The Truth About Danes

The truth about Danes is that the breed has a special, unique personality that is wonderfully appealing to lovers of the breed, but could be a turnoff for people who aren't that familiar to the breed. 

• Adult danes tend to be very loving, which is a spectacular feature of the breed.  However, they can also demand their attention and turn to destruction and other bad behaviors if they don't get the attention they need. 
• Danes are very devoted to their families, and as such they make wonderful family pets.  With proper socialization, most danes will accept strangers with a warning bark and a wary eye.  But if they haven't been properly socialized, danes may not do well in a home where visitors come often. 
• Danes should always be inside dogs.  They are not a breed that does well if left outside day and night, especially in a small kennel or at the end of a chain.  Danes need to be kept away from extreme weather conditions because their short coat makes them very sensitive to heat and cold. 
• Danes are easy to train and do well in obedience work.  However, every dane does require training with positive rewards and consistency in correcting unwanted behaviors.  Training should begin early, starting with a puppy kindergarten class as early as 8 weeks to 4 months old and continuing until the puppy has learned proper manners.  An adult, 150 pound dane with bad manners is no fun for anyone to be around.  Unfortunately, one of the comments that rescue workers hear from owners turning in their danes is, "i didn't know he'd get so big."  What they really mean is that they didn't know he'd be so difficult to handle.  In 99% of cases, early and consisten training could have prevented the dog losing his home.

It's easy to see photos of beautiful and regal Great Danes and stories about the breed through groups like The Great Dane Room, and to decide that the breed is right for you.  Now you must ask yourself:  Are you right for the breed?

Great Dane owners (and every member of the family) MUST:

• Have a sense of humor to appreciate the crazy situations that danes can get. themselves into (even if the shoe they chewed was your favorite Italian loafer)
• Be willing to take a dog through obedience training and to be consistent with training at home.
• Be willing to have a giant inside their hearts and inside their homes.  Danes should have an indoor place to sleep and be protected from the elements in the daytime.
• Have the financial stability to afford premium pet foods (cheaper pet foods promote bloat and other medical conditions), pay for routine and emergency vet care (emergency bloat surgery can cost $1000-2000), provide at least 1-2 training classes in the first year, and replace items that a zealous puppy may destroy if they don't get sufficient early training.  You don't have to be rich to be a good dane owner, but you should understand that you may have to make certain sacrifices in order to provide proper care.
• Familiarize themselves with the signs of emergency conditions such as bloat, and watch their dog for those signs to facilitate medical treatment if such a problem arises.
• Be prepared to get a lot of attention (both positive and negative) from strangers everywhere they take their dog.

Hope that helps shed some light on making your decision!