"A Lifetime of Gentle Giants"

For many, like Taryn Delanie Smith, the love began in childhood, leading to a lifetime of responsible ownership and advocacy. Smith spent two years researching before adopting her Great Dane, Bruce, showcasing the passion required for the breed. Many enthusiasts, like Jane Perry (a London-based actress known for her voice work in Returnal and Hitman), are known for their deep devotion to the breed, often sharing stories of "chasing after a large Great Dane". The retired actress Anna Popplewell with regal grace and rumors of close bonds from her time on Narnia, the true magic lies in the real-world stories of girls and women who fall for the "Apollo of Dogs" and never look back. While discussing a shared passion for breeding or adopting Blue Great Danes across generations, the breed itself is widely celebrated as a "girl's best friend" due to its famously affectionate and loyal nature. The owners like Popplewell describe growing up with the breed and continuing to adopt them as adults, viewing each new dog as a continuation of a lifelong passion, when she chose to keep Great Danes for her entire life, often adopting one after another to maintain that unique presence in her home after she talked about the "long and lovely dream" of her beloved Great Dane.

Story added by benpopplewell on February 13, 2026