Our work starts where the work of the breed clubs ends

But why do we need an association, you may ask, there are so many great dane clubs? Yes it’s true, there are plenty of breed and kennel clubs around the world. But in most of those clubs the administration of the breed and the organisation of shows are the main focus, whereas health only plays a secondary role.
But the Great Dane has an average life expectancy of only around 6,5 years and is stricken by several hereditary diseases, such as the heart disease DCM, bone cancer or stomach torsion and many others. But not only genetically the great dane is in a crisis, it also changed a lot in phenotype in the last decades. In Continental Europe there started the trend in the 1980ies to deform the “Apollo of dogs” into a heavy and clumsy hulk with huge amounts of loose skin and extra weight. And also the temper of the great dane suffers from high inbreeding and selection almost only for the look. So when we talk about the great dane’s health, we mean the holistic health of body and mind, from outside (phenotype) and inside (genotype). 
We as fanciers of the breed feel obliged to do everything in our power to improve the situation of the great dane. Our work is based on three columns: Information, Communication and Research.