Grooming the Great Dane - What You Need to Know?

As the name suggests, the Great Dane is known for its giant size. They are also known as 'German Mastiff' or 'Danish Hound', and are one of the tallest breeds of the world. In early times, due to their huge size, the Great Danes were used for pulling carts, and also as guard dogs, but mostly they were known to be used for hunting purposes.

Great Danes are a domestic, short-haired breed, with triangular, floppy ears. They can be distinguished on the basis of different coat colors. Some of the most common coat colors include:

Black: The coat is jet, glossy black although some might show white markings on the chest and toes, but as per the animal experts, these markings are considered faulty.

Mantle: The coat color is black and white, with solid black extending over the body, the muzzle might be white, with a white collar, white chest, white just in some parts, or completely white fore and hind legs.

Harlequin: This type of color coat is known to occur due to the "Merle gene" carried by the Great Danes. The merle gene is a part of the dog's genetic make-up, which leads to Harlequin type of color coat. In this type, the base color of the coat is completely white, with irregular black patches spread throughout the body.

Fawn: Yellowish golden or tan color, with black appearing on the rims of eyes and eyebrows, and slightly on the ears.

The Great Danes are those rare breeds, who only need an occasional bath. They are a low-odor breed, and hence an occasional wash is often enough. Their smooth short-haired coat is quite easy to groom. Using a proper (perhaps biodegradable) dog shampoo is the best option while bathing the dog, as it will cleanse the body thoroughly, preventing any pest infectivity. Combing and brushing with a semi-to-firm bristle brush, helps to keep away the fleas and ticks. They shed normally, similar to any other dogs, although if you feel that your pet is shedding unnaturally, it is suggested to visit a veterinarian to determine the cause of shedding such as infection or allergy. The nails should also be trimmed often, so as to avoid any infection. It is often suggested that grooming and care should be started when your pet is just a puppy, as it becomes easier to groom them as adults. The ears should be cleaned every two weeks. However, if the ears are cropped, they should be cleaned more often, as cropped ears collect more dirt. Similarly, the foot and paw care is equally important. Exercise and daily walking is almost compulsory for our Giant Danes, as lack of exercise may lead to obesity, and further health problems.