49 Great Danes Who Don’t Understand How BIG They Are

Because of how big they are, Great Danes are best suited for people who have lots of space at home. Preferably with a yard. "Great Danes have a friendly and outgoing temperament and are sometimes referred to as gentle giants. With that in mind, they are best suited to owners who have a larger house and garden in order to provide them with enough space for both exercise, mental stimulation and to express themselves," Lambert from The Kennel Club explained to Bored Panda.

Besides lots of space and exercise, Great Danes also need experienced owners, as well as weekly grooming. What's more, bigger dogs usually mean bigger financial investments, too. "They need more food and more space, and you may need to adapt your home, ensuring your dog can’t reach things which a smaller dog wouldn’t be able to," Lambert said. "Training is essential with any dog, but especially with such a large breed it’s crucial that owners are able to exert control so that they can handle their dog more easily and understand their dog’s behavior."

Lambert suggests that, like with any new dog, potential owners carry out thorough, extensive research to make sure that a particular breed is right for them. "We’d recommend potential Great Dane owners speak to their vet and a Great Dane breed club for tips and advice relevant to the breed."

Originally, Great Danes (aka German Mastiffs and Deutsche Dogges) were bred to hunt wild boar and deer back in Germany, around 400 years ago. They were a mix between English Mastiffs and Irish Wolfhounds and were favored by the nobility.

Great Danes used to be known as Englische Dockes, highlighting their link to England. However, as relations between Germany and other countries became more strained in the late 19th century, the Germans renamed the breed to represent their own nation. Later, however, as relations worsened further, the breed became known as the Great Dane.

Strong, elegant, and powerful, Great Danes mature slowly. And one thing that you absolutely cannot skimp on is getting high-quality food.

The breed is so popular that it’s become firmly ingrained in pop culture, probably even without you noticing it, too. For instance, both Scooby-Doo and Marmaduke, probably two of the best-known dogs worldwide, are Great Danes.

We’re just impressed that Shaggy’s able to hold Scoobs in his arms and run with him whenever a spooky ghost shows up. He’s obviously way stronger than he looks, even if he is a cartoon character. Then again, maybe the adrenaline kicks in.

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