When thinking of adding a Great Dane to your family, there are some things to consider. The first and most obvious thing that comes to mind is size. The next thing that comes to mind is how much food will this dog eat? How much will I have to exercise my Dane? And how do they do as a family pet? There are many more things that would come to mind when thinking about bringing a Dane into your home, but these are just to mention a few. I have experience with raising two Dane puppies. One female (Asia) and one male (Hugo.) Asia is the mother of Hugo. I have experience in breeding, our family have bred Jack Russells most of my life growing up, and Asia was our first time breeding Danes. After moving out of my parents home after finishing school, Asia had her first litter and I decided to bring one home. At that time I already had two Pugs (Jack Russell/Pugs.) One was almost twelve years old and the other was my newest pup, She was almost two years old. I really wanted a new pup for my youngest pug Bella. My oldest did not like to play, and Bella needed a play mate. There would be a great size difference, but I did not think the difference would be a problem. When I brought him home that night, I knew right away they would soon be the best of friends and the size would never matter.
The food you choose to feed your Dane is very important. What you feed your Dane will have a huge part in how your Dane grows. Remember to grow them slow, constant growth is the key to proper growth development. Your Dane will grow rapidly in the first nine months, and continue to grow steadily through to eighteen months. Your Dane should be lite and lean until they hit about two years old. Your Dane will start to hold more weight after the initial "puppy stage" when their metabolism slows down. Feeding your Dane a premium dog food with protein levels no higher than 24%, and fat levels 12% to 14%, is key to proper growth development. You should never feed your Dane puppy food. The protein and fat levels are far too high for your Dane puppy. Feeding your Dane a Raw Diet.
Great Danes are known to be "big lazy couch potatoes." Danes are known to be very laid back and easy going. That is not to say that they do not need to be walked and exercised on a daily basis. When you bring your puppy Dane home, it is important to build somewhat a steady walking schedule. It is great for helping in house training your Dane as well. You will need to exercise your Dane daily. They will more then likely have a fast run around the park three times or so, then be very tired, very quickly. Our Pug goes for about twenty minutes after Hugo has had enough. There energy goes in spurts more then a constant need for it like other breeds. However due to the size of your Dane, having a dog with pent up energy can become a problem. So in conclusion, daily walks between twenty to thirty minutes each will allow you to have a happy balanced Dane.
Great Danes are well known for being a great family dog. They are very attached to their family. Socializing your Dane with people is key. Old people, young people, children, babies, men, woman and other animals. Due to their size, not having a well socialized Dane can be dangerous. Great Danes who are shy or weary of strangers can become very protective of their families. We have taken Hugo everywhere we can to get him out and used to being around new people and animals. We like most people have frequent guests come to our home, so having a dog that is not shy or weary of people makes all the difference. Danes are very personable dogs. They CRAVE human affection. They love to lean, cuddle or stand beside you all time to be close to you. They make awesome cuddle buddies for children. Our Dane Hugo loves children. We live across the road from a school and have a two year old nephew. We introduced Hugo to our nephew when he was four months old. I watched my nephew often so I needed to make sure I could trust Hugo with the baby in the house. From the moment I introduced them, they have been very close. My nephew has always found great comfort in Hugo, and Hugo has always wanted to nothing but watch over him when he is here. Even now that my nephew is running around, they still play very well together. Danes are very conscious of their size and do well in general with small children.
There are many things to consider when bringing home puppy Dane. Make sure you do your research before making that commitment. They are not cheap to feed, and vet visits are not any cheaper. Because of their size, even yearly vaccinations can be quite costly. They are prone to health problems, so researching your potential Dane's bloodlines can give you an idea if any may arise. Socializing your Dane is a must for a well balanced dog. They are very soft dogs and need lots of affection and attention. They do not need extensive exercise, but consistent daily walks are a must. They are easy to train, but start early. For more information or advise please visit Hugo at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hugo/180521955297664