Great Danes are known for their extraordinary size and build. To create a loving home for these hounds, you should understand the best way to maintain an appropriately healthy weight. What are some of the most important physical characteristics there are to know about this breed?
Here is a detailed size and weight chart for an average pup, alongside a brief guide on ensuring your hound’s best growth and development.
The name Great Dane is relatively self-explanatory. This breed is classified as one of the giant breed dogs, consisting of hounds weighing over 48kg. One Great Dane can reach up to 86cm in height, and even puppies are generally larger than average. This breed is also called the German Mastiff, standing tall alongside giant dog breeds like the Irish Wolfhound.
Both these hounds were used for hunting, but this breed’s owners used their gentle giant for hunting wild boar. Other dogs do not match the average adult of this breed when considering power, hunting instincts, and size.
A Great Dane’s growth is dependent on a variety of factors. These factors include nutrition, exercise, and any genetic health problems your puppy might have. However, like most giant breeds, this dog’s growth could reach its maximum between 18 and 24 months of age. During this time, the Great Dane puppy grows to be a colossal adult Great Dane.
Other pups grow quicker than others, so this is not a surprise for Great Dane puppies. Breeders can refer to the breed standard recognised by the American Kennel Club (AKC) for a pure breed in all aspects. Alternatively, they can turn to the local breeding standard recognised by their local national breed club.
Whether you would like to monitor the weight of your puppy to minimise health problems or for athletic purposes such as dog sports competitions, understanding the ideal weight range for this breed is essential. So, what is the perfect weight for these pups?
Female Great Danes have a healthy weight range averaging between 49 – 63 kg. Males are sizeable dogs, too, weighing between 63kg and 79kg. This German dog is enormous compared to other pups, but how can you ensure your puppy doesn’t grow into an overweight hound?
Consider joining a Great Dane club to ensure your hound gets enough daily exercise. You can find a local club where your puppy can compete against other pups.
Alternatively, ensure it gets enough time daily to keep fit and monitor its diet.
Your puppy might be predisposed to conditions such as hip dysplasia and other health issues that large dogs suffer from.
To minimise these conditions, including joint or bone diseases and promote positive growth, ensure that you maintain a detailed Great Dane growth chart. Also, do not compromise on wellness visits, daily exercises, and nutrition.
These pups are indeed the tallest dog in the world, and Zeus, who belongs to this breed, holds a Guinness World Record in this category.
This breed was believed to have supernatural powers for warding off evil spirits in the Middle Ages. So it made sense why the animator used this breed to portray Scooby-Doo but with a few minor adjustments like the fur colour and distinct black spots on Scooby-Doo’s body.
This breed is easy to train, but some might occasionally be stubborn learners.
Although this breed is easy to train, it might be a handful to maintain for first-time dog owners. So, if your pup is not adjusting well to your family, seek help from professionals.
If you want to own a Great Dane, it is your responsibility to maintain a healthy weight for its size. The most important things to remember are regular exercise, healthy nutrition, and frequent wellness visits.
Welcome to Pets Online, a team of pet parents, animal lovers and veterinarians devoted to providing you with everything you need to know about pets.