The Great Dane, Danish Hound, Danish Gallant, Deutsche Dogge, Boarhound, Grand Danois or German Mastiff is a breed of domestic dog known for its giant size. The breed is commonly referred to as the "Apollo of all breeds." Great Danes are considered one of the tallest dog breeds along with the Irish Wolfhound. More recently, Great Danes have been in the Guinness World Records for tallest dog. The Great Dane was named the state dog of Pennsylvania in 1965.

Although, since 2004, the holder of the world record for tallest dog is a 42-inch (110 cm) tall Great Dane, the Irish Wolfhound is the breed that tends to be tallest though it is lighter in weight.

History

Historians claim that there are drawings of dogs that resemble the breed on Egyptian monuments from roughly 3000 B.C. It is also reported that the Great Dane was developed from mastiff-like dogs taken to Germany by the Alans. The Bullenbeisser may be its direct ancestor, composing about the 40% of its make-up.

According to Barbara Stein, "The breed originated in Germany, probably from a cross between the English mastiff and the Irish Wolfhound." However, other sources maintain that the breed originated in Denmark and still others report the question as controversial and unsettled. In 1749 Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon used the name "le Grand Danois," (translated by William Smellie (encyclopedist) as "Great Dane"). Up until that time the hound was referred to in England as "Danish dog."

According to Jacob Nicolay Wilse the Danes called the dog "large hound," a terminology continued well in to the 20th Century.

In Germany in 1780 the hound is referred to as "Grosser Dänischer Jagd Hund". At the first dog exhibition, held in Hamburg 14-20 July 1863, eight dogs were called "Dänische Dogge" and seven "Ulmer Doggen."

The origin of the name Great Dane is curious. The breed can be traced back to Germany, not Denmark as often thought because of the Anglo-Saxon name. The reason why in Anglo Saxon and French speaking countries refer to the German Mastiff still as Great Dane are political reasons of historical issues especially during the unification of Germany by Prussia and Bismarck. The breed had many names in the Holy Roman Empire, depending on its origin. The oldest trackable breeders were in the states of Württemberg and Hesse.