Great Danes have taken center stage with the release of “Marmaduke,” and the American Kennel Club® (AKC®) and the Great Dane Club of America would like to remind moviegoers about the importance of making wise, educated decisions when it comes to adding a dog to the home.

“The Great Dane Club of America hopes that anyone who sees this movie and becomes interested in having a Great Dane as a pet does their research to make sure it’s the right breed for their lifestyle,” said Dave Miller, President of the Great Dane Club of America. “Everything is bigger when you own a Great Dane. They eat a lot of food and take up a lot of space in your home and car. We recommend that families meet several full grown adult Great Danes to make sure they understand how large this breed really is.”

The movie, distributed by Twentieth Century Fox, follows the story of “Marmaduke,” a loveable, accident-prone Great Dane whose family moves from a small town in Kansas to the big city of Los Angeles.  Great Danes have gentle and loving dispositions.  Adults are calm and well-behaved when in the house but puppies can be more clumsy and rambunctious. Great Danes are quick learners, but they need early obedience training because of their size and strength.

Great Danes have been around for centuries, and have played an important role in pop culture and our lives throughout the years.  Here are a few fun facts from the AKC:

• Marmaduke isn’t the only famous Great Dane.  Astro from the beloved cartoon “The Jetsons” and Scooby Doo himself are both Great Danes. 
• The breed’s most recent claim to fame comes from Giant George, a blue Great Dane from Arizona.  Weighing in at 245 lbs. and measuring 7’3” from his nose to the end of his tail, The Guinness Book of World Records named Giant George the world’s tallest dog ever.
• A member of the Working Group, the Great Dane is the 21st most popular breed in the United States, according to the 2009 American Kennel Club registration statistics. 
• The Great Dane’s name is the English translation of the breed name in French: grand Danois, meaning "big Danish."
• The Great Dane is a very old breed, cultivated as a distinct type for probably 400 years, if not longer.
• The breed was originally developed by the Germans to hunt boar, a ferocious animal.  When no longer used for hunting, the breed changed to one of a companion and estate guard dog.

For those looking to add a Great Dane to their home, AKC recommends that potential dog owners contact the Great Dane Club of America to obtain information about responsible breeders in their area.

See more information about getting a dog from a responsible breeder.

See more information about the breed and the Great Dane Club of America.

Iif you are in the New York City area, meet Great Dane experts in person at Meet the Breeds on October 16th and 17th at the Jacob Javitz Center.  Visit www.meetthebreeds.com for more details.