Welsh Terrier vs Great Dane - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Known as the Deutsche Dogge or Apollo of dogs, the giant-breed Great Dane hails from Germany and not Denmark as many people believe.

The large Great Dane has been around for about 400 years already. They descend from mastiff-like dogs, being needed to protect country estates.

In the 18th century, apart from watching over estates, they were also popular with the upper class for sport.

Originating in Wales and bred to hunt the Welsh Terrier might be the oldest dog breed from the U.K. still in existence today. They were bred to hunt badgers, rodents, and fox. Today however they are mostly bred for show and companionship.

There are only two breeds of terrier that are native to the country of Wales, the Welsh and the Black and Tan Rough Terrier. It is believed that the Welsh Terrier was descended from that Black and Tan Rough Terrier in the 18th and 19th centuries. The Welsh Terrier was separated out as a separate breed in the late 1700s.

This breed was hunting with the Otterhounds of Wales and was called a Ynysfor. At the same time their was a breed in England, the Old English Broken Haired Terrier. Both breeds were incredibly alike and once the Ynysfor or Welsh Terrier was recognized by the English Kennel Club in 1886. When shown together they were considered the same breed.

Even though all these dogs from Wales and England were considered to be Welsh Terriers, the breed was not recognized until 1886. It is currently on the list of threatened breeds, with only 300 puppies registered every year. They were the 45th breed to be recognized by the English Kennel Club and the AKC. They are recognized by 14 clubs and registries.

The Great Dame is a tall, lean, athletic, muscular, elegant looking dog. He can stand anything between 76–86cm in height and weigh around 54–90kg. The large head is long and narrow, and the medium sized floppy ears can be left or they can be cropped.

The tail is long and held low. The coat is short and smooth and can be in several colors such as fawn, black or brindle.

Temperament:

Any kind of aggressiveness was bred out of the Great Dane and today he is a gentle giant of a dog, getting on well with other dogs, children and everyone in his human family.

Even though he is a gentle giant, he will still require training and socialization just because of his size. Then they become the devoted pet that they are so well known to be. You'll want to know that when he comes indoors, he will obey you when you tell him to lie-down, sit or come, otherwise his sheer size will see him knocking things accidentally off table-tops.

He is an intelligent dog and is eager to please so he'll learn easily. He craves human companionship, so make sure that your social Dane has plenty of interaction with you.

The Welsh Terrier is a medium sized breed that is compact and sturdy. They had docked tails in the past, but the practice is now illegal in the U.K. The dog is about as long as it is tall. The head and face are elongated with a beard and whiskers. Females are smaller than males, but both are compact and sturdy.

Eyes are almond shaped, dark brown and small. The ears are small and V shaped. They should not be thin. The muzzle is square and strong with a black nose. The lips are tight and they are also black.

They have a double coat with is rugged and wiry on top and the undercoat is insulative and softer. The coat is waterproof and protects from wind and dirt as well. The puppies are all black until about 9 months when they become black and tan. The legs, head and underbelly are tan, with a black saddle.

The Welsh Terrier has wiry hair on the legs, muzzle and quarters. The hair is very dense in the top coat. Their gait and movement is straight, effortless and free.

The Great Dane is a large breed, bred to hunt wild boar. The intelligence, bravery and fearless nature of the dog meant that he was sought after for this task.

Known as the Apollo of Dogs, you won’t find the Great Dane being used for hunting purposes anymore, being more suited as a companion dog.

While developed as a working breed, today he is a well balanced, intelligent, calm, loving, social, dependable dog that just wants to be loved by his human family and to provide love, loyalty and companionship back in return.

1Children friendliness – The Welsh Terrier is good with kids and will follow them anywhere. They do want to play with the children by tugging on them and could cause a young child to fall. They can learn to play gently with small children.

2.Special talents – they love to swim.

3.Adaptability – They do fine in smaller indoor spaces as long as they have a robust exercise routine daily. They will be active indoors.

4.Learning ability -They are very smart, independent thinkers as can been seen by their ability to learn to play gently with small children. They need plenty of socialization early in life

Typically of giant dogs, the Great Dane doesn't have a particularly long life-span and will live to be about 8 to 10 years of age. Also, giant-breed dogs like this are susceptible to what is known as bloat.

You'll notice it because there is swelling of the stomach with gas buildup and also twisting of the stomach. It's a life-threatening condition and you'll need to get your dog to the vet as soon as possible. You can combat it by feeding him smaller, more frequent meals and perhaps buying a slow-feeder dish, forcing your hungry pet to eat slower and not gulp his food down.

Also, large dogs like this can develop hip dysplasia and with a dog like the Great Dane, it takes a while for the bones and joints to grow and then become stable. That is why it is important not to make him do any vigorous exercise till he is at least 18 months of age, as these exercises can put a lot of stress on the joints and bones which can lead to hip dysplasia later on.

Health Problems

The Welsh Terrier is a fairly healthy hunting dog, though they do have some health issues.

• Skin irritations and allergies

• Onychodystrophy – Nails grow weak and are very brittle. They can break easily and cause pain, irritation and even infections.

• Primary lens luxation – causes secondary glaucoma which can cause blindness.

• If hunting, they are exposed to hunting injuries and should be checked over well after a field adventure, whether hunting or in field trials.

Diet:

This is a large dog so you’ll notice that with commercially manufactured dog foods, there are those made specially for large- or giant breeds. It is important to choose the right dog food for his large size so that you can be sure he gets the right amount of nutrients in for him to grow strong and healthy.

If you aren't sure about what food would most benefit your Great Dane, ask your vet. While it is important to also feed him quality home-made food and raw meat, when buying kibble for him,check the label of the food you buy him and make sure that the concentration of protein isn’t more than 23 to 25%.

Remember to provide him with a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Grooming:

Brush your Great Dane’s coat at least twice a week. He has a short, smooth coat so it will be easy, and the brushing will keep his coat soft and shiny. Use this time to also check for fleas and ticks or lumps. You will also need to check his nails and trim them if they don’t trim down on their own.

Exercise:

Your Great Dane will need to be exercised every day if you want him to maintain his lean, muscular shape. It keeps him happy too. He isn’t the kind of dog though that you want to turn into your running partner when you go jogging or cycling. He can go on a walk and play in the garden, but the exercising shouldn’t be for long periods of time.

His first checkup:

Every puppy needs to get to the vet for his first check-up when he is 6 weeks of age, and your Dane will also have to. As a puppy he will need to be de-wormed which will happen with this 6 week check up. He will also be vaccinated for distemper.

1.Feeding the puppy – the breed is prone towards obesity so do not overfeed wither the puppy or the adult. Watch the calorie level and make sure they get high quality, high protein feed meant for the breed or for medium sized dogs. Feed the puppies small amount 3-4 times per day.

2.Feeding the adult - the breed is prone towards obesity so do not overfeed wither the puppy or the adult. Watch the calorie level and make sure they get high quality, high protein feed meant for the breed or for medium sized dogs. Feed the adult at least 2 times per day.

3.Points for Good Health stamina

4. Games and Exercises Full of energy and requiring a routine outlet for that energy, the Welsh Terrier is an active dog. Just running around a fenced yard all day will not be enough physical and mental stimulation for them. If bored they can get into trouble. They need a job or a challenge. They love to swim and they love to chase. They do well in agility, field trials and barnhunt.