Do i really want a Great Dane. I do? Danes are the tallest of the giant breeds and among the most powerful. I have to ask myself, do i really relly, want a 130 lb. plus dog who thinks she's a Chihuahua? It is said that Great Danes are "people" dogs and should be kept as a close part of the family, NOT a kennel dog! I really had to think this one through. I also read up on Great Danes. Here are some of the things I found out that are important to know if I will raise a Great Dane, the "apollo of dogs":

1) Great Danes must be very well socialized with both people and other dogs from the time they are young puppies.

You know what happens with a dog that isn’t well socialized. It may feel stress around people or other dogs and possibly bite if provoked. If that happens with a toy poodle, someone could get their ankle bit, an unfortunate situation to be sure, but one you could possibly live with. But if a giant dog is not well socialized, the result can be very dangerous, even deadly.

What this means is that your Great Dane puppy must be introduced to other people and other dogs every day. At the park, in your car, up and down the neighborhood, when the pizza is delivered, in the supermarket parking lot.

Socializing your Great Dane cannot be stressed too much. Fortunately, it is easy to do. If constantly exposed to other dogs and people, Danes are naturally friendly. They love to play with other dogs and children and even get along with cats! We have rabbits ang turtles and cats at home.

You need not worry that socializing your dog will make him less of a watchdog! Danes are naturally protective of their home and family. The friendliest and best socialized Dane in the world will still prevent a burglar from entering your house when you are asleep or gone. It is simply in their genes.

2) Great Danes need plenty of room.

Although a Dane could concievably be raised in an apartment if it is taken out several times a day and given lots of exercise, it is much better if a Dane lives in a good-sized house and given regular access to a large, fenced yard. Please, if you do not have lots of room, consider a smaller dog.

3) You cannot adequately raise a Great Dane puppy if you live alone in an apartment and have a full-time job, unless you make extraordinary arrangements to leave your job in the middle of the day, every day, for an hour or more.

The only exception would be having someone else attend to your Dane during the day. You may think a walk in the morning and another in the evening is enough, but it is not, especially for a puppy.

Once your Great Dane is full grown and he has access to a fenced yard all day long, then you can leave for the whole day. But only then.

4) Great Danes must be well trained.

By this I don’t mean that your dog needs to get a blue ribbon at the local dog training school, although that would be nice. What I mean is that you must train your puppy daily until it is proficient at obeying basic commands. "Sit," "Stay," "Lie Down," "Heel," and "No," etc. Further, your dog must learn never to jump on people. They grow too large to do that!

5) Great Danes are indoor dogs.

Danes have short coats and no body fat. If you take them outside in the winter they feel the same cold air you feel. And unless they are running, they will shiver same as you. You absolutely cannot leave a Dane outside for long periods in cold climates! They are not like long-haired dogs.

Not only do Danes need a warm house to live in, they need a warm bed to sleep in. Further, the bed needs to be very well padded, or their elbows will become as worn out as yours would were you to lie on the floor. (We don’t recommend that you let your Dane in your bed, because they may run and jump into bed when you are sound asleep. Not only is a 150 pound surprise unpleasant in the middle of the night, it can be dangerous. And knee surgery to repair torn ligaments is expensive!) But because of their size and weight, a bed for a Dane must be thick and soft and warm enough that you wouldn’t mind it if you had to sleep in it.

6) Because Great Dane puppies grow so fast, they require a carefully chosen diet, supervised by a veterinarian.

You cannot just feed a Dane generic food from the supermarket. It has to be a premium brand with the correct vitamins etc. Again, veterinary input is essential, or you’ll end up with a malnourished dog.

7) You must purchase your Great Dane from a reputable breeder.

Investigate. Research. Ask questions. Get on the Internet. Check references. Look at lots of puppies. Get books on Great Danes and read them.

Unfortunately there are ignorant, disreputable and even unscrupulous breeders out there and they must not be patronized. Deal only with the best and you will be happy with your dog.

8) Great Danes require a substantial financial commitment.

A quality Great Dane puppy is very expensive to purchase. Their food bills are much higher than those of other dogs. Their vet bills are higher than those of other dogs. Their beds are more expensive than other dog’s beds. The nice teak dining room table they decide to eat the legs off of when they are teething is expensive! If you don’t have extra funds, please don’t buy a Great Dane.

Oh my God Do I Still Want A Dane?

:: Bing Sunday, October 19, 2003 [+] ::
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