Living With Danes

Living with Giant breed dogs is... different! It's not for everyone! They're - well - BIG! And everything about them is big, including your feed bills, vet bills, dog crates, dog vehicle, boarding expenses etc., etc. You don't have to be wealthy to keep a Great Dane, but they can be very expensive to keep! They don't really take THAT much space... everyone asks me if we "live in the country" but we don't! In fact our house is pretty small but Danes make great house pets. However, they do need regular exercise and comfortable beds to sleep on. They need a lot of attention and since puppies will weigh 100+ pounds by the time they're SIX MONTHS OLD they need a lot of EARLY training!! They can start "counter surfing" by the time they're 4 months old! But if you're prepared for life with a Giant dog, they're the best companions you can imagine.
	They are furniture movers! Things can get a little rowdy with Danes in the house! I've had them knock a sofa over backwards, so now we put the sofa against the wall :-)
Never Too Big to Be a Lapdog "Barb and Ronnie are home, but are unable to answer the phone just now because we're pinned under giant dogs. Please leave your message at the beep".
	What's That Saying About The Grass On The Other Side Of The Fence? You don't necessarily need a super tall fence - a dog who is comfortable and has plenty of interaction with its people and has lots of interesting things to do will rarely try to escape the yard. Just be aware that a Dane can easily look over the top of a 6' fence!
What did we say about counter surfing? Danes are tall enouigh to check out your countertops by the time they are 4 or 5 months old. As adults, they can reach items on counters or tables while keeping all 4 feet on the ground. Keeping both the dog safe (from things that might be toxic or otherwise dangerous) and your food or other items safe (from the dog) takes a combination of training and management. You quickly learn to keep your countertops clear!
	Eye to Eye This was Topper's first trip to the lake, and she wasn't too happy about it at first. Don't worry, she soon realized she wouldn't melt and had a great time!
Wanna-be Landscape Architects This is an example of the kind of hole a 4 month old Dane puppy can dig!
	Just getting a drink Although of course they have fresh water in bowls and buckets, many Danes like to drink straight out of the faucet. Dakota certainly does!
"Oh, Did You Want To Sit Here Too?" Of course, you do NOT have to let your Danes on your furniture! If you decide not to allow that, just be consistent from the very start - and be sure to give your dog plenty of really comfortable beds. They should be thick and supportive enough to feel comfortable to YOU. If large and giant breed dogs do not have really soft sleeping surfaces they can develop calluses on their elbows and hips, and it can contribute to joint pain.
	They REALLY Like to Get Eye - To - Eye! Here's Teddy giving Ronnie a kiss.
They Don't Just Lie On The Furniture Danes like to sit on couches - Teddy takes it one step further by sitting on the couch to chew on his bully stick. It doesn't look comfortable, but then again we never claimed that Ted was a genius :-)