Great Dane

Great Danes are one of the better choices for a family with children. Expect a big dog that is moderately active, sheds a normal amount and needs very little grooming. The big catch is running cost — this is one of the pricier dogs to keep well.

Source: American Kennel Club breed standard.

Danes are German, not Danish, and were bred to hunt wild boar — a job requiring enough size to hold something that fights back. Modern Danes kept the size and lost the ferocity almost entirely; the breed's nickname is "the gentle giant" and it is deserved. They are quiet, mild and startlingly low-energy indoors, which makes them workable in smaller homes than people expect. The hard part is written into the numbers above: 7–10 years is a short life, and a child who chooses a Dane at nine will most likely lose it before finishing school. They are also deep-chested, which means bloat — a sudden twisted stomach — is a real emergency risk every Dane owner should be able to recognise.

Day to day. Moderately active — a proper daily walk plus some play in the garden or the hallway keeps this breed happy. On noise, it is quiet.

The coat, honestly. This breed sheds a normal amount and needs very little grooming. A brush a few times a week and the occasional tidy-up keeps it in good order.

Being left alone. Fine alone for a few hours. A few hours is fine; a full working day, every day, is asking a lot.

Training. Trains at an average pace. Consistent, reward-based training from day one does most of the work.

• You want a dog with a reputation for putting up with children
• You want a dog whose coat looks after itself
• You have room for a big dog and a car it actually fits in

• A surprise vet bill would be a real problem this year
• Drool on your trousers would bother you every single day
• You are in a flat, or nobody can physically hold this dog on a lead

Every animal is an individual, and plenty of Great Danes live long, healthy lives. This is here so nobody is surprised — ask a vet, and ask whoever you get the dog from what they have tested for.

Rough running cost: $$$ (one of the pricier dogs on our list) — because it is a big dog, so food, medicines and anaesthetics all cost more, and the breed has known health issues that can mean extra vet visits.

Those are relative bands, not live prices. For real numbers across every pet we cover, see the pet cost study and the cost calculator.

Rescues do have Great Danes and Great Dane crosses, usually adults whose size, coat and temperament you can see rather than guess at.