Country/Date of Origin: Germany/2000 BC
This breed classified as a working dog by the American Kennel Club because it is used primarily as a guard today; the Great Dane was originally a hunting dog. Great Danes, the modern examples of which are of German origin in spite of the name, were bred to hunt wild boar. Indeed Boarhound was the first name it carried.
Danes were shown at some of the first dog shows given in the United States.