*Care & Training- Great Dane care is not overwhelming, yet every aspect of your dog's life depends on you. Making a decision to own a dog, especially a Great Dane, is a serious responsibility that should be considered. Food, Water, Shelter, Love... the same thing any dog requires, yet keep in mind, Danes are bigger! We will say, a XXL crate is essential to keep them safe while you are away! Just like any puppy, they should never be trusted left alone.
Human interaction is extremely important to Great Dane temperament and overall character of a mature Dane. One trait that is seldom mentioned is malleability. Your Great Dane will look to you for guidance, not by verbal commands alone, dogs can read human body language and emotion quite easily. If living among a lazy family who neglects proper training and guidance, a lazy, unmotivated couch potato, or conversely, dominant, stubborn, unsociable adult may result.
We are not implying that Great Dane care is difficult, it isn't. Simply put, the same rules and conditions of responsible dog ownership apply, yet with a Great Dane, they increase exponentially. Take for instance the task of grooming a Great Dane, or bathing your gigantic dog, where are you going to wash a dog that weighs as much as you? You want to train your Dane while they are young and much smaller so when they are almost as big as you, they listen and know how to behave! Check out www.AllAboutGreatDanes.com for more information!
*Exercise- They don't need alot of room, they are actually rates as one of the best apartment dogs because of their laziness! They enjoy walks but they should never be ran often as a workout buddy as their bones/joints will not handle that well. A mild routine of playing and walks are perfect for them! Although just like humans, every Dane is different. You should always gear your exercise around what your Dane needs! Bored Danes can equal a ornery puppy.
*Health- Many dog illnesses are inherited, others caused by improper nutrition, poor breeding practices, and many a combination of any.
Progress is being made toward lessening the impact of canine diseases and health problems in our breed and Veterinary medicines, treatments, health screenings and knowing the parents blood line is helping. Sadly, the Great Dane remains a relatively short-lived breed. That being said, We have seen Danes live up to 13 years old! Remember, nutrition is SO important!
As breeders, we work hard to eliminate as many health concerns as we can. The problem is, any dog, just like any human, can develop things we just don't have control over.
*Nutrition- When feeding Great Danes and fast growing giant breeds, certain aspects of canine nutrition come into play. This is especially important with puppies in order to "grow them slow". Considerations should be given to the style of feeding, i.e., kibble, canned, or raw. Nutritional quality of the food you choose, protein & fat levels are also very important. A quality, natural premium dog food or raw dog diet and the way in which you feed is extremely important! And, Let's not overlook the basics, like the use of an elevated dog feeder lessen the risk of digestive issues. Or the "quite time" before & after meals to help reduce the chances of bloat!
Great Danes are capable of amazing growth! they will grow like weeds through the first 8 months and continue to grow rapidly through the first 18 months. Lite and lean is the general rule of thumb until about 2 years old. Don't try for the biggest Dane in town, you will only run into problems. Your Great Dane will grow naturally and reach its full potential around 3 years of age and maintain a HEALTHY weight for its structure.
**We are excited to announce we are now using LA food, treats and supplements (available on www.Northern-Nutrition.com ) with our dogs and litters! ! We believe so strongly in the value of QUALITY nutrition and have seen awesome results with all breeds and past puppy families and are so excited to continue to see positive results in our growing puppies! Litters are started at weaning and will be offered an extended health guarantee when continually fed this diet, that's how much we believe in it! Furr siblings are welcome to order also (I get asked alot.. they have nutrition for all cats and dogs!! We have some senior siblings who have done amazing also!
**Feel Free to read More about it here and check out the link provided to browse and order**
Proper protein levels are a must when feeding Great Danes. This will help avoid possible health problems such as Pano and Wobblers Syndrome. Most knowledgeable Dane owners will agree, feeding Great Danes a premium dog food with protein levels no greater than 24%, and fat levels between 12% to 14%, Calcium around 1.2% and Phosphorus around .8% is key to proper development. If your dog is suffering from dry skin, allergies, shedding, dull coat, lack of energy and so on, you should consider a natural premium dog food like www.Northern-Nutrition.com like we do.. Your dog's nutrition plays a vital role in its health and longevity.
*Never feed your Great Dane puppy food!*
Feeding Great Danes puppy food- even large breed formulas can have serious consequences. The protein and fat levels of most brand puppy foods are way too high for a growing Dane.
One thing is certain, going with a quality food will assure proper nutrition and increase the quality of life for your Great Dane.
*Spay/Neuter - There are lots of opinions on this and we get the concern of over population of unwanted dogs. You also have to consider YOUR DOG. www.GreatDaneLady.com says - When males are neutered too young, before their hormones are full tilt, they do not gain the muscle that an adult male should have and look like a gangly puppy their whole life. I do not recommend neutering a male until at least 12 months of age.
-As for females and spaying, there are two thoughts on this....one says to spay early so they do not develop breast cancer. In my almost 30 years in dogs, and working with breeders, this is a rarity. But what is common, very common when you spay a bitch before she comes into season the first time, they almost always have are problems with incontinence and this is very hard to deal with.
This is also regulated by hormones and if they do not have the appropriate hormones present, they will dribble or wet the bed a night, even as a young female. SO......I tell my puppy buyers to let them be at least 12-18 months of age before they spay, again so their hormones are in gear. If they have a season before this, then you simply have to make arrangements for house arrest so they are safe and sound. Your healthy adult will thank you!
-When the girls come in season, look into Chlorophyll tablets daily, give a human dose but double dose it daily during the time they are in season (all 21 days). This will cut down on the odor, but NEVER leave them unattended at any time for the 3 weeks they are in season. NEVER!!
**Also….NEVER spay a female during any of her estrus period. That means when she is coming into season, when she is IN season, and for the two months after! During those two (2) months after, her hormones could be raging which causes a false pregnancy. In her mind she is pregnant! They will often nest and have milk, as well as carry around a toy as if it were a puppy. During this 3+ month time period of total estrus (before, during, after), they should not have surgery done, UNLESS it is pyometria infection (uterine infection) or other life threatening reasons. They are very susceptible to bleeding to death (DIC) during surgery, if it is done at a time when her hormones are fluctuating. So plan your spay dates very carefully.
Read more- here!
Remember, YOU ARE YOUR PET'S ONLY ADVOCATE. We will always be here for questions along the way but we do require families to do their research and get to know the requirements of the breed before hand. A really good website that covers tons and is highly recommend in the Great Dane world is www.GreatDaneLady.com .
The Great Dane breed is amazing. I can tell you that all day long BUT, before you buy any Great Dane puppy, do your research! They rely on you, as their new owner to be educated so you can provide them with the best, healthiest, long life possible! They will repay you by sitting on your lap, sqeezing their tiiiiiiiny self into the little opening next to you, wherever you may be and providing lots of sobbery kisses and morning stares to wake you up! Can life get any better then that? Welcome to a Great Dane!