I'm considering getting a Great Dane, need some info please !!!?

Question

Can someone who has a great dane give me some info?
Are they good with kids?
I have heard they have a short life span, is this true?
Do they have alot of health problems?
Any info would be great.. Thanx....

Answer 1

A great Dane is a wonderful dog. I've owned them for over 20 years, however they are not for everyone. They grow to be at least 28" (female minimum height) to over 32".They weigh from 110# - 200+. They are good with children IF they are carefully bred, carefully socialized and carefully trained. They are as a rule very gentle dogs, however there is a lot of irresponsible breeders breeding them so great care has to be taken when finding a breeder since many bad bred Danes have bad temperaments. You need to find a breeder who does health testing Not just simple vet exams.This is very important in Danes..it can't be stressed enough. You also need to find a breeder who breeds for good temperament, breed standard and knows their pedigrees. A responsible breeder will help match you and your family with the right Dane for you and wil lgive health guarantees and will be there to help with questions, advice etc after the sale. I would recommend getting the book The Great Dane Model of Nobility by Jill Swedlow. This is a wonderful book and has a wealth of knowledge.. correct knowledge (many Dane books don't have proper info on nutrition,training, etc.) I would also recommend going the the Great Dane Club Of America web site.
As for life span the better bred they are, the better nutrition they receive the longer the life span. It isn't unusual for a well bred, well cared for Dane to live into it's teens.

If adopting from a rescue or shelter you need to be very careful and really research the place before deciding to adopt. There are problems with some including Gentle Giants so be as vigilant at chosing a rescue as you would be a breeder.

One very important thing if you get a Dane puppy do NOT ever give it puppy food not even large breed and never ever give calcium supplements of any kind. Danes need a food of 24% protein or less. They need to grow slow and steady. High protein foods & calcium supplements can cause some very serious growth issues some of which can't be repaired. Also make sure that a Dane puppy is lean not fat. They also should never have flat feet.They should be up well on their feet. Finding a responsible breeder is an absolute must.They will help you with all of the feeding and such.

Answer 2

Well, I don't own a Great Dane but I know my information about dogs, Great Danes don't have a short life span of like 5 years unless they have a really bad health problem they live up to 10-13 years like most dogs do, They usually are gentle giants but if they were abused they could be agressive but most of the time they are very friendly, they are prone to some health issues like, gastric torsion (bloat), certain types of cancer, and heart problems. Puppies and young adults can develop certain growing or bone problems which are sometimes associated with an improper diet, often a diet too high in protein, calcium or supplements. Older adult males can be prone to prostate infections and adult females to false pregnancies and uterine infections. Spaying or neutering pets is a good idea for the health of the dog and is required by most ethical breeders. Good Luck!

Answer 3

We have had great Danes for years, they do have a short life span, but they are the gentle giants of dogs, we are in our 60's now and as long as we are able to take care of them we will always have a Dane around the house, buy from a reputable breeder and tell them you want pet quality, ask for a health record and ask if there are any hip problems in their lines.
They are good with children if they are raised around children, they are a large breed and grow fast and their tails can be wicked when they get excited, but as far as I'm conderned there is nothing like a Dane. When they are growing they are clutzy and have pancake paws, look bigger than their body and their growth spurts can be funny there are times when the head looks bigger than the body, when the rear is higher than the front, it is just fun to watch them grow. Until they reach about one year old they eat alot but after the one year they don't eat anymore than a German Shepherd, feed them good quality dog food and multi-vitamins and calcium tabs until they reach their full growth, which is about 18mo. to 2 years old. You can also check out Great Dane rescues and see what they have available, look for one that don't have behavorial problems and that is good around children, some of these Danes just need a good loving family, and the adoption costs are cheaper than you can buy from a breeder. To buy from a reputable breeder you are looking at $500.00 and up. Adoption rates can start around $250.

Answer 4

I have owned and loved a many Great Dane's in my life. As long as you raise them right, you shouldn't have any problems with them.

Because of their size and many things that may/may not affect their health; yes, they don't live quite as long as other dogs. There are many things you can do to prolong their age as best you can.

My Dane missy is almost 8 years old. She has a clean bill of health and has had no arthritic or dysphasia problems what-so-ever. I did NOT let her run and romp and play hard until she was a year and a half old.
I also made it a point to go to obedience training when she was a pup. That's probably what was most important to me as her owner. I knew she was going to get big, and I wanted her to know that "I" was the boss. I didn't want her dragging me around.

Naturally, most Great Dane's are protective over those they love. Obedience training is also great for them because they get to be "social" with other dogs and people. Keeping your dog social is a big thing!

As far as kids go: It really depends on the dog. Some dogs aren't "kid friendly" no matter what breed they are.
Be especially cautious if you are "adoping" a Dane from a shelter or personal seller... because you don't know their history, you don't really know what to expect right off the bat.

I would get a puppy. Then he/she can grow up "with" your kids, and you can eliminate that worry.

Do a search on google... there's tons and tons of information on Dane's.

Best of luck to you!

Answer 5

I have a beautiful female harlequinn, Sadie. We have kids from 6 to 13 she is great with them all. Although she can knock the little ones over by accident. We have 2 other dogs, a boxer and a Boston Terrier and she is really good with them too. She is about 2 years now and we have had no problems other than that she was a parvo puppy and we had to nurse her back to health. There is a great dane rescue near us in CA called gentle giants. Its owned by the guy that played Robin on the 1960's batman TV show. We got our Dane through them and they say they have had them live well into the teens. I have heard that 10 years is about it usually...

Answer 6

Hi! I am thinking about getting a great dane as well, and i have done ALOT! of reasearch, and when trained right, they are great family dogs. Yes, Unfortunately, Great Danes quite often have shorter life spans than other dogs by about 4 or 5 years. They are a big chested dog and sometimes may be prone to bloat. They also eat alot, and you have to watch what they eat, or they will overeat and bloat. Other than that, I don't think that there are any other problems.

Answer 7

Great Dane are good with children.Although they are/will be a lot bigger than a child. If you have them checked by a Vet and take care of them they life span should be around 10-12 years. I don't know if they have a health problems. Other than they grow fast and that can cause problems with bones.

Answer 8

This is what is in my dog book: The dignified but affectionate Great Dane is actually German. It almost certainly has fighting Mastiffs and Greyhounds among its ancestors. These produced the elegant and gentle breed of today These big dogs are not as active as their size suggests. The sheer size of the Great Dane can cause medical problems, though, including a greater than average incidence of hip and elbow arthritis and bone tumors. Height: 28 - 32 in Life Span: 9 - 10 yrs.

Answer 9

great danes... groomin simple,exercise a lil over the normal exercise for most dogs, feedin is very demanding, they have a range of size from 101 lbs - 119 lbs or over, they r very kind but dignified, they can be trained to be reasonably obedient cuz they're pretty intelligent, the only unfortunate thing is they have a shortish life span. if ur lookin 4 a large sized family dog with short hair, i'd consider lookin at foxhounds because they're groomim is very minimal, exercise is considerable, they have a hearty appetite and they're a friendly pack animal at 67 lbs i find them very good family dogs also pointers are excellent large at size same exercise and feedin as a foxhound and they're kind and reasonably biddable. hope this info helps

Answer 10

All dog breeds have their own genetic health problems & issues. If you have researched the breed & want one, don't be scared off by a short life span, etc. We like the dogs we like & should get the best one we can, then enjoy the time we have with them! First, be sure to buy from a reputable breeder: go to www.akc.org & contact members of the closest breed club. Buy from a member that tests & certifies their breeding dogs free from genetic defects known to the breed. This is the best way to ensure a healthy, well adjusted pet from the start. Good breeders will be there for you for life to answer any questions you may have, also. Good luck!