“The Great Dane, historians tell us, traces its lineage as far back as ancient Roman times, when it was bred as a hunter. But it was in medieval Germany that this branch of the Mastiff family became the breed we know today, and where it was called the “Deutsche Dogge.” The fearsome Wild Boar and magnificent Stag, among other beasts of the hunt, were the primary quarry of this noble canine.

Though the specifics of this particular member of that clan are lost in the labyrinth of history, we are certain of one thing: He was a proud member of a proud family, and stood head and shoulders above the pack. Today, we know him only as ‘Dane the Great.’”