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| Great Dane Did You Know?
* The Great Dane’s name is the English translation of the breed name in French: grand Danois, meaning "big Danish." * The Great Dane had a half-dozen names used for centuries in France, including dogue allemand ("German Mastiff"); "Mastiff" in English, dogue or dogo in the Latin languages, and dogge in the Germanic languages all meant the same thing: a giant dog with heavy head for fighting or hunting purposes. * There is no known reason for connecting Denmark with either the origin or the development of the Great Dane; it was "made in Germany", and it was German fanciers who led the world in breeding most of the finest specimens. * The earliest written description of a dog resembling the Great Dane may be found in Chinese literature of 1121 BC, according to an article by Dr. G. Ciaburri in a Great Dane Club of Italy publication (1929). * The Great Dane is a very old breed, cultivated as a distinct type for probably 400 years, if not longer. * The Dane was developed as a boar hound by the Germans. | |
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