The railways threatened to put down the dog if he continued to ride on the train without paying his fare. Just Nuisance liked to take the train with his new friends, but the train conductors were less than thrilled with having a dog stowaway (it’s not easy hiding a Great Dane on a train). There, he befriended the Navy sailors that commanded the base in Simon's Town, South Africa (then a British colony). The dog was born in the late 1930s and grew up in the United Services Institute. Just Nuisance, a Great Dane, remains the only dog to be officially enlisted in the Royal Navy.

She was awarded her second medal three years later, when she alerted authorities that a fire was raging in her owner’s shoe shop. The urine diffused the bomb and earned her her first medal. The dog did what any canine in need of a walk would do- she peed on it. In 1941, Juliana the Great Dane was awoken when a bomb fell on the house she lived in. A Great Dane was awarded two Blue Cross Medals. That said, the tallest dog in the world was a Great Dane named Zeus, who stood more than 3 feet tall. Great Danes are huge, with an average height of 2.5 to 2.8 feet, but Irish Wolfhounds tend to grow a hair taller. The Great Dane was eventually picked to avoid overlap with Hot Dog, the sheepdog in the Archie comics.

When the former was chosen, they had to decide between a sheepdog or a Great Dane. Originally called “Too Much,” the dog was either going to be a large cowardly dog, or a small courageous pup. While that may not have been on the cartoon creators' minds while they were developing characters, there was a lot of debate about Scooby’s breed during the show’s conception. Great Danes were once thought to ward away ghosts and evil spirits, which is why Scooby was the perfect companion for those meddling kids. There's a reason Scooby Doo was a Great Dane. In fact, the docile pooches make good additions to families and are rarely aggressive. The fight has been bred out of the canines, and now modern-day Danes prefer a more leisurely lifestyle. As hunting became less popular, the breed evolved from vicious killers to show dogs. Today, Great Danes are known as gentle giants. Gentleness was bred into them.Ī Great Dane (right) chilling with some friends.

Other ancient art and literature in countries like Tibet, Greece, and China allude to the dogs as well. Depictions of giant dogs can be seen on Egyptian monuments dating back to 3000 BCE. The powerful hunters were quick and deadly their aggressive behavior wasn't anything like the temperaments of the Great Danes you see today.Īlthough not a distinct type until roughly 400 years ago, the Great Dane’s origins extend even further back in history-their ancestors may have mingled with the ancient Egyptians.

Great Danes were used to take down wild boars, and needed to be physically strong as well as brave. The gigantic canines were probably bred from the Irish wolfhound and the old English mastiff. Great Danes were once used for hunting boars. He called the large dog 'le Grande Danois' or Great Dane, and the name just stuck. Some believe the name came about when French naturalist Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon happened upon the breed while traveling in Denmark in the early 1700s. The name is misleading.ĭespite being called the Great Dane, these dogs have ties to Germany, not Denmark. Learn more about what makes this colossal canine tick. Great Danes are known for casting a shadow over most other dogs-and small children.

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