Dear Ashley,

Wow! What a great question. Great Danes are sometimes called the "Apollo" of dogs because of their great size, speed, courage, and their wonderful relationship with humans. Some people might think that Great Danes originally came from Denmark, because of their name. But, the Great Dane, that we know and love today, got its start in Germany! The Great Dane's proper name is Deutsche Dogge or German Mastiff.

Many years ago, around the 1700's, a French naturalist thought that Great Danes, who were sometimes known as Boar Hounds, were the descendants of Irish Wolfhounds. A nobleman believed that Great Danes were the descendants of Irish Wolfhounds and English Mastiffs. One day, while traveling in Denmark, the French naturalist saw dogs with a more elegant appearance than the Boar Hounds he had seen in Germany. These dogs looked very similar to the traditional German Boar Hounds, but also looked somewhat similar to a Greyhound! He said that the weather of Denmark had caused the Greyhound to become Grand Danois, or Great Dane.

Well, shortly thereafter, this dog became known as the Great Danish Dog, with the heavier ones sometimes called Danish Mastiffs. And, as things often do...the name stuck! Today, English speaking countries refer to the dog as a Great Dane, while in Germany, the Great Dane is still called the Deutsche Dogge.

Your Pal,
Chief