Kromfohrlander vs Great Dane - Breed Comparison | MyDogBreeds

Many troops of World War 1 and World War II would have some or other mascot that they would keep close to them as a reminder of home. The mascot would also inspire them, giving them hope to endure.

A Kromfohrlander dog, ‘Original Peter’ was one such mascot – a scruffy Terrier-type dog that army troops from the USA found in France.

This particular dog was accidentally mated with a Fox Terrier, with the breed essentially developing from the military dog from the 1940s. After 10 years of development, the Federation Cynologique Internationale accepted the breed in August, 1955.

It is still a rare breed, being found mainly in Germany.

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.

Fondly referred to as the Kromi or the Lander, the purebred Kromfohrlander, known as a companion dog, is medium sized.

Both males and females stand at roughly 38 – 46cm in height and they weigh about 9 – 16kg.

They have two different coat types – the smooth haired one and the rough haired one, both coming with a soft undercoat. The dog is a moderate shedder. If you really want to be smart then the smooth coat is referred to as Glatthaar and the wire-haired Rauhaar. The color of the coat is white with brown, orange tan markings with the ears and part of the face mostly covered in the brown/tan markings.

The head of the dog is fairly round shaped and he has half-erect, half floppy ears. His legs are straight and firm and the medium length isn’t docked.

Temperament:

The Kromfohrlander is known for being a loving family pet that loves nothing more than staying within reach of one of his human family members. This closeness with his people means that he can adapt to life in the city or the countryside, so long as he is with his humans.

Wherever he lives though, because he is such an active dog he will require a good dose of mental- and physical stimulation. He is a docile dog, but not timid and not aggressive either, being friendly and amicable by nature. He makes a great playmate for children and is willing to get along with other pets in the home too.

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 Kromfohrländer is one of those dogs that has been bred specifically to be man’s best friend.

When you delve into his history you see that he has never had any particular role as a working- or hunting dog but that he has been bred to be a companion animal.

He can’t be left alone for too many hours as his very nature makes it that he longs to be around his human family constantly. He is therefore not a dependant dog, relying totally on his human family for his sense of well-being.

Low maintenance, easy-going, loving, devoted, lively and social, when you bring the medium-sized Kromfohrlander into your home, it won’t be long before he will have crept into your heart as well.

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.

Feisty, energetic, full of life, entertaining and comical, your Kromfohrlander is intelligent too and with good care, exercise and lots of love your dog will maintain all these good characteristics and reach anything from 12 to 16 years of age.

However, there are some dog illnesses that could affect your dog such as hip dysplasia, ear- and eye infections such as lens luxation which can actually cause loss of vision, cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, bloat and others.

Dogs that are ignored in terms of getting enough exercise are prone to weight gain and this in itself can lead to joint disease and other illnesses.

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.

Grooming:

Your Kromfohrlander has two coat types - wirehaired or smooth. Don’t be overwhelmed by the brush and comb selections there are to keep his coat shiny ad healthy.

The idea is to simply choose a brush such as a bristle brush that can be used on all coat types. A brush like this will allow you to gently brush your pet’s coat to remove grass, dust and burrs and to make it a pleasant experience for your pet.

You want your Kromfohrlander to look forward to his brushing session. You can check him over for lumps, fleas and ticks at the same time.

Other grooming routines that your Kromfohrlander will need is nail clipping, checking inside and outside the ears for fleas and ticks as well as wax- and dirt build-up as well as teeth brushing. If teeth brushing for dogs is new to you there are pet groomers and even your vet who will offer this important service for you.

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.