Things You'll Need:
- Dental Kits (for Dogs)
- Dog Brushes
- Dog Collars
- Dog Dishes
- Dog Food
- Dog Leashes
- Dog Shampoo
- Dog Tags
- Dog Toys
- Nail Clippers For Dogs
- Dog Shampoo
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Step 1
Consider a Great Dane if you're looking for a loyal watchdog. Size alone should prove intimidating to strangers.
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Step 2
Choose a Great Dane if you have children or other pets. These dogs get along well with both. However, if you have a male Great Dane, understand that he may not get along with other male dogs.
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Step 3
Realize that owning a Great Dane is a big commitment. Because of their large size, they require early obedience training so they don't become a threat to themselves or people.
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Step 4
Know that you'll spend a lot more money on food than with other breeds. Great Danes eat 3 to 6 cups of food twice a day - most dogs eat half that.
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Step 5
Be sure the Great Dane you choose shows no signs of aggression. Overall, he should be regal and alert in appearance, with well-formed muscles and straight front legs. The head should be finely chiseled and the neck should be long and muscular. The Great Dane's coat should be shiny.
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Step 6
Note that Great Danes come in six distinct colors: black, blue, brindle (yellow-gold and brindled with black cross stripes and a black mask), fawn (yellow-gold with a black mask), mantle (mostly black with white chest/neck; can have a white blaze down the nose), and harlequin (white with black patches throughout the body).
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Step 7
Understand the health problems related to Great Danes. They're prone to hip dysplasia (a malformed ball and socket in the hip joint), hypothyroidism (a condition that causes the body to slow down), Von Willebrand's disease (a bleeding disorder), heart disease, tumors and bloat.
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Step 8
Look at potential breeders very carefully. Be sure to ask if they're members of breed clubs, specialty clubs or obedience clubs. Affiliation with a club means you can check references to make sure you're not dealing with a puppy mill (a place where puppies are constantly bred for financial gain without consideration of the integrity of the breed).
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Step 9
Understand that you'll pay between $300 and $1,500 for a purebred Great Dane.
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Step 10
Note that it's OK to have a Great Dane in an apartment, despite the dog's large size. This breed will remain fairly inactive indoors.
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Step 11
Consider adopting a Great Dane from a pet rescue organization. However, be sure to carefully screen rescued dogs for personality. An aggressive Great Dane can cause damage because of his size.
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Step 12
Keep in mind that these great dogs usually have a relatively short life span of around five to six years, so appreciate every minute with them.
Comments
frankee68 said
on 11/17/2008 My thirteen and a half year old male dane had to be put down the other day because of bloat. He was going strong up until then. You really have to be careful how you feed them when they get this age to prevent bloating.
iae623 said
on 10/29/2008 I have a 10 1/2 year old Harlequin Great Dane, which I'm so excited that he has made it to 10 1/2! Especially since he was abused and in 4 homes in his first 11 months of his life before I found him. So with his rough start I'm just ecstatic he's made it this far. The only issue he has is he has a little hip dysplysia in his left hip and I have him on Deramaxx which is an awesome drug. One night he was unable to get off of the tile floor. I gave him a pill of the Deramaxx and within about 2-3 hrs he was up and running. It's amazing! It is well worth the cost. I also bought him a sherpa coat to keep him hips warm and cushion him when he lays down which helps. Let me know if you have any hints for keeping him well. My e-mail is jkmhlewis@hotmail.com Thank you all and Long Live our gentle giants!
-Kristi
ladyartista said
on 8/16/2008 My first Great Dane, a merle girl, on the smaller side of Danes, weighing about 95 in her prime, died at age 14 1/2 years. My 2nd Great Dane, a fawn dog, I lost last year at age 13. He was an average size for a dog, in his prime, around 150 pounds. My present Dane bitch, fawn, is 4 y/o, and I have a 13 month old fawn dog. I hope to have my second two Danes around at least for as many as my first two Danes. If anyone would like to see my kids, here is their site.. click on their names to see their pics and stories: http://www.petart.net/alycemoosepage.html
andrew2112 said
on 10/23/2007 My Great Dane is turning 13 years old today, she has arthritis and somewhat of a continence problem but besides that she is perfect. She has always been on the 'small' side, max weight 126, now that she is old she is really skinny. I even had some new neighbors call animal control on me claiming I wasn't feeding her, when I told Animal Control that she was 12 they said 'sorry for the inconvenience, a 12 year old dane means a very well cared for animal'. Besides the fact that I cannot take her with me on long runs/walks anymore I think I got a great Great Dane for long while.
Msstressed said
on 8/12/2007 my great dane turned 14 years old this month. he is a black male and rather small, the size of a bitch. he was neutered young. he is black, his muzzle is so white these days. he has arthritis but still gets along well. he has a continence issue, but from time to time acts like a pup. we hope to have him for a few more years at least. Msstressed