Great Dane Info?

Question

Can anyone tell me anything about great danes (who actually owns one) like temperment, Do they shed alot? Watch dogs? Good with Kids? Eat a whole lot? Good with other pets? Protective? Playful?

Answer 1

I've been owned by Danes for 30 years, and I have 4 right now. I do Dane rescue as well.

Very good advice above. Be sure you are prepared for a dog that will not mature until it is 3 years old. That is a long puppyhood! Danes need obedience training from the minute you get them - what is "cute" at 20 lbs, won't be funny at all when the dog is 120 lbs and you have no control. Danes are very "clingy", they are people dogs and some can get very upset if left alone.

Puppies should be crate trained. They are relatively easy to house train, and crating them at night will help with this. They are an intelligent breed, very eager to please, so they do well at obedience classes. And they should go to obedience classes as soon as possible.

Naturally with a giant breed, everything costs more - food, vet, etc. Through better breeding and better nutrition Danes are living longer, the average used to be 7-8 years, now 11 years is not uncommon and one of mine lived to 15.

Nutrition is very important, Danes should NEVER be fed puppy food, it will lead to bone and joint problems. They should have a good quality kibble (no corn!) with about 12%-14% fat content and no more than 22% - 24% protein. Read the label, the first ingredient should be meat (not byproduct). Puppy food promotes rapid growth, which you don't want in a giant breed. They need to grow slowly to form good bone density and joints , which will be able to take the weight later on.

All Danes I have known were great with kids, but those happy tails can give a toddler a terrific whack in the face. Good watch dogs, they are not barkers, but they are protective and will keep a careful eye on a stranger. They don't need to bark, their size is enough. Nearly all have been good with other dogs, and mine are very good with small dogs especially. Very careful not to hurt them. Some are cat chasers, but most prefer to cuddle with their cat.

With their short coat, shedding is minimal, they just need a brushing every few days. Bathing is easy too, get them used to it while young.

Adult Great Danes do their job well - keeping couches from flying away.

Answer 2

I've had my dane for 4 years now. She has a great temperment, loves kids and has only growled at one person. This was a man that came up to her and grabbed her by the muzzle. Indy sheds like any normal dog. Not a huge amont but when the weather turns warmer she does shed. As for being a watch dog she will let me know if someone is around but she isn't aggressive. The best thing to do if you get a dane is to socialize it. Take it everywhere you go so that the will get used to many different people and animals. They do eat alot but they are a giant breed. As they age they don't eat as much. She eats 6-7 cups of a quality kibble per day broken up into 2 meals. She is great with our other pets (chocolate lab, beagle, 2 cats and a rabbit). She hasn't really had a reason to be protective when we play fight our wrestle she will bark from the couch where she is sitting. They are playful....we call it the zoomies...playfulness isn't a constant thing. She has playful times during the day but for as many playful times there are as many lazy times where she like to lay on her couch. Hope this helps.

Answer 3

I currently own two Danes but have owned many in my lifetime.

Like any breed, they come in a variety of personalities and temperaments, but you could certainly generalize them to be sweet, lovable couch potatoes.

All of the Danes I've ever met and owned have been lovely family dogs. Their size can be a problem if you have small children or cats, as Danes have no sense of their size and can do some damage or cause injury while just trying to be playful. Your days of having an adorned coffee table will be over; one sweep of a Dane "happy tail", and your things will go flying!

Most Danes do not require a lot of exercise; it's not recommended that Danes be used as jogging partners, due to their large joints and the problems that can ensue with overuse. A couple of short walks a day and a little playtime should suffice.

My two Danes eat through a 40 lb. bag of good quality dog food (Nutro large breed adult rice and lamb fomula) every two weeks. They eat twice daily, about 2 cups each meal; no table scraps, but we do give them glucosamine supplements for joint health.They are what I would call 'mildly protective'; that is, if they 'sense' that my husband or I are uncomfortable with a person or situation, they are clearly more alert and focused on us. They have never once growled, snapped or acted aggressively, although I would never put it past any dog under the right circumstances.

My Danes are both Piebalds (nearly albino but for a few splashes of color), with blue eyes, and are both deaf. We adopted them from separate Dane rescue organizations here in Central Texas. I have read that Piebald danes shed more because the hair follicles for white hair are shaped differently than for darker hair, but I don't know if that's true for all breeds.

Although I'm biased, I think Danes are a great choice for a dog lover. Whatever breed you decide on...do your homework first and know what you're getting yourself into. All breeds have pros and cons, good qualities and bad. Good luck!

Answer 4

There quite isn't a lot difference between adult males & females as far as persona goes..It's extra individual canine. They are not heavy shedders. They mainly make best condo puppies.They do not require plenty of recreation or a colossal yard. They are quiet dogs that prefer the sofa . They must be on a excellent nice meals with a protein degree no higher then 24%. Steer clear of retailer brand foods comparable to Science weight loss plan, Purina, Pedigree, IAMS/Eukanuba, and so on. They contain method too many high carb, low-priced fillers and most include soy which is a no no for Danes. They love massive balls, kongs, raw bones, stuffies and many others for toys. No they aren't tough to housetrain in any respect. They aren't famous for being a protecting breed..Their measurement on my own is enough of a deternet.They honestly shouldn't be overly protective. A wellbred Dane is strong and hardy. They don't seem to be fragile like some men and women think. A wellbred well cared for Dane could have an average lifespan of 10 years, but many are living well into their young adults now. A good bred, well socialized, well proficient Dane is a individual companion they're clean, quiet and with no trouble informed. They love individuals. Additionally they are residence puppies now not outside dogs. I propose the e-book The exceptional Dane mannequin of the Aristocracy via Jill Swedlow. It is a distinct informative publication with right information written with the aid of an extraordinarily expereinced Dane owner/breeder. This can be a staple publication for Dane enthusiasts and Dane homeowners regardless of if they're new to the breed or old timers. The quality Dane lady does have somewhat of fine data, but unluckily most of it's out of date and over done.

Answer 5

I have owned several danes and none of them were exactly alike. We had 2 brothers and they were black. Noah couldn't cut it in the country so we gave to a kid that lived in town about 2 1/2 years ago. He still has him and they sleep in the same bed. Max wasn't the better half. Our neighbor shot him while him and our neighbors dogs were chasing his pony. But other than that he was a pretty good dog. We had a brindle named Tigger. He was very goofy and liked to play. He wasn't rambunctious in the house and was very good with our son and other dogs. Then there is Sly. He is a harlequin that we adopted from PAWS. The greatest guard dog and best babysitter you could ask for. He won't let a strange dog get anywhere near the family or our other dogs. He sheds just before summer and not a lot and he eats about a half a coffee can of dog food a day. When it is cool outside he does like to play for a little bit. But as puppies they aren't all wound up like most other dogs. Hope this helps!

Answer 6

I have a 6 month old great dane. He is a great dog. He has a great temperment but they are scaredy cats. Like if someone knocks on the door he growls like crazy when they come in but wont go near them like he is in fear that they are after him. In a few minutes he is back to playing normal with the new people and wanting plenty of attention. He eats alot and has small spouts of energy. But for the most part he is lazy and want to lay around on the couch all day. They need lots of attention but that could be because mine is super spoiled. He is great with the neighbors dogs and all of them are not nuetered so he doesnt try to fight them or anything. The shedding is not that bad but it happens about twice a year (winter coat and summer coat). But u can brush them outside good for a few days and it stops.

Answer 7

Yes, I have a 2 yr old female. They shed, but not much if you keep up on their brushing everyday. Great with kids, other pets, very playful. Yes, I would say a great watch dog, she barks whenever anyone comes to the door. I wouldnt say she eats too much for her size. She eats about 4-6 cups of dry dog food a day. (Plus Greenies) Just make sure you get your Dane on a good, high quality dog food like Canine Caviar (can be found online) and brush them once a day for minimal shedding and optimum bonding time.

Answer 8

There truly isn't a lot distinction between men & women human beings so some distance as personality is going..it really is more effective man or woman canine. they don't look to be heavy shedders. they frequently make tremendous house canine.they don't require a tremendous variety of exercising or a large backyard. they're quiet canine that desire the settee . they might want to be on a sturdy high quality nutrition with a protein aspect no larger then 24%. stay remote from save sort meals mutually with technology weight-loss plan, Purina, Pedigree, IAMS/Eukanuba, etc. They comprise way too many extreme carb, low-priced fillers and maximum comprise soy it really is a no no for Danes. They love tremendous balls, kongs, raw bones, stuffies etc for toys. No they don't look to be troublesome to housetrain in any respect. they don't look to be reported for being a shielding breed..their length on my own is adequate of a deternet.they truly should not be overly shielding. A wellbred Dane is sturdy and hardy. they don't look to be fragile like some human beings imagine. A wellbred properly cared for Dane could have an frequent lifespan of 10 years, yet many live properly into their little ones now. A properly bred, properly socialized, properly experienced Dane is a astounding better half they're sparkling, quiet and positively experienced. They love human beings. in addition they are homestead canine no longer outdoor canine. i counsel the e book the excellent Dane sort of nobility by potential of Jill Swedlow. it is a astounding informative e book with fantastic information written by potential of an exceedingly expereinced Dane proprietor/breeder. it is a staple e book for Dane fans and Dane vendors no count number in the adventure that they are new to the breed or previous timers. the excellent Dane woman does have quite sturdy information, yet regrettably maximum of it really is old and over finished.

Answer 9

I adopted a Great Dane when he was six months old. The first night we left him inside when we went out, he ate my wall to wall carpet after he knocked over a couch and pulled it up by the corner, and he chewed up half the Christmas tree. He was the only pup in the litter and he grew to be huge huge.

He had the most wonderful playful temperament and he never had an ill tempered showing. He was wonderful. He rarely barked and loved pizza. We adopted him from a family who owned an italian restaurant and they fed him one pizza every day. Not the greatest diet, obviously, but it didn't seem to hurt him.

Answer 10

Great dogs - I have had two in the past. They are generally much oversized lap dogs. Although each dog has it's individual characteristics, they tend to be freindly, easy going and mildly protective. Their size alone will make you feel safe; it is this same size that causes problems with joints and heart. There are now giant breed dog foods that contain glucosimine (sp?) and help control growth. The prior answers all seem right on track, good luck.