The Great Dane is a German breed of domestic dog known for its large size.

The record holder for the tallest dog ever is a Great Dane called Zeus (died September 2014; aged 5), who measured 111.8 cm (44.0 in) from paw to shoulder. The tallest living dog is another Dane named Freddy, measuring 103.5 cm (40.7 in).

History

In Austria and Germany the Molossian hound, the Suliot dog, and other imports from Greece were used in the 18th century to increase the stature of the boarhounds.

Hunting dog

In the middle of the 16th century, the nobility in many countries of Europe imported strong, long-legged dogs from England, which were descended from crossbreeds between English Mastiffs and Irish Wolfhounds. They were dog hybrids in different sizes and phenotypes with no formal breed. These dogs were called Englische Docke or Englische Tocke – later written and spelled: Dogge – or Englischer Hund in Germany. The name simply meant “English dog”. Since then, the English word “dog” has come to be associated with a molossoid dog in Germany and France. These dogs were bred in the courts of German nobility, independent of the English methods, since the start of the 17th century.

The dogs were used for hunting bear, boar, and deer at princely courts, with the favorites staying at night in the bed chambers of their lords. These Kammerhunde (chamber dogs) were outfitted with ornate collars and helped protect the sleeping princess from assassins.

While hunting boar or bears, the Englische Dogge was a catch dog used after the other hunting dogs to seize the bear or boar and hold it in place until the huntsman was able to kill it. When the hunting customs changed, particularly because of the use of firearms, many of the involved dog types disappeared. The Englische Dogge became rare and was kept only as a dog of hobby or luxury.