You probably think the "great" in "Great Dane" refers to the dog's immense size, right? Naahhhhh...it actually means "great" as in "wonderful"! Anyone who has ever owned a good Dane will agree: it's just about the best dog in the entire world of canines!

Why so, you might ask. Great Danes are smart. If they have sufficient interaction and guidance from humans, they become very well mannered. Even without formal training, Danes learn an incredible number of words and gestures from you. Heck, my big boys mind much better than my grandchildren do! And they never beg for toys or to go to Wally World, either. They're perfectly content to just be near you - no matter where you are or what you're doing.

Danes honestly believe they're part of the family and behave as such. Their feelings are hurt when they're left alone for too long, so if you're not home most of the time, I strongly suggest getting your big pal a companion. They fret when they get lonely, and believe me, a 150-pound dog with inch-long teeth can be very destructive. These gentle giants do not do well as kennel dogs, either. They want to be inside, with the rest of the family!

These gentle giants are also kind and understanding. They have amazing patience with kids and don't mind if the children pull their ears, poke them, or prod them. In fact, my dogs love it when the grands ride them. They also like the kids to hold onto their tails, allowing the little ones to "ski" on the hardwood floors.

Danes make great watch dogs, too. They're not aggressive, but they look and sound menacing when someone or something comes into the yard. This might include a stranger, an errant squirrel, a raccoon, or a "Men Working" sign that's flapping in the breeze. This leads me to another point: This is the only breed I know that has a sense of humor. If a Dane does something that makes you laugh, he'll repeat the action and watch for your response. They are real clowns!

Great Danes are more compassionate and intuative than most humans I know. Whenever I feel sad or disappointed, they somehow sense it. They come and lay their huge heads on my lap and look up at me as if to say, "It's okay, Mommy. We're here for you." In Great Danish, however, it comes out more as, "Rit's rokay, Rommy. Re're rere ror rue."

Danes, believe it or not, are excellent inside dogs. Some dogs get destructive when you don't give them a job to do, but Great Danes don't need a job. They need a sofa...and a TV. They have slow metabolisms and are lazy - totally couch potatoes. That's a good thing. They don't require nearly as much food as you'd think. They're not clumsy, either, and most of them do not have the "drooling gene," thank goodness.

Do yourself a favor and purchase or adopt the "Apollo of dogs." He'll be the best furkid you've ever had.