LEANS N SLOBBERS

Why do some Great Dane's have pointy ears and others don't?

Great Dane's can have either cropped ears, or natural ears. Cropping the ears involves surgery, where the ear is cut to a certain shape, and then trained to stand upwards using tape and racks.

Cropping is banned in several countries because it is considered cruel. Breeders and owners in the US still have the right to decide which look they like better.

While there is no medical reason to crop, some prefer the look. If you make that decision, I cannot stress enough the importance of finding a skilled vet to do the procedure. Learn how to tape the ears. It's a lot of work and does not guarantee that the ears will stand. Find out more about cropping

Why can't I feed my new puppy a puppy formula.

Puppy food has been linked to skeletal problems with Great Dane puppies due to high levels of calcium, phospherous, and protein. Dane pups grow too rapidly on puppy food and can encounter a myriad of problems ranging from PANO to HOD. Please read more about the connection between these disorders and feeding puppy food by clicking

How much does a Great Dane eat?

Suprisingly, less than you'd expect. The average Great Dane probably eats a little more than most labs or shepherds would. Feeding a high quality kibble means feeding less.

A growing dane will eat more than an adult dane, due to the incredible growth, but on average, most adults are easily kept at 4-6 cups of high quality kibble a day. Find out more about feeding a high quality food by clicking

Do Great Dane's make good pets?

YES!! Great Danes have an amazing level of sensitivity, intelligence, and loyalty. They seem to have a sixth sense about their owners needs and wishes. Often times, a facial expression is all that's needed to deter any misbehavior from a Great Dane.

How are Great Danes with kids?

Great Danes have a remarkable knack for being resilient to children and their pranks. My only concerns would be if the child is responsible enough to be around the dane, and if the owners are responsible enough to not allow the child and dane to interact unsupervised. No dog should be expected to tolerate smacking, poking, pulling, etc.

Another concern is the overall size of a dane. Even the most gentle dane can knock a child to the ground, or whack a child with his tail, unintentionally causing pain.

If you have children and want a Great Dane, please evaluate the temperament of the dane. While the majority are good with children, there are some who will not tolerate them.

Respecting the dane's space is of utmost importance. Children should be taught to never disturb a dog while sleeping. Allowing a child to climb on a dog can also be a recipe for disaster. Also teach the child that the food dish is off limits. While a dog should allow the child to handle the food dish if needed, it's a common courtesy to allow the dog to be able to eat without being disturbed.

You will need to be familiar with a dog's body language. Recognizing the signs that your dog is stressed is vital. Even the best dog can have enough, or have a limit of what it will tolerate before getting irritated.

Are Great Danes good with other animals?

Some yes, some no. Some lines of Great Danes have a higher prey drive than others. If you are purchasing from a breeder, check with the breeder on how their danes do with other animals, especially smaller animals. If you are rescueing a dane, check with the rescue, as most foster dogs are evaluated on their reliability with other animals.

Some danes will show some same-sex aggression. Spaying or neutering your dane will help with this behavior, but if it's severe, it's best to not allow your dog to interact with other dogs of the same sex.

What is the Great Dane's lifespan?

The Great Dane, as a giant breed, has a pretty brief lifespan. Some lines have longer lifespans than others, but I'd say the rule of thumb is between 6-8 years. They are called the "Heartbreak Breed" because of this.

While reputable breeders are doing what they can to breed healthier, longer lived danes, unethical breeders are unconcerned with this matter. Your best shot at purchasing a healthy, long lived dane is to research and find a reputable breeder.

How big do Great Dane's get?

BIG! If you are considering a Great Dane, please make sure you are prepared to share your home with a giant. They can easily surf counters, swipe coffee tables clean and drink out of a sink. Please make sure you are fully prepared before getting a dane.

Males can reach anywhere from 32 inches to 40+ inches at the withers and weigh up to 200 lbs. Females are generally smaller - From anywhere to 30 inches to 35 inches, though I've heard of taller. They weigh less as well, but they are still a BIG dog.

Isn't a Great Dane too big to be a house dog?

NO!! I cannot stress enough the importance of your dane living inside with you. Great Danes are tremendously sensitive. To relegate them to a life outdoors, away from their family, is nothing short of cruelty in my eyes. Great Danes need to be with their families. Aside from this reason, there are others:

*Not enough fur/fat to protect them from the elements.

Imagine being left outside in the winter with nothing more than a tee shirt on.

*Great Danes often become destructive when bored.

This can lead to behavioral problems such as digging, barking and fence climbing. In some cases, danes will even become self multilating, chewing their paws and body in an attempt to alleviate their boredom and anxiety.

*Great Danes are highly succeptible to bloat.

Monitering your dane and his food intake, water intake and activity level is vital. It's hard to do this when you're inside and the dane is not.

*You are not able to protect your dane from harm

If you leave your dane outside unsupervised, he is subject to many harms. He can be poisoned, injured, escape, etc and you would not know until it is too late.

These are just some of the reasons danes should not be outside dogs. "They are too big for the house" is just not an acceptable excuse. If you aren't prepared to share your home with a dane, please do not get one.

Are Great Danes mean?

Any breed has the capability to be aggressive. While we like to call our danes the Gentle Giant, there are sometimes, exceptions to the rule. Poor breeding practices, abuse, aggressive handling of the dane, and enviroment can all play a part in the dane's temperament.

Even abuse or a poor life is not enough to deter most danes from being gentle. Volunteering with rescue, I was often sent to pick up danes who had lived in the most horrid of conditions. Handling many danes, I was only growled at once, and bitten once. The growl occured when I stepped onto the property of a dane who did not know me. He gave me a deep growl, sniffed me over, then walked over to the owner. Once the owner accepted me, the dane did too. The bite occured because of a fight between two males and I just happened to be in the middle of them. It was not an intentional bite.

Training is a necessity with this breed. Socializing is too. If done properly, both can help pave the way to a wonderful, friendly dane.