GRINERDANES

In general, Great Danes are loving, smart, naturally protective, affectionate and loyal. They also have their clownish side and are truly amusing to have in your company. They love to lean on you and sit their rear end in your lap.  They are naturally wary of strangers, but once you have made friends, they treat you like family. They are great with children but need proper training, socialization and supervision as they are HUGE and never seem to be aware of their great size! They need a strong minded yet gentle-hearted owner. They are prone to some health issues, so finding a good breeder is key. Any giant sized dog comes with bigger vet bills and food bills. They are thinned skinned and emotionally sensitive creatures so they are not suited for life outdoors. They are a family dog and want to be with you. They are a puppy until at least two years old, so expect some mistakes and be patient and forgiving.  If you are still interested, please read on.  

Maybe you have seen one walking down the street or at a dog show. Great Danes are a quite stunning and handsome breed, but they are not for everyone. One of the number one reasons why purebred Danes are turned into shelters is because their owners were not educated on the breed. These dogs range in weight from anywhere from 120 to nearly 200 lbs. They are the tallest breed coming in second only after the Irish Wolfhound. They need proper training and socialization from the start.

EXERCISE: While they are highly adaptable to either city or country life, Great Danes do need their daily exercise. A nice long walk for them is great, but they also need to stretch those long legs of theirs. Most owners find it ideal to have a 6ft. high fenced in yard for their Dane. This is the most secure way of keeping your dog in your yard.  We do not recommend the typical four foot tall chain link and most Danes can either jump it or even climb it. While jogging/running is great exercise for your Dane, do not heavily run a pup or young Dane. The impact of running on hard surfaces is too harsh on their quickly growing bones, joints and muscles. Wait until your Dane is near physical maturity before running him on road surfaces with you.

FEEDING: Food is very important with a Great Dane. Not only do they need a lot of food to keep them happy, they need a high quality food to keep them healthy. Puppies grow astoundingly fast. At six months of age, the average Dane weight is over 85 lbs. Their bodies are constantly changing and bone and muscle development is crucial. Finding a high quality dog food is very important and a key factor in a Dane pup. Some time ago, Dane owners were advised to feed foods with a lower protein content. More recent studies show that it is more the calcium/phosphate levels to look out for. You want a food that keeps those in ratio and less than 2%. You want your Dane pup's bones to grow as slow and dense as possible. This is why the calcium content is so important. We also do not recommend you give your dog any calcium supplements. This only harmfully speeds up the growth process. The harm here is that the bones grow too fast and more hollow than they should. Your Dane could easily break a bone just jumping off a bed. Calcium given directly or too high of calcium/phosphorous levels are also linked to HOD. Choose a quality dog food with a meat as the prime ingredient. Dogs are related to wolves and what do wolves eat? Meat! You never see coyotes and wolves grazing in fields. We feel that grainy blends are just fillers loaded with additives. These grains build up and ferment causing gas which I feel is a strong contributor to bloat. Grainy blends also are linked to skin allergies in dogs and cats. Our Danes really love "Taste Of The Wild" grain-free dog food. Their overall skin and coat condition is greatly improved since we started on this food. Raw diets are also a great way of feeding your Dane. This offers more direct nutrients but still needs to be balanced out for a prime healthy diet. Please research both feeding methods and use what you feel is best for your Dane. Find a food that adds Probiotics. These helpful enzymes help maintain healthy gut function. Some of the better brands out there already have them or you can order some to add to your current diet.

GROOMING: Being short coated is a breeze to wash and dry. Train pups at an early age to get used to bathing, ear cleaning, teeth brushing and nail trimming. Trying to get a huge dog in a bath can be back breaking work. They shed moderately but heavier during the changing seasons, and a weekly brushing will remove dead hair and keep the coat glossy. Danes drool and the more lip they have, the more drool they produce. Drooling can get pretty messy after eating and even more so after drinking. Most Dane owners keep towels available at hands reach to keep the drool mess down to a minimum. 

Pictured here is Montana at about eight months of age. He seems to be enjoying his bath! Training your Dane to accept bath time is much easier than throwing your back out. Been there, done that!

"Oh Skylar, I can see your stripes again!" Skylar is a girly girl and likes being bathed and pampered. I have a bottle of smoothing oil for my own hair and Skylar always wants a little for herself. Soon as she smells the oil, she is dancing around wanting it rubbed into her coat.

HEALTH: Top breeders have come a long way in improving the overall health of the Great Dane. Like every breed though, they are prone to some health issues. Most of the issues are hip dysplasia, eye, heart and thyroid related diseases. Ask your breeder if the parents have been screened for any of these conditions. Wobblers Syndrome and HOD are other diseased to look out for. Bloat (gastric torsion) is very common in Great Danes. This is when gasses swell up in the stomach until the stomach flips over and twists. The flipped stomach cuts off circulation to the liver and major organs sending the animal into shock. Immediate medical attention must be given for the dog to live. Bloat can happen to any breed, but is most common in the Dane due to their deep chests. Bloat can afflict any Dane and can happen to any dog regardless of heritage, age or condition. There are several things you can do to help prevent this from happening. You will find that some Dane owners do this and some do not. Since there is not any solid evidence yet of why bloat happens or if there is any genetic link to it, we prefer to do the surgery. In my own opinion, I feel the risks of the surgery far less to the heartbreak of losing a beloved Dane to bloat.

1. Your vet can give your Dane gastropexy surgery. Basically stitching the stomach to the right side wall of the rib cage. This prevents the stomach from flipping. This cannot stop the bloat, but does prevent the most deadly part of the bloat process called torsion. * We strongly advise that if are planning to spay/neuter your Dane, that you schedule the gastropexy at the same time. This way, you are only paying for one anesthesia charge and it would be less stress for your dog and a more practical expense for you. These surgeries are best if performed in the 12-18 month old range. 

2. Feed you Dane in increments. Giant breeds should be given 2-3 smaller meals daily. If your Dane tends to gulp water, try ice cubes. Most dogs will lick and bite on ice cubes rather than gulp them.

3. Feed your Dane in a quite space. We have seen a lot of dogs gulp their food in fear of another pet stealing their meal. We feed our in their pens. There is no competition in eating so our Danes take their time and eat at their leisure. Our dogs see their pens as their own personal space. If you have more than one dog, it is also a great way to monitor how well your dog is eating. A poor appetite is one of the first signs of illness.

4. Feed high quality dog food. Again as above stay away from grainy blends. Major food companies have studied bloat and have improved formulas over the years to help reduce the odds of bloat. You want a food with a meat as the primary ingredient. A raw diet is also another great option for your Dane.

5. Do not exercise your Dane at least one hour before and after eating. We keep our Danes in their pens before and after feeding. They eat relaxed and usually nap a bit before playing outside. This gives them time for their supper to settle. After dinner is when we have our walk. It's very relaxing and great exercise for both you and your Dane.

TRAINING: Some people see Danes as a "dumb" breed. On the contrary they are extremely intelligent and sensitive. The are not fully grown both mentally and physically until at least two years of age. Their bodies grow faster than their minds, so this is what gives them that clumsy appearance during puppy hood. 

Top rules for successful training

1) Never attempt to train your pup if you are in a bad mood. Dogs sense your anxiety and will be anxious as well. Your inner tension will pass right down the leash to your dog. Always train when you, yourself are relaxed and ready to enjoy quality time with your beloved pet.

2) Repetition is key. Have patience and repeat. Reward immediately when your pet does what you want.

3) Be a responsible pet parent. If you let your pup get away with jumping on your guests now, it will be harder work to break later. Trained pups develop into delightful adults.

4) Teach your pet the "wait" command. It may save your pet's life someday. I used this myself one day when our leash broke and Montana wanted to run off into the street! It's a priceless lesson, but probably one of THE most important to master.

It is very important for a Dane to know the basic commands such as sit, stay, lay down, heel, wait etc. You do not want your Dane jumping up on your house guests. We highly recommend professional training for your Dane. This is especially important if your Dane will be exposed to small children. Danes are naturally fond of children, but need to be shown how to act around them. We take our dogs to obedience school for training.This is great for the training but also a wonderful way to socialize them. You want a social Dane that you can take anywhere with you with confidence. We cannot stress enough the importance of socialization! It is as essential as health care and diet for a Dane. Once your pup is fully vaccinated (bordatella included) take him out to the pet store, visit your neighbors, visit friends and so on. A social Dane is a happy well balanced Dane! All dogs need socialization, but giant breeds need even more. One of the top reasons why some of the working breed dogs get a bad reputation is because they were not properly shown how behave. Mother dogs naturally teach their pups manners and you have to pick up where mom left off. You are now mom or dad to them and the new pack leader. Your dog should be comfortable around company in your home. Out in public, you want your dog to accept being petted from strangers. While it is natural for a puppy to be a bit shy of strangers, you want to keep getting your pup adjusted and accommodated to meeting people, children and other pets. This does not affect your dog's natural instincts to protect you and your property. A dog as big and powerful as a Great Dane can be dangerous if not shown how to properly behave.

Obedience classes are both fun for you and your Dane! Here Montana graduated both puppy class and intermediate obedience classes. He has lots of fun at looks forward to Wed. night class. He aims to impress the pretty ladies of course :)

If you think that you can handle all of this information gracefully, then a Great Dane is right for you!  Become "Dane savvy" and always purchase from a reputable breeder or select carefully from a rescue. A good breeder will be able to answer your questions. If they can't...look elsewhere. 

Gina Griner 2009