Great Dane vs English Water Spaniel - Breed Comparison

English Water Spaniel is originated from United Kingdom but Great Dane is originated from Germany. English Water Spaniel may grow 35 cm / 13 inches shorter than Great Dane. English Water Spaniel may weigh 70 kg / 154 pounds lesser than Great Dane. Both English Water Spaniel and Great Dane has almost same life span. English Water Spaniel may have less litter size than Great Dane. Both English Water Spaniel and Great Dane requires Low Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Sporting dog
Companion dog
undefined
United Kingdom
Germany
Height Male:
49 - 51 cm
19 - 21 inches
76 - 86 cm
29 - 34 inches
Height Female:
45 - 47 cm
17 - 19 inches
76 - 86 cm
29 - 34 inches
Weight Male:
16 - 20 kg
35 - 45 pounds
54 - 90 kg
119 - 199 pounds
Weight Female:
14 - 18 kg
30 - 40 pounds
54 - 90 kg
119 - 199 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 14 Years
9 - 12 Years
Litter Size:
4 - 8
4 - 15
Size:
Medium
Giant
Other Names:
Water Dog, Water Rug
Apollo of Dogs, Dane, Deutsche Dogge
Colors Available:
liver and white
black or brindle - bi-color, Fawn
Coat:
dense, waterproof, doublecoated
Short and smooth
Shedding:
Moderate
Minimal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Independent, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Stubborn, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Social, Territorial
Grooming:
Low Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Moderate
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

The English Water Spaniel breed is extinct and has been since the early 1900’s. It was last seen in the 1930s. The breed was a hunting breed, diving for duck and hunting other waterfowl. Legend has it that Shakespeare was referring to this breed of dog in Macbeth when he refers to the “water rug”. Again, in Two Gentlemen of Verona one of the character states about another that “She hath more qualities than a water-spaniel.’

The English Water Spaniel came along before the Irish Water Spaniel and had a part in the development the Curly Coated Retriever, the American Water Spaniel and the Field Spaniel. The English Water Spaniel looks somewhat like a Poodle/Springer Spaniel cross or a Collie. It is not known whether the English Water Spaniel was part of the development of the Irish Water Spaniel.

When the English Water Spaniel was first developed the UKC had a “Water Spaniels other than Irish” and the English Water Spaniel had no standard written and accepted for it yet. But by 1967 the breed was extinct. Still the American Water Spaniel and the Flat Coated Retriever are believed to be descendants of the English Water Spaniel.

great daneKnown 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.

Description

Resembling the Springer Spaniel, poodle, collie and setter the English Water Spaniel has very little in common with the Irish Water Spaniel in respect to looks. The English has a narrow and somewhat longer head their than other spaniels and they have long furry ears. Their body is stout, and they are shaped like a barrel – more like a Clumber. With long legs and large feet, it is ready to take to the hunt. There coat was waterproof, and their toes were webbed.

great dane puppy - descriptionThe 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.

Characteristics

The English Water Spaniel was aloof with strangers but loyal with his hunter. He was a little stubborn and an excellent water dog. They loved being in the water and could enter it without making any noise so as not to frighten his prey. He was highly intelligent and trainable. He also was very affectionate with his people.

great dane dog - characteristicsThe 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.

Health Problems

The English Water Spaniel is a fairly healthy breed given to some fairly common disorders such as:

Hip Dysplasia

Can lead to lameness and arthritis

Cardiac abnormalities

Arterial fib and flutter and other problems that could lead to death.

Degenerative Myelopathy

This is a disease seem in several “Dwarf” breeds such as Corgis, as well as in many spaniels. This is the canine version of Lou Gehrig’s Disease or ALS and it is fatal.

great dane puppies - health problemsTypically 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.

Caring The Pet

Feeding

The English Water Spaniel is not an overly energetic dog and has a tendency to over eat. Feed him 1 to 1.5 cups of high quality dry dog food over two meals each day.

Health issues

In addition to the health issues mentioned earlier, the English Water Spaniel is also prone to:

Baldness

Pattern baldness – is genetic and occurs on the neck and back of the hind legs.

Cataracts

English Water Spaniels can have these in old age like most other breeds.

Retinal Dysplasia

Clumps form in the retinal tissue and can lead to blindness

Exercise and games

The English Water Spaniel was a worker and an outdoor athlete at a time before organized canine games and activities such as agility and flyball. They loved to swim, and they loved to hunt. Without a job to do they could become barky and destructive.

Diet:

great dane dogs - caringThis 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.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. English Water Spaniel vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  2. English Water Spaniel vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  3. English Water Spaniel vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  4. English Water Spaniel vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  5. English Water Spaniel vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. English Water Spaniel vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. English Water Spaniel vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. English Water Spaniel vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. English Water Spaniel vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. English Water Spaniel vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. English Water Spaniel vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. English Water Spaniel vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. English Water Spaniel vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  14. English Water Spaniel vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  15. English Water Spaniel vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  16. English Water Spaniel vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  17. English Water Spaniel vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  18. English Water Spaniel vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  19. English Water Spaniel vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  20. English Water Spaniel vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  21. English Water Spaniel vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  22. English Water Spaniel vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  23. English Water Spaniel vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  24. English Water Spaniel vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  25. English Water Spaniel vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Great Dane vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Great Dane vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Great Dane vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Great Dane vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Great Dane vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Great Dane vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Great Dane vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Great Dane vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Great Dane vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Great Dane vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Great Dane vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Great Dane vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Great Dane vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Great Dane vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Great Dane vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Great Dane vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Great Dane vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Great Dane vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Great Dane vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Great Dane vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Great Dane vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Great Dane vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Great Dane vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Great Dane vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Great Dane vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison