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| Owning a Great Dane by Tammy Kinkade |
| The Great Dane combines, in its regal appearance, dignity, strength and elegance with great size and a powerful, well-formed, smoothly muscled body. It is one of the giant working breeds, but is unique in that its general conformation must be so well balanced that it never appears clumsy, and shall move with a long reach and powerful drive. It is always a unit-the Apollo of dogs. A Great Dane must be spirited, courageous, never timid; always friendly and dependable. This physical and mental combination is the characteristic which gives the Great Dane the majesty possessed by no other breed. It is particularly true of this breed that there is an impression of great masculinity in dogs, as compared to an impression of femininity in bitches. Lack of true Dane breed type, as defined in the American standard, is a serious fault.
Just what does this mean? It means that a Great Dane is big - 150 lbs. or more. He will tower over your toddler, and when he wags his tail really hard because he's happy to see you, you'd better protect your privates because that's right about where his tail is going to hit you. If you want a home that is pristine, with antiques and white carpet, a Great Dane may not be the dog for you. They drool, especially after they get a drink of water and then want to come put their head in your lap. They have really big feet, and that would be really big feet that can track in a lot of mud if it's been raining outside. An untrained Great Dane can do an immense amount of destruction. I've seen situations where a Dane has busted walls, broken furniture, chewed whole mattresses. Big dogs can equal big damage if they aren't socialized and trained. It also means that they eat a lot, and that they are not for owners without resources and the money to care for them. This doesn't mean that only "rich" people should own a Great Dane, but it does mean that you should plan for emergencies, like having a credit card just for emergency veterinary care. Just one emergency surgery with a dog the size of a Great Dane can START at $1,000 and just get higher from there. A credit card, never used, but with a sizable limit can mean the difference between life and death for a Great Dane. Nothing is worse than having to choose whether or not your dog lives because you can't afford his veterinary bills. One thing most long time Great Dane owners will tell you is - “He doesn’t know he’s a dog! He thinks he’s human!”. Get used to it. Great Danes, despite their size, despite their elegant bearing, despite everything you try - they’re going to worm their way into your heart, and onto your couch (or recliner or loveseat or any other piece of soft furniture they can find!). They are the ultimate “people” dog. They’d rather be lying on the couch with a head in your lap than anything else in the world. They’ll want to be with you every second of every day. They’ll follow you from room to room throughout the house, happier to relinquish that beloved spot on the couch and follow you, rather than lie in a room alone. You’ll learn that using the bathroom alone is a thing of the past, that you’d better leave the water run while you brush your teeth because he wants a drink, too! If left alone for extended periods of time, Great Danes can become destructive, aggressive and downright unhappy. And a destructive or aggressive Great Dane is one big package of trouble. It is not unusual for a dog this size to do some serious damage to a house if he is not trained and cared for correctly. To many, they will seem like high-maintenance pets. In truth, they probably are. They require a lot of love, a lot of positive attention, and a fair amount of training to prevent potential problems from animals of their size. But the unconditional love and loyalty a family will receive in return far outweigh the time or effort needed to create a large, loving companion from that cute little puppy that captured your heart. If you truly believe that you can handle the puppy that starts out as a 10 lb. ball of sweetness - please remember that he or she is going to GROW - AND GROW - AND GROW - AND GROW SOME MORE! The 9-10 week old puppy that you bring home may start out at 10-15 lbs., but is going to end up weighing anywhere from 100 to 200 pounds. And he, or she, is going to reach that size while he is, emotionally, still a puppy. If you have children, think of it this way... Could you handle a toddler, with all his curiosity and energy, if he weighed 150 pounds? That’s where obedience training comes in. The more you socialize your pup, the more well-adjusted that pup will be. Starting out in a structured puppy class will give you an idea how different a Dane’s personality is from most other dogs. They are inquisitive, but aloof. They are highly intelligent, but with a “stubborn” streak. You may be able to teach your pup to sit in a few short training sessions, but in the end, he will obey your command while giving you the look that says, “Okay, I did it, now what do I get out of it?” Because Great Danes can be very sensitive dogs, harsh training methods may only make your pup angry, timid, or fearful. Hitting a Dane as punishment is a definite no-no. They crave affection so much that mistreatment of any kind can make an otherwise good dog show fear aggression or cause them to withdraw and mope like a sad child. Their feelings are easily hurt. Great Danes must be kept as housepets. If you plan to own a Great Dane, don’t think for a second that you’re going to be able to tie it up to a dog house and leave it there. Danes have short fur, and are relatively thin skinned. They cannot withstand drastic changes in temperature, such as the cold of winter or the heat of summer. In summer, if left outdoors for extended periods of time, they can suffer from heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Harlequin colored Danes, in particular, are prone to sunburn if left outdoors or in the sun for too long. In winter they can easily suffer from frostbite or hypothermia because of their thin skin and lean body. Dogs are pack animals by nature – they cannot stand to be alone – and without other dogs around, you become of a part of their pack. Tying a Great Dane outside, alone, may cause aggression, biting, barking and other undesirable behavior. If you don’t intend to keep you dog as a housepet, don’t get one. They deserve to be a part of the family. And then there’s feeding. Great Danes require very specific nutrients, high quality food and feeding protocols. Not only is grocery store dog food an absolute “NO!” in terms of quality, it also does not meet the nutritional requirements of giant breeds, regardless of the marketing claims on the package or commercial - if you find it at a grocery or discount/department store, don’t buy it). This is one place where breeders will vehemently disagree with veterinarians and for good reason. Remember that breeders have years and years of experience in this one particular breed, where veterinarians learn only general nutrition for all dogs in one course in college!). You will learn to read nutritional labels and be able to decipher what is really in that package of processed dog food you’re about to buy. So, have we scared you off yet? If so, don’t feel bad. Great Danes, no matter how much we love them, are not meant for everyone. They take a certain amount of commitment, an understanding of their personalities and needs, oh yeah, and that sense of humor that we mentioned earlier! So, if you’re still with us. Read on! And welcome to the challenging, always funny world of the Great Dane. Your next assignment should be to research the breed appropriately... Check out the rest of BlueGreatDanes.net for more information about the breed's personality and the various "standards" around the world - the guideline a reputable breeder tries to re-create with every litter they breed. There are also great links there for finding a reputable breeder who will guarantee the health of their puppies, will provide you with a contract that spells out your rights and your duties when it comes to the puppy the breeder helps you choose. If housetraining a puppy doesn't seem like much fun, then please consider getting an adult dog from an approved Great Dane Rescue. There are hundreds of Rescues all over the country that take in Danes in need, Danes that have been dumped at shelters or given up by their owners. They take these wonderful dogs and give them some training, get them healthy, make sure they are spayed or neutered, and adopt them out to homes that fit their personalities. There are literally thousands of Great Danes in rescue at any one time, so check out the rescues in your area through Petfinder, or try the links below. Look at the faces, and know that adopting one of these rescues gives them a second chance that they will be eternally grateful for! Your next assignment should be to research the breed appropriately... Check out the rest of BlueGreatDanes.net for more information about the breed's personality and the various "standards" around the world - the guideline a reputable breeder tries to re-create with every litter they breed. There are also great links there for finding a reputable breeder who will guarantee the health of their puppies, will provide you with a contract that spells out your rights and your duties when it comes to the puppy the breeder helps you choose. If housetraining a puppy doesn't seem like much fun, then please consider getting an adult dog from an approved Great Dane Rescue. There are hundreds of Rescues all over the country that take in Danes in need, Danes that have been dumped at shelters or given up by their owners. They take these wonderful dogs and give them some training, get them healthy, make sure they are spayed or neutered, and adopt them out to homes that fit their personalities. There are literally thousands of Great Danes in rescue at any one time, so check out the rescues in your area through Petfinder, or try the links below. Look at the faces, and know that adopting one of these rescues gives them a second chance that they will be eternally grateful for! |