Do Great Danes make good pets?

Question

I'm trying to find the right breed for me,and after a lot of arguing,my mom and I FINALLY agree on a breed,and that's the Great Dane.I think that they're a great breed,only I've never owned one before.So if anyone has had any experience with the breed or knows anything about them,could you lemme know????

Answer 1

I love them, very smart. But you should know they don't live very long 8-10 years tops and they tend to have expensive vet bills due to joint problems that frequent the breed.  

Answer 2

They are very good dogs. There are some things to consider though before getting one. They are ,of course, a very large dog. In turn, they also have very high vet bills, food bills and have tended to get joint problem's. They also have a short life span for a dog. They rarely make it to double digits. They will also need to be fed a premium dog food made for large breed dogs. As long as you are prepared for the expense, you should be o.k.

Answer 3

My husband and i have one, and he is awesome!! We do have struggles with chewing, but he is only 3 months old!! He is VERY intelligent and was fully potty trained by the 3rd week of having him. He is very loyal and does what he can to please us. I think great danes are amazing dogs..just one thing, if you have a coffee table clear it off of any breakables because Titan's tail is a destroyer lol.

Anyways i think a great dane is a great choice for your family, just give him a lot of attention and a lot of excercise and he will be perfect!! :)

Answer 4

They are a very great breed, very funny, loyal and just amazing dogs to be around. I think everyone needs to own a Great Dane such a magnifence creature.

Answer 5

Yes. Plus you can ride them like a horse!

They eat alot though.

Answer 6

yes they are but don't get to attached they've only got a 7 year life span your better off with a good old faith full mongrel

Answer 7

Danes are gentle giants. Ive owned several. They are an intelligent breed and are very well behaved. Only drawback is that they only have a life expectancy of 7 years. If you buy a Dane ...Get one from a good breeder and when you get the dog fixed , make sure you get his or her stomach stapled. Danes get Bloat . Its a disorder in big dogs that can kill them. The cavity that surrounds the stomach swells with gases and the stomach itself turns and cuts off the blood supply the major organs . Stapleing the stomach as a puppy helps prevent bloat.

Good luck with your new dog....Danes rule !!!

Answer 8

Yes, I have owned three Great Danes over the years.  They are quiet, loving dogs, very loyal and protective of their family, but they take a lot of exercising every day and eat a lot.  As they get older they can get joint problems and bone cancer if they are reared incorrectly (too fast growth when puppies).  In spite of all this, I would get another Great Dane tomorrow if I could but my garden is not big enough.

Answer 9

They eat too much.

Answer 10

They are usually scaredy cats.. big babies.

Answer 11

They make very good pets!

my a 5 year old girl i know has one in her house and she never hurt her

they are very good

try to look for a Harlequin or one like in my avatar

Answer 12

They are lovely dogs we had one as a pet when I was a child.

Unfortunately they are prone to problems and don't live very long.

ours (Ella) developed a brain tumour and started attacking people so we had to have her put to sleep, obviously you can't let a dog that size lose control, also my sister recently got a great dane which has serious back and leg problems.

I'm not trying to discourage you, just being honest.

Answer 13

they are a great dog. but my friend had one and it only lived till 6years old. they also have very high vet bills!  

Answer 14

yep but hard to take care of they are very loving if treated right mine still thinks he is a puppy and tries to get on my lap when i sit down but i don't think he realises he weighs 15 stone and is nearly 7 foot on hind legs and i am 8 stone and 5'3 standing lol i do often get squashed but its in a loving way i suggest you research them alot first they get problems with there heart and bloat  

Answer 15

Great danes are giant breed dogs, not large breed.

Feeding a giant breed:

Dogs are supposed to have meat, bones, and organs, preferably fresh, wholesome, and unprocessed. This is why many feed a homemade raw diet.

ww.rawfed.com/myths

www.rawmeatybones.com

www.rawlearning.com

A raw diet is typically cheaper than kibble worth buying.

For a dog fed raw, it is typically 2 to 3 percent of the dogs ideal body weight. If the dog is a pup(under 18 months for most dogs) it can be around 10% of the dogs body weight. Most raw feeders start at one percentage and adjust it as needed.

Kibble fed dog rules:

Do not feed puppy food or large breed dog food to your future dane.

If your dane is a pup(under 18 months) feed an adult dog food that contains 23% protein or less(does not apply to raw diet) and does not contain any of the following:

Corn

Soy

Wheat

By-products

Colors

Ethoxyquin-chemical preservative

Menadione(run from any food containing this as an ingredient)

Anything found in a grocery store or recommended by a vet(it is not a matter of nutrition when a vet tries to sell food, it is for financial benefits).

www.bigdogsporch.com is forum for large/giant breed dog owners. They can help you with almost anything dog related, but especially a dogs diet.

Other than diet(he loves to eat), my dane is very lazy but I got him after he was full grown. He likes to sleep all day and be pounced, but we take him to the park at least once a week to keep him socialized with other dogs.

Fixing a giant breed:

Wait if you plan to fix your future dane. Wait until 18 to 24 months of age.

And vaccines should be kept to a minimum. Only one at a time, no combo vaccines.

Look into a holistic veterinarian for vaccines. You may get lucky and find a vet that doesnt sell food as well.

Answer 16

ok if ur wondering bout there personality and everything then i know a relli good webpage which is        www.petplanet.co.uk

           then u go to breed profiles and find great dane and it will tell u EVERYTHING u need 2 know!!! gd luck

Answer 17

Great Danes are truely a magnificent breed! You have to experience them first-hand to truely see what wonderful animals they are.

They are friendly to everyone...they just LOVE people. They're cuddly, sweet, gentle big babies.

Yet, they are excellent guard dogs. Their growl is enough to make a passerby wet their pants!

Their growl sounds like thunder, their bark sounds like an explosion!

I ADORE them.

You can find a lot of good information on these websites.

http://www.all-about-great-danes.com/

http://greatdanelady.com/

Answer 18

All the Great Danes I have met seem super sweet, loyal and obedient. I want to have one some day.

Answer 19

They are a great breed of dog, however you have to be willing to put in lots of time and effort.  Be willing to spend the money on professional training when he/she is young.  You don't want a dog that size dragging you around on a leash.  Veterinary care is also likely to cost more because of size.  Also, giant breed dogs don't tend to live as long as others.  They tend to live for less than ten years.  But, if you have the room in your house and the room in your heart, they truly are wonderful dogs.  

Answer 20

They are very loving dogs... However..... How big is your house? if you live in an apartment or small dwelling, I would say no.. get something smaller, if you have a big house with a garden and room for them to run around then go for it.

Just remember how expensive big dogs cost to feed and Vet bills.. they eat so much!!!..

Also, if you have any small children or elderly house members, it's not a good idea as they can jump up and push them over.. so keep in mind the size these dogs reach.

Good luck with your dog.