Great Dane.

Great Dane. Great Dane, breed of working dog of unusually large size and statuesque appearance, which supposedly originated in Germany about the middle of the 16th century, probably from an interbreeding of the Irish wolfhound and the old English mastiff. The origin of the name Great Dane is not known; the breed neither originated nor was developed in Denmark. A more fitting name would be German mastiff, from Deutsche Dogge, as the breed is known in Germany. The dog was once used to hunt wild boar; now it is used chiefly as a draft animal or as a pet. It has a smooth, glossy coat of short, thick hair; the chief colors are brindle, fawn, blue, black, or harlequin (black on a white ground). It has a long, narrow head; medium-size, dark eyes; medium-size ears, set high on its head; a broad chest; strong, muscular legs; and a tail of medium length. The male measures at least 76 cm (30 in) high at the shoulders; the female, 71 cm (28 in). Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.