What are the responsibilities of a Great Dane?

Question

i have a papillon and Im thinking about getting a Great Dane. I know they are a BIG commitment. Any one who has one or know a lot about them please respond.

Answer 1

these are the pros and cons of a great dane.

take a look.

http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews...

Answer 2

Dogs don't have responsibilities.  You will be taking on a HUGE eating machine that makes large land mines.  You sure you want to do this?

Danes can be aggresive as any dog can.  It could easily eat/kill the papillon, so I would think twice.

Answer 3

The responsibilities of owning a Great Dane are HUGE (lol). But seriously, they are a harder breed to care for. If properly trained and cared for they are sweet dogs, and can get along fine with a Papillon. You do need to take care that they do recieve this training though, a 33" plus dog jumping up in greeting to the wrong person can cause damage. They also have the potential to drag you on walks if not trained.

Their exercise needs are easily met and they are happy to share small quarters, as long as you are willing to constantly walk around them. The only real draw back is their shorter life expectancy and the cost. Big dogs age faster. And the cost of medical bills are enormous for these dogs. They are prone to a few different health issues. The cost of medical care rises with the size of the dog, even typical things such as needles, heartworm preventatives, neutering, and any procedures requiring anethstesia(sp) can easily cost 3-5 times more than it would for your smaller dog. They also eat a lot, and have far different nutritional requirements than a small breed. Ensure that you get it on a good quality large breed food.

If you can afford one, they can make great companions.

Answer 4

I love the look of a great dane. They are so cute.

Answer 5

very good natured dog, very gentle with children other dogs and don't actually need that much exercise for a large dog.  They grow so fast when young that they sleep a lot as puppies.  I suppose the most important thing would be to teach it manners, no jumping up and no pulling on the leash.  Health wise they are OK, but they don't live very long, by memory approximately 8-9 years.

Answer 6

Great Danes are usually good-tempered dogs, as most of the other respondents have noted.  I suggest that you do some research to find breeders in your area - the website for the Great Dane Club of America could be a good place to start (if you are in the US) http://www.gdca.org/

It definitely possible for a big dog and a little dog to live together and be great friends.  However, it is important that you choose a dog from bloodlines noted for calmness and coexistence with small dogs or cats.  If your Dane and Papillion will spend time together, you want to be sure that the Dane will not play too roughly or hurt the Papillion unintentionally out of excitement.  Personality can vary a great deal within a breed, so it is important to meet your Dane's parents.

As others have said, you also need to be ready for a much bigger financial commitment with a Dane.  Everything for large dogs is more expensive - crates and equipment, food, vet bills due to larger doses of medicines, etc.  You might also need to make a bigger commitment to training than with your Papillion.  A small dog who doesn't walk on a leash properly can be annoying, but a dog who weighs nearly as much as you do and doesn't walk on a leash properly is a danger to himself and others. (Not so hard to picture..: ))

Having said all that, big and small dogs can be great friends.  If you have your heart set on having these two breeds, you can make it work with some extra effort.  Good luck.

Answer 7

They are great. gentle giants with a clumsy personality. You will need to take him/her to the vet often. They eat a lot......