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Great Dane

Deutsche Dogge

The Great Dane is a German giant: the FCI standard says it combines a large, powerful, well-constructed body with pride, strength and elegance, with a long, narrow head, ears that hang naturally and a very short, smooth, glossy coat. The standards list fawn and brindle — ideally with a black mask — as well as harlequin, black and blue; PetPrep shows only colours both the FCI and The Royal Kennel Club list, never merle or mantle, and always draws the dog with natural ears and tail and tight eyelids, because The Royal Kennel Club asks judges to watch for eyelids that turn inwards or outwards and for poor hind legs.

The FCI calls it friendly, loving and devoted to its owners, though it might be reserved towards strangers. The Royal Kennel Club says that despite its size it makes a wonderful family dog, and recommends more than two hours of exercise a day, a large house and garden, and grooming once a week. The PDSA says Great Danes are known for drooling, have a fairly strong prey drive, and are not recommended for homes with younger children because of their size and strength; it advises leaving a gap between eating and exercise to help prevent bloat. The Royal Kennel Club gives its lifespan as under 10 years.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated:

Great Dane — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
giant — The Royal Kennel Club S241
Adult weight
males 46–54 kg, females 46–54 kg — PDSA S243
Daily exercise
more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S241
Brushing
once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S241
Shedding
sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S241
Lifespan
less than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S241

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

Keep in mind:

  • needs lots of exercise every dayS241S243
  • large dog — not for homes with small childrenS243
  • shorter lifespanS241S243
  • hips and hind legs — check joint healthS243S244
  • eyelids and eyes — check eye testsS243S244
  • chews things when boredS243
  • shedsS241
  • drools — keep a cloth at handS243
  • strong prey drive — may chase small petsS243

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S241

Coat and grooming

  • Coat: short — The Royal Kennel Club S241
  • Brushing: once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S241
  • Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S241

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: less than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S241

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 18–24 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: giant — The Royal Kennel Club S241
  • Height at the withers: males 80–90 cm, females 72–84 cm — FCI S239
  • Adult weight: males 46–54 kg, females 46–54 kg — PDSA S243

Training

  • No. 48 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
  • FCI standard no. 235, group 2 (pinscher and schnauzer types, molossoid breeds and Swiss mountain and cattle dogs); origin: Germany. — FCI S239

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does a Great Dane need?

According to our sources, the Great Dane needs this much exercise: more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S241.

How long does a Great Dane live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the Great Dane is: less than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S241.

How big does a Great Dane get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the Great Dane, according to our sources: Size: giant — The Royal Kennel Club S241; Adult weight: males 46–54 kg, females 46–54 kg — PDSA S243.

How much grooming does a Great Dane need?

Coat and grooming of the Great Dane, according to our sources: Brushing: once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S241; Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S241; Coat: short — The Royal Kennel Club S241.

Who is the Great Dane a good fit for?

Our sources describe the Great Dane as a good fit for: an active family — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S241S243; family life — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S241S243; a large house and garden — The Royal Kennel Club S241. Keep in mind: needs lots of exercise every day — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S241S243; large dog — not for homes with small children — PDSA S243; shorter lifespan — The Royal Kennel Club, PDSA S241S243; hips and hind legs — check joint health — PDSA, The Royal Kennel Club S243S244; eyelids and eyes — check eye tests — PDSA, The Royal Kennel Club S243S244; chews things when bored — PDSA S243; sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S241; drools — keep a cloth at hand — PDSA S243; strong prey drive — may chase small pets — PDSA S243.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 12,000 from month 12
Young dogmonth 929,000 → 12,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)212,000 steps
Seniormonth 54 (4.5 years)29,000 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 2 hours, so 12,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
  • Becomes a senior in month 54 (4.5 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing once a week.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine, The Veterinary Journal 198(3):638–643 S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S212S241

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • Bloat (gastric dilatation-volvulus), where the stomach twists, can occur in the breed — it is an emergency that needs a vet straight away. — PDSA S243
  • Can be prone to hip and elbow dysplasia; breeders are advised to have the parents' hips and elbows tested before breeding. — PDSA S243
  • Eyelid problems can occur in the breed: eyelids that turn inwards (entropion) or outwards (ectropion), and cherry eye, where the third eyelid pops out. — PDSA S243
  • Cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart caused by a weakening of the heart muscle, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S243
  • Wobbler syndrome, where unstable bones in the neck press on the spinal cord and weaken the back legs, can occur in the breed. — PDSA S243
  • Certain cancers can occur in the breed. — PDSA S243

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

Further tests for best practice

  • DNA test for inherited myopathy of Great Danes (IMGD), a muscle-wasting disease — The Royal Kennel Club S241
  • Elbow X-ray screening for elbow dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — The Royal Kennel Club S241
  • Eye examination by a veterinary eye specialist (UK: BVA/KC/ISDS scheme; for some breeds with gonioscopy) — The Royal Kennel Club S241
  • Hip X-ray screening for hip dysplasia (UK: BVA/KC scheme) — The Royal Kennel Club S241

These lists come from the UK's Royal Kennel Club and are an orientation; national kennel clubs can set their own, stricter rules. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S212The Veterinary Journal 198(3):638–643 (2013) (RVC repository copy) — O'Neill D. G., Church D. B., McGreevy P. D., Thomson P. C., Brodbelt D. C. Longevity and mortality of owned dogs in England. doi:10.1016/j.tvjl.2013.09.020https://rvc-repository.worktribe.com/OutputFile/1409027
  11. S239FCI — FCI-Standard N° 235 — Great Dane (Deutsche Dogge) (EN PDF; date of publication of the valid standard 21.08.2024)https://WWW.FCI.BE/Nomenclature/Standards/235g02-en.pdf
  12. S241The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Great Dane — breed information page (Breeds A to Z, current address)https://thekennelclub.org.uk/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/working/great-dane
  13. S243PDSA — Great Dane breed informationhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/large-dogs/great-dane
  14. S244The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Breed Watch — Great Dane (Category 2)https://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/services/public/breed/watch/display.aspx?breed=5124
  15. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  16. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  17. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  18. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  19. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

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