The Deutsche Dogge was a formidable hunting dog bred by German nobility in the 17th and 18th centuries, its strength, speed, and courage second to none.

So, of course, people wanted to sleep with them.

The dogs, not the nobility. Although…

But we get ahead of ourselves.

The breed we know today as the Great Dane once hunted dangerous game for their German nobles (think wild, tusked boar and big, clawed bears). Firearms, however, eventually reduced the need for close-quarters hunting with arrows or knives, and the breed was repurposed as an elite protector and status symbol.

Before we go on, it’s worth noting that German nobility was notably fond of categorizing things-especially themselves. German aristocracy was highly structured, with an elaborate hierarchy and a strong emphasis on precise classification. They divided themselves by rank, title, and the region or territory of their domain or origin. They even split based on the age of their lineage: Ancient Nobility (Uradel) versus Brief Nobility (Briefadel). Was their rank ecclesiastical or secular? And what about the parents? The legitimacy and status of noble offspring depended on the rank of both parents. Both mother and father had to be of equal noble rank for their children to fully inherit noble rights and privileges, and Germans were unforgiving. The rule was strictly enforced. The higher the rank, the more rigid the adherence.

We lay this out to offer a better understanding that there was also a hierarchy of “Canine Prestige.” Put another way, German princes meticulously categorized their dogs based on appearance and ability as well.

Ordinary-or “common”-hunt dogs were referred to as Englische Docken. These “second-tier” dogs, also known as Leibhunde, were given silver collars and kept close to their noble owners, but they probably slept in special kennels near-but outside-the noble residence.

If you were a Great Dane owned by a German noble, you wanted to be Kammerhunde. These were the most prized dogs, selected for their size, beauty, and loyalty. Their collars were soft, velvet-lined, gilded, and adorned with fringe, and they not only slept on bearskins or padded beds-they slept in their lord’s bedchamber. This was a big deal.

Kammerhunde, which literally means “chamber dogs,” were the elite among the Great Danes. Their primary role was to protect their noble owners from assassins and any danger that could occur in the night. These dogs became enduring symbols of German aristocratic luxury, their image immortalized in art and literature. More than that, many breed experts believe that Kammerhunde had a profound impact on the breed today. Only the soundest, best-mannered dogs served as Kammerhunde-privileged companions. By the 1800s, German breeders were intentionally selecting for dogs with the traits required to serve as Kammerhunde, a selective breeding that laid the foundation for the modern Great Dane’s famously gentle, patient, and affectionate temperament.

Image: “Sleeping Dog” by Bertha van Hasselt, a lithograph on paper rendered in 1930, is in the public domain