Why are Great Danes called Great Danes if they are not Danish?

It is one of the breed’s great historical oddities. The modern Great Dane was developed principally in Germany, where it is known as the Deutsche Dogge. The English name came via the old French term Grand Danois — “big Danish” — and somehow survived even though the breed itself is not Danish.

What were Great Danes originally bred to do?

Their ancestors were powerful boarhounds used by European nobility to hunt wild boar and guard estates. As that work disappeared, breeders deliberately moved away from the fierce temperament required for hunting and developed the dependable companion behind today’s “gentle giant” reputation.

Why do Great Danes lean on people?

Anyone who lives with a Dane tends to discover the Great Dane lean fairly quickly. They often press their considerable body weight against the people they trust, whether for closeness, attention or simply because standing independently appears unnecessarily formal.

What colours do Great Danes come in?

Great Danes appear in several striking colours and patterns, which is why breed-specific artwork can look so different from dog to dog. Explore our collections for Blue Great Danes, Fawn Great Danes, Harlequin Great Danes, Mantle Great Danes and Brindle Great Danes.

Who was Zeus, the world’s tallest Great Dane?

Zeus, a Great Dane from Michigan, remains the Guinness World Records holder for the tallest dog ever recorded. He measured an extraordinary 1.118 m — 44 inches — at the shoulder. Despite his scale, his family described him as sweet, friendly and rather easily frightened by household things such as the vacuum cleaner.

Our Great Dane gifts range from countryside artwork and homeware to clothing, mugs and Christmas decorations — some elegant, some dryly funny, and all created for people who understand that a Great Dane eventually becomes part of the furniture, the conversation and usually most of the sofa.