When a Great Dane (Deutsche Dogge) lies beside you, the sofa is full. The standard requires at least 80 centimetres at the withers for a male, yet describes a dog who leans close rather than pushes in. The FCI calls the breed the Apollo of dogs.
| FCI | Group 2 (Pinscher and Schnauzer, Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattle Dogs), Section 2.1 Molossoid, Mastiff type, Standard No. 235, without working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Germany |
| Height at the withers | Males at least 80 cm, no more than 90 cm; females at least 72 cm, no more than 84 cm |
| Weight | Not specified in the FCI standard |
| Life expectancy | Median 10,6 years in a British analysis of 584.734 dogs (McMillan et al. 2024) |
| Coat | Very short and dense, smooth, close and glossy |
| Colours according to the standard | Three varieties: fawn and brindle; black-and-white patched, black-and-grey patched and black (including mantle and plated dogs); blue |
Origins
The standard names the old Bullenbeisser and hunting and boar hounds as ancestors, intermediate between Mastiff and sighthound. Various types were called Ulm, Danish or Great Dane until a Berlin committee decided in 1878 to combine them as Deutsche Dogge. The first standard followed in 1880, with stewardship by the Deutsche Doggen Club since 1888.
Temperament
The standard requires a friendly, loving, affectionate dog, confident, fearless, biddable and trainable, with a high threshold for reaction. Reserve towards strangers is permitted. At this weight, good training is essential: practise loose-lead walking and calm encounters while the dog is still small.
Exercise and activity
Growing Danes need protection: no stair marathons, running alongside bicycles or wild jumps. Adults enjoy long, steady walks and light mental work. Rest after meals, as the breed has increased gastric-torsion risk.
Grooming
A rubber grooming mitt quickly deals with the short coat. Space, car, beds and food demand more planning. Everything costs more with a dog this size.
Health
The heart deserves particular attention. University of Liverpool ultrasound screening of 107 British Great Danes found signs of dilated cardiomyopathy, an enlargement of the heart muscle, in 35,6 per cent. The authors consider dominant inheritance likely (Stephenson et al. 2012). Ask for the parents’ cardiology examinations and arrange regular checks from young adulthood.
Who does the Great Dane suit?
People with space, a large car and financial reserves, wanting a gentle family dog and able to accept a shorter time together.
Who is the breed less suited to?
Upper-floor flats without lifts, tight budgets and anyone seeking a sporting or jogging partner.
To assess whether a dog this size suits you, try the breed quiz or our book “Welcher Hund passt WIRKLICH zu dir?” (book in German). For the early days with a puppy, there is the free Puppy Starter Pack. A life-size Dane rarely fits on the wall, but a picture does: among our dog portraits from your own photo or as a poster in a wooden frame.
Further reading
- Bernese Mountain Dog: why your time together is so short
- Older dog, new rules: giving your senior their best years
- Calculating your dog’s food portions: how much your dog really needs
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI-Standard Nr. 235 Deutsche Dogge (fci.be, version dated 02.10.2024); McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024; Stephenson HM et al., Screening for dilated cardiomyopathy in Great Danes in the United Kingdom, Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 2012; Glickman LT et al., Non-dietary risk factors for gastric dilatation-volvulus in large and giant breed dogs, Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 2000.
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