These dogs were bred in the courts of German nobility, independent of the English methods, since the start of the 17th century.The dogs were used for hunting bear, boar, and deer at princely courts, with the favorites staying at night in the bedchambers of their lords. These Kammerhunde (chamber dogs) were outfitted with ornate collars, and helped protect the sleeping princes from assassins.While hunting boar or bears, the Englische Dogge was a catch dog used after the other hunting dogs to seize the bear or boar and hold it in place until the huntsman was able to kill it. The black patches should never be large enough to give the appearance of a blanket, nor so small as to give a stippled or dappled effect. Great Danes, like most giant dogs, have a faster metabolism. This results in more energy and food consumption per pound of dog than in small breeds.