As the list of state dogs grows ever shorter, we start to come to breeds of dog that were brought over from the old world that adapted to life in America.
One such dog is the Great Dane, a large, powerful dog that was ratified as Pennsylvania’s state dog in 1965.
Origins
However, statues of dogs resembling the Great Dane have been seen in Egypt dating as far back as 3000 BC.
The original name for the Great Dane is the Deutsche Dogge, or German Mastiff.
The original name of the dog was the German Boarhound, but breeders had been trying to change the name of the dog to try and market the breed as one of luxury, not work.
Eventually, the name would settle on the Great Dane as relations between Germany and surrounding nations broke down in the late 18th century.
Description
The Great Dane, as stated above, is one of the largest breeds of dog in the world. The world record holder for height within the breed was a dog named Zeus, who stood 44 inches tall from paw to shoulder.
It is a Great Dane’s size that makes people hesitate to pick them, but their size hides the fact that Dane’s are wonderfully friendly and lovely dogs.
Their coats are usually sleek fur whose colors (according to show rules) are fawn, brindle, black, blue, or harlequin.