GREAT DANE 



varieties ; the fore-legs straight, heavy in bone, and nicely 

 feathered right down to the ground, and the feet large. 

 The tail should be short, well feathered, and carried 

 straight. The coat is long and silky, and the prevailing 

 colour of late years a rich black and deep mahogany tan ; 

 the latter appearing on the muzzle, on two spots over the 

 eyes, on the points of the shoulder, on the fore-legs up to 

 the knees, and on the inside of the hind ones. The 

 average weight is about 65 lbs. 



Great Dane. — None of the breeds of big dogs has 

 made such progress of late years as the great Dane, which 

 is undoubtedly a descendant of the ancient Danish dog, 

 a variety which was known to, and eulogised by, several of 

 the most reliable writers of the past. Some thirty years 

 ago a good deal of confusion existed in the minds of 

 enthusiasts in dog flesh between the German boarhound, 

 which was also an undoubted descendant of the Danish 

 dog, and other varieties possessed of somewhat similar 

 characteristics. The German breeders of these varieties, of 

 which Germany was the acknowledged stronghold, how- 

 ever, very wisely decided to unite them all so far as possible 

 under one type and name, the result being the great Dane 

 or German dog, as he is styled in the Fatherland, now one 

 of the most popular breeds in existence, and rightly so, 

 as a fine specimen of the variety is the beau-ideal of a 

 combination of strength, grace, and activity. No doubt a 

 certain amount of prejudice exists against the great Dane, 

 which is believed by many people who do not know him 

 to be by nature a savage and unreliable tempered dog. 

 This is not the fact, but it was so in the case of the German 

 boarhound. If, however, the great Dane is properly 

 trained and disciplined when a puppy — this does not 

 imply that he should be knocked about or ill-treated — 

 he will in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred be found 

 to be a most companionable dog and easy to keep under 

 control. Perhaps the chief objection that can be brought 



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