2011 National Dog Show sneak preview: Great Dane

Sarah D. Bunting

As National Dog Show Presented by Purina MC Wayne Ferguson tells us in this video clip from 2011's Working Group judging, the Great Dane breed originated in Germany, not Denmark, as the name might suggest, and was developed for the purpose of boar-hunting.

Great Danes feature a wide variety of colorations, including fawn, "blue" (more of a steel grey, really), black, and "harlequin" (the black-and-white patches). The breed standard requires that the male stand a minimum of 30 inches high at the shoulder, and preferably 32 inches at least, although non-show Danes may stand shorter than that. The males may weigh as much as 200 pounds!

The Great Dane is a gentle giant, but can suffer from separation anxiety, so you should really get five or six for your Manhattan one-bedroom. ...Wait, that's a terrible idea. Make sure your Dane has lots of room to run and play (and don't keep anything breakable lower than eye level until she's grown up a bit!), and if you're out of the house a lot for work or travel, hire a dog-sitter or -walker.

As you'll also see in the video, the Dane is kinda drooly...and this particular GD looooves the camera. His close-up moment was just as funny in person.

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Great DaneGot it in one take, big fella

More on the Great Dane.
John O'Hurley on dog shows for mutts.
An "accidental" journey at the 2008 NDS.