Danes

[DanL]

OK, my wife is looking at a dog to replace Midnite. We're not looking to do anything real soon, just starting to research things right now. I'm trying to have her wait so we're not doing anything rash and on a rebound effect from our loss of Midnite. We've both always been fascinated with Great Danes, they are such a majestic breed. We went to a meet and greet today that a rescue was sponsoring. There were 2 there. One was huge, 200lbs easy. The other was tall but only 120lbs or so, definitely a managable size. They were like giant versions of our pug Bruzer- looking for love and nothing else. Aside from the height, the smaller guy really wasn't much bigger than Gunnar. Gunnar definitely has a larger head and thicker neck and body.

Any dog we get, we're looking for a female, not wanting to introduce another male with the 2 boys we have now especially if it's a rescue and is a mature dog. I'd like to go the rescue route, but it's such a crap shoot on what you get, so we're also starting to look at breeders.

Does anyone have any experience with Danes? Anything we should be looking for? I notice that a lot of the whiter colors have vision or hearing problems.

Thanks for any tips.

 

[Buddy'sParents]

I am so jealous.

Good luck in your search.

Any dog would be lucky to have you!

 

[showpug]

I owned a Great Dane for 4 wonderful years and must admit that no dog will ever come close to having a heart like he did. A truly incredible breed of dog to say the least. Our dane was the type of dog that we didn't have to say a word to and he still just understood. He was such a goofy, clumsy, noble, stoic and protective creature that I truly trusted with my life. Unfortunatley, they are nicknamed the "heartbreak breed for a reason"...a lot of them do just that as did ours. The breed as a whole is plagued with severe health issues. Our was from a horrible BYB. When we went to look at him, I knew I should have walked away but I couldn't leave him. His whole life was a battle for health, but we are so pleased we had the time we did because it was beyond worth it.

So, if you are looking for a dane they are great dogs. It's important that people looking to own a dane understand their size. It may not look like much until you live with one. Our great dane could lick a pot while it was cooking on the stove and potentially burn himself if we didn't watch him. He could DROOL to say the least. We didn't have a room in the house without a drool rag present. When he would shake his head, it wasn't uncommon for drool to fly across the room and greet you. :yikes: You would also have to make sure you can fit the dog in your car. Our great dane was large. He was 36'' at his withers and 170 lbs. He ate 10 cups of food a day and was a hard keeper. I know you feed raw so it may not be as much of an issue.

So, after all that rambling, I can honestly say that my great dane was my heart and soul. I will never forget his love, devotion and courage. They are truly an incredible breed in every way...

 

[SisMorphine]

I love Great Danes. They were one of the handful of breeds that I was looking at before I got my pup. In fact, of all the Dane's I've met (I work with dogs for a living so I've met quite a few) there was only ONE that I didn't like (he was severely aggressive . . . very scary). The reason that I shied away from the breed was because of their numerous health problems and their very short lifespan. But if those are things that you are prepared to deal with, their temperment is fantastic (provided it's from a responsible breeder, of course) and I LOVE their size!!

Here is a pic of my Greyhound Wally, who can counter surf without even trying, standing next to a 1 year old Great Dane pup who weight only 125 as he hadn't filled out yet:

They're some big-a$$ dogs

 

[DanL]

The ability to find a good breeder is a huge concern for us. So is the cost of food, whether raw or quality kibble. The lady with the smaller guy fed raw, and he didn't eat any more than Gunnar does even though he was 35-40lbs heavier. It all depends on the dog's activity level and metabolism.

 

[SisMorphine]

I got fantastic recommendations for a breeder in MA and a breeder in Ohio, both of Harlequins, let me know if you're interested in their names.

 

[showpug]

The ability to find a good breeder is a huge concern for us. So is the cost of food, whether raw or quality kibble. The lady with the smaller guy fed raw, and he didn't eat any more than Gunnar does even though he was 35-40lbs heavier. It all depends on the dog's activity level and metabolism.

If you don't go with rescue then a good quality breeder is beyond vital if you decide on a dane.

Look for someone that does all the health screens and someone who has been breeding danes for a long time so you can see and talk to them about the longevity of their lines.

There are plenty of good breeders out there.

 

[ihartgonzo]

We met the SWEETEST black Dane at the dog park yesterday. His name was Spencer, and he was such an adorable, lovable, goofy guy. He was also very submissive and he even played with Fozzie... who is at least 20" shorter than him! He loved his owner, and would greet other people happily, but when she would walk away, he was very attentive to follow her. He also gave me a hug, which was adorable!

I have met quite a few Danes, and most of them had a very similar personality. They're awesome dogs! Just make sure, if you're looking into breeders, you go to a reputable breeder & meet the parents. I have seen 1 or 2 aggressive Danes, which is not natural at all for the breed.

Also, I know some one who raised a Dane on Raw, and he was very healthy & happy! It didn't cost too much, either!

 

[shadowfacedanes]

Dan, if you have any specific questions, I'd be happy to help you. I have a bum arm right now (From my dane ) so I can't type out all I'd love to share with you.

You can also visit my website and my message board for more dane info.

The link to my site is www.leansnslobbers.net and there is a link to the message board there as well.

Sorry I can't help much more right now. I'd even be happy to PM you my phone number, as talking is much easier than typing for me right now.

 

[Jynx]

an aunt of mine had two danes, and they were both awesome, loving dogs.

ya know Dan I wouldn't "discount" the rescue route,,tho you may get a little bit older dog, a really good rescue is going to have done it's homework, on the dogs temperament and structural health at that point..I can see why they are called a heartbreak breed, my aunts passed away way to soon.

Good luck in your search!!
Diane

 

[DanL]

Thanks for the comments, I knew this was the right place to ask.

We found the extremes of breeders already. One guy has 2 girls and a boy. They breed whenever they are in heat so they have 2 litters a year. He wants $1000 for a puppy with no guarantees. We didn't even get to asking if his adults have been heath screened. His guarantee is "take it to your vet, if he says it's healthy, thats your guarantee. If not, bring it back, I'll take it to my vet, and the vets can discuss it". RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN, FAR AWAY.

The other breeder we found is on the Great Dane association list. She give a 5 year guarantee for any disease that causes the dog to be put down prematurely. She has in her contract that if you can't keep the dog she gets it back, no 3rd party transfers. She has things about certain vaccines and what to feed in her contract. We haven't talked to her yet, but his is more of the kind of breeder we want to go into more detail with. She's about an hour away, in Maryland.

shadowface, I'm copying your web link to my wife so she can check out your site. This is the kind of info I wanted her to see.

Thanks again everyone, keep 'em coming!

 

[showpug]

The second breeder you mentioned sounds like a good start. With danes, there are also color ethics which can give you a heads up as to if they are reputable or not. If you find someone who is breeding a Harlequin to a fawn then run far away!

And in case you haven't visited here yet: http://www.gdca.org/
If you go to the breeders list, you can look up breeders by location. It even lists all their information and health screens right there for you to view.

 

[FoxyWench]

join leans and slobbers, WONDERFULL forum with an amazing amout of greatinformation.

things to rember about the breed, there HUGE AND CLUMSY! they are pups untill 2 yrs old and even after that point tend to be clumsy dogs, you also have to rember that tail can clear off a coffe or side table without the dog realizing, so all breakables and nicnaks need to be at least 6ft off the ground.
Countersurfing can be an issue, remember these dogs heads come at counter height, leave anything good smelling on your counter and when you blink it will magically have dissapeard.
ice and water dispensers in your frige usually have to be disconected. ive yet to meet a dane whos not smart enough to learn how to use both and you come home to a flooded kitchen and every other room because ice cubes are fun to throw around the house lol.
ane related injuries are high, headbutts can leave a thick lip, busted nose or black eye, ive heard of danes breaking their owners foot when accidently stepping on toes. bruises on legs from a danes tail wagging is not uncommon.
and dane related incidents are generlaly fairly high, many dane owners ive known have lost their favorite couches, coffee tables and lampshades.
these dogs also 100% truly belive they are lap dogs, theres nothign they enjoy more than stealing your entire couch (becuase lets face it when a dane sparwls out theres no room for you to share the couch lol) stealing your bed, and blocking the entire veiw to your giant tv during the most inopportune times.
you also have the problem that these dogs generally love to go everywhere with you, have a tiny car...prepare to upgrade to an suv or minivan.
food itself isnt as much as a problem as many would think, yes they are big dogs and consume alot but if you already rawfeed and can buy your meat in bulk its cheaper than feeding kibble...
there actually very good inside dogs once beyond the clumsy stage, so long as your prepared to secure anything breakable above the 6ft height lol.
oh and drool and shed, unfortunatly this breed is good at both lol.

if you can deal with all that,
a dane is a WONDERFULL family companion, they are love bugs and adore their people, they have a heart as big as they are, and agreed, heartache comes with the territory, even 20 years isnt long enough with a dane.
they can be a little dog agressive so a good breeder and lots of socilization is key, so long as there raised around other dog there usually ok.
they can also be protective of their people.
of course training is 100% important with this breed. especially on leash.

i had a dane, his name was king, he was 100% bilaterally deaf, and brought morelove and light to life than anything ive ever know.
we worked with handsignals and got our cgc certificate and whent on to work with deaf children.
these dogs are true gentle giants.

Im hopefully getting a Harl Male in March!
im very excited.

average height for a female is 32" aparently, a 200lb male is a big boy, most of the males ive met are around the 34-36" 180lb mark and most of the females ive met were around 32-34" 160lb ish

 

[hanslynch]

Definately Join Leans and Slobbers

I am a dane owner and leans and slobbers is a great forum. The only challenge is when I see all of those dane pictures I want to get another one to birng my total to three dogs.

Danes are really wonderful and my personal favorite breed. Just read up on the breed because you will get tons of questions whenever you go anywhere. Everytime I go anywhere at least one person who wants to know all about Great Danes.

All the best,

Hans

 

[DanL]

Foxy, lol @ your post! We're pretty experienced with the issues a moderately large dog brings- fat lips, clearing of coffee tables with tails, things of that nature, as our German Shepherd shares all of that with us. I'm sure that a dog that is 8" taller will bring a new set of challenges though.

We're continuing our research, and I really appreciate all the comments and advice so far. There are so many great breeds out there, but this is one that we've always been fascinated with. MY choice would be another GSD, but this one is going to be more my wife's dog, and she wants a big lapdog that isn't quite so demanding as a GSD as far as activity level goes. She wants a dog she can train in the basics and have it be reliable and well behaved, and that's pretty much it. Not like Gunnar who is continually being worked and taken to new levels, and needs so many outlets for his energy. It seems like the Danes are smart dogs but are more content to hang around the house with you and not need to be doing something every waking hour like the GSD. She's also talked about doing therapy work and it seems like a Dane would be a great dog for that.

Luckily we bought a conversion van last spring, for the main reason of hauling Gunnar around, so it will work out well for a Dane. We also have the largest cage you can get, that we got for Gunnar, so we're fixed up there too for training purposes. Hopefully my ability to work at home remains, and my wife has summers off from school, so if we get a dog in late spring, like we did with Gunnar, by fall it'll be well on it's way to being trained.

 

[Zoom]

Sounds like you've got a pretty good start to your research. Good luck! I like most of the danes that come into work, especially this one big blue male named Zeus. Zeus totally thinks he is a lap dog and will lay the upper half of his into MY lap and try to give hugs. Standing up on his hind legs. I call him my Pony Dog.

 

[FoxyWench]

sounds like your well prepared to add a gentle giant to your home.
they generally are calm dogs, be prepared for the zoomies, a sudden burst of energy in whihc your dane will just want to run round the house and garden, as soon as you see sighns of this behaviour turff out into garden to avoid dane using house as racetrack lol.

otherwise, sounds perfect.
they do need basic training of course, and most go through a teen stage and extra fear stages that need a little extra help and training consistency, but in general there very smart, and do WONDERFULLY with therapy work (there also the perfect height for the bed ridden and wheelchairs!)
they were origionally mastifs bred to sighthounds, so there very sensitive, and will sulk, but due to their size need a kind but strong hand to train and handle them.
but your right most danes dont need to be on the go 24/7 which is always a nice bonus when you cant dedicate 100% of your time to working a dog, a dane will be more than happy to curl up on the couch and wait for you to finnish.
definatly join LnS but otherwise sounds like youd be a great dane home!
good luck on your search! oh and LOTS of pictures when you find that special one!

 

[Barb04]

FoxyWench, which breeder are you getting your pup from?

I really love the danes. Right now I have Max, Anatolian Shepherd, who is almost 35" at the withers so I know what a tall dog is all about.

 

[FoxyWench]

the pup im looking at is actually a "rescue", hes currently being handraised.
he came from an accidental litter. the mother wouldnt feed so my professor at school took the litter and has been handraising them. The "breeders" plan was to eventualy breed their new male to thier female, but not untill they both finnished the cgc and the male got his championship. their son left the gate open and the 13 month male got to their 2 yr old female. pregnancy whent well but at birth she let the pups feed once then decided "work" was more important and abandoned her pups.
i know its not the best situation, and a good breeder is important, but evey pup deserves a chance, and my previous dane was a rescue case too.

hes doing real well though, hes one of 7 survivors out of a litter of 13, hes a heavy but well marked harl, but im prepared for blindness or deafness (hes got sky blue eyes) im also prepared for the behaviour problems that a handraised litter can bring, and luckily have a gret relationship with a vet whos familiar with wobblers and other common dane health problems so have prepared for the worse. and of course he'll be neutered and pexied when the vet says hes ready.
fingers crossed it wont come to any health problems, it feels like fate, ive been looking for a "special needs" harl male for the past few years, and this little boy comes along at just the right timing. so we'll see, with the chis, his temperment has to match too...
im not counting my chickens but i have first refusal of the male i want when hes old enough. so its all realy pending a temperment test.

i LOVE anatolians too! there gorgeous!!!

heres my potential boy, hes 2 weeks old and his eyes are just starting to open.
hes almost 4lbs already

 

[RD]

Don't have anything to add, but wanted to wish you luck, DanL!

Foxy, that pup is absolutely adorable. Please keep us updated on how he's doing!