Hello Danes

Author: Hello Danes

  • Don’t Make These E-Collar Mistakes!

    Don’t Make These E-Collar Mistakes!

    There are many tools used in dog training (leashes, treats and crates come to mind), and some are more controversial than others. If I had to take a guess, I’d say that the E-Collar tops the list of most controversial training tools.

    E-Collar Mistakes
    E-Collar Mistakes

    E Collar Myths
    What is an E Collar?
    What is the Difference Between an E Collar and a Shock Collar?
    9 Reasons to E Collar Train Your Great Dane Puppy

    Just like any other tool (including leashes and yes, treats) mistakes and incorrect use can have serious consequences for a dog. Confusion, fear, frustration, aggression and health problems can result from outdated or misguided training methods.

    Today, we’re chatting about some common E-Collar mistakes so that you can avoid them with YOUR dog! We believe in the modern, positive use of E-Collars as a remote invisible leash and want to change the way people think about them for the better.

    E-Collar Mistakes

    E-COLLAR MISTAKE: TRAINING A DOG THAT DOESN’T KNOW ANY SKILLS

    E-Collar training is going to be an exercise in frustration for dogs that don’t have basic skills down at a beginner level. Before E-Collar training begins, your dog should be able to execute the following commands in a low-distraction environment: 

    • Sit, Down, Stand, Touch
    • Place (lay on a bed or mat)
    • Leave it
    • Drop it
    • Wait (at the door)
    • Stay (30 seconds)
    • Basic leash manners (loose heel position)
    • Come (in a low distraction area, 10 feet away)

    These don’t have to be perfect, but the dog should know them and understand ‘how to learn’. It’s ok if your dog is unable to do these things outside of your home or yard, just yet.

    Puppy Training: 5 Mistakes in Training
    Great Dane Puppy Fear Stages
    How to Stop a Great Dane from Jumping Up
    How to Teach a Great Dane to Walk on Leash
    Is the Gentle Leader an Abusive Tool?

    Why is this important? Because it shows three things: one, that the dog knows how to learn (and you know how to teach it), two that the dog has foundational skills to build upon, and three, that your dog has built a positive relationship with you as the handler.

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    We do not care what crackhead alpha dominance franchised reality television dog trainer you learned from that told you otherwise, the E-Collar should never be used to teach basic obedience commands. All of these things are extremely easy to teach in your living room using nothing but praise, treats and toys.

    Always start there! The foundation you build will pay off with advanced obedience down the line.

    E-COLLAR MISTAKE: THE EASY BUTTON

    Unfortunately, this is the most COMMON mistake in the world of E-Collars, and the reason why so many people are against this tool.

    The E-Collar is NOT an easy button. 

    You should never, ever slap a shock or E-Collar on a dog and start zapping them when they step out of line.

    2001 called and they want their dog training back. Seriously.

    A proper E-Collar has so much more potential than this…and so does your dog!

    Don’t waste the amazing capabilities of the E-Collar as an invisible leash by resorting to poorly timed punitive corrections. Doing so may feel good in the moment, but it rarely addresses the root cause of the behavior (fear, anxiety, prey-drive and a lack of training, boundaries and management).

    RUN from any garbage trainer that puts an electric collar on your dog and encourages you to light up the remote for puppy biting, running away, reactivity, leash lunging, digging in the trash, barking or otherwise.

    Look, we get it, you are frustrated…but take it easy. Meeting training problems with hot corrections and using the remote as a threat isn’t the most humane or effective route to solve behavior problems.

    Lay off the easy button and come with us into the current decade of dog training, we are here to help you!

    E-Collar Mistakes

    E-COLLAR MISTAKE: BUYING A SHOCK COLLAR

    Newsflash, shock collars and E-Collars are TWO different things.

    Shock collars are absolute garbage. They deliver a sharp, punishing electric shock and are meant to be used as a tool of corrections. See above.

    E-Collars cost more (typically $199+) because they deliver a gentle, blunt muscle stimulation meant to be used as a communication, not a correction.

    If you are struggling with behavior, buying a shock collar may feel like the last resort option, but we promise you, the properly used E-Collar can help you with behavior AND more…all without unfairly punishing your dog. 

    We know those cheap $30-$50 shock collars on Amazon are appealing as you watch your giant beast of a dog destroy the trash, lunge at a chihuahua and run out the front door…but we have a little secret.

    Those are training and management problems, and attempting to fix them by hurting your dog is a bandaid. Plus, properly used E-Collars offer so much more. Off-leash freedom, better communication and a happier dog that truly understands what is being asked. We want you to have this and more.

    View our collection of high-quality E-Collars HERE.

    E-COLLAR MISTAKE: SKIPPING THE CONDITIONING PHASE

    Many people view E-Collars as a punishment tool, and are completely misinformed about the power of using it as a positive communication tool.

    When the stimulation felt from the collar is associated with good things, through a process called E-Collar Conditioning, hundreds of doors open up for you and your dog.

    The dog is given a reason to LISTEN to the stimulation and knows how to respond to it…rather than learning to fear it (and run away from it OR the remote, yikes)! 

    When a dog responds positively to low levels of stimulation, you can communicate with your dog in a much more powerful way than you can by waiting to shock the crud out of your dog for messing up.

    With correct E-Collar training, dogs are enthusiastically developing advanced off-leash obedience skills using a sensation that feels as gentle as a few ants crawling on skin. Not shocks or corrections.

    That’s a fact. Do not skip the conditioning phase, it’s incredibly important. It’s also FUN, easy to do, and will turn your E-Collar into an invisible leash.

    E-COLLAR MISTAKE: NOT USING POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT

    Positive reinforcement using treats, praise and play is an integral part of developing amazing, confident, happy off-leash family dogs.

    You cannot just put an E-Collar on a dog and zap them into submission.

    TRUTH TIME: we are pretty angry with the low-life dog trainers who promote that nonsense, especially when they disguise it as ‘discipline’.

    E-Collar Mistakes

    Dogs that are rewarded for correct behaviors learn faster and are more enthusiastic, predictable and well-balanced. Positive reinforcement is the scientifically studied basis for how ALL living things learn. Plants are rewarded for finding the sun. Children are rewarded for being polite in school. Humans are rewarded for hard work with cash bonuses.

    Dogs can be rewarded with affection, food or a quick game of tug. All basic obedience skills are easy to teach using positive reinforcement. With effective E-Collar training, positive reinforcement is used to teach the dog how to respond to, and turn off the stimulation.

    E-COLLAR MISTAKE: USING VIBRATE

    Many people who buy a shock or E-Collar out of desperation to fix behavior problems will rely heavily on beep and vibrate.

    They often say that they would never ‘use shock’ and that the vibrate gets the dogs attention. This makes them feel better about using a punitive correction tool.

    However, vibrate is often actually MORE aversive to a dog, and will cause MORE stress than a low-level stimulation that the dog has been conditioned to respond to (see our note about conditioning above). 

    Vibration seems harmless but it’s actually very startling and annoying. It is not uncommon to see stress signals, including cowering, hunching, tail tucking and pinning ears. Try it yourself. Feel the vibration sensation, then feel the stimulation at a level 7 (on E-Collar Technologies, the level many dogs work at). You won’t be able to feel the stimulation, but you WILL feel the vibration.

    Vibrate and beep mode are not more humane. We don’t use either mode with our dogs, and most ethical E-Collar trainers don’t either. Be like a legitimate dog trainer and reprogram those buttons on your E-Collar to something less aversive.

    E-Collar Mistakes

    E-COLLAR MISTAKE: STIM CITY

    Many people start to bump the stim level when ‘holes’ in their training pop up (most often due to a lack of conditioning and positive reinforcement, or because the collar is not fitted properly).

    They may believe that the dog is being stubborn, defiant, dominant, or ‘large and in charge’ and they will respond by dialing up the heat. 

    It’s easy to fall into this trap. But remember this; eventually you’re going to run out of heat on that stim collar, and the dog still won’t understand what it is supposed to be doing.

    If you find yourself resorting to stim city, take a vacation from the E-Collar and go back to basics.

    After a few weeks of conditioning and diligent training, many people report that their dog responds beautifully, enthusiastically and consistently to low-levels of stimulation, that they rarely if ever have to actually use the tool on their dog, and that it’s there simply as a ‘backup’ device.

    Remember: E-Collars are a modern wireless leash, not a corrective device. 

    E-COLLAR MISTAKE: FIXING AGGRESSION

    The absolute WORST thing you can do with an E-Collar is to put it on a dog and then dial up the stim when they are being reactive or aggressive.

    This is true for leash aggression, dog aggression, human aggression, aggression between two dogs in a home and aggression towards children.

    Puppy Training: 5 Mistakes in Training
    Great Dane Puppy Fear Stages
    How to Stop a Great Dane from Jumping Up

    Never, ever use an E-Collar to ‘correct’ a behavior that is based on emotion. You will make the problem worse in the long run.

    Aggression is a fear-based response that requires diligent, thoughtful management and professional training, NOT shock or E-Collars.

    E-Collars can be used with fearful and aggressive dogs, but only with conditioning and positive reinforcement, when the dog is not being fearful, aggressive or reactive, as a tool to teach reliable off-leash skills.

    If you found one of those garbage dog trainers that tells you to use high-level stim to correct the dog for reacting in some way, or has you ready to hit the ‘easy button’ when your two house dogs go after each other, get your money back. That crap is what gives E-Collars and dog trainers a bad name. 

    LEARN E-COLLAR THE RIGHT WAY

    We have an ever-growing library of free E-Collar training resources to help you create a beautiful relationship with your dog.

    If you are looking to invest in a quality E-Collar, CLICK HERE.  Use the code ECOLLARMAGIC for $10 off your purchase.

    For free E-Collar training help, view one of our other E-Collar blog posts here!

  • Great Danes and Kids

    Great Danes and Kids

    We love to see Great Danes and kids together! Understandably, people have a lot of questions about this though. Because Danes are SO big, they can be seen as dangerous or unsafe to have around babies and children. While there is some truth to that (a jumping Dane is dangerous), Great Danes are often wonderful with children!

    The breed standard calls for a gentle, confident, friendly dog. It is unacceptable for a Great Dane to be aggressive, snappy, or unstable, though some are. Knowing how to adopt or purchase a healthy, well-tempered Great Dane is key.

    This topic today covers it all:

    • Are Great Danes good with kids?
    • Why do some Great Danes growl at children?
    • Can a Great Dane learn to not be aggressive?
    • How to develop safe and healthy relationships between Great Danes and children 

    To answer a few quick questions, yes Great Danes can make wonderful family pets. They are still, however dogs and giants at that. Read on for ideas to keep your kids from being squished, trampled, knocked over, and growled at!

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    Are Great Danes Good for Families with Kids?

    If you are considering a Great Dane for your family, here are some tips for choosing one that will integrate beautifully and be wonderful with kids.

    Work with a rescue that can match you with a dog that has a known temperament, OR choose an ethical breeder. There is no middle ground here.

    An ethical breeder will pair dogs with outstanding, kid and family-friendly temperaments, will fully socialize the puppies using Puppy Culture or a similar program, and support you for life if something isn’t working for you.

    Most rescues are interested in lifetime placement: be honest with them about your lifestyle & needs.

    Backyard and unethical breeding practices are nearly fully responsible for the reason why so many Great Danes have unstable temperaments (fearful, timid, aggressive, hard to train, out of control) that make them unsuitable for family life.

    Temperament has a huge root in genetics, so make sure you are choosing a breeder who is being diligent about this. For more information on how to choose an ethical breeder, read our post on the topic.

    We highly recommend reaching out to local Great Dane rescues as well. Inquire about fostering, volunteering, adoption, and donations.

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    Training a Great Dane

    Even a well-socialized, well-bred Great Dane puppy is going to need a ton of socialization and training!

    Children run, scream, throw things, and fuss which makes them really, really fun for puppies to chase, nip, tug, and tackle.

    This is NOT dominance and has nothing to do with ‘pecking order’. It’s simple puppy language. Puppies are immature, don’t yet know how to interact with humans, and do what feels good.

    Chasing and tackling kids FEELS good. It’s super fun and then kids tend to naturally reward the behavior by squealing and trying to shout, tug back or run away.

    As the adult in the room, it’s up to you to manage this behavior. Do not allow it to develop or be practiced. Crates, gates, leashes, a mat, and a pocket full of treats (to reward calm indifferent behavior towards children) are key. If the dog is playing gently with the kids, allow it. If the dog amps up, immediately leash up and redirect.

    If you are trying to fix this by repeatedly scolding the dog, shocking it, squirting it, pinning it to the ground or shouting you risk teaching the puppy to associate kids with punishment. Yikes!

    That wildly incorrect training method relies on the dog being allowed to practice the behavior first, and that’s the problem. Don’t allow practice. Teach, manage, and train your Dane. 

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    Training Children Around Great Danes

    Kids sitting on Great Danes is NOT CUTE.

    You will not change our mind on this one. It is never appropriate or safe to let children, even toddlers and babies, use Great Danes as a jungle gym, a horse, or pull their tails/ears/etc.

    Most dog bites are from known family dogs, to children, and are often labelled as ‘out of the blue’.

    Great Danes and Kids 101

    This is why, and it results in children being harmed physically and emotionally. Otherwise, wonderful dogs end up in rescue or worse, euthanized. For more information on dog body language and appropriate child-dog interactions, visit www.stopthe77.com and watch the video. 

    Encouraging children to wrestle with the dog, hug it, lay on it, pin it down, take its food, and pull on the tail and ears so that it ‘gets used to it’ is a dangerous and misguided idea. Instead of asking an animal to tolerate being mishandled, teach your children how to appropriately interact with dogs.

    A dog that has a positive relationship with children and has been taught how to play politely with them is much more tolerant of accidental mishandling. It’s that simple.

    • Never allow children to take food, bones, or toys. Resource guarding (which quickly leads to aggression) tends to become worse when the dog is taught through repetition that they should worry about their resources (especially food) being taken from them.
    • If a child (especially a friend or neighbor child) is trying to lay on, hug, scold or chase your Great Dane, step in immediately.
    • Do not allow children to crawl or lay on your Great Dane. Even the most tolerant Dane can eventually snap, especially when older age means more pain and arthritis, or when your child tries that on a much less tolerant other dog they meet.
    • Teach children how to freeze and become bored if a puppy starts to amp up. This will give you time to step in and redirect the puppy to something more appropriate.
    • Teach children how to use praise, treats, and toys to interact with, train, and develop a positive mutual relationship with your Great Dane.
    • Socialize your Great Dane around lots of kids! Socialization means positive exposure. Watch kids playing at a park. Hang out and watch kids riding bikes, playing tag, or swinging. Work on your basic obedience skills (sit, down, touch, look at me, leave it, wait, stay, come) while the children are playing.

    If you are worried that your Great Dane puppy is being aggressive and not playing, we’ve put together a huge blog post with information for you.

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    How to Handle a Great Dane that Growls at Kids

    If you have a Great Dane who is growling, snapping, or barking at children, this section is for you!

    Many factors can lead to this including poor socialization, bad past experiences, abuse, health, bad training methods, mishandling, and yes, genetics. It’s important to take it seriously.

    If you have a Dane that has shown any signs of aggression, fear, or frustration towards children, seek out the help of a behaviorist as soon as possible. We also recommend reaching out to your breeder or rescue and letting them know.

    Many trainers can do online consultations, which may cost less if you are on a budget.

    If you have a Great Dane that looks uncomfortable around children, lifts a lip or even offers a growl, step in immediately. As above, crates, gates, leashes, and in this case, muzzles are valuable and important tools.

    We do not recommend exposing a growly dog to children so they ‘get used to it’. Forcing a dog into a situation they don’t want to be in is called ‘flooding’, and can easily make the problem much, much worse. Not to mention, it’s dangerous for the dog and children involved.

    If your dog is unstable around children or the behavior is new/out of the blue, start with a vet check. Pain and other problems, including thyroid disease and eye problems can lead to aggression.

    There is no quick fix where your Dane will be magically ‘safe’ around kids. Using a cheap shock collar to punish the dog for growling, reacting, and being unstable around children is not the answer here. You MUST address the root cause. A good balanced trainer will use science-backed behavior modification and management methods, especially before layering in e-collar training.

    FIND AN IACP CANINE PROFESSIONAL
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    Great Danes as Family Pets

    We believe Great Danes make wonderful family pets! Both of us have our Danes around children and their relationship is beautiful.

    They play beautifully in the yard together and our intact male Great Dane (3 years as of this writing) LOVES to hang out with them while they play catch, dig in the sandbox, swing on the playset, and build forts out of snow.

    We’ve also trained our puppy to be gentle enough on a leash that our 54 lb child can walk him.

    Our adult Great Dane is a rescue that had a horrible puppyhood, she too is wonderful with kids.  She’s a dog that enjoys and seeks out children to snuggle with her.

    Socialization, training, and genetics go a long way here! Be diligent, be the adult in the room. Recognize what your Dane is capable of and manage the environment. Help your children build a positive relationship with your Great Dane!

    Rescue Great Danes & Children

    Many rescues will not adopt Great Danes to homes with children under the age of 8 or 10. This can be disheartening, but there are many reasons for it:

    • Some rescue Danes simply aren’t good with kids.
    • Because children are the most susceptible to being bit, and because so many people allow children to treat dogs inappropriately, the Dane rescues may set dogs up to fail when they send them into homes with young children.
    • Danes are GIANT breed dogs that can easily knock over a kid, whack them with a tail, or squish them accidentally.
    • The rescues must place dogs for life. Child-free applications may receive priority.

    The Danes that come into the rescue with amazing temperaments that will be great with children are also the ones that tend to receive a lot of applications. These aren’t the dogs that typically or often sit waiting for a home. Many of them are snatched up by fosters (foster fail or foster to adopt) and never become available.

    The rescue wants NO chance that the dog will be returned to them and need rescue and re-home again, and they have to make choices that aren’t always understood by individual adopters.

    If you want to adopt a Great Dane and have young children, develop a relationship with the rescue! Volunteer for them. Show them that you have Giant breed experience and are a dedicated, thoughtful, and educated dog owner. Be there when those dogs come into rescue, instead of waiting for one to pop up and throwing your application into the mix, then getting upset when they don’t choose you.

    Don’t just run to the nearest backyard breeder out of frustration, it’s one of the worst things you can do for the breed as a whole. There is absolutely nothing wrong, however with finding and choosing an ethical breeder to purchase a puppy from, especially if adoption isn’t going to work for you right now.

  • Canine Good Citizen Training for Great Danes

    Canine Good Citizen Training for Great Danes

    A while back I posted a blog post about our puppy Figaro obtaining his AKC S.T.A.R. puppy award. If you haven’t guessed yet, we are HUGE fans of training around here and believe that well trained dogs are less likely to end up in rescue and more likely to be excellent ambassadors for this breed. Canine Good Citizen training for Great Danes is the must-do activity you didn’t know you needed!

    There is nothing more awesome than walking a well-behaved, calm large Great Dane in public on a flat collar and having him not only be a part of your life this way, but able to show people what ‘gentle giant’ really means.

    Today we are talking about what the Canine Good Citizen title is, why it matters and how to get it! Read on, friends.

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    Can All Dogs Take the CGC Test?

    Any dog, registered, adopted, mixed-breed or purebred can participate in the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program.

    A dog that has been awarded a CGC title can add it after their registered name. If you’ve ever looked at a pedigree and noticed a dogs registered name (usually long and unusual) with ‘CGC’ somewhere following the name, you now know what it means!

    If your dog is not registered with the AKC or you don’t have papers, the AKC Canine Partners program will give you a number to sign up and take advantage of the CGC title.

    The CGC title is one way that breeders can prove the temperaments of their breeding stock, and prove that they actively work with their dogs. When you are searching for a breeder, especially if you want a good family dog that will be social and in public, find a breeder whose dogs have the CGC and/or ATT (AKC Temperament Test)  title.

    This is a good sign that they are breeding dogs with stable temperaments! Given what appears to be a worsening problem of unstable temperaments (fear, timidness, aggression) in this breed, we have a responsibility to stop supporting careless breeding practices.

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    Is My Dog Too Old for Training and the CGC Test?

    A dog can take the CGC test at any age. All that matters is that you’ve put the time into training your dog and showing them how to be an outstanding citizen in public!

    It’s never too late to start, and you may find that training classes are a fun new hobby.

    Well trained dogs are happier, easier to live with, more confident, and show the world that Great Danes are amazing (not scary, aggressive, timid or out of control) dogs!

    You may see videos of Danes walking nicely on a leash and leaving treats when asked, and think your Dane couldn’t possibly do it.

    Every Dane can learn these skills, it’s just a matter of your ability as a trainer and desire to put the time in.

    Some dogs may struggle to pass the test because they have intense anxiety, reactivity or fear. These dogs especially need our guidance and we recommend working towards this title as a means towards helping them build confidence and learn better skills.  While they may not be able to confidently pass this test, the time and work you put into it will be worth it.

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    Passing the Canine Good Citizen Test

    To obtain this title, your dog has to take and pass the Canine Good Citizen test with an AKC Approved Evaluator.

    These trainers also teach the classes that will help you guide your Great Dane towards this title. You may need to pay a small fee to take the test, which is typically offered at AKC dog shows or during dedicated events by the trainer/evaluator.

    When taking the test, your dog will have to be on a flat collar and leash. A harness may be allowed, so long as it does not restrict movement (no-pull harnesses and head collars would be a disqualification, for example). Choke, pinch, chain and e-collars are not allowed.

    You must demonstrate that the dog is able to complete the test items without being corrected, suppressed or forced. Praise is allowed, treats and corrections are not (fade treats out during training).

    Read about the test items HERE.

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    How to Train a Great Dane for the CGC Test

    Training for this title starts with socialization. If you have a new puppy, this is an important step! Good breeders begin socializing puppies at a very young age, and teach you how to continue that work.

    Socialization is NOT about going to the pet store and the dog park and letting a million people squeal and hover over your new puppy. As a matter of fact, that is one of the worst things you can do.

    Waiting to socialize your puppy until vaccines are finished is another big mistake. There are many SAFE ways to socialize a puppy while they are in their prime socialization window.

    When training your Great Dane for the CGC title, puppy classes are NOT enough.

    Many people take the 6 week puppy Kindergarten class and think they are finished. We believe that ALL dogs benefit from continued training at home or in a classroom environment.

    After the 6 week class is up, ask your instructor about the next step. Many puppies are ready to move into an intermediate and then advanced classes where you can build on your foundation, fade out treats and work around more distractions. Well trained dogs happen for people that put the work in!

    Tread cautiously with trainers who use harsh, punitive punishment to obtain obedience and ‘respect’ from your dog. Alpha rolls/pinning, shouting, bonkers, kneeing, pinching, choking, hitting, intimidating, scaring and scolding are never necessary.

    Good trainers will show you how to teach and guide your dog and build a positive relationship, not one based on a power struggle, force, fear or intimidation.

    Even if you choose a ‘balanced’ trainer, positive reinforcement should still be the primary method of teaching. Contrary to popular belief, giant breed dogs do not need a heavy hand, penny cans or constant sharp leash corrections to be well trained.

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    Canine Good Citizen Training for Great Danes

    A dog that has obtained a Canine Good Citizen title is more likely to be welcomed in public.

    If you rent your home, showing your landlord that your dog(s) training has been put to the test can go a long way towards asking them to allow your giant breed dog (many of which are on restricted lists because they can do so much damage so quickly).

    Some insurance companies are more likely to insure dogs that have been proven as well.

    Dogs that have been well trained are easier to live with! Put the time in now and avoid years of frustration, pulling, lunging and embarrassing or even dangerous greetings.

    If your Great Dane is pulling, lunging, barking, showing aggression or jumping on strangers it doesn’t look good for you, for the dog or for the breed as a whole. It’s also dangerous, and a big reason why so many home insurance companies charge more for homes with Great Danes in them.

    You have the power to work on this! Training for the CGC title is fun and rewarding, even if you never take the test.

  • Is My Great Dane Being Aggressive or Playing?

    Is My Great Dane Being Aggressive or Playing?

    Is your Great Dane growling?
    Jumping?
    Attacking you or the kids?
    Is your Great Dane being aggressive at the dog park, or just playing?

    Are Great Danes aggresive? Great dane behaviour can seem complicated, but it doesn’t have to be!

    If you are trying to figure out if your Great Dane being aggressive or JUST playing, you’ve come to the right place! Are Great Danes aggressive?

    This is an important blog post and one that all Great Dane owners should read and bookmark for reference

    Aggression in Great Danes is no joke. They are giant dogs that can easily hurt a human or animal, so it’s important to have a great understanding of behavior when talking about healthy play vs. rude behavior vs. aggression.

    If the Great Dane behavior problems you are seeing is actually aggression, please seek professional help from a highly qualified balanced trainer that uses a lot of positive reinforcement. Reality television is not a good place to get your dog training information!

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    GREAT DANE PUPPY AGGRESSION AND HEALTHY PLAY

    Puppies growl, pounce, lunge, bite, tug, bark and generally act immature.

    99.9% of the time, this is completely normal!

    Even if they are chasing and ‘attacking’ kids, even if they grab your hand and growl and shake it, even if they are constantly biting you, even if they lunge at your face. That doesn’t make it ok, but it is an expected puppy behavior that is resolved with management, training and maturity.

    Puppies are immature and these kinds of things are a fun game for them. They are learning how to control their jaws and bite strength, and learning what kind of behaviors result in attention.

    Why does my Great Dane puppy growl at me?

    Chasing is fun. Biting is fun. Lunging is fun! As puppy owners, we often encourage this behavior by shouting, squealing and getting frustrated or scared. Learn more about puppy biting and how to control it here.

    It is rare for puppies to be truly aggressive.

    If you suspect, after reading more of the information below that your puppy is being aggressive and not playing, you need to seek professional help from a highly-qualified positive-balanced trainer immediately.

    Contrary to popular belief, Great Danes are not supposed to be aggressive, timid, fearful or scared.

    Contact your breeder or rescue if you are seeing truly aggressive behaviors, especially in Great Dane puppies under 6 months of age.

    Most ‘Great Dane puppy aggression’ is just wound-up, out of control normal puppy play. It’s time to get to training! Basic obedience, puppy playgrounds, naps, appropriate chews, mental enrichment, structure/routine and management (use a leash, crates and gates) can really help with those annoying puppy teeth.

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    ADULT GREAT DANES – WHY IS MY GREAT DANE BECOMING AGGRESSIVE?

    Dogs are like humans; many may never love or enjoy interacting with other dogs and that is ok.

    However, dogs that come from ethical breeders and that are well socialized from birth on are more likely to have healthy play signals and stable temperaments. These dogs will be able to calmly and safely interact or be around other dogs.

    It’s important to note that healthy, normal play between two dogs can LOOK like aggression!

    Maturity, genetics and positive socialization go a long ways here, and some dogs are just naturally more social than others. Don’t force it.

    Because Great Danes are so large, people are often afraid when they see how rough they play together!

    A GREAT DANE BEING AGGRESSIVE

    Here is a video of a Great Dane that is showing very typical signs of insecurity, anxiety, frustration and aggression that come from issues with temperament, socialization and training.

    Many dogs that are labeled as ‘aggressive’ are actually just ‘reactive’.

    A Great Dane that cannot regulate well is dangerous to itself, to humans and to other dogs, however.

    If your Great Dane is like this (or worse), working with highly qualified professionals is important! Following a thorough vet screening, we recommend finding a qualified balanced dog trainer that uses positive reinforcement.

    SEARCH FOR AN IACP BALANCED DOG TRAINER

    A Great Dane can become aggressive for a number of reasons, including:

    • Pain
    • Loss of eyesight or hearing
    • Internal medical problems
    • Frustration
    • Anxiety
    • Poor temperament
    • Lack of boundaries and direction
    • Harsh, punitive and aversive training techniques
    • Bad socialization experiences

    HEALTHY PLAY SIGNALS IN DOGS

    Here are some signs that the play you are seeing is healthy and normal.

    • Loose, wiggly body language. Dogs are ‘floppy’, their faces wiggle, their ears flop around, their whole spine, tail and abdomen are slack.
    • Play bows. This is a hugely important signal that says to the other dog ‘I’m just playing, I won’t hurt you‘. Play bows are when they put their bum in the air. The bow may be prolonged or it may just be a brief little bow mixed in with the other play that is happening. Both dogs need to play bow for the play to be healthy.
    • Tackling, Biting, Barking, Growling, Lunging, Jumping, Body Slams, Hip Checks. These are all NORMAL in healthy play when the two above signals are also present!
    • Self Handicap. In healthy play, a larger dog will modify their play to be more gentle to the smaller dog. Immediately break apart any play where this isn’t happening.
    • Trading Roles. In healthy play, both dogs take turns. “I chase you, you chase me” and “I bite you, you bite me“. One dog should not always assume the chase and bite role, they should be willing to give it up to the other dog for a bit too.
    • Respect. Dogs in a healthy play situation respect each others signals. If one dog is done with the game, the other dog says ‘OK’ and walks away. If one dog doesn’t want to play, the other dog says ‘alright, I’ll move on‘. A well socialized dog asks to play before engaging in it as well (play bow).
    • Breaks, Shake it Off. The dogs should be taking frequent breaks. You’ll see them play then stop for a moment, shake it off and then either walk away or resume playing. If you don’t see breaks and the play is escalating, BREAK IT UP!

    Here is a GREAT video of two Great Danes (one adult and one puppy) playing. You will see chasing, rolling, teeth, chewing, neck biting, pinning, wrestling, shake-off and more.

    The puppy is slightly more submissive than the older dog, who appears to be largely in control of the game. If you watch, the puppy is a little hesitant at times but jumps back in to try new things.

    The puppy is learning a lot from the older Dane!

    RUDE PLAY (ALL AGES)

    Rude play is unfair and can lead to fights.

    Monitor rude play, especially if you are teaching a puppy! If you see ANY of these signs, say ‘uh-oh’ and either give a time out (leash, down-stay until released) or leave the situation altogether.

    • Humping. This is not dominance, but it’s not acceptable. It’s rude and immature, and usually a sign that a dog is overstimulated. Never allow this behavior.
    • Rolling and pinning that is not accompanied by the healthy play signals listed above.
    • Trying to play with a dog that is clearly not interested (again, see above).
    • Running up and starting a play session (biting, chasing) without asking first (play bow).
    • Chasing or pestering a dog that is trying to get away (tail tucked, running, hiding, submissive posture).
    • Playing too rough with a smaller dog (or any dog)
    • Neck, ear, tail or leg grabbing/biting when not accompanied by healthy play signals listed above.
    https://www.hellodanes.com/product-category/dane-goodies/orthopedic-beds/

    Puppies especially need your guidance here!

    Do NOT let your Great Dane Puppy practice rude behavior and play signals, including staring, lunging, pestering, humping or jumping. Leave if you have to. Lower excitement levels. Advocate for your dog. Teach YES behaviors. Work with a highly qualified positive-balanced trainer.

    For more information and resources on preventing fights, including the ones that may be triggered by rude or immature behavior, the book FIGHT by Jean Donaldson is a great resource. 

    Are Great Danes Vocal?

    Great Danes may bark, growl and grumble. Most of the time, these things are not a sign of aggression!

    http://www.instagram.com/deardanes

    ARE GREAT DANES AGGRESSIVE TOWARDS OTHER DOGS?

    Aggression is serious, especially in Great Danes because they are so large and easily able to cause harm. Rude play behavior can escalate to aggression, quickly.

    Great Danes are not supposed to be aggressive, however! If you are seeing aggression of any kind, chat with your breeder or rescue and seek out the help of a HIGHLY qualified behavior professional.

    It is important to PREVENT aggression. If you are seeing your Great Dane aggressive towards other dogs, or if your dog is prone to aggressive behaviors, you must manage the environment.

    Avoid situations where aggression tends to happen. Use crates, gates, leashes, and yes…muzzles as management tools.

    There are not many Great Dane attack statistics that outline how often serious incidents have happened; however, many home insurance companies and landlords do not allow Great Danes for fear that they may contribute.

    The Great Dane breed standard states that Great Danes should be friendly and courageous. Aggression towards humans or dogs is out of standard and not acceptable, nor is it normal in the breed.

    SIGNS OF AGGRESSION IN GREAT DANES

    Here are some signs that your Great Dane is being aggressive and is NOT playing. This is a dog that is likely unable to consistently and safely interact without intervention, behavior modification and management:

    • Stiff body. This paired with ears forward or ears pinned indicate insecurity and fear or forward/aggressive posturing. Neither is good.
    • Hackles. Watch this. It can be a little insecurity and not always a bad sign, but needs attention if you see it often or see it paired with other signs of aggression. Keep an eye on it.
    • Stiff tail wags. A wagging tail is NOT always a good sign!
    • Tucked tail, shaking, extreme fear (fear aggression, can lead to snaps and bites if you push it).
    • Lunging and snarling, even if you think your dog has always been ‘good with other dogs’.
    • Hovering over another dog and then snarling/snapping at their face or neck.
    • Low growl, especially when not accompanied by the healthy play signals listed above.
    • Showing Teeth.  A grimace  with panting (fear, anxiety, frustration) or baring teeth/lip lifting (look at my teeth! They are sharp, back off!) are all signs that the dog may be uncomfortable and is likely to escalate.
    • Snapping is a serious warning.
    • Biting. This one seems obvious, but if your dog goes beyond a snap and sinks a tooth in, that is serious and requires professional guidance. Do not pass Go, do not collect $200, do not ‘try again’ to see if things improve. Do not ‘socialize’ your dog and hope he doesn’t do it again.

    If your Great Dane is showing signs of aggression, the dog park is not an appropriate place to be. You cannot ‘socialize’ your Great Dane by hoping that the aggression will go away with more exposure to other dogs, or by ‘correcting’ the behavior instead of addressing the root cause.

    Find a legitimate, highly qualified dog positive-balanced trainer with Great Dane experience.

    Are male Great Danes aggressive?

    Some people believe that male Great Danes will be more aggressive than others. While some male Great Danes have problems with testosterone, a well-bred, properly trained and well-socialized male should not be aggressive.

    As above, if you are having problems with your Great Dane, seek out the help of a positive reinforcement balanced dog trainer to help you. Neutering MAY be among their recommendations.

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    ARE GREAT DANES MEAN TO CHILDREN?

    Well bred and thoughtfully socialized Great Danes make wonderful family pets. Temperament is largely genetic, so choosing the right breeder really matters when you want to bring a Great Dane into a home with children.

    We highly recommend that breeders use Puppy Culture and expose puppies to children from a young age. Then, positive training and socialization must continue as soon as the puppy is in a new home.

    Our Great Dane Puppy Socialization guide can help!

    WHAT IF MY GREAT DANE IS SUDDENLY AGGRESSIVE?

    Sudden aggression in Great Danes warrants a thorough health screening with a giant-breed experienced veterinarian. If you notice your Great Dane suddenly aggressive when they were always well-tempered before, health reasons are often to blame.

    Some causes of sudden aggression in Great Danes may include problems with the heart or thyroid, diabetes, painful joints, wobblers, reflux, tooth pain, arthritis, ear infections, tumors or cancer, hormonal or chemical imbalance and/or pain of any kind.

    Aggression can also be caused by improper, punitive and unfair training methods such as aggressive use of harsh shock collars, penny cans, alpha rolling, intimidation, choking, hitting and physical force.

    Never use a cheap shock collar on a Great Dane, and steer clear of outdated intimidation-based training techniques.

    Our dogs deserve better than this, especially when health problems are to blame for their behavior.

    Rage syndrome in Great Danes can be another cause of sudden aggression. This is often referred to as ‘idopathic aggression’ and is a serious (but rare) behavioral problem that requires the help of a Veterinary Behaviorist. You can find a veterinary behaviorist HERE.

    Great Dane Toys

    WILL NEUTERING STOP AGGRESSION?

    Many people will tell you that neutering is the answer for addressing all forms of aggression.

    There are times when neutering may help dogs that are amped up by their testosterone. Those dogs benefit from being neutered and owners may see a drastic reduction in rude behavior.

    However, there is NO one-size-fits all answer here and neutering may do nothing at all to help the problem. In other words, you cannot ‘magically’ fix genetic-based poor temperaments, socialization and training issues with surgery.

    While you definitely want to neuter a dog with behavioral problems (they should NEVER be bred and may benefit from the reduction in hormones), don’t expect miracles.

    Neutering is NOT a reliable catch all for reducing aggressive and rude behavior; many neutered dogs will mark and continue to display aggression and rude ‘dominant’ behaviors.

    A Great Dane being aggressive

    ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

    BAT 2.0 by Grisha Stewart for Reactive Dogs

    MINE by Jean Donaldson
    FIGHT by Jean Donaldson

    HELPFUL CONTENT: 

    Are Great Danes Aggressive?

    Dogs That Don’t Belong at the Dog Park

    Bark Busters, Sit Means Sit and Off Leash K-9 Training Review

    Reality Television and Dog Training

    The 2 Sided Debate: Great Dane Ear Cropping

    Is My Great Dane Puppy Knuckling?

    ALL ABOUT THE LIFESPAN OF GREAT DANE DOGS
    THE ULTIMATE GREAT DANE DIET GUIDE
  • How Do I Know It’s Time To Let My Great Dane Go?

    How Do I Know It’s Time To Let My Great Dane Go?

    Is it time to let my Great Dane go? How do I know it’s time?

    This is one of the hardest questions you’ll ever ask yourself as a pet parent. Making a decision about end-of-life care and humane euthanasia is difficult and heartbreaking. We are here for you.

    We recognize that this is an extremely emotional subject, and if you are reading this you may be wondering if the time has come for your Great Dane to pass on and cross the rainbow bridge.

    Our hope today is that we can provide you with some measure of comfort and confidence in your decision to let your beloved pet go. We are also including information about what to expect during the euthanasia process, which can help put your mind and heart at ease.

    If you have an elderly or unwell pet and are wondering if it is time to let your Great Dane go, this post is for you. We will cover behavioral euthanasia in another post.

    How do I know it's time to let my great dane go?

    Processing the Decision to Euthanize

    Nobody can make this decision for you. Recommendations from your veterinarian may be helpful, but you should never feel pressured.

    It may feel like it was just yesterday that you brought your Great Dane home.

    You have loved this dog and may be in disbelief that your once bouncy, active dog has lost her spark.

    It’s also possible that you feel guilt, wondering if you could have done something differently, or wishing you had spent more time with your dog while he was still full of life.

    Your dog does not think the way that you do!

    Dogs don’t live with regret, spite, or anger.

    They don’t live wondering what tomorrow brings or whether they’ve done something wrong in life.

    What they do know is that you are here, right now with them and that is what matters.

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    Companion Animal Hospice

    Companion animal hospice is a relatively new option and can be exceptionally helpful for elderly pets or for pets with degenerative disorders such as wobblers disease.

    A veterinarian technician or trained professional may be able to visit or talk with you and help provide some quality of life to your dog.

    Pain medications, dietary guidance, emotional support, and orthopedic assistance can be helpful in providing and ensuring quality time with the days that you have left with your pet.

    Working with a hospice and palliative care veterinary professional can make the process much easier on everybody, especially your dog. A qualified hospice professional can help guide you through making the decision to let your Great Dane go, as well.

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    LEARN ABOUT HOSPICE CARE FOR PETS

    International Association for Animal Hospice and Palliative Care

    Find a provider ↗

    Choosing Dignity for your Pet

    One of the most beautiful parts of choosing euthanasia for our pets is that we can let them go with dignity.

    We can say goodbye when they are still able to function enough to have their last days with us be the best days of their lives, not the worst.

    Every pet owner and every veterinarian will tell you that you will not regret making the decision too soon, but you may regret making it too late. Veterinarians consider humane euthanasia to be one of the most important gifts we can give our beloved pets.

    Hold onto your dog as long as possible, but don’t be afraid to say goodbye before your dog is truly suffering.

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    How do I know that it’s Time?

    Only you will truly know the answer, but here are some common ways people determine that it’s time to let their Great Dane go:

    • Your dog has stopped eating or drinking, despite receiving medical and palliative care.
    • Your pet ‘tells you’. Many dog owners say their pet lets them know in some way that it’s time.
    • He or she has more bad days than good days.
    • You notice that your dog is clearly in pain or is suffering, despite receiving medical and palliative care.
    • Your pet is unable or unwilling to get up.
    • Your pet has been diagnosed with a catastrophic illness or injury and you want to avoid a traumatic ending
    • You have to clean up often because your pet soils himself/herself
    • Death is imminent and your dog is struggling
    • You are worried that the choice to euthanize may have to be made suddenly following a sharp (and possibly traumatic) decline in health.
    • Your pet is no longer responsive to you or is becoming agitated, scared or withdrawn.

    The unfortunate reality is that our dogs will never live as long as we want them to. Prolonging their time with us must be done thoughtfully and humanely.

    At some point, it is up to us to choose their comfort over ours; that decision can be extremely heart-wrenching, and it is ok to feel emotional.

    5

    The Best Last Day Ever

    Once the decision has been made, we recommend giving your Great Dane the best last day ever (assuming that your dog is in good spirits and can participate).

    • Hire a professional photographer to document your dog at home and with your family.
    • Visit your dog’s favorite place such as the beach or a park. Sit on a blanket and enjoy this time.
    • Spend all day with your dog, even if it means laying on the floor all day long or sitting in the grass together, just watching the world go by.
    • Talk to your dog. Tell stories. Look at old photos. Touch your dog all over and remember every spot, the shape of the paws and the tail. Tell your dog how special they are, and what they mean to you.
    • Make a clay imprint of your dog’s paw.
    • Give your dog the best treat ever. If your dog can handle it; raw meat or a hamburger are favorites.

    It’s ok to be emotional and sad. Talk to your dog, they understand more than you know.

    5

    What to Expect During Euthanasia

    Whenever possible, we highly recommend using an at-home euthanasia service.

    Ideally, a veterinarian will come to your house or meet you in a park and help your dog make this transition on his or her own bed, in the comfort of your arms.

    You will find that your veterinarian is very compassionate and will give you as much time as you need.

    When you are ready, the veterinarian will often first administer a sedative.

    This is done by injection and simply makes your pet comfortable and relaxed. Your pet will feel sleepy and all of the pain will be gone. Most pets quietly go to sleep.

    Many people will say at this point how grateful they are to see their pet looking so comfortable, especially if the pet had been in a lot of pain or suffering.

    At this time your veterinarian will allow you to use this time to say goodbye to your pet before performing the actual euthanasia.

    For some pets who are especially ill, the sedative may be enough to euthanize them. However, in most cases, your sedated, sleeping pet will still be breathing.

    When you say that it’s time, the actual euthanasia will be performed.

    In most cases, the veterinarian will shave a bit of hair off of a leg and will insert a small catheter tube. This does not hurt your dog because your dog will be sedated.

    The euthanasia drug will be administered through this tube, and the veterinarian will listen to your dogs heart.

    Most dogs pass very quickly and quietly once the euthanasia drug is administered.

    Your dog may shudder or let out a loud breath. This is not a sign that your dog is in pain, and is a normal part of even a natural death process. Once your veterinarian determines that there is no heartbeat, they will leave you with your pet to say your final goodbye.

    The entire process should be very calm, respectful, and peaceful. Your dog should feel no pain or fear.

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    Processing Grief when Losing a Pet

    There is absolutely nothing that will take away the hurt and pain of losing a loved pet. Everybody will process this grief in their own way.

    You may feel that the house feels quiet and empty. Your other pets may act distressed or sad. Children may be especially heartbroken; it is ok to talk about this and to seek professional help if needed.

    Each day that goes by will get better and better. Your dog will always be in your heart.

    The decision to get a new dog is yours and yours alone. Some people may get a new dog very quickly, others need more time. Both choices are ok and are not an indication of love or healing.

    If you are struggling to make a decision about wheter or not it’s time to let your pet go, know that you are not alone! This is a complicated and emotional decision with no wrong or right answer.

    We hope you find peace in your decision, and that helping your dog transition is a peaceful process full of love.

  • Is My Great Dane Puppy Too Small?

    Is My Great Dane Puppy Too Small?

    If you recently got a Great Dane puppy, you may be wondering if your puppy is growing well and the right size!

    We’ve recently seen many people with extremely small 8 and 9 week old Great Dane puppies asking this question, and it turns out that one of three things is happening:

    a. Their puppy was sent home very young (an extremely unethical breeding practice, especially if the breeder is lying about age). A 6 week old Great Dane is too young to leave the litter. 

    b. The puppy is either poorly bred (bad genetics) or mixed somewhere in the line, and the breeder lied about it.

    c. The puppy has parasites, a congenital disorder (such as megaesophagus) or is failing to thrive in some way.

    In some cases, puppies are just small and that is ok too! Female great dane puppies are often smaller than males as well.

    Read on for more information about whether or not your Great Dane puppy is too small or just right.

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    HEALTHY DANE PUPPIES

    A healthy 8 week old Great Dane puppy that was thoughtfully bred, well socialized & properly cared for while still with the breeder will:

    • Have huge feet and ideally, tight knuckles
    • Have ‘heft’ and be weighty to pick up (plenty of ‘substance’ and ‘bone’), won’t  feel scrawny
    • Be curious, not timid or fearful
    • Have trimmed nails
    • Have bright, neat clean eyes and large clean ears
    • Weigh between 15-30lbs

    If you are concerned, chat with your veterinarian! They can easily tell you if your Great Dane puppy is healthy and growing on track.

    You can also reference our Great Dane Growth Chart HERE.

    Chances are, your Great Dane puppy is perfect! Each dog is different. Even from the same litter, sizes can vary, especially when comparing males to females or looking at a known runt that is still trying to catch up.

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    RED FLAGS

    Here are the red flags that your puppy is actually behind, underage or struggling to thrive:

    • The puppy isn’t gaining quickly and may appear scrawny and weak: see a veterinarian.
    • The puppy has a large, round distended tummy: parasites and worms may be a problem.
    • The puppy has sores and infections; chat with your veterinarian. You may also need to report the breeder to animal control.
    • The puppy lacks energy while awake.
    • The puppy has low muscle tone, flat feet, weak pasterns, weak hips and a weak core.
    • The puppy is vomiting, shaking, and/or has diarrhea (see a veterinarian immediately).
    • The puppy is extremely fearful and timid.

    .A puppy that is under 15 lbs may just be a small puppy, especially if it came from a particularly large litter. If your puppy is otherwise thriving, don’t stress! He or she will likely catch up.

    Some small puppies are not actually full Great Dane; study the pedigree and ask questions. Look at the parents and compare them to the written standard for Great Danes. Unethical breeding practices are resulting in a lot of ‘papered’ Great Danes that don’t really look like Great Danes. If this has happened to you, it’s ok! You have a wonderful family pet and that is what matters.

    There is never a reason to sell a puppy prior to 8 weeks of age. If your puppy is small and immature, chat with your breeder!  This practice is highly unethical and some breeders may even lie about age to get the puppies out of the house.

    Untitled design 1

    PROPER GROWTH

    Do not overfeed or supplement your puppy to make it grow faster.

    With Great Danes, slow growth is key.

    Over-nutrition and fatty foods can cause pancreatitis or increase the risk that the puppy develops hip dysplasia and other bone and growth disorders such as knuckling, HOD and Panosteitis.

    Bigger is not better! Forcing growth on a Great Dane and promoting overweight and oversized structure is painful, unhealthy and unfair.

    If your Great Dane puppy is actually struggling to thrive, see a veterinarian with Giant Breed experience.

    No matter what, love the dog in front of you!

    It is OK to have a smaller Great Dane! Your dog does not have to be larger than life to still be a very large, wonderful dog.

    If you are concerned about the health of your Great Dane puppy, chat with your veterinarian!

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    The information contained in this post is for informational purposes only. We do our best to present the most up-to-date research, however it is up to the reader to make decisions regarding the health and well-being of their dog. We make no claims here to prevent or treat bloat or any other condition related to Great Danes. Find a veterinarian with GIANT breed experience, and chat with them. 

    Some of the products we list on our website contain affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase, we may receive a small commission for referring you. We only recommend products that we truly believe in. This commission does not affect the price of the product and is used to fund our content and expenses related to operating this website. We are powered by YOU! 

  • 5 Ways to Strengthen Your Great Dane’s Feet

    5 Ways to Strengthen Your Great Dane’s Feet

    Today we are sharing five ways to strengthen your Great Dane’s feet! Weak feet that knuckle, bobble, flop, and turn out are a common problem with fast-growing giant breed dogs.

    The feet are the foundation for the whole body, and these dogs have HUGE bodies. So yes, this matters.  

    When their feet are weak or flat, it’s not only an aesthetic problem; it’s a functional one.

    The development of the feet is especially important in growing puppies (read our article on puppy knuckling here). However, in adolescent and adult dogs, poor structure and weak joints could lead to pain, early arthritis, and permanent joint damage.

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    How Genetics Affect Foot Structure in Dogs

    Genetics play some role in the overall structure, shape, and direction of the feet on your Great Dane.

    The written standard for Danes states that the feet should be straight and parallel when viewed from the front. The feet should be ‘well knuckled’ and the pastern should have an 8 degree bend.

    Deviations from this, including ‘East-West’ feet, splayed toes, bone deformities and otherwise are considered faults. These faults are often genetic and can be made worse by environmental factors such as nutrition.

    The written standard is based on building an appropriate structure for such giant dogs, which must be built correctly for longevity, movement, and overall comfort.

    Angular Limb Deformities (caused by damage to the growth plate) are another form of incorrect feet and joints that typically requires surgical intervention.

    If you are concerned, always ask your veterinarian first!

    From the written standard, this illustration outlines common feet in Great Danes. Hare foot, flat/down in pasterns and splayed feet are unacceptable.

    “The strong pasterns should slope slightly. The feet should be round and compact with well-arched toes, neither toeing in, toeing out, nor rolling to the inside or outside. The nails should be short.”

    Read the written standard here.

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    1: Trim Your Puppies Nails

    We cannot stress this enough. Overgrown nails are extremely common and a major reason so many Great Danes have splayed toes, weak knuckles, and flat pasterns.

    Nails that are allowed to grow too long (touch the ground, click on the floor) alter the shape of the foot and how your dog walks.

    With time, it leads to pain, arthritis, and irreversible joint damage. 

    Start trimming nails the first week you bring your puppy or dog home, and make it a weekly or bi-weekly habit!  If your dog is resistant, work with a trainer and learn how to condition your dog.

    We recommend Millers Forge Trimmers with the Red Handle for taking slivers and length off and a battery-powered Dremel tool with a fine grit sander OR a diamond bit.

    51lHS0fUu L. AC SL1050

    Miller’s Forge Dog Nail Trimmers

    These cut through thick nails extremely well. Take small slivers off at a time and avoid cutting through the quick.

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    Battery-Powered Dremel for Dog Nails

    Start training your puppy to accept a Dremel as early as possible. This is the BEST tool for full-grown large and giant breed dogs with thick nails.

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    The Millers Forge cut through nails like butter, eliminating much of the pressure into the nail that many dogs find uncomfortable. They also stay sharp FOREVER! The Dremel is fantastic for rounding the nail off and helping the quick to shorten (which will be important if you need to shorten the nails a lot).

    Need to learn how? The Facebook group ‘Nail Maintenance for Dogs’ is a fantastic resource. Getting nails trimmed back to an appropriate length may take time and dedication. Be patient.

    Think your dog’s nails are ok? Here is an example of overgrown nails:

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    2 – Play on Soft, Varied Terrain

    Great Danes and especially puppies benefit greatly from lots of free-play and exploration on soft, varied terrain. This movement strengthens the tiny muscles and tendons in the feet.

    Structured walks on hard surfaces are hard on the joints and should be limited, especially if the nails are overgrown.

    Slick surfaces in the home (tile, hardwood, laminate) are also hard on the joints. Use runners and yoga mats.

    Purposefully seek out hills, grass, dirt piles, sand, soft pea gravel, and even the trampoline! Use a long leash so that your dog can move and explore safely and supervised without restriction.

    We believe in modern E-Collar Training for Great Danes because it provides them with freedom of movement and no pressure on their face, neck, or chest.

    We highly recommend that puppies be exposed to various surfaces and textures and encouraged and challenged to explore and use their bodies safely. Ramps, tunnels, and even splashing in a pool are all great for building confidence AND making those feet extra strong!

    AVOID INJURY! It’s important that your puppy or adult dog not make a habit of jumping off things (beds, furniture, etc.). Damage to the growth plates is serious and may be expensive and painful to address properly.

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    3- Canine Fitness to Strengthen Puppy Feet

    Dogs are no different than humans! They require movement and exercise to stay strong.

    Find a dog trainer who offers a Canine Fitness or ‘Fit Paws’ class, and learn how to use balls, peanuts, and teeter boards to help your dog develop balance and strength.

    My favorite foot-strengthening exercise involves a simple wobble disk (find it on Amazon here) and some treats.

    81NYumZS LL. AC SL1500

    Balance Disk for Dog Fitness

    This is an inexpensive knockoff of the popular Fit Paws balance disk. Choose the Fit Paws version if you have the budget; it will be more stable and last longer. Otherwise, this is a great alternative for home use!

    Buy on Amazon

    Put this flat on a surface and ensure that it won’t slide. Lure your dog to put both front feet onto it.

    The disk will wobble, and your dog will balance.

    If you do this right, your dog will quickly learn that standing with two front feet on the wobble disk is SUPER fun! Gently lure your dog to the treat so that he stands up tall on the knuckles of the feet.

    Don’t spend too much time on this, and don’t ask. your dog to stretch super far. You don’t want your dog sore or injured. It is helpful to work with a Physical Therapist or qualified fitness trainer.

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    4- Other Balance Games

    Balancing requires humans (and dogs) to activate our tiny muscles tendons and ligaments.

    To help your dog strengthen these muscles, encourage activities that require balance!

    Be safe, and chat with a veterinarian and Canine Physical Therapist for help.

    Here are some ideas to get you started:

    • Standing on beds and couches
    • Walking on a trampoline
    • Using balance pods
    • Walking across a ‘plank’ of wood on the grass
    • Sit-Stand-Down-Stand ‘pushups’

    For puppies especially, we love the ‘puppy playground’. Use tunnels, ramps, gym mats, couch cushions and more to encourage exploration, body awareness and confidence building.

    Remember, supervise and keep your dog safe! NEVER force a dog into an activity or pick them up and place them on an unstable surface. Encourage your dog to use their choices and body to do these activities, and reward them with praise and treats. 

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    5 – Nutrition + Foot Structure

    Nutrition plays a key role in developing sound orthopedic health in puppies, especially large and giant breed ones that grow quickly.

    Many believe big puppies should be fed a nutrient-dense “holistic” adult or puppy diet with lots of protein and calcium. This is the worst thing a puppy owner can do!

    Puppies that receive too much nutrition will grow too fast and can develop major problems with their bones, ligaments, and tendons, affecting them in adulthood.

    DO NOT:

    • Feed nutrient-dense “holistic” diets.
    • Give adult food to a large or giant breed puppy.
    • Choose regular “puppy food” that contains extra nutrients.
    • Offer a diet with more than 1.5% calcium (ideally, 1.2% or less).
    • Add vitamin or mineral supplements.
    • Top the food with too many goodies, which unbalance the diet.

    DO:

    • Feed a well-formulated large or giant breed PUPPY or all-life stages formula with 1.2% or less calcium.
    • Verify that the food meets AAFCO guidelines for large-breed growth
    • Monitor intake and don’t overfeed.
    • Tread cautiously with outdated information encouraging you to feed adult or nutrient-dense “holistic” foods.
    • Ask your veterinarian for advice.

    Contrary to popular old beliefs, adult food is NOT the correct choice for growing giant breed puppies!

    We only recommend research-backed large and giant breed foods from Royal Canin, Purina, Hill’s Science Diet, and Eukanuba. They have been heavily tested, researched, and formulated correctly for the growth of large and giant breed dogs, then subjected to further peer-reviewed science as we learn more.

    A dog struggling with food may have excess gas, loose stools, a dull coat, poor muscle tone, inappropriate weight (over or under), and/or low energy.

    Inappropriate nutrition for growing Great Danes can lead to knuckling, hip dysplasia, heart disease, and more.

    Chat with a Giant Breed experienced veterinarian to find a diet appropriate for your Great Dane. Here is our list of recommended foods:

    Foods for Great Dane Puppies:

    Check out THE GIANT DOG FOOD PROJECT to compare brands and values.

    Foods for Great Dane Adult Dogs

  • Pet Store Puppies: No, You Aren’t Saving Them

    Pet Store Puppies: No, You Aren’t Saving Them

    You may have seen them, those pet stores in the mall and strip malls. Pet store puppies are adorable!

    The pet shop has glass kennels full of adorable baby puppies that paw at the glass and look at you, begging you to take them home! The store feels cheery and fun.

    Some of the puppies may even look sickly and desperate to be ‘rescued’ from the pet store. They hang their head and look like they need to be fed.

    Great Dane puppies in pet stores tend to look especially sad because they grow so fast. The pet stores are not equipped to deal with them or their nutritional needs. 

    The employees will tell you that the puppies are from ‘family breeders’ and that they have ‘pedigrees’, meant to make you feel better about purchasing one.  The prices are usually astronomical, which is also a marketing tactic built around the belief that higher pricing = higher quality.

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    A sweet, poorly bred double merle ‘merlequin’ puppy from Petland

    Great Dane Puppy at Petland

    Pet Store Great Danes are often shipped from other States, in semi-trucks full of dogs.

    By the time these puppies are moved from their ‘breeder’ to the pet store, and then spend a day or two in a small pet store display case, they can look positively scrawny and even sick.

    These puppies are not given the best start in life, to begin with, and then they are distributed to pet stores the same way that beach balls and loaves of bread might be.

    They are fed an incorrect diet, kept confined in the glass cases for hours of each day and night, and are often suffering from infections or even parasites.

    By the time they are ‘sold,’ they are often in the middle of, or past their socialization window.

    Pet store puppies come with a NO RETURNS policy. It is up to the buyer to deal with the dog for life, even if serious health problems, temperament issues, or family problems pop up in the future.

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    Bad Beginnings for Pet Store Puppies

    It does NOT matter what the pet store tells you. Pet Store Great Danes do NOT come from ethical, reputable, or quality breeders

    Ever. It’s impossible. No ethical, reputable breeder would allow their puppy to be sold in a pet store to a random buyer, no matter what they tell you. Ethical breeders want a relationship with every puppy buyer and if they ship the puppies that they love and worked so hard for to Petland, that won’t happen.

    Pet store puppies come from puppy mills. A puppy mill can be a large operation with lots of dogs (common in Missouri), an Amish pet farm, or a ‘ranch’ or ‘family’ that breeds multiple breeds in their backyard using kennels and runs.

    These dogs are bred indiscriminately, regardless if they have issues with health and temperament.

    Many of the dogs used in puppy mill breeding operations (even the nice-sounding ‘family breeder’ ones) are kept primarily in cages and kennels for most of their life. They are not often, if at all offered any kind of enrichment outside of this environment. These dogs receive no training titles (Canine Good Citizen) or show titles, and wouldn’t likely be able to obtain them anyway.

    In some of the worst mills, the dogs live in crates with wire bottoms. They are bred there and whelp (birth) their puppies in this environment. Other dogs in cages contribute to anxiety and noise levels (barking, howling, crying). Remember, stressed-out mothers create timid, fearful, and stressed puppies. 

    The puppies are raised inside of this cage or a small ‘whelping area’, and removed before 8 weeks so they can be shipped to pet stores. On her next heat cycle, the mom is bred again.

    Once she no longer produces babies, they either euthanize her (often inhumanely) or dump her in a rescue, where she often requires significant physical and emotional rehabilitation. 

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    Pet Store Puppies Reward Puppy Mills

    When you purchase a puppy from a pet store or from a puppy mill you directly finance, endorse, and support this kind of operation.

    You reward the people for breeding dogs this way. You give them money to continue doing it.

    You perpetuate the problem. 

    You may have ‘saved’ the one cute, scrawny, sickly-looking puppy that came with a ‘health guarantee’ and ‘papers’, but that’s it.

    The mother of your dog will be bred again. She will produce more puppies just like yours that will end up in the pet store, and you paid them to do it.

    We aren’t here to make you feel bad, but we do need to be very clear about this.

    Purchasing a sad puppy from a pet store is NOT RESCUE. It is considered extremely unethical when actual dog rescues with 501c3 papers purchase dogs from puppy mills to ‘save’ them.

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    The Catch-22 of Buying Puppies from Pet Stores

    The reason puppy mills continue to exist is because people keep ‘rescuing’ dogs from them.

    Think about this. They’ve scammed you.

    A sick little puppy is pretty easy to sell! It tugs at your heartstrings. It makes you FEEL good about your purchase because you ‘saved’ the puppy.

    The pet stores and the puppy mills know this and they capitalize on it. 

    The breeders of these dogs do NOT care about the dogs or the puppies. It’s up to us to care.

    One of the most caring and impactful things we can do is to STOP supporting their business. 

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    Should I Report Pet Stores With Sick Puppies?  

    Of course, each dog’s life is valuable. It has worth. There is no reason for that puppy to suffer and unfortunately, many do.

    Many of these puppies struggle with painful health conditions. Pet store puppies are also known for being anxious, nervy and timid.

    Suffering comes in many forms. 

    Purchasing a puppy from the pet store does not stop the suffering. But educating others and being an advocate for Great Danes does.

    If you do see a pet store puppy that needs help, report them to animal control. Take a photo and share it with others. Resist the urge to purchase this puppy; he isn’t the only one that needs help or is suffering.

    Write a review of the pet store online. Use Google, Yelp, social media, and your blog to put them on blast. Educate others about why ‘saving’ puppies from pet stores is contributing to the problem.  

    When a pet store cannot sell puppies, they often surrender them to veterinarians and rescues or give them away to employees. This is a much better place for them to be!

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    What Happens to Pet Store Puppies That Aren’t Sold?

    It depends on the pet store and where the dog was sourced from, but the following things can happen:

    • The price is reduced until somebody buys.
    • The dog is transferred to another pet store.
    • The dog is returned to the ‘breeder’ and becomes the breeder’s choice; used for breeding, sold at auction, hoarded, given away, or euthanized.
    • The dog is given to an employee or veterinarian.
    • The dog is dumped into rescue; sick puppies cost the rescue money they don’t have.
    • The dog is euthanized (may be common if the dog is especially ill).
    • The dog is returned to a breeder-store broker and resold elsewhere.

    It’s a tragic fate for these dogs and extremely taxing on rescues, but the truth is that pet stores don’t have much trouble selling these puppies. The ‘sad puppy in the window’ doesn’t need saving, because if you don’t buy it somebody else likely will.

    Then the cycle continues. Stop ‘rescuing’ dogs from pet stores, puppy mills, and garbage backyard breeders. Doing so is contributing to the perpetuation of this horrible, horrible problem.

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    How to Make a Difference

    Look at all of the Great Danes that are sitting in rescues right now that need our help.

    Look at the Great Dane rescues, too. Notice how they are desperate for financial donations and help with volunteering and fostering.

    GET INVOLVED. Stop believing that you ‘saved’ a dog from a pet store, and start saving dogs. Be there when a mill breeder dumps a litter of sick and timid 4-month-old puppies on rescue.

    Be there when an overbred mama with mastitis and parasites is found left on the side of the road

    Be there when a rescue is called to deal with a hoarding case, where 50 dogs are found emaciated, starved, covered in sores and over-bred as part of a puppy mill operation that feeds the pet stores.

    Be part of the big picture and part of the solution. None of this is fair to that one puppy at the pet store, but it’s especially not fair to the dogs that paved the way for the puppy to get there in the first place. 

  • Reality Television and Dog Training for Great Danes

    Reality Television and Dog Training for Great Danes

    I can’t believe we have to say this, but here we are.

    Reality television is NOT a good place to get training advice or to learn how to train your dog. 

    This would be like taking dating advice from the Bachelor. There may be a few tidbits here and there worth trying, but as a whole? It’s a lot of smoke and mirrors.

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    POPULAR TV DOG TRAINERS

    These are the current popular dog trainers that have reality television shows.

    Cesar Milan – “The Dog Whisperer”

    Victoria Stillwell – “It’s Me or the Dog”

    Jas Leverette – “Canine Intervention”

    Graeme Hall – “Dogs Behaving Badly”

    These shows are fun to watch and often hit on common ‘pain points’ that dog owners have.

    At its core, reality television is produced to generate viewers and ratings. Dog training shows are no exception.

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    Did you know that there is no governing authority for dog trainers education or certifications?

    The titles of ‘Master Dog Trainer’, ‘Dog Whisperer’ or ‘Dog Psychology Specialist’ have no legitimate meaning.

    SHOWMANSHIP

    To film these dog training shows, the producers record and cut as much as they need to so that what you see is purely ‘amazing’ results.

    They purposefully wind the dogs up and set them up to fail so that what you see first are out of control dogs and upset owners. You empathize and see your own struggles in it.

    Then they take the overwhelmed, tired, emotionally exhausted dog(s) and ‘fix’ the problem with ‘psychology’ and intimidation.

    In the final reel, you only see the best take of the improved behavior. The owners are coached to rejoice, they didn’t realize how ‘easy’ it was going to be to fix the problem!

    Ratings go up, you continue to tune in not recognizing that all the while, the reality TV dog trainer is using smoke to distract you from what is really happening.

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    DOG PSYCHOLOGY & WOO

    Reality television trainers use ‘dog psychology’ and woo to distract you. They need you focused on them, NOT the dogs (who are often showing significant signs of stress and anxiety).

    It’s engaging, interesting, and ‘makes sense’ so you buy it, believing that the training they are doing must be necessary and appropriate.

    The problem is that ‘dog psychology’ is rarely rooted in legitimate, modern, up-to-date behavior science.

    Simply put, it’s often just made up or grossly misinterpreted. 

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    THE INTIMIDATION FACTOR

    The majority of reality TV dog trainers rely on intimidation to quickly shut down problem behaviors.

    Anybody can intimidate a dog into being ‘submissive’.

    Intimidation is a powerful and quick force to shutting a dog down.

    ‘Dog Psychology’ makes you believe that the now terrified dog is being ‘calm and submissive’, and it looks GREAT on television.

    Studies show, however that confrontational training methods increase anxiety, fear and even aggression.

    FORMS OF INTIMIDATION

    Here are ways that many reality TV dog trainers will ‘fix’ problem behaviors:

    • Alpha Rolls/Pinning
    • Neck jabs and ‘Pssshhht’
    • Using a foot or knee on the dog
    • Pinching or choking
    • Throwing things at the dog
    • Repeated collar pops, especially without actually teaching the dog what it should be doing
    • Forceful, threatening and forward body presence (arms out, leaning into the dog)
    • Exposing the dog to situations that the dog finds uncomfortable or scary (flooding)

    Confrontational and intimidation-based training methods such as the alpha roll, flooding and physical punishments have been proven by science to increase aggression, anxiety and confusion.

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    TURN OFF THE SOUND

    Turn off the volume so that the ‘dog psychology’ cannot fool you.

    Watch the dog. What is their body language like? Do they look happy, comfortable and engaged?

    Is the dog scared, overwhelmed and feeling threatened? Does the dog want to work on training and be with the handlers, or is it wishing it were anywhere else?

    Unlike ‘dog psychology’, canine body language is a studied and proven science. 

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    BE THE ALPHA

    Many reality TV dog trainers preach that you need to ‘be the Alpha’ and ‘dominate’ your dog.

    The television producers aren’t knowledgeable in dog training, they just know what looks good on TV…and ‘being the boss’ looks GREAT.

    The idea that our dogs are trying to be dominant and boss us around is an old school belief based on faulty studies of captive wolves. Those studies were later retracted by the author, but the method unfortunately persists.

    For more information on why it’s not ‘dominance’, read our blog post on the topic! 

    Very few legitimate dog trainers will tell you that a scared, overwhelmed, bored or frustrated dog is being ‘dominant’, and even fewer will tell you to alpha roll your dog to show that you are the boss.

    This idea is largely perpetuated by dog owners that learned it from, you guessed it: reality television. Run from any dog trainer that learned how to train dogs from reality TV. 

    14

    FALSE HOPE

    Reality television makes us believe that we can transform our dogs behavior without the help of a legitimate, qualified dog trainer.

    It makes us believe that it can be done quickly if we just change our energy or be more authoritative.

    It fails to address the root cause of canine behavior (most often boredom, fear, frustration, confusion and anxiety) and puts a one-size-fits all bandaid on dog behavior and the interactions we have with our beloved family pets.

    Because it is so engaging, people take what they learned from the 20 minute prime time slot and share it with others. It worked on TV, so…

    Reality TV is not a good place to get information about dog training and dog behavior.

    Every dog and every family is different. If you are struggling with your dog we encourage you to bring in a highly qualified trainer that can watch your interactions and teach you how to appropriately work with your dog.

    The last thing a dog trainer wants you to do is to apply advice you learned from reality TV and possibly make the problem, or your relationship with your dog, worse. 

    A better place to seek advice is from legitimate balanced and thoughtful positive trainers on Youtube and social media. There are some amazing people putting out a lot of real tips and content, not just using their platform to show off their ‘amazing dog whispering skills’. We’ve linked to our favorites below!

    A note about Victoria Stillwell and ‘It’s Me or the Dog’: this program leans more towards positive dog training. She doesn’t fall under the umbrella of ‘alpha/dominance’ and intimidation, however, we don’t find that her training is particularly helpful for most dog owners either. Watch for fun but please, find a positive-balanced (yes, we said balanced!) dog trainer to come visit and help you directly. 

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    EXCEPTION

    Of course, there are some notable exceptions.

    Many exceptional dog trainers and behavior professionals freely share their knowledge and have some great things to say.

    Chirag Patel (Nightmare Pet SOS on BBC) is a wonderful example.

    Just check out his credentials, they make the other television dog trainers look like complete amateurs. If I’m going to take advice from somebody on television, I’m more inclined to listen to the guy that has a veterinary sciences degree and postgraduate certificates in clinical animal behavior.

    Not the guy that bases his training on debunked pack/alpha theory. Not the guy claiming to be a ‘master’ dog trainer. Not the guy who makes me believe I can fix my dogs ‘mental state’ by saying ‘pssst’ and jabbing her in the neck. Definitely not the guy that has multiple organizations raising alarms regarding animal abuse and the use of confrontational training methods.

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    If we can gain just ONE thing from the popular reality TV dog training series, it is this:

    Dogs still need leadership, boundaries, exercise, management and structure no matter what.

    All TV dog trainers get this one correct. We have to train our dogs, and we have to recognize that many behavior problems are rooted in boredom and/or anxiety.

    It’s important to set dogs up for success, and to start giving dogs more guidance and enrichment overall.

    That will help their mental state more than any ‘alpha roll’, power play or leash pop ever could. Get off the TV and go play with your dog!

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    LEGITIMATE RESOURCES FOR DOG TRAINING ADVICE

    KikoPup- Positive Training

    Larry Krohn – Balanced/E-Collar

    Susan Garret – Positive, Game Based/Sports/Agility

    Grisha Stewart – Aggression & Behavior Modification

    Tom Davis – Balanced/E-Collar

    Denise Fenzi – Positive and Play-based dog sports

  • We Have to Stop Doing This to Great Danes

    We Have to Stop Doing This to Great Danes

    Sometimes I feel like we are screaming from the rooftops, and nobody is listening.

    I know the Great Dane rescues all feel this way. People that volunteer and work in rescue are TIRED. They are emotionally exhausted, and the problem?

    It’s all our fault.

    It doesn’t have to be this way. The rescues don’t need to be overwhelmed with pleas to help 100’s of Great Danes that have health problems, aggression or that have been abused, abandoned or neglected.

    But they are. They are literally buried in these dogs.

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    Photo by Paparazzi Ratzfatzzi on Pexels.com

    TWO MONTHS

    In just two months, ONE Great Dane rescue took in over 100 dogs, and had to turn down many others. Read this:

    ? Poseidon: our true miracle boy. His bills continue to come in as he is now healthy enough to be neutered. He’s also heart worm positive.

    ? Luna: a sweet girl that we rescued and despite ICU care we could not reverse the neurological condition that she had and she passed away
    ? Luna: our pup we only had briefly as she passed away battling bloat/GDV
    ? Luna: one of our newest pups- she has a nasty flare with an autoimmune disease after being in a shelter, she required two days of ICU care
    ? Octavia: a terrified girl who requires a vet who could do home visits since her fear was so bad.
    ? Puppy Jack: attacked by another dog, had surgery to clean up his wounds, which then became infected, and he needed another surgery after that!
    ? Diva: a serious UTI when we first got her, followed by severe arthritis in her back when the cold snap happened
    ? Cricket and Mantis: have ruptured CCLs.. looking into options
    ? Aegues: severely malnourished due to terrible teeth, will require extensive dental work
    ? Maggie and Jada: gorgeous mastiff pair who both need major entropion surgery on their eyes
    ? Macy: became very sick when we got her with pieces of metal in her GI track
    ? Princess: will require surgery to remove a large mammary tumor
    ? Kahulah: will require extensive vetting for tumors in her mouth
    ? Daisy: had 15 gorgeous puppies and her body is still recovering from the traumatic birth. She has infections and sores all over
    ? Marvel: attacked by another dog before we got him, has a broken leg, may require amputation
    ? Bruno: new intake, may have a neurological disorder
    ? Yana: serious dental disease causing a lot of pain and suffering- will have multiple teeth removed
    ? On top of all this, we don’t talk about the Mississippi cruelty case Danes often because they are still tied up in the court system. These guys still aren’t healthy and we are continuing to pay for their care, of course. One of the puppies will likely need her eye removed (due to a birth defect), and another has kidney issues that we need to tackle.
    ? We are also taking in a boy with serious demodex this week, and may be getting a possible wobblers case. ?

    SRGDRR in TEXAS

    That was just from one heartbroken Facebook post by just ONE rescue: Save Rocky the Great Dane Rescue & Rehab in Longview, TX.

    If you don’t think this is a problem, read it again.

    These are dogs that often have serious medical, temperament and training problems and need expensive interventions. Many of these dogs were sold to owners that abused and neglected them.

    None of these dogs came from ethical breeders that gave a damn about where those dogs ended up or the health issues that they would face.

    These dogs and the rescues pay the price.

    TOUGH LOVE TRUTH TIME

    Do you want this to stop? Do you want to stop seeing our rescues overwhelmed with unwanted and suffering Great Danes?

    Do you want to stop hearing pressure from rescue advocates to ‘adopt, don’t shop’?

    Would you rather see healthy, robust Danes or hundreds of Danes that are anxious and sick?

    BACKYARD BREEDERS SUCK

    Every time you purchase a dog from a backyard breeder, even without knowing it, you make a direct financial contribution to this problem.

    Unfortunately in the world of Danes, too many  breeders are operating unethically. They may appear ‘friendly’ and ‘diligent’ with clean puppies and half-baked ‘health testing’, but they:

    • Don’t care much about who buys the puppy, so long as cash was involved.
    • Don’t offer any kind of health or breeder support, and no honest return guarantee..
    • Indiscriminately bred dogs that have health, temperament and structural faults.
    • Think AKC papers are enough.
    • Don’t health test and prove that their dogs have quality genetics to pass on.

    GOOD OWNERS

    If you are reading this, it’s likely you are a good owner. We’d like to think that you wouldn’t abandon, abuse or neglect your dog.

    But each litter of puppies is multiple dogs. When you buy a puppy from a litter of dogs produced by a backyard breeder, you directly reward and fund that breeder to continue making more puppies.

    These are most often the kinds of puppies that could end up with preventable genetic health conditions, problems with temperament that come back to their genetics and early whelping, and abandoned by other owners that weren’t educated or prepared for them.

    DON’T BE PART OF THE PROBLEM

    Some of these might get your hackles up. But think about the 100 dogs SRGDRR took in from Jan-Feb 2021.Just because YOUR puppy is fine and well cared for, doesn’t mean that the others from that breeder are.  If you do any of the following, you are contributing to the problem:

    • Shopping for Great Danes puppies on Craigslist, in ‘AKC Great Dane Puppies‘ or similar Facebook groups or in Marketplace, from Amish Farmers (most often puppy mills), ‘Adopt a Pet’ or other puppy pile websites, or in pet stores.
    • Purchasing a Great Dane puppy from a breeder that offers them for the lowest price because you need a ‘pet, not a show dog‘.
    • Purchasing a Great Dane from a breeder that pressures you to take the puppy home before 8 weeks of age, lies about the age of the puppies, and/or doesn’t thoroughly socialize the puppies.
    • Purchasing a Great Dane from a breeder that is breeding underage dogs (under 2 years).
    • Purchasing a Great Dane from a breeder that is breeding dogs with structural (roach back, flat feet, excess droop, entropion, etc.), health (heart disease, hip dysplasia, bloat, etc.) and/or temperament (aggression, timidness, soft, fearful, out of control) problems.
    • Purchasing a Great Dane from a breeder that doesn’t care at all if you breed it, rehome it, or even have it seen by a veterinarian because ‘It’s your dog, do what you want’.
    • Purchasing a Great Dane puppy by clicking ‘Add to Cart’.
    • Purchasing a Great Dane puppy from a breeder that skips or only does partial health testing. A ‘vet check’ or ‘veterinary clearance’ is NOT ENOUGH. We cannot stress this enough.
    • Breeding your own Great Dane just because it has a neat color, ‘Euro‘ lineage or AKC papers.

    PREVENTION

    Health problems, training issues and temperament problems are major reasons why dogs end up neglected, abused or eventually surrendered.

    A solid majority of those things are preventable through ethical breeding practices, educated ownership, and by making conscious choices as a consumer to either adopt or ONLY purchase dogs from highly ethical and reputable breeders.

    It is up to us to stop supporting backyard breeders that are creating unhealthy, poorly-tempered Great Danes and then not supporting them for life. Choose ethical breeders or rescues only. The breed depends on you to make the educated choice!

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    Photo by Matthias Zomer on Pexels.com

    ETHICAL BREEDERS vs. ADOPTION

    There are 100’s of dogs that need homes and we believe there are only two choices: adoption or ethical breeders. 

    Ethical breeders care about health and structure, and understand how genetics can make or break the health and longevity of the puppies they produce.

    They fully health test Dam & Sire with no exceptions: this includes x-rays, echocardiogram, eye exams, genetic screening and blood panels.

    They only breed dogs with quality genetics in health, structure and temperament.

    Dogs from exceptional and ethical breeders are not often, if ever the ones overwhelming our rescues, breaking hearts and landing in homes that abuse them.

    Stop supporting backyard breeders, puppy mills and breeders that only care about the cash in your pocket. If we can put them out of business by turning our backs on them, we can quickly put a stop to this huge, huge problem.

    WANT TO HELP?

    There are MANY ways to step up:

    • Advocate. Flag posts on Facebook or Craigslist from breeders trying to sell puppies.
    • Educate. Share blog posts like this one, and Facebook posts from rescues.
    • If you wish to purchase a puppy, ASK QUESTIONS! Verify actual results from health screening (OFA.ORG is a great place to start), ask the breeder how they socialize the puppies (hint, raising them around children or chickens is NOT enough!), ask them if they honor a lifetime return guarantee. Read their contract. Ask for references. Study the pedigree. Meet the parents and compare them to the written standard for Great Danes.
    • Reject any breeder that isn’t operating ethically, no matter how much you want to ‘save’ the puppies. Report them to authorities if needed.
    • Foster, Volunteer & Adopt, even if you purchase your dogs from breeders. You can still offer to run social media accounts, transport dogs or fundraise.