Author Topic: Great Dane Info Please  (Read 5310 times)

Offline melissajean

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Great Dane Info Please
« on: September 03, 2007, 07:46:07 pm »
Hi,
My name is Melissa. Im interested in perhaps adding a Great Dane to my family. I have a few other breeds Im looking into also. But I do have some questions about Great Danes I was wondering if you Dane owners could answer for me?
1~How are they with children? I have a 4 year old son. I will never leave them unsupervised,andnever let Shane (My son) tease the dog in any way, but I would like a dog that will get along with him and play with him.
2~How are they with other critters?
3~How much exersize a day do they need as adults?
4~What aresome health problems Great Danes can have? How do you prevent them,and/or how they are treated
5~What are some pros and cons?

Feel free to add anything else you think I should know that I didnt add. Feel free to brag or vent lol
Thank you :)
~Melissa~

Offline melissajean

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Re: Great Dane Info Please
« Reply #1 on: September 03, 2007, 08:37:18 pm »
Thanks Julie.
We have a few critters here so thats why I asked. Me and my sis have 8 rattie girls. We had 15 rats, but we lost some. I also have a Budgie (Parakeet) And Shane said he wants a kitten when we get our own place.
Ill check out that thread, thank you :)
~Melissa~

bigdogs@5501

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Re: Great Dane Info Please
« Reply #2 on: September 03, 2007, 10:45:46 pm »
Melissa-
I responded to you on the Pyr thread, but I also have 3 Danes. I consider my home the Equal opportuntiy for Big Paws home.
I would suggest that if you have small children, to get a puppy.
Of the 3 Danes, none of mine really like small children- but they were not really ever exposed to small children as puppies or at least one of them wasnt the other two are rescues and I have no idea what thier background was with small children but I know that they do not like them now.
We suspect that the 2 rescues were used as pit bull training dogs in some capacity. I can not have cats or small dogs around these two Danes as they have been known to attack small animals. They also came to my house in pretty poor condition and had a lot of scars.

But as far as everthing else- all of the Danes are wonderful and sweet to all of the adults in the house. They are very affectionate and are big couch potatoes. They do need to exercise every day, but we live out in the country and ours are able to run and play off leash every day for at least 45 minutes- this is usually a hard run and tag game that lasts the entire 45 minutes. Julie suggested logging on Wednesday for the interview with the Great Dane lady and I second that- I hope to learn a few things myself.
I can tell you that like the Pyrs, Danes are great dogs.

Offline melissajean

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Re: Great Dane Info Please
« Reply #3 on: September 04, 2007, 03:50:13 am »
Thanks :)
If I am able to get on I most defently will :)
Thanks again
~Melissa~

Offline Jeri

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Re: Great Dane Info Please
« Reply #4 on: October 19, 2007, 04:10:58 pm »
I agree with all the above said but they can be quite costly in health care compared to a mut.  I've owned Danes 28 years and that's the one thing I let potential owners know right away.  Once you have a Dane you'll never want to be without one ever again but they can drain you on maintence so be aware of that going in. Make sure you only look at litters where the breeders have done hip x-rays on the parents and genetic testing.  Don't buy from back yard breeder who has done no testing.  I have bought from back yard breeders twice.  One girl lived to be 12 but the only thing she could eat for 11 years was ground beef and rice or her intestines would bleed.  The other haqd major congenital problems and ended up costing us $40,000 in trying to maintain jher health but we loved her dearly.  She only lived to be 4.  The two I have had from reputable breeders have had normal health so check out the breeder and what they have done to test the parents of the litter.  Good luck,
\jeri