My wife and I are looking seriously at getting a Great Dane puppy. Both of us have grown up with dogs in our homes, now we want our own to raise.

We have friends who have Great Danes their advice is helpful, but I need more information from people who have firsthand experience with these dogs. What to expect from Great Danes and the process of raising them from puppy to adult.

I would like to hear from any current or former Great Dane owners who would be willing to offer me any advice on these beautiful animals. Any information you can give will be helpful. Even if you haven’t owned one, feel free to share your experience with Great Danes.

like I said, we are looking seriously but have not made a final decision.

Thanks EOC!!!

Touch base with these folks (http://adopt.smokymountaingreatdanerescue.org/), I bet they could answer any questions you might have about danes.


Smokey Mountain Great Dane Rescue - Knoxville, TN (http://adopt.smokymountaingreatdanerescue.org/)

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Awesome! thanks for the help!

These are great dogs, gentle and make good pets IF you train them correctly.

Aside from the obvious problems of lots of drool and big piles of dog poo to clean up, they can have a problem with torsion stomach which can be deadly and depending on the bloodline, some joint and hip problems.

They do have a tendency to lean on you while you walk them or while standing, but that is a trait that is part of the charm of a great dane.

They do have a ferocious bark and as a puppy can get just as excited as any other breed, but can have far more consequences as they go jumping about and trying to jump up on you or a visitor.

Again, proper training and socialization will make them a great companion for you and your family.

I can put you in contact with my brother if you want, they have a 2 1/2 (I believe) year old dane. Other than that, protect your crotch because they use their head as a concrete block! :shock:

Socialization is also an ABSOLUTE must, in my experience they can tend to get very territorial-aggressive and while bad in any dog is very dangerous with a dog that size!

Thanks again for the info! We are looking at puppies every chance we get and trying to find owners that we can gather information from. Twi, I will PM you to see if your brother wouldn’t mind giving us a few pointers.

Three tips for a Great Dane owner:

1. Socialize
2. Socialize
3. See 1 and 2

Having a poorly socialized Pomeranian is a slight inconvenience, having a poorly socialized 130lb Dane is pure chaos. I have been blessed to help raise a couple of the sweetest Danes, they are my second favorite breed after German Shepherds. My ex wanted one but after seeing how she constantly undermined my authority with my Shepherd I refused. After we split she bought a Dane and he is a holy terror, really a shame he is a beautiful dog.

I've had two, a black and a blue, both were young adults when I got them so I can't comment on the puppy stage. Both were wonderful, very calm and even tempered, great around kids and infinitely patient. maybe I got lucky because both were very well behaved, they were mostly outside but were very calm when inside the house. Neither of them liked my wood floor though, so danes may not be the most surefooted breed. I remember seeing Caesar Milan on his show working with a Great Dane who refused to cross a marble floor, so maybe it's a breed thing. Their size and weight is the biggest issue. My black dane (Dino) suffered a stroke in his old age and couldn't use his rear legs, even with a minivan it was a challenge to pick up and move a 120lb incapacitated animal to get him to the vet. And neither one lived past the age of 9, longevity doesn't seem to be a trait of the breed.

Great Danes are really cool dogs, but I'm sure you know by now that there are a ton of negatives.
1. Puppy nutrition and portion size are of utmost importance. They will keep eating if you leave food out. This causes bone and hip problems as they grow too fast. You can always tell adults that were overfed as puppies because their back feet point out and they walk weird.
2. Even with proper nutrition they grow extremely fast, think about bobbing the tail early on. That tail is almost always exactly table and counter height and they will sweep it clean almost everyday.
3. Longevity is fairly short 6 to 8 years depending on lineage.
4. Deep hollow body which as already pointed out leads to stomach flipping over inside body. This goes right back to eating, they have to be made to stay calm after eating because that is when they are most at risk.
5. Training is super important as they are stubborn dogs to begin with and their adult size does not help in that department. If they are not trained early they quickly become an animal that is relegated to the fenced in backyard and forgotten about.

Not to rain on your parade or anything, but these dogs come with a whole lot of responsibilities. Oh and one more thing, invisible fences don't really work on them as they are so big and so fast that they run right across it before they realize, then when they try and walk back into the yard they get zapped and just end up sitting there.

I just finished research what it would involve for me to have a dog, and decided to wait until I permanently retired and moved.

For potential owners of any large breed:

Large breeds grow quickly. Housebreaking is easier if you get your puppy in late spring and have an outdoor place for it to live with a 6 foot fence and a shelter. Kiss your lawn goodbye.

A large breed that doesn't get enough exercise will be unhappy. A "dog run" isn't adequate; they need to be able to roam. You will need to play with your dog every day, not just walk it. If not, imagine living with a 15 year old boy athletic child who is bored.

A +70# dog is stronger than most adult people; 125# woman walking 100-125# untrained large dog = disaster

Before you get a puppy:
- If you aren't in excellent physical shape, start walking at least a mile every day,
- buy two pairs of good resoleable walking shoes/boots,
- look for a local club with owners of that breed,
- find a vet.
- identify a reputable kennel to board your dog when it can't accompany you.

Finally, get a travel cage for your Element. If not restrained, a dog can be injured as easily as a child.

If you've already decided on a Great Dane, you have received some decent advice already, so ignore the rest of this, but if you haven't made your mind up consider the following...

I've been a vet for 17 years and many, if not most of the medical problems I see are breed related. For example, of the 32 common medical conditions listed under "Great Dane," in the commonly referenced "5-minute Veterinary Consult" text, I have seen most and most are serious. The incidence of these breed associated medical conditions remain problematic, despite careful screening and selective breeding practices. Why is that?

All artificially created pure breed dog lines, by definition, have an inherently limited gene pool, due to unrelenting selective pressure by human intervention, i.e., pure breed dog breeding, and in-breeding and line-breeding naturally accelerates the already inevitable process of genetically linked medical conditions, not to mention the sometimes extreme, physiologic, behavioural or anatomic traits, which, in a bizarre twist of fate, is exactly why these animals are sought after, and whey they are bred.

Please do not misunderstand, I am not suggesting that a Great Dane, or any other pure breed dog for that matter, cannot possibly be healthy and a great family pet. However, I am suggesting that an average sized mixed breed with non-extreme traits will, on average, be more functional (physiologically and anatomically speaking), live longer, be healthier, and be a better family pet.

Keep in mind that over 9 million unwanted dogs are currently euthanized every year in the US alone. So, unless you have already decided that you must have a Great Dane or any other pure breed dog, consider taking the family down to a local shelter or rescue to pick out a mutt, save a life, save your money, save a lot of potential headaches and heartaches, and get a great family pet.

Good Luck.

Great Danes are really cool dogs, but I'm sure you know by now that there are a ton of negatives.
1. Puppy nutrition and portion size are of utmost importance. They will keep eating if you leave food out. This causes bone and hip problems as they grow too fast. You can always tell adults that were overfed as puppies because their back feet point out and they walk weird.
2. Even with proper nutrition they grow extremely fast, think about bobbing the tail early on. That tail is almost always exactly table and counter height and they will sweep it clean almost everyday.
3. Longevity is fairly short 6 to 8 years depending on lineage.
4. Deep hollow body which as already pointed out leads to stomach flipping over inside body. This goes right back to eating, they have to be made to stay calm after eating because that is when they are most at risk.
5. Training is super important as they are stubborn dogs to begin with and their adult size does not help in that department. If they are not trained early they quickly become an animal that is relegated to the fenced in backyard and forgotten about.

Not to rain on your parade or anything, but these dogs come with a whole lot of responsibilities. Oh and one more thing, invisible fences don't really work on them as they are so big and so fast that they run right across it before they realize, then when they try and walk back into the yard they get zapped and just end up sitting there.

I disagree with bobbing the tail. It is something that most vets will not do after three days old and a lot of controversy over this practice. Danes are to have long tails. Any dog needs Socialization, exercise, training and a lot of love attention. They need to be part of the family. My Greyhound has a long tail and we live quite well with it. Hoping you were kidding about the tail bobbing.

Very good post asp, and very true.

Had a purebred Golden Retriever, only made it to 8 years old, had chronic hot spots, ear infections, joint problems, and then died of cancer. Started researching and found about 70% of Golden Retriever die of cancer, and the amount of problems with purebreds, almost all purebreds, is a lot. There's still a chance you will get a very healthy Great Dane, but the odds are against you unfortunately.

I'm now a very happy owner of a mutt :)

No I was not kidding about the tail bobbing. I don't like it, and don't agree with it, but it is something to consider with this breed. If bobbing the tail keeps the dog in the house instead of stuck in the back yard year round then I'm for it.

No I was not kidding about the tail bobbing. I don't like it, and don't agree with it, but it is something to consider with this breed. If bobbing the tail keeps the dog in the house instead of stuck in the back yard year round then I'm for it.

Just to let you know that you will probably be getting a puppy around ten weeks of age. It will be considered as an amputation if you decide to dock the tail and some breeders and some vets will not allow it unless it is for a medical reason. My Greyhound lives inside and we just deal with the long tail. A long tail also assists with balance. Just sayin'

No I was not kidding about the tail bobbing. I don't like it, and don't agree with it, but it is something to consider with this breed. If bobbing the tail keeps the dog in the house instead of stuck in the back yard year round then I'm for it.

Just to let you know that you will probably be getting a puppy around ten weeks of age. It will be considered as an amputation if you decide to dock the tail and some breeders and some vets will not allow it unless it is for a medical reason. My Greyhound lives inside and we just deal with the long tail. A long tail also assists with balance. Just sayin'.

Very good post asp, and very true.

Had a purebred Golden Retriever, only made it to 8 years old, had chronic hot spots, ear infections, joint problems, and then died of cancer. Started researching and found about 70% of Golden Retriever die of cancer, and the amount of problems with purebreds, almost all purebreds, is a lot. There's still a chance you will get a very healthy Great Dane, but the odds are against you unfortunately.

I'm now a very happy owner of a mutt :)

Golden Retrievers beat out Great Danes with 33 listed common medical conditions in the "5-Minute Veterinary Consult." Sadly, hypothyroidism, atopy and lymphosarcoma are very common medical conditions seen in Golden Retrievers.

All the best with your mutt!