Great danes?

[Julia73]

I wanted some information on great danes if there is anyone on here that owns one. I have allways been interested in the breed and lately have thought about getting one. I have done some research and actually found an EXTREMELY reputable breeder very close to my home. I don't want to jump into something that I know nothing about so I would like to hear everyones opinions on the breed especially from those that have or do own now great danes. Thanks in advance!

Julia

[PaleoNM]

I wanted some information on great danes if there is anyone on here that owns one. I have allways been interested in the breed and lately have thought about getting one. I have done some research and actually found an EXTREMELY reputable breeder very close to my home. I don't want to jump into something that I know nothing about so I would like to hear everyones opinions on the breed especially from those that have or do own now great danes. Thanks in advance!

Julia


Julia~
I have been blessed with having Great Danes since 1995....they have all been wonderful dogs! I don't think I can say enough good about these glorious animals. I have had 3 blacks , 1 brindle, and a fawn and have loved them all uniquely equally. I have always had children around and the Danes I have had/have are the true Gentle Giants. They definitely have the ability to have the knowledge of manners, but from time to time they simply throw their weight into the situation and won't budge, but with a simple snap and level voiced command will comply with your wishes. They love couches, beds or any place that provides padding...which is usually my bed....but I don't mind, they are that special and loving.
And in my opinion a more loyal dog you cannot find anywhere. They know who loves them and will love back, unconditionally for both parties.
I have never had a Dane that chewed up things around the house, but I have always given them their "stuff" and they seem to be happy with their "treasures." The only Dane that was inclined to chew up personal belongs was one of my blacks, Ms. Pepper, who insisted upon chewing up, not mine, but my significant others items. He would put them on the highest shelf and that damn dog would get his stuff and challenge the integrity of all his belongings. I think Ms. Pepper was trying to be Alpha...and, she won. I, personally, enjoyed the challenge between dog and "Man"....she was definitely trying to make a statement.
The others were perfectly content to just exist, be loved, run and lay down on softness.
My brindle, Ms. Sadie lived to be almost 15 years old....she was a rescue who had been trained into submission, but once I got her (I was pregnant at the time and a bit concerned about such a abused Dane being around a baby) and convinced her that life was good on the other side, she was a thrill to have in my life. Her thanks and kindness in being included in the family continued on until the day she died.
The black Dane I have now I rescued from the Humane Society, and all of my boys and I went down to hang out with Mambo and get a feel for him....he has been nothing less than fantastic.
They are easy to train to go outside...they tend to drink loud and excessively during the night, especially during puppy-hood, and love to sniff the wonders of nature. I have been fortunate enough to live in the Mountains and by the Beach with my Danes (but lots of land is not necessarily a prerequisite of having such a big dog...they love to "chill" most of the time, preferably in heat or air conditioning depending on the climate) , they love the outside, usually just laying on the porch or the shore, front paws crossed as if they knew the caliber of royalty they really possessed and just be with their "people."
I am a proud human of a Great Dane.
If you need specific questions answered I can give you my take on it. I do no profess knowledge of a breeder, though I did breed my brindle for two litters of 12 to 13 pups each litter) but I know as a dog lover, a mom and a person owned by a Dane that they are awesome "dogs," though actually all mine have become family members and were looked upon as such.
(PS - All my Danes have loved the car and riding....Mambo has covered approximately 15, 000 miles across the US and gets a little antsy when we don't do road trips regularly)
Anyway, hope this helps...look into Great Dane rescue sites within your area....you will probably be pleasantly surprised to find that you can find one who needs a home unless your goal is to breed or show them...then other avenues must be taken.
Good luck on your quest!
~Cookie

[shadowfacedanes]

Here's my page for anyone considering a Great Dane:

http://www.leansnslobbers.net/soyouwantagreatdane.html

It's kind of done in humor....here is the page I did on Frequently Asked Questions that may me of more help:

http://www.leansnslobbers.net/FAQ.html

They are WONDERFUL dogs and I'll never be without one, but you need to make sure you know what you're getting into when you bring one home.

They are velcro dogs, and they are very sensitive despite their size. They need loads of affection and attention.

They can be quite quirky, but hey, to me that's part of their charm.

:)

[luvmypooches]

The good thing about Danes(I own one and my previous roommate breeds them) is that they are so laid back-usually. Except for puppy hood, a well balanced dane just loves to hang out in the house and take up the couch. One thing I really like is that they are so clean and easy to train. They are much easier to potty train than other breeds I've had. They keep themselves quite clean and like it that way. Even though they are so big, they really don't eat a whole lot. My dane eats 6 cups of food a day and she is pretty chubby. I don't exercise her a lot though because when I got her her knees were sprained so we just go for shorter walks. They do have a lot of skeletal problems so it is very important to feed them the right food. They also bloat a lot which sometimes is caused by food change or too much exercise after eating or feeding once a day. Sometimes though, there is no warning to it, they just drop dead. Although this has never happened to one of my dogs, but I have known a lot of people this happened to. Danes don't live that long in my experience so it is heartbreaking to lose your dog at 7. They are totally worth it though :)