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Great Dane

The Great Dane was developed in Germany from Mastiff-type and Irish Wolfhound-type crosses for boar hunting and later estate guardianship.

Calculate Great Dane age
Lifespan10.6 yrrange 10–11
SizeGiantWorking Group
Weight110–175 lb49.9–79.4 kg
Senior at5 yrgeriatric at 8

Gallery (3)

About

About the Great Dane

The Great Dane was developed in Germany from Mastiff-type and Irish Wolfhound-type crosses for boar hunting and later estate guardianship. Standing typically 28-34 inches at the shoulder, it is the tallest AKC breed by height though not the heaviest.

Aging

How Great Danes age

RVC VetCompass gives a median 10.6 years (n=2,850). Gastric dilatation-volvulus is the single largest killer — lifetime incidence approaches 40% in deep-chested Danes — with dilated cardiomyopathy and osteosarcoma close behind.

Lifespan deep-diveAvg 10.6 yr · range 10–11Senior careSenior at 5 · geriatric at 8Common health issues9 tracked conditions
Physical

Physical characteristics

Weight
110–175 lb(49.9–79.4 kg)
Height
28–32 in(71.1–81.3 cm)
Coat type
Short
Colors
BlackBlack & WhiteBlueBrindleFawnHarlequinMantleMerleWhiteBlue & WhiteBlue BrindleChocolate
Temperament

Temperament

How Great Danes tend to show up around their people, other dogs, and the world.

friendlypatientdependableconfident
  • Energy
  • Trainability
  • Good with kids
  • Good with other dogs
  • Shedding
Health

Common health issues

Full health profile
  • Moderatetypical onset ~7 yr

    Cataracts

    Description and veterinary guidance for Cataracts land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~5 yr

    Periodontal Disease

    Description and veterinary guidance for Periodontal Disease land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

  • Moderatetypical onset ~2 yr

    Osteochondritis Dissecans

    Description and veterinary guidance for Osteochondritis Dissecans land in Phase 4. Prevalence and onset-age figures above are drawn from https://ofa.org/diseases/disease-statistics/.

Exercise
60min
per day

About 60 minutes of activity per day keeps a Great Dane physically and mentally satisfied. Split it between a structured walk and free play.

Related

Related breeds

Breeds with a similar size and group profile, for readers comparing options.

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References

Sources

Lifespan and health figures on this page are drawn from the peer-reviewed and organizational sources below.

  1. AKC breed standardAmerican Kennel Club breed page

    Breed size, weight range, height, AKC group, origin, coat type, and temperament baseline.

  2. RVC VetCompassRoyal Veterinary College VetCompass life-table research (McMillan et al. 2024)

    UK primary-care records; source for the median-lifespan and mortality figures.