Let's Talk About Great Dane Care

Great Dane care is not overwhelming, yet every aspect of your dog's life depends on you. Making a decision to own a dog, especially a Great Dane, is a serious responsibility that should be considered.

Fortunately, our Danes have helped us get it right over the years and asked that we pay it forward:)

It's common knowledge that caring for a dog requires shelter, food, water, grooming and veterinary care. Understand that with a Great Dane, these tangible requirements are greater than a canine of a smaller size.. MUCH GREATER.

How big are Great Danes really?

Well if you start at birth, around 3 pounds. Eight week old puppies, around 7 pounds. Adults, 150 pounds or more and between these life stages, anything is possible. Speaking of puppies, if you just came home with a new puppy you may be considering Great Dane ear cropping. Perhaps your puppy was cropped by the breeder? If so these articles on post cropping ear care will help. You can follow this dog ear taping guide with pipe foam. Or, use tampons with a newly cropped Dane to avoid a dog ear problem with this method.

Oh yes, back to that size question..

It's actually a good question and I've published a "Great Dane Growth Chart" that you can check out by visiting our Great Dane Puppy section available in the "Main Navigation Menu". The growth chart includes a comparison of age, gender, weight, and height.

Ah, the Great Dane size factor! Truly a marvel among canines, a traffic stopper, conversation starter and jaw dropper. Logically, with great size comes increased expenses. Your out of pocket cost for things like dog medicines and health care can be quite a shock. For this exact reason, Great Dane health insurance is a very wise choice and can really help keep medical costs in check.

Tangible Necessities

It's not cheap to care for a Great Dane. Everything will cost double or triple compared to a smaller breed, that's a fact. There are certain Great Dane health issues and dog illnesses that seem to pester our breed and we've dedicated an entire section to the subject of health.

Dog food and feeding Great Danes will also cost quite a bit more yet you have options which are discussed in the Dane diet section of our site. You'll also find that with a Dane, sourcing large breed dog gear and accessories that are big enough for our breed can make your head spin. Did you see the section of our site that includes many of the items you'll need plus a collection we actually designed specifically for Great Danes?

Are Danes Good in Small Yards?

Lets turn our attention to your Yard and Home.. Fencing and containment are all larger scale and a four foot fence won't stop a leaping Dane.

Ironically..

A large home is not a necessity, many consider these giants apartment dogs as they are quite adept to curling up on a couch cushion. A properly sized crate for Great Danes is huge! Keep this in mind if you plan on crating your Dane. You may also consider a safe room to keep your Great Dane puppy out of trouble while you're away.

Great Dane activity is average to moderate and should be monitored during rapid growth stages. However, all Danes differ by personality, age and temperament. Most pups will thrive with average physical activity and adults with minimal.

In addition to these essential basic needs, Great Dane care involves other intangibles. Unique and different than most breeds, these giants require a special need for human interaction, their sensitive character and demeanor is often overlooked due to their large imposing appearance.

TIP: For additional information on Great Dane temperament and behavior don't miss our Great Dane Intro section by following this link or via our "Main Navigation" menu.

Human interaction is extremely important to Great Dane temperament and overall character of a mature Dane. One trait that is seldom mentioned is malleability. Your Great Dane will look to you for guidance, not by verbal commands alone, dogs can read human body language and emotion quite easily. If living among a lazy family who neglects proper training and guidance, a lazy, unmotivated couch potato, or conversely, dominant, stubborn, unsociable adult may result.

We are not implying that Great Dane care is difficult, it isn't. Simply put, the same rules and conditions of responsible dog ownership apply, yet with a Great Dane, they increase exponentially. Take for instance the task of grooming a Great Dane, or bathing your gigantic dog, where are you going to wash a dog that weighs as much as you? What about an unexpected dog emergency, or accident? If your out on a hike and your Dane hurts its leg, how will you carry the injured giant back to the Trail Head?

Our intent is not to overwhelm you, Great Danes are wonderful animals who enrich the lives of those that care for them and others they come to know. Snoop around this website a bit, all about Great Danes is a wonderful place to gather some first hand information and learn more about about these amazing canine companions.

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