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Great Dane Trivia Questions and Answers
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1. The Great Dane's origin can be traced back to which two main breeds?
Answer: Irish Wolfhound and old English Mastiff
Interesting Information:It is also believed that the Greyhound is responsible for the harlequin and merle colorations in Great Danes.
Difficulty: Hard.
From Quiz: The Beautiful Great Dane
Some incorrect choices:
Mastiff and Bulldog, Newfoundland and Pharaoh Hound, Irish Wolfhound and Deerhound
2. Prior to 2018, in the US, what common Great Dane coat color was not allowed to be shown in conformation?
Answer: Merle
Interesting Information:Merles were not included in the original six colors accepted for showing in the conformation ring, even though they are a standard by-product of harlequin breedings. The regulations were changed by the AKC in 2018.
Merles make wonderful pets, but they should never be used for breeding, sold only on spay/neuter contracts, and should always be spayed or neutered. Beware of breeders who advertise merles as "rare." They are NOT rare, and breeding merles can lead to lethal white puppies who can be deaf and/or blind.
Difficulty: Hard.
From Quiz: Great Danes: A Quiz of Giant Proportions
Some incorrect choices:
Harlequin, Brindle, Blue
3. What is the name of the Great Dane that won Best in Show at Crufts in 1953?
Answer: Ch. Elch Elder of Ouborough
Interesting Information:The Ouborough Kennels were owned by James Voase Rank, and run by Bill Siggers. J V Rank died the year before Ch. Elch Elder of Ouborough won Best In Show at Crufts.
Difficulty: Hard.
From Quiz: Great Danes in the UK
Some incorrect choices:
Ch. Ruler of Ouborough, Ch. Sheba of Ouborough, Ch. Pride of Ouborough
4. Where did the Great Dane (as it is today) originate?
Answer: Germany
Interesting Information:The Great Dane was originally bred as a guard dog and for chasing wild boar. It is a descendant of Roman Molossus hounds, but the breed as we know it today was developed in Germany after 1800.
Difficulty: Hard.
From Quiz: The Apollo of Dogs
Some incorrect choices:
Great Britain, France, Denmark
5. Since the Great Dane originated in Germany, what is the name for "Great Dane" in German?
Answer: Deutsche Dogge
Interesting Information:It's ironic that this breed is called the Great Dane in English, because it's not Danish, and has nothing to do with Denmark.
Difficulty: Hard.
From Quiz: The Beautiful Great Dane
Some incorrect choices:
Gran Danés, Store Danske, Grande Dinamarquês
6. Great Danes were once used for hunting which animals?
Answer: Boar
Interesting Information:The Great Dane's original purpose was as a boar hunter, but the modern dog is no longer aggressive enough to hunt anything.
Difficulty: Hard.
From Quiz: Great Danes: A Quiz of Giant Proportions
Some incorrect choices:
Foxes, Bears, Wolves
7. Who gave the breed the name it is known by today (ie: Great Dane)?
Answer: Comte de Buffon
Interesting Information:Comte de Buffon saw slimmer type Boar Hounds while travelling through Denmark back in the 1700's. Very impressed with their size and elegance he named them the Great Danish Dog (Grand Danois). Even though they are a German breed, the Danish name stuck.
Difficulty: Hard.
From Quiz: Great Danes in the UK
Some incorrect choices:
Warner Heisenberg, Claude Cox, Hans Bahlow
8. According to the AKC Standard, how should the Great Dane head look?
Answer: The skull is rectangular, long, distinguished, expressive, finely chiseled, especially below the eyes
Interesting Information:The Great Dane's eyes should be almond shaped, deeply set and dark. The ears should be folded forward, high set, and medium in thickness, if cropped it should be proportionate to the body.
Difficulty: Hard.
From Quiz: The Beautiful Great Dane
Some incorrect choices:
The skull long and narrow, jaw long, powerful and deep, The skull is flat, well chiseled and of medium width, tapering toward the eyes, The skull of medium width, and slightly rounded between the ears
9. What is gastric dilatation?
Answer: Bloat.
Interesting Information:Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) is also known as bloat, stomach torsion, or twisted stomach. It is a very serious, sometimes fatal health concern in a Great Dane and something you should be very aware of! A few symptoms to look out for are swollen abdomen, abdomen pain, excessive drooling, retching but not actually being sick and rapid short breaths.
Difficulty: Average.
From Quiz: Great Danes in the UK
Some incorrect choices:
Kennel cough., Elbow calluses., Food obsession.
10. What job were Great Danes originally bred to perform?
Answer: hunting
Interesting Information:The Dane started out as a fierce hunter of wild boar. Later, they were mellowed out and bred to be more people-oriented to be used as guards. Today, they are very gentle giants!
Difficulty: Hard.
From Quiz: The Apollo of Dogs
Some incorrect choices:
pulling carts, butcher's dog, companions for ladies of class
11. The Great Dane was originally bred for what?
Answer: Hunting
Interesting Information:The Great Dane was originally bred to hunt wild boar.
Difficulty: Average.
From Quiz: The Beautiful Great Dane
Some incorrect choices:
Herding, Retrieving, Pointing
12. What does a brindle Dane's coat look like?
Answer: black stripes on a fawn coat
Interesting Information:Merles have black markings on a bluish-grey coat, and the other two patterns are not seen in Great Danes.
Difficulty: Hard.
From Quiz: The Apollo of Dogs
Some incorrect choices:
brown patches on a white coat, uneven black markings on a bluish-grey coat, grey-blue fleckings on a reddish coat
13. How would one best describe a piebald Great Dane?
Answer: Piebald Danes have a mantle head with a mainly white body
Interesting Information:Piebald Great Danes are Danes with a mantle-like colored head and very little pigment on the rest of their body. They are a product of breedings within the harlequin color family.
Difficulty: Hard.
From Quiz: Great Danes: A Quiz of Giant Proportions
Some incorrect choices:
Piebald Danes are hairless, Piebald Danes have perfectly round spots all over their body, Piebald Danes have a round "pie-shaped" spot on the top of their head
14. What Great Dane won Best of Breed at Crufts in 2000?
Answer: Ch. Garsak Morning Glory
Interesting Information:All four of these dogs have won Best Of Breed at Crufts with Ch. Ravendane Magic For Garsak winning it most recently in 2006. 1999 was Ch. Turlum True To Form and 1997 was Ch. Garsak Summer Rain.
Difficulty: Hard.
From Quiz: Great Danes in the UK
Some incorrect choices:
Ch. Ravendane Magic For Garsak, Ch. Garsak Summer Rain, Ch. Turlum True To Form
15. What eye colors are permissible for the harlequin coloration in the Great Dane?
Answer: dark or blue or odd-eyed
Interesting Information:Dark, light, and odd-eyed (each eye a different color) are all permitted in the breed standard for the harlequin coat color, but dark is preferred. All other color varieties must have dark eyes to be considered show quality.
Difficulty: Hard.
From Quiz: The Apollo of Dogs
Some incorrect choices:
dark brown only, blue only, medium chocolate brown or tan
16. How old should a female Great Dane be before she is bred?
Answer: at least 2 years old
Interesting Information:A Great Dane, as a giant breed, does not reach physical or emotional maturity until it is two years old. There are many other factors to consider before breeding as well as age. The dog should be certified free of hip dysplasia and genetic defects. Dogs that conform to the highest standard are the ONLY ones that should be bred.
Difficulty: Hard.
From Quiz: The Apollo of Dogs
Some incorrect choices:
at least 6 months old, at least 1 year old, at least 9 months old
17. One health problem with Danes, as well as a few other deep-chested breeds, is gastric dilatation and volvulus. What is the layman's term for this condition?
Answer: Bloat and torsion
Interesting Information:Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus (GDV) is bloat and torsion. Deep-chested dogs are susceptible to this life-threatening condition and it's important to know the warning signs of bloat if you own a breed that is prone to it. Bloat is when the stomach fills up with air, which causes the stomach to essentially flip, often involving other organs as well. Blood flow is cut off and tissue becomes necrotic. Emergency medical attention is vital when a dog has bloated. Time is of the essence. As a side note, my Great Dane bloated in 2005, but luckily I knew the warning signs and got him to the emergency vet in time.
Difficulty: Hard.
From Quiz: Great Danes: A Quiz of Giant Proportions
Some incorrect choices:
Chronic flatulence, Intestinal cancer, Acid reflux
18. What is one of the medical conditions that Great Danes are particularly prone to?
Answer: bloat
Interesting Information:Bloat is a condition in which the stomach swells and twists. It can be very serious if not treated immediately. Bloat is particularly common in large dogs such as the Great Dane. The tendency to develop bloat is genetic.
Difficulty: Hard.
From Quiz: The Apollo of Dogs
Some incorrect choices:
diabetes, kidney infections, retinal cancer
19. What kind of dog food should a Great Dane puppy eat?
Answer: Low protein adult dog food
Interesting Information:Great Dane puppies should eat low protein high quality adult dog food. It is crucial to a healthy growth! They should not be eating puppy food. Since Danes reach almost their maximum skeletal size by the time they're 1 year old, they grow really fast. Which means that they need to be on a low protein diet (21-23% protein) in order to slow down the growth so the bones develop properly. If they are given puppy food or any other high protein kibble they might develop bone problems like HOD, OCD or Pano later on in life.
Difficulty: Hard.
From Quiz: The Beautiful Great Dane
Some incorrect choices:
Puppy food, Large breed puppy food, Senior dog food
20. Where can a Great Dane's "stop" be found?
Answer: On its head
Interesting Information:The "stop" refers to an area on a Great Dane's head. Great Danes are supposed to have well-defined stops, and not a sloping muzzle.
Difficulty: Hard.
From Quiz: Great Danes: A Quiz of Giant Proportions
Some incorrect choices:
On its front legs, On its rear legs, On its back
21. What is the typical life span for a Great Dane?
Answer: 8-9 years
Interesting Information:Unfortunately the Great Dane is one of the shortest-lived breeds.
Difficulty: Average.
From Quiz: The Apollo of Dogs
Some incorrect choices:
over 20 years is not uncommon, 10-15 years, 15-20 years
22. Which description would make the better show dog?
Answer: High set ears, chiselled face & scissor bite.
Interesting Information:Some of the points mentioned on the incorrect answers are right, but danes shouldnt have a snipy muzzle, low croup, pendulous ears, level bite or a short foreface.
Difficulty: Hard.
From Quiz: Great Danes in the UK
Some incorrect choices:
Arched neck, snipy muzzle & catlike feet., Straight topline, low croup & pendulous ears., Level bite, strong but elegant & short foreface.
23. The Great Dane was named the state dog of which U.S. state?
Answer: Pennsylvania
Interesting Information:The Great Dane was named the state dog of Pennsylvania in 1965.
Difficulty: Hard.
From Quiz: The Beautiful Great Dane
Some incorrect choices:
Illinois, Washington, North Carolina
24. How would you describe the Great Dane's temperament?
Answer: Kind without nervousness, friendly and outgoing.
Interesting Information:There should never be aggression in a Great Dane although they can be stubborn at times. A Great Dane should be a bold dog, not showing signs of shyness. They are a very predictable breed!
Difficulty: Hard.
From Quiz: Great Danes in the UK
Some incorrect choices:
Wary of strangers, timid and shy., Aggressive, stubborn and ignorant., Aloof, high spirited and unpredictable.
25. Around the turn of the 20th century, the Great Dane was used in breeding programs to save another dog breed from extinction. What breed was this?
Answer: Irish Wolfhound
Interesting Information:The Irish Wolfhound and the Great Dane still have very similar breed standards.
Difficulty: Hard.
From Quiz: The Apollo of Dogs
Some incorrect choices:
Scottish Deerhound, Greyhound, Borzoi
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