Both giants once served on large estates, but their build and feel differ. A Broholmer is heavier and more mastiff like, weighing 88 to 154 pounds, calmer in temperament, and marked by a black mask over a yellow coat. The Great Dane stands taller and more elegant, developed as a boar hound in Germany.
Start with the Broholmer's own numbers: giant size, 88 to 154 lb, 7 to 10 years, and 45 to 75 minutes of daily exercise. Any comparison has to start from a fixed record like this one. Owners describe a dog of gravity and sweetness: the manor house mastiff of Denmark, saved twice from extinction and devoted to its family with a giant's whole heart. Owners describe a dog of gravity and sweetness: the manor house mastiff of Denmark, saved twice from extinction and devoted to its family with a giant's whole heart.
Comparisons mislead when they stop at appearance: the breeds that look most alike often differ most in exercise, grooming and noise, which are the differences owners actually live with.
Energy scores 3 out of 5, the middle of the scale: the Broholmer needs its 45 to 75 minutes daily and then settles like a sensible dog. Grooming effort scores 2 out of 5, so the Broholmer's coat care is minutes a week: a brush, nails, ears and teeth on a simple rotation.
Context from the wider record: the Broholmer stands in the Working group, originates from Denmark, and carries a temperament summarised as Gentle, brave, devoted and steady.
The Broholmer's growth stages run 8 weeks at about 9 to 15 lb, 9 months at about 53 to 92 lb, 24 months at about 88 to 154 lb, ending at the adult range of 88 to 154 lb and 28 to 30 inches tall. Standard colors: yellow with black mask. Home ground: Denmark. The record groups the Broholmer with the Working breeds.
The stranger test summarises the social side: rated Wary of strangers, the Broholmer meets the world as this page describes. Owners who accept the terms upfront call the Broholmer easy; owners who discover them call the same numbers a burden. More questions about the breed are answered from the same record on the Broholmer profile and its sibling question pages.
Meet both breeds as adults before deciding, ideally in their owners' homes. An hour of real life with each tells you more than a month of photographs.
Compare the shedding scores directly: the Broholmer sits at 3/5. A point or two of difference is a real household difference over a year of vacuuming; identical scores mean the decision belongs elsewhere. Fashion is the worst reason to pick between breeds: needs outlast trends by about a decade.
Compare the health records, not the reputations: count the screened conditions and the typical lifespans, 7 to 10 years for the Broholmer. A breed with more listed conditions is often simply the breed whose clubs record more honestly. Borrowed experience helps: owners of both breeds in breed club forums answer comparison questions with a candour brochures never manage.
Insurers price the records, not the looks: the Broholmer insures at $57 to $102 a month. A rival with a heavier health record or a restricted breed listing will cost more before a single claim exists.
The Broholmer lifespan in full: what the range means, the life stages and the health checks that protect the top end.
The Broholmer with children, rated and explained: family life, supervision, other dogs and visitors.
The comparison answered from the records: size, temperament, workload and which household each breed suits.
Last updated: November 4, 2026