the hip joint. Hip dysplasia can cause bone wear and tear and pain associated with this process. Most companion animals have hip dysplasia from birth. Therefore, if the disease is diagnosed at an early stage, you can easily correct the problem. In other cases, surgery may be needed to reposition the bones. 

Although genetics play an important role in the development of this disease, maintaining a healthy weight is especially important to reduce stress on the joints.

Dilated Cardiomyopathy 

Dilated cardiomyopathy is a heart muscle disease that causes the left ventricle to widen and thicken. The disease causes irregular heartbeats, blood clots, and sudden death. Dilated cardiomyopathy can be caused by genetics, diabetes, congenital heart disease, or bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitic infections. 

The disease is often accompanied by fatigue, heart failure, decreased ability to exercise, swelling of the legs, and abdominal pain. If these symptoms occur, consult a veterinarian immediately. Early diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy will help you fight the disease effectively.

Hereditary Myopathy

Myopathy develops as a result of improper functioning of muscle tissues and causes physical weakness. Targeted treatment of the disease may include massage, surgery, drug or physical therapy. 

High-quality food rich in vitamins will significantly contribute to the proper development of the dog’s muscles and strength. To avoid disease, before purchasing a new family member, choose a breeder that tests companion animals for genetic diseases before mating.

Osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma is an aggressive form of bone cancer. The first identifying sign of this disease is lameness, so if you notice that an important member of your family suddenly begins to have problems with movement without any trigger, immediately consult a veterinarian to rule out the disease. 

Osteosarcoma is usually treated with amputation of the limb and chemotherapy. Fortunately, however, our dear friends easily adapt to life on three legs and don’t suffer from the side effects of chemotherapy, such as nausea and fur loss.

Entropion

Entropion causes the eyelid to invert and the eyelashes to close to the surface of the eye. This may cause damage to the eyeball and the formation of an ulcer. Entropion causes tearing and flushing in animals as well as humans. To alleviate the condition, veterinarians often use artificial tears and moisturizing ointments.

Cherry Eye

Cherry eye is a disease caused by inflammation of the third eyelid. It’s accompanied by redness of the eye and deterioration of vision. Early detection of the problem significantly simplifies the treatment process. Therefore, don’t spare time for a routine check-up and visit a veterinarian as soon as the first visual symptom appears.

Unfortunately, there is no reliable way to prevent cherry eye in companion animals. To prevent recurrence of the disease, veterinarians often prefer corrective surgery.

Considering proper nutrition guarantees a long and happy life for the Great Dane, it’s crucial to treat our companion animals with age-appropriate high-quality food. A fully balanced diet, without the need for additional supplements, will ensure your furry friend gets all the essential nutrients for a healthy life.

To maintain joint health, like other giant breeds, adult Great Danes require a distinct balance of minerals and vitamins. That’s why we should feed these important family members with adult dog food for large and giant breeds. As for the age of the puppy, to ensure the health of the joints during the growth process, our little Great Dane should be offered puppy food for large and giant breeds.

Since Great Danes are prone to bloating and stomach issues, they should be fed small, frequent meals rather than large portions. You will get information related to the amount of food and the frequency of delivery from the label on the food package itself. However, if you wish to personalize the feeding schedule and prescribe it based on the age, weight, and activity level of your companion animal, we recommend consulting a nutritionist. 

As a competent parent, we have to be very careful in the process of feeding the Great Danes, as the foods we love may turn out to be dangerous for important members of our family. Avoid especially cooked bones and foods with high-fat content. At first glance, seemingly harmless products such as chocolate, grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, and avocados may turn out to be poisonous to our companion animals.

In the Middle Ages, the Great Dane was a high-status hunting dog and hunted wild boars with terrific success. Later, these important family members became prestigious guardians of estates and wagons, and then reliable protectors of their homes and loved ones.

Despite the long history, the Great Dane with the visuals familiar to us appeared only in the 19th century. It was exactly during this period that the breed became taller and lighter. Along with improving the physical characteristics, the German breeders aimed to minimize the territoriality and aggression characteristic of the Great Dane. According to popular opinion, English Mastiff, Irish Wolfhounds, and even Greyhounds participated in the selection process. 

In 1880, the Germans banned the name Great Dane and called the breed Deutsche Dogge, German Mastiff. Nevertheless, even despite this prohibition, the breed is still referred to as the Great Dane in a wide range of English-speaking countries.