Hello Danes

Category: Breeder Standards

  • Ethical Great Dane Breeders are Proud of Their Dogs

    Ethical Great Dane Breeders are Proud of Their Dogs

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    We talk a lot here about Great Dane breeders because we believe it’s important to advocate for this breed.

    If you are looking for a Great Dane Puppy, start here! We want to show you how to find and choose an ethical Great Dane breeder. 

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    Quality Great Dane Breeders are PROUD of their dogs!

    They are proud of the dogs that they breed and they are proud of their puppies. 

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    BREEDER RED FLAGS

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    When you are researching breeders, immediately run from any breeder that:

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    • Won’t allow you to meet the parents, or at least view them in a live video chat.
    • Won’t tell you all about their Great Danes, including honest information about their temperament and health.
    • Won’t allow you to view and research the genetic lineage or ask questions about it.
    • Won’t be willing to share references or allow you to chat with other puppy owners.
    • Doesn’t proudly show off their puppies, the parents, and the puppies they’ve bred that are grown up.
    • Breeds unhealthy dogs and/or spot-to-spot (causes double-merle puppies).
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    WITHOUT EXCEPTION

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    • The parents should be free of aggression, resource guarding, nipping and growling.
    • The parents should be free of fearful behavior. Well bred Great Danes are confident, curious, friendly and courageous, not timid or aloof. 
    • The parents should be well-kept with shiny coats, clean teeth, good muscle development and properly maintained nails. 
    • The parents should be well trained and have manners that exemplify the ideal gentle friendly giant. 
    • The parents should be bright and energetic, not slow, painful or sad. 

     

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    Only well-bred Great Danes should be used for breeding! Unhealthy, fearful, aggressive dogs with poor structure should never be used in a breeding program. Any breeder that isn’t proud to show off their Dam & Sire to you is a breeder you should be wary of.

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    ETHICAL BREEDERS OFTEN TITLE THEIR DOGS

    They may show their dogs, take them to training classes so they can get their CGC (Canine Good Citizen), Rally (obedience), Trick, Parkour or other similar titles. 

    Some breeders do not show or title their dogs at all which may or may not be a red flag. 

    As a general rule, however, Great Dane Breeders that are active with their dogs tend to be better advocates for health, structure and the breed as a whole. 

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    BREED STANDARD

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    The parents should be excellent examples of the written breed standard. 

    The dogs they are breeding should not have bad hips, roached backs, extremely droopy eyes or flat feet, however this is extremely common. 

    They should not be excessively heavy or refined, and they should have a well-balanced structure that is built to support their size. 

    Be wary of breeders that are focused on buzz words such as ‘designer/rare color’, ‘Euro champion’, and ‘vet checked’. These breeders may not have the best interest of the dogs health in mind. 

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    A VET CHECK IS NOT HEALTH TESTING

    Ethical Great Dane breeders are proud of the health of their dogs and do not hesitate to complete and share the results of FULL OFA health testing on all of their dogs. 

    Many ‘breeders’ will skip this step because it’s expensive and may produce results that prove they should not breed a dog that they own. 

    Run from any breeder that does not do full OFA health testing of their dogs. At minimum, you need to see that they have good or excellent results for hips, elbows, heart, eyes and thyroid. 

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    Outside of the U.S., OFA may not be the registry that is used. This doesn’t negate the requirement that breeders should be completing x-rays, echocardiograms, eye tests and blood work for all of the dogs that they breed. 

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    Educate, advocate, rescue, foster, adopt.

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    Advocacy for Great Danes means supporting rescue efforts, fostering, and only choosing truly ethical breeders. 

    Anything else is supporting an industry where the health and welfare of the Great Danes we love is not considered. 

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  • Bad Breeder Hall of Shame

    Bad Breeder Hall of Shame

    This popped up recently from the Itawamba County Sheriff Department in Fulton, MS.
    This post contains disturbing images of animal neglect. 

    PUBLIC RECORD:

    Jayla Mckale Rogers with ‘Moonshine Danes’ learned that she could make a ton of cash selling Great Dane puppies, and turned her home into a puppy mill.

    Think you want a cheap Great Dane, one that will be ‘just a pet, not a show dog’? Are you shopping for your Dane on Facebook or craigslist and excited to find a breeder with a litter of puppies ready to go?

    Tread cautiously. We have a dirty truth to share with you. It’s important to note that WE SUPPORT breeders and rescues. What we don’t support is abuse, neglect, and profit-focused breeding programs.

    ‘Breeders’ like the one we are sharing below are unfortunately EVERYWHERE. While they may have ‘cheap’, available puppies and seem ‘nice’, they have one goal. To get your money.

    How do they get by with neglect and abuse? Read on: 

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    RED FLAGS

    These breeders may meet you in the parking lot with only the puppy you’ve bought so that you never see how sketchy their breeding operation is.

    They won’t let you meet the parents and may say that you cannot come to their kennel for any reason. They likely have multiple litters each year.

    They won’t likely have an application, a contract or any kind of legitimate breeder support.

    They may say the dogs are ‘vet checked’ or ‘health tested’, but you won’t find any results in the public database at www.ofa.org

    You’re most likely to find a breeder like this on Facebook or on a listing service such as craigslist; or the breeder will reach out to you when you say you are looking for a puppy.

    We HATE the breeder scam going around right now, but we hate this so much more.

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    Having ‘AKC papers’ does not mean that a breeder is operating with the health and well-being of dogs in mind. Even AKC breeders with a registered lineage may still be operating unethically and can have an awful lot to hide.

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    Great Danes are not cheap, and cheap Great Dane breeders are not great. If you are looking for a cheap puppy, make sure you are not supporting this kind of breeding operation.

    When this breeding operation was exposed by animal control, they found 4 adult Great Danes in cages with no food or water. The breeder also had 16 other animals kept in cages in addition to several emaciated puppies. Many of the dogs needed immediate medical attention.

    The owner has been charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty, but may only be fined as much as $1000. The sale of just one or two puppies would pay for that fine; it’s meaningless.

    She has created and sold several litters.

    This is NOT an isolated situation. Breeders like this are all over the place and continue to operate because people continue to fund their operation by purchasing puppies.

    Read our ‘Bad Great Dane Breeders Page here (updated often).

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    BREEDING DAM CONDITION

    This poor mama has likely been bred many times. More litters = more money. Your cheap puppy is making somebody rich, and it’s not this sweet mama dog who benefits.

    Not only is this girl massively underweight, malnourished, and likely suffering with itchy skin and possibly even parasites, look at her front feet.

    Her weak, low pasterns indicate nutritional deficiency, lack of appropriate free movement and exercise on outdoor terrain, over breeding, poor nail maintenance, and possibly even some bad genetics (that she no doubt passed onto the puppies).

    She’s miserable and nervous, which is also how you create nervous, timid puppies.

    Want a puppy that is timid, fearful, aggressive, and has health problems including a higher risk of bloat, cardiac disease, hip dysplasia, thyroid disease and autoimmune disorders? This is how you make that happen.

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    I DON’T NEED A SHOW DOG, I JUST NEED A PET

    We think there are actually some great breeders out there that don’t show their dogs.

    We also want people to understand that show breeders produce a lot of amazing pets. Not every dog in a litter can be a show dog.

    Ethical breeders are much more likely to be breeding dogs that are healthy, excellent examples of the breed standard. They are more likely to be completing full OFA health testing and genetic screenings to eliminate common disorders in Great Danes. They are more likely to only be breeding dogs that have outstanding temperaments.

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    Ethical breeders care about their dogs, every single one of them and aren’t breeding to make money.

    They have funds set aside for complications. They don’t over-breed their dogs. They don’t breed dogs that aren’t healthy. They spend hours each day with the puppies to care for them and socialize them.

    Chances are that you WILL have to pay more for an ethically bred puppy, because the expenses associated with operating correctly are higher. That’s important, however because we cannot continue to financially reward people who breed dogs any other way.

    Being a dog snob means making it socially unacceptable to breed untested, poorly treated dogs. It’s not a bad thing to be snobby about the welfare of dogs.

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    THESE PUPPIES WILL BE OK

    Thankfully, all of these dogs and puppies were rescued by Save Rocky the Great Dane and are receiving medical treatment and much needed love, food, water and care.

    Great people rescue dogs like this and great people adopt them. Many will likely have wonderful, long lives. Others may need a lot of behavioral and health support, and some simply may not be healthy enough to survive another day.

    It is largely because of bad breeding operations that the rescues have to exist. 

    How many puppies did this breeder produce and sell to people before she was shut down?

    How many of the puppies that this breeder sold in the past are currently waiting in rescue, surrendered by owners who couldn’t handle them? How many are timid, fearful, sick, and suffering needlessly from health conditions such as hip dysplasia?

    Images from the Itawamba County Sheriff Department.

    Everything stated here is a matter of public record. 

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    Educate, advocate, rescue, foster, adopt.

    Advocacy for Great Danes means supporting rescue efforts, fostering, and only choosing truly ethical breeders.

    Anything else is supporting an industry where the health and welfare of the Great Danes we love is not considered.

  • What is Backyard Breeding?

    What is Backyard Breeding?

    Is there a difference between backyard breeding and front yard breeding?

    Don’t most breeders raise puppies in their backyard?

    What could possibly be wrong with breeding dogs in a home environment?

    Is it backyard breeding if the breeder seems friendly and the puppies are clean?

    What if a dog chooses to have her puppies in the backyard instead of inside? Is that the problem? 

    Isn’t backyard breeding BETTER than a puppy mill? I’d rather know my puppy came from a home and yard than a kennel!
    Great Dane Health

    SO MANY QUESTIONS!

    The good news is that none of those things have anything to do with breeding dogs in a backyard.

    There is nothing wrong with a breeder raising puppies in their home environment, or for you as a Great Dane owner to want a ‘pet’, not a ‘show dog’.

    Backyard Breeding is really just the term dog people have made up to describe people who are breeding random, low quality dogs ‘in their backyard’ to make cash.

    These breeders aren’t necessarily interested in the health, structure, or temperament of the puppies they are creating, but they sure know how to get you to spend your money with them!

    WHY IS BACKYARD BREEDING BAD?

    Backyard breeders are often pairing two dogs for breeding that really should not be bred. They may have websites, ‘nice’ photos and even a nice home and clean puppies; however, they may still be unethical.

    A Great Dane is not a Great Dane is not a Great Dane. AKC papers, Euro build and ‘neat colors’ are NOT enough to justify breeding two dogs together.

    Backyard breeders, even the ‘nice’ friendly ones, are directly responsible for the number of dogs needing rescue, and for the ongoing health and temperament problems we see in Great Danes.

    SIGNS OF A BACKYARD BREEDER

     

    • They will have no records of proper health testing or only did some of the testing (ask for Full OFA tests with certificate & CHIC# to verify at www.ofa.org, or similar standard in other Countries
    • They may market dogs primarily using buzz words such as ‘papered’, ‘designer colors’, ‘healthy’, or ‘Euro %’.
    • They may  send puppies home to buyers prior to 8 weeks of age.
    • They will not have a lifetime return guarantee.
    • They will not have buyers sign contracts.
    • They will will not care if a buyer chooses to breed their dog.
    • They may encourage buyers to purchase two puppies at the same time.
    • They may advertise on marketplace or Craigslist, post repeated sales in local groups and may have a hard time selling puppies.
    • They won’t be willing to show the parents, or the parents will be unkempt, heavy, untrained, or aggressive.
    • The puppies may be timid, round, hunched, dirty, bug-eyed, and may look sick or weak.
    • The breeders home and/or whelping area will be below standard, dirty, and may lack appropriate enrichment for the dogs and puppies.

    Every time you support a backyard breeder, you support the creation of the exact types of dogs that strain our system of shelters and rescues. The rescues are here because of these dogs, and the unfortunate truth is that the backyard breeders do not care.

    Oh be serious. ANY dog can end up in rescue, even one from an ‘Ethical’ breeder, so don’t blame this on the ‘backyard breeders’… right?

    WRONG.

    Ethical breeders care very much about structure, health and temperament.

    They actively work to produce puppies that are unlikely to suffer from genetically related health problems such as hip dysplasia, bloat and entropion that cost owners heartache and money.

    They aren’t creating white double merle dogs  that end up in rescue when they cannot find somebody who wants a snappy, under-socialized 4 month old deaf puppy with no eyes.

    They closely follow the written standard, and ask for feedback from their peers so that the dogs they breed look and act like healthy, robust, calm, loving Great Danes with strong features and beautiful structure..

    They are picky about buyers and educate them well, because they know that the wrong home could mean a dog ends up being neglected, dumped, or used for backyard breeding.

    They want the puppies they sell to have outstanding temperaments, so they are much less likely to end up in rescue because they became ‘too aggressive’, bit a child, or couldn’t be handled by the average pet owner.

    Most of all, ethical breeders have a LIFETIME return guarantee. They support buyers with education and will take any dog back during its life for any reason.

    Ethical breeders are NOT the reason that so many dogs are in rescue. Backyard breeders are. Still don’t believe us? Look at any rescue. Are any of those adoptable dogs from a breeder that would take the dog back themselves, give it vet care and help it find a home?

    RUFFLED FEATHERS?

    We understand that a post like this may ruffle some feathers.

    Perhaps you have a dog that came from what you now realize was a ‘backyard breeder’, and a post like this can feel like an attack (especially if your backyard bred Great Dane is a loved family pet, as mine is). For that, we apologize.

    We believe all Great Danes deserve love and a fantastic home, including the ‘imperfect’ ones, and especially the ones that need our help.

    You got lucky with one of the special ones; but that’s not the point of this post.

    Perhaps you are a breeder, and don’t like that we are calling you out. We don’t apologize for that. You will not change our minds. We do not respect that you skip OFA health testing, or that you are breeding dogs that barely look like Great Danes, or that the puppies you create have roached backs, entropion, and timid personalities.

    We don’t respect that you throw around terms like ‘papered’ and ‘health tested’ just to make a buck. We also don’t respect your defensiveness towards improving your program and operating ethically. Try us, but be warned. We are pretty fed up with backyard breeders and know all the ‘lines’.

    Our hope is that every owner with a loved family dog from a backyard breeder, every owner whose backyard bred dog died painfully at a young age, and every owner who is interested in purchasing a Great Dane will read this article and help us stop the cycle moving forward.

    These dogs are too big to be given anything other than the chance at incredible health and wellness. Stop funding backyard breeders. Start holding breeders to a HIGHER standard. Our dogs deserve it!

  • Why Great Dane Puppies Should Stay with the Litter Until 8 Weeks

    Why Great Dane Puppies Should Stay with the Litter Until 8 Weeks

    Puppies should stay with the litter until 8 weeks. No questions about it.

    There is almost no reason for a breeder to send a puppy home prior to 8 weeks of age.

    If your breeder is doing this, they are very unlikely to be a reputable, ethical breeder (no matter what they tell you about ‘why’). In many States, it is also illegal to send a puppy home prior to 8 weeks.

    Puppies Should Stay with the Litter Until 8 Weeks

    BREEDING PRACTICES: Puppies Should Stay with the Litter Until 8 Weeks

    There are a few reasons why a breeder may claim that a puppy needs to go home before 8 weeks.

    Here are some you may have heard:

    • The mom ‘rejected’ the puppies
    • The mom is being ‘mean’ to the puppies
    • The mom ‘weaned’ the puppies and they are eating solid food
    • The puppies are ‘fighting’
    • The puppies will ‘bond’ better if they go home before 8 weeks
    • The breeder has cancer/health issues/etc. and can no longer keep the litter
    • It’s ‘better’ for bonding

    Do these sound familiar?

    Puppies that go home prior to 8 weeks of age may lack bite control, will be immature and may have a harder time with potty training, puppy biting, crate training and socialization. 

    BREEDER CLAIMS THAT MOM IS MEAN TO THE PUPPIES

    The mom may actually appear to have rejected the puppies. She may be nippy or snappy and walk away from them when they try to nurse.

    What is Balanced Training?
    Is My Great Dane Being Aggressive?
    Deplorable Dog Training: Sit Happens
    What is Great Dane Dominance Training?

    Inexperienced breeders see this as a sign that the mom is becoming aggressive and may hurt the puppies, not realizing that this is an incredibly important part of the process. Or they will use it as an excuse to be lazy.

    This is how the mom weans the puppies and begins to teach them manners and appropriate social skills.

    A puppy who has not had a mother snap at them to establish ground rules is a puppy who may grow into a rude, pushy adult.

    Puppies Should Stay with the Litter Until 8 Weeks

    Puppies learn incredibly valuable social skills while with their mom and litter. If they don’t have their mom and litter to correct them, they may never learn how to properly interact with other dogs.

    THE PUPPIES ARE FIGHTING

    Inexperienced breeders may think that their pile of puppies has become aggressive with how noisy, growly and bitey they are.

    The puppies are not fighting. They are teaching each other bite control and social skills!

    They will growl, chase, nip, attack, pin, grab and bite each other. They yelp, bark and make all kinds of racket to tell the other puppy that they bit too hard.

    This time spent learning how to control their jaws and bite pressure = puppies that have a LOT more maturity when it comes to social interaction and puppy biting.

    Puppies need time and lots, and lots of play to teach each other how to interact with dogs. Be cautious about any breeder that is so tired of the puppies that they would skip this time.

    Puppies Should Stay with the Litter Until 8 Weeks

    THE BREEDER IS TIRED OF THE LITTER

    Sometimes a breeder is tired of the litter for any number of reasons. They are expensive, noisy, needy, and aren’t worth much cash until people pick them up.

    So they will say all sorts of things to get you to pick the puppies up, pay them, and take them out of their house as soon as possible.

    They may even claim that the litter was an ‘ooops’ and that they have cancer and cannot deal with the puppies anymore (this is why we have rescues!); we see this a lot with ‘Craigslist’ breeders.

    They want your cash and they do NOT CARE that they are setting a puppy up to fail by encouraging you to take it home at 5, 6, or 7 weeks of age.

    CONSIDER THIS:

    Great Dane puppies that are sent home prior to 8 weeks of age may:

    Bite harder, may not have a ‘soft mouth’
    Be timid & shy
    Be exceptionally immature
    Cry more & have a harder time with separation anxiety
    Struggle with potty training & bladder control
    Be rude or pushy and struggle to have appropriate interactions with other dogs
    Be difficult to socialize

    It is a truly rare situation where a puppy may need to go home prior to 8 weeks of age. Do not let an unethical breeder convince you otherwise!

    image 33

    RARELY IS A PUPPY LEAVING THE LITTER EARLY A POSITIVE

    It can happen where a puppy must leave a litter early.

    • Sometimes, the Dam really is just a bad mom, or she is inexperienced. An ethical breeder will work with the Dam and may  hand-raise the puppies until 8 weeks or seek out the help of another breeder with an established Dam to help raise the litter.
    • Occasionally health issues may require that a puppy be separated (including the death of the Dam or severe health problems with the puppy). Ethical breeders will do everything in their power to thoughtfully and humanely resolve this, including placing the puppy in the care of another Dam and litter to learn social skills, or hand-raising it as needed.

    RESOURCES

    For more information on what ethical breeding practices and finding a quality breeder looks like, search our ever-growing collection of helpful topics!

    If you have a young puppy in your home, what is done is done. Recognize first that your puppy will be developmentally behind others that come home at 8 or even 10 weeks, so you’ll need to be extra patient.

    As obnoxious as puppy biting is, for an exceptionally young puppy they NEED to do it to learn how to control their jaw. If you can, meet with other (HEALTHY) same-aged puppies (be conscious of Parvo and other communicable disease!)

    For information on Puppy Biting and how to make it stop, visit our blog post! 

  • Great Dane Breeder Scam

    Great Dane Breeder Scam

    If you’re in the market for a Great Dane puppy, it’s crucial to be informed about the Great Dane breeder scam! Every week, we hear from people who have fallen victim to these scams or are worried they have been targeted. We know a LOT about this topic and we’re here to equip you with the information you need to safeguard yourself.

    Bringing home a new puppy should be a positive experience, not one resulting in financial loss and no puppy at all.

    Here is how the puppy scam works:

    There are hundreds of people out there who are pretending to be Great Dane breeders. In this common and extremely fraudulent ploy, they will show you cute photos of Great Dane puppies that are for sale.

    These scammers will say anything they have to convince you that they have an adorable puppy for you.

    They will take your deposit and then you’ll never hear from them again. 

    If you want to avoid falling victim to this, read on. I’ve updated this post in December 2023 with more information!

    In this post:

    • How common the Great Dane breeder scam is
    • How to spot scam breeders and fake puppy brokers
    • What to do if a fake breeder took your money
    • How to find a real Great Dane breeder
    7 3

    How Puppy Scams Work

    Puppy scams typically operate by preying on the emotions and desires of prospective pet owners.

    Scammers create fake online advertisements or entire websites featuring adorable puppies, often popular or sought-after breeds like Great Danes, at unbelievably low prices. These fraudulent breeders may use stolen photos from legitimate breeders or other sources to create an illusion of credibility.

    Once a potential buyer expresses interest, the scammer establishes contact, often through email or social messaging platforms. They may employ persuasive and urgent language to encourage quick decisions, emphasizing limited availability or exceptional discounts.

    Unfortunately, once the payment is made, the scammer disappears, leaving the unsuspecting buyer without a puppy or any means of recourse.

    How to Spot a Great Dane Breeder Scam

    Here are common signs that a breeder is a scam. We will cover this more in-depth below:

    Spotting a Great Dane breeder scam is crucial to ensure you’re dealing with a reputable source. Here’s a short list of signs that may indicate a potential scam:

    Unrealistic Prices:

    • Be wary of prices that seem too good to be true. Scammers attract buyers by setting a low price point, usually around $600-$800.

    Lack of Communication:

    • A legitimate breeder will be open to communication and willing to provide information about the breeding process, health records, and more. If the breeder avoids answering questions or is combative or unresponsive, it could be a red flag. Good breeders will be willing to meet with you in person or on video chat.

    No References or Reviews:

    • Reputable breeders often have references from previous customers or positive reviews online. If you can’t find any information about the breeder or their past transactions, be very cautious.

    Pressure Tactics:

    • Scammers may use high-pressure tactics to rush the decision-making process, claiming that there are limited puppies available or urging you to make a quick payment. Legitimate breeders will allow you time to make an informed decision.

    Payment Methods:

    • Be cautious if the breeder insists on unconventional payment methods or requests payment through wire transfers, gift cards, or other non-traceable means. Legitimate breeders typically accept more secure payment options and will never accept payment from random people they have not spoken to in person (“Buy Now” buttons are also a red flag, more on this below!)

    Unverified Contact Information:

    • Check the breeder’s contact information, including their address and phone number. Scammers may provide false or unverifiable details. Legitimate breeders should have a physical address and be willing to share it.

    Limited or No Verifiable Health Testing or Guarantees:

    No Screening or Questions:

    • Legitimate breeders care about the well-being of their puppies and will ask you questions to ensure a suitable environment. If the breeder does not seem concerned about the living conditions or does not ask about your ability to care for the puppy, it may be a scam.

    Inconsistent or Generic Information:

    • Scammers may use generic information and pictures copied from other legitimate websites. Look for inconsistencies in the information provided and conduct reverse image searches to verify the authenticity of the pictures. Take note of the puppies they have for sale! If they are all different colors, photographed in different places, around 8-12 weeks of age, and “ready to go”, you’ve found a scam.

    No Face-to-Face Interaction:

    • Whenever possible, visit the breeder in person or use video calls to see the puppies and their living conditions. Scammers may avoid face-to-face interactions and provide excuses for why this isn’t possible.

    Remember, it’s essential to do thorough research and trust your instincts when dealing with Great Dane breeders. If something feels off, consider exploring other options to ensure a safe and ethical transaction.

    32

    Who Does the Puppy Breeder Scam Target?

    Individuals who are particularly susceptible to falling victim to fake Great Dane breeders often include those driven by impulsive decision-making, intense emotional attachment to owning a specific breed, or a lack of awareness about common scam tactics.

    People who are new to pet ownership or those with limited experience in purchasing animals may be more vulnerable. Additionally, individuals who prioritize cost over legitimacy and fail to conduct thorough research may become targets.

    Scammers often exploit the emotional connection people have to pets, taking advantage of their eagerness to acquire a specific breed, especially if offered at seemingly unbeatable prices. Potential buyers must exercise caution, educate themselves about common scam red flags, and approach transactions with a healthy skepticism to avoid falling prey to deceptive breeders.

    Ask yourself the following questions:

    • Am I looking for a puppy that I can take home ASAP?
    • Would I like to find a puppy for cheaper than the other breeders charge?
    • Do I tend to trust people, especially if they claim to be “family people” or “in hard times“?
    • Am I educated on what the OFA is, and how it’s used by reputable breeders?
    • Would I like to find a puppy in an unusual or designer color?
    • While shopping, am I prioritizing quick availability, or am I patient enough to wait for the best puppy for my life?

    Some people are more susceptible to being scammed than others. If you are looking for Great Dane puppies and hoping to find a deal, you are at risk.

    11 2

    Fake Puppy Breeder Red Flags

    I will go into depth below with several other red flags that indicate that you’ve found a fake breeder.

    This particular post is one of the most popular ones on our site. Even after reading it, we find people are still confused. We can spot a scam a mile away, so if you still aren’t sure, send us an email!

    If you have any hesitation at all, don’t give the breeder a dime.

    Let’s dive into this! Here are more fake puppy breeder red flags to watch for.

    #1 – A Variety of Great Dane Puppies are Always Available

    Scam breeders often have a selection of Dane puppies for you to choose from in a variety of colors. If you feel like you are shopping on Amazon for a puppy, it’s a scam!

    The puppies will be available and ready to go, as soon as you purchase. It doesn’t matter when you found this breeder, they somehow magically have several 8-12-week-old puppies for you to consider.

    #2 – The Dane Puppies are Potty Trained or Crate Trained

    Scam breeders will often tell you that the Great Dane puppies are ‘potty trained’, ‘obedience trained’, ‘crate trained’, etc.

    They will say anything to make you feel less anxious about purchasing an immature Great Dane pup.

    This is a major red flag; while ethical breeders may begin the process of potty, crate, and obedience training, no young Great Dane puppy is going home with these skills set in stone.

    #3 – The Great Dane Puppies are “Papered”

    The scammers may tell you that the puppies are papered, AKC, or come with papers.

    Additionally, they might use the word ‘champion lines’ to entice you further.

    You will not find an AKC registered Great Dane puppy from fully OFA health tested champion titled parents for $650. It doesn’t exist. If a breeder is telling you that you have found this, they are trying to scam you.

    #4-Buy Now or Purchase Now Option

    This is an immediate red flag.

    If a breeder has a buy now or “purchase this puppy” option on their site, run.

    It’s a scam. Never, ever place a deposit online by clicking on a ‘buy now’ or ‘pay here’ button. It doesn’t matter if the button is on a website for a particular puppy, or a link that a “breeder” sent you via social messenger, this is a scam.

    Do not give money to ANY breeder unless you meet them and the puppy in person or via video chat.

    #5 – The Breeder Will Sell to Anybody

    Scam Great Dane breeders do not care who you are.

    You could be a dog abuser who keeps hundreds of dogs in cages; they don’t care. Scammers want your money, they aren’t interested in whether you are a good, humane, ethical, and educated home for the puppy they are selling.

    Ethical breeders want to know where every puppy they sell is going, and will support you as the buyer for life. Ethical and Reputable breeders will be dedicated to their breeding program and to each puppy they produce.

    #6 – High Pressure Sales Tactics

    Scam breeders may use high-pressure sales tactics to get you to commit.

    Here are some common phrases they may use:

    • I have several people interested in that puppy, if you want it, you must place a deposit now
    • My mother has cancer and we need the funds to pay for her meds
    • Somebody else already paid for that puppy, but, I have another one just like it and I’m willing to sell it to you for a little less!
    • If you pay for the puppy today, I’ll cover the cost of shipping him to you
    • We are reputable breeders and have just one puppy left, he could be in your arms tomorrow! If you let me know by 3 pm, I can get him with our shipping service
    • If you aren’t interested in this puppy, I need to know ASAP. The price is going to go up and I thought you might prefer to get him before he’s not on sale anymore
    4 3

    #7 – They Have No Reputation in the Breed Community

    Scam breeders will have no reputation in the community, despite claims of being ‘established family breeders’.

    Are they listed in the breeder registry at www.gdca.org?

    Do you know anybody who bought a puppy from them?

    Still unsure? Ask in the Great Dane Bad Breeders, Owners, and Information group, or our science-backed Great Dane group HERE.

    If you feel uneasy, chances are you’ve found one of many common puppy scams!

    #8 – They Stall when asked for more information

    A scam Great Dane breeder will often become defensive if you ask too many questions, or they may stall by telling you lies about why they cannot answer yet.

    Ethical, legitimate breeders want to answer your questions and help you find the right puppy for your family. They will be able to prove their dogs pedigrees, AKC titles, health test results, reputation, and more willingly and easily.

    Worse yet, they will prey on owners who are uneducated about the health tests needed when breeding puppies! They are assuming the potential target (the buyer) is unaware of how to verify the information and will simply state “We love our pets and use only the best health tests to make sure they are perfect”.

    #10 – They Will Share Incorrect Information

    Because the Great Dane scammers don’t have Great Danes (or any other breed they are trying to target with their scam), they often know very little about them. We’ve seen some pretty wild claims from scammers, including information that Great Danes:

    • Are small and compact
    • Have long fur
    • Grow to be 50-60 lbs at maturity
    • Eat very little food
    • Require no training at all

    I’m not even sure how to take that seriously…but listen. It’s a red flag!

    #11 – The Breeder Solicited You

    If a breeder reaches out to you to sell you a puppy (unsolicited), it’s a scam!

    Run from anybody who sends you private messages on social media or via email to try and sell you a puppy.

    If this isn’t a scammer and they do have puppies, you’re being pursued by a very unethical backyard breeder. This is also very suspicious!

    #12 – The Breeder Needs to Sell, Urgently

    If the breeder needs to sell the puppies urgently, that’s usually a sign that something is wrong.

    Many scammers will tell you that the puppies must be sold ASAP to pay for medical bills, or because they will be dropped off at the shelter if people don’t buy them.

    This is a scam, meant to push you over the edge and make a payment.

    #13 – There is No Written Paperwork

    This goes back to that shady ‘buy now’ button. Scam breeders rarely have applications, contracts, and guarantees. These are a MUST when choosing to purchase a Great Dane.

    Ethical and reputable breeders will require an application, and once approved, there will be a written guarantee, Dane puppy advice worksheets, and a full contract to complete the transaction.

    #14 – It’s All in the Name – Breeder Scam Names

    A lot of scam breeder websites use ‘keywords’ and adjectives (descriptions) as their ‘kennel’ name or keywords all over their website.

    Examples of shady keywords?

    Tall Great Danes
    Best Great Danes
    Great Danes Puppies
    Heavy Great Danes
    Great Dane Pups
    Reputable Great Danes
    Big Pup Great Danes
    Magnificent Danes

    8 3

    #15 – Too Good to Be True Pricing

    You won’t find an ethically-bred Great Dane from a healthy, proven, and fully tested lineage for less than $1200-$3000. Expect to pay at least $1200 for a Great Dane puppy from an ethical and reputable breeder.

    If the price is too good to be true, that is because it is.

    Ethical breeders put a lot of time, money and effort into their pedigree and the puppies they produce. This is not cheap and selling puppies is, as a result, not often profitable for them, either.
    Choose ethical breeders only.

    #16 They Can and will Ship Your Puppy to you ASAP

    The puppy scammers spend a LOT of time trying to convince you that they can safely ship their cute puppies to you in just a day or two.

    Puppies are not Amazon Prime! Shipping puppies is complicated, and ethical breeders won’t often do it. This process is not a ‘normal’ part of puppy buying.

    If a breeder can ship your puppy overnight and have it in your arms ASAP, it’s a scam. It doesn’t matter how well-written and convincing that their “Shipping Info” page is. Walk away.

    #17 Missing Ethical Indicators

    Scam breeders will not be able to share legitimate health testing results with you. These breeders will tell you that the puppies they sell are ‘certified’, ‘health certified’, or ‘veterinarian checked. Tread cautiously as this is just a facade.

    You must always ask for information about the parent’s health testing: in particular the PENNHIP or OFA hip scans, thyroid panels, echocardiograms, and eye exams. 

    Verify the health testing results of BOTH parents at www.ofa.org
    This is a fantastic way to immediately rule out both scams and unethical breeders.

    #18 – Social Media Puppy Scam

    There are many fake Facebook (or Instagram) profiles going around of people who are pretending to be a breeder or dog owners with puppies.

    They will make you feel they are legitimate by being a ‘real person’, and through private messages will show you photos of cute puppies.

    “I’m not a breeder, this was an accident”
    “My spouse/kid/mom has cancer/COVID/etc.”
    “I’m selling the puppies for my mom/friend/co-worker”
    “I got this puppy and don’t need/want it”

    Once you place a deposit with them, they will often impose extra costs or offer excuses as to why they won’t be able to deliver your puppy that day.

    Before you place a deposit or pay any money to the breeder, we recommend that you ask them to meet you in person or do a live video chat and show you the puppy. There is no legitimate excuse for a breeder to skip this important step.

    #19 – Shady Reviews

    Testimonials and reviews are intended to boost your confidence in the transaction. We recommend that you proceed with caution. The strange usage of language, spelling errors, and omissions often indicate fraudulent reviews that were written by the fake breeder.

    With the ever-growing popularity and quality of AI-Generated written content, expect that the websites, interactions, and “reviews” from these fake puppy sellers will only become harder and harder to spot.

    1 2

    How to Find a Legitimate Puppy Breeder

    Ethical breeders will market their pups based on their true strengths including health, structure, and disposition.
    These breeders WILL NOT use terms like “Euro,” “Champion,” or “Potty Trained.”

    The single best place to start looking for a puppy is by visiting your breed’s parent club. For Great Danes, in the U.S., that would be the Great Dane Club of America.

    From there, you can connect with your local club and rub elbows with the most dedicated and reputable breeders in your area. They can refer you to others as well!

    Here is some information about legitimate and ethical breeders:

    • They are very interested in you as the buyer and have questions about your experience with Giant breeds, puppies, and having a dog in your home.
    • They will want to know about your veterinarian, home life, fencing, and work schedule.
    • A legitimate breeder will have CHIC#’s for both Dam & Sire that you can verify at www.OFA.org
    • They will have an application, a contract, and a return guarantee.
    • You will not likely be able to purchase a puppy right now and may have to get on a waitlist.
    • An ethical breeder will be cautious about shipping puppies if they ship at all.
    • Real breeders will send you photos and show you the puppy via video and video chat.
    • Ethical breeders will use Puppy Culture, ENS, and other socialization programs
    • The best Great Dane Breeders will prove their dog’s temperament and structure with AKC (American Kennel Club), CKC (Canadian Kennel Club), and FCI (European) obedience/CGC, trick, sport and/or conformation titles.
    • They keep a close eye on the written standard and actively breed to improve it and the health of their pedigree.
    • Will have a positive reputation in the breed community among other legitimate, ethical breeders, conformation judges, and breed fanciers and are affiliated with the GDCA/GDCC in some way (as a member or as somebody who is mentoring under a mentor. www.gdca.org is the best place to begin your search for an ethical Great Dane breeder.
    • Won’t be selling puppies purely on the merits of being ‘designer color’ or ‘Euro’.

    Here is more comprehensive information on how to start looking for a reputable breeder.

    If you are still unsure whether or not you’ve come across a fraud, go down this checklist:

    If you are about to place a deposit with a breeder that has many of these red flags, you can send us an email to inquire. We will look into it and verify if the breeder you are dealing with is legitimate or not.

    I can tell you from experience, that we receive several emails every week, and in 2 years of this (since we published this blog), there was not a single legitimate breeder.

    • Do a reverse image search (use Google) of the images the breeder has shared with you.
    • Ask them for references (be careful, they can fake this!).
    • Ask your local breed club and enthusiast groups if they are familiar with the breeder, if they aren’t, ask them who they recommend.
    • Search for and ask about the breeder in the Facebook group Great Dane Bad Breeders, Owners and Information
    • Ask the breeder that you are working with to provide information about the puppy’s AKC registration and CHIC (OFA) numbers. Verify this information with the AKC and at www.OFA.org
    • Ask them for more photos of the puppies. Are their markings the same from one photo to the next? Structure? Backgrounds?
    • Ask them to do a live chat where you can SEE the puppies and the parents. If they will not do this, or won’t do it without a deposit, RUN.

    Never, ever place a deposit until you see the puppy (via video chat or in person) and verify the breeder’s pedigree and health testing information with the AKC and the OFA.

    Grab this infographic and please share it on your social media or website! Help us spread the word about these insidious and common scams.

    SCAM BREEDER BINGL HELLODANES
  • Should I Breed My Great Dane?

    Should I Breed My Great Dane?

    Hey, we are all here because we LOVE Great Danes. The decision of whether to breed a Great Dane is a weighty and multifaceted consideration that requires careful thought and responsible decision-making.

    It’s tempting to jump right into the process because your pet is wonderful with kids and a great family member. Beyond the allure of the breed’s majestic presence and gentle temperament, prospective breeders must consider the complexities of responsible breeding, acknowledging the significant responsibilities that come with bringing new lives into the world.

    This introspective process demands an understanding of the dog’s health, genetics, and the commitment required to ensure the well-being of both the dam and the potential litter. Aspiring breeders must grapple with ethical concerns surrounding overpopulation, the potential for genetic issues, and the extensive care needed for both the mother and the offspring.

    Diving into the question of whether to breed a Great Dane necessitates a deep examination of one’s motivations, resources, and dedication to upholding the highest standards of canine welfare.

    Are you thinking of breeding your amazing Great Dane? 

    Read on friend!

    2 2

    Reasons That You May Want to Breed Your Pet

    Ask any Great Dane owner what they think of their dog. Every single one will tell you that theirs is the best. All of us love our dogs and are attached to everything about them; their personalities, their unique markings, the way that they walk.

    Look at this list and ask yourself what reasons you have for breeding your dog:

    1. Love for the Breed: A genuine passion for the specific breed, such as the Great Dane, and a desire to contribute positively to its community and the written breed standard.
    2. Desire for a Similar Companion: Wanting to replicate the positive traits, temperament, and appearance of one’s beloved pet for personal enjoyment.
    3. Financial Incentives: The potential financial gains from selling puppies, especially if the dog comes from a recognized and desirable lineage.
    4. Educational Purpose: A wish to experience the miracle of birth and educate oneself about the complexities of canine reproduction.
    5. Preservation of Lineage: A commitment to preserving the lineage and bloodline of a particular breed, especially if the dog has exceptional traits.

    Those reasons come with considerations, too, that should be taken very seriously. How much responsibility are you willing to take for the realities of breeding?

    Before you take another step towards breeding your dog, put some time into your evaluation of the following considerations:

    1. Overpopulation Concerns: Awareness of the global issue of pet overpopulation, leading to millions of dogs in shelters, and the ethical responsibility to avoid contributing to the problem.
    2. Health and Genetic Considerations: Understanding the potential risks of passing on genetic diseases or health issues, and the importance of thorough health screenings for the breeding pair.
    3. Time and Commitment: Recognizing the considerable time, effort, and resources required for the health and well-being of the mother and the puppies, including proper care during pregnancy, whelping, and postnatal care.
    4. Screening and Responsible Ownership: Emphasizing the importance of thoroughly screening potential homes for the puppies and promoting responsible ownership to ensure a lifelong commitment to the dogs.
    5. Ethical Breeding Practices: The commitment to adhering to ethical breeding practices, including proper socialization of puppies, ensuring suitable living conditions, and supporting buyers throughout the dogs’ lives.
    6. The Health of Your Pet: breeding and whelping are a serious and risky business. Never breed a pet you aren’t willing to lose.
    19

    The Great Dane Breeding Checklist

    Here is a checklist to follow before breeding your Great Dane. We will outline this in more detail below. If your dog doesn’t meet all of these basics, they should not be bred!

    Which ones apply to your pet?

    • The dog has a known pedigree
    • The pedigree is free of wobblers, bloat, serious aggression, fearful/timid behavior, IMGD, heart disease, blood clotting disorders, degenerative disorders, and hip or elbow dysplasia.
    • You have studied the pedigree and believe it to be free of those conditions
    • The dog has full registration (a limited registration indicates that the dog should not be bred)
    • Full health testing: eyes, heart, hips, thyroid and genetic testing and color screening has been completed and passed
    • The dog has a stable, confident, friendly temperament with humans and other animals
    • The dog is at least age 2, and if female under the age of 5
    • The dog has excellent structure and gait to pass on to the puppies (Visit the Great Dane Conformation Clinic on Facebook for honest feedback).
    • You are diligent in choosing a partner to pair your dog with
    • You are willing to support puppy buyers for life
    8 3

    Should I Breed My Great Dane?

    If you’ve gotten this far and are still asking this question, we are ready to dig in!

    All breeders start somewhere, and asking this question is the first step!

    AKC Registrations and Papers

    AKC papers are helpful, but they are NOT an indicator of quality.

    AKC papers show that the dog came from a lineage of other Great Danes. They don’t show if the puppies came from a lineage of robust, healthy, well-built dogs.

    You can see this at play often: many people with purebred AKC Great Danes are still struggling with devastating issues including aggression, arthritis, ACL tears, heart disease, wobblers, and degenerative disorders.

    Some AKC ‘purebred’ Great Danes don’t even look like Great Danes because breeders weren’t being careful or selective with their pairings.

    Having AKC papers in the U.S. (or Canadian Kennel Club for Canada, FCI for Europe) is important as it helps document lineage and shows puppy buyers that they are getting a purebred dog.

    Read our blog post about AKC Papers here. 

    We have seen some positively sketchy ‘AKC’ Great Danes.

    Papers are NOT enough to make a breeding decision though. It’s that simple.

    6

    Structure, Movement, and Breed Standard

    You don’t need a show dog to breed dogs, but you should be thoughtful about what genetics you are passing along.

    Having a neat color, great personality or a ‘Euro’ look simply isn’t enough.

    If all you see are positive things, remember this. All dogs have faults, and for every positive thing they pass on, they pass on their faults, too.

    Whether we like it or not, all dogs have some fault or another. Even the most well-kept, well-bred beautiful show dogs will have something minor that isn’t ‘perfect’.

    Those faults lie in their genetics, and breeding is how you either continue or discontinue faults.

    Some common and unacceptable faults in Great Danes include:

    • Roach, sloping or sway back
    • Narrow hips
    • Overbite or underbite
    • Hip or elbow dysplasia
    • Droopy eyes
    • Excessive jowls/flew/drool
    • Apple or dome-shaped head
    • Wide-set eyes
    • Sloping stop
    • Stick out or hound ears
    • Incorrect ‘Dane’ look in the head overall
    • Poorly developed feet, flat feet, stick-out feet
    • Weak pasterns
    • Cow hocks
    • Lack of substance
    • Flat chest/front
    • Poor angulation
    • Over angulation
    • Wear rear
    • Double merle
    • Aggression
    • Fearful or timid behavior
    • Genetic propensity towards dysplasia, bloat, wobblers, cancer, blood clotting disorders, or heart disease

    Can you evaluate your dog objectively? If you aren’t sure, you can always ask for help!

    Understanding angulation and overall structure requires an educated eye.

    This is important because poor structure leads to pain and mobility problems later in life; poor genetics should not be intentionally passed on.

    Here is an image of a correctly structured Great Dane.

    Screen Shot 2022 08 31 at 9.56.07 AM

    Ask in one of the many conformation groups on Facebook (post photos of your dog and they can tell you where the faults and strengths are) and get into the show ring with your Dane (there are fun conformation classes you can take to learn how).

    Find a mentor through your local GDCA breed club.

    Temperament & Personality

    Temperament is equally important! Great Danes should be reliable, friendly, and confident. Danes with excellent temperaments will be easy to train and can pass a Canine Good Citizen test.

    They should not be fearful, flighty, or unstable in any way.

    Because temperament is largely genetic, it’s important that you only breed your dog if it has an exceptional and stable personality.

    As the breeder, you should also be willing to dedicate a lot of time to the young puppies in your home by socializing them appropriately before they are sent home at 8-12 weeks of age.

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    Breeding Rights & Limited Registrations

    Make sure you reference the contract that you signed when you purchased your Great Dane.

    • Is there any language in there restricting you from breeding your dog?
    • Do you need to talk to the original breeder first?
    • Did your breeder sell your puppy with Limited AKC Registration (meaning that you will NOT be able to register or paper the puppies that are produced from the litter)?

    If your breeder didn’t outline these things, doesn’t care, had no restrictions, or didn’t have a contract in the first place you should NOT be breeding your dog.

    These things are red flags for unethical breeding practices and indicate that your pup likely comes from questionable genetics.

    Your Great Dane may be a wonderful family pet, but he/she isn’t likely to meet a reasonable standard for breeding quality.  

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    Great Dane Health Testing

    A vet check is not enough.

    If you want to breed your dog, visit www.ofa.org and view the current requirements for fully health-testing Great Danes.

    At a minimum, your dog will need to have and pass the following health tests before breeding:

    • X-rays to assess hip quality
    • Eye exam by a Board-Certified Veterinary Ophthalmologist
    • Echocardiogram to assess heart health and rule out primary DCM and heart disorders
    • Thyroid panel to assess thyroid function

    Both the DAM and the SIRE will require these tests, which can run upwards of $2-4K for each dog.

    It is flat-out irresponsible to breed without completing, passing, and submitting these tests to www.ofa.org.

    If you don’t know for a fact that your dog is free of significant, painful, and/or life-threatening faults then you should not proceed. An Embark panel does not count.

    Additional Health Screenings

    If you want to be extra diligent and ethical, you may also want to perform the following screenings, especially if your Great Dane doesn’t come from an already exceptional and known pedigree:

    We do not condone the practice of breeding dogs without full OFA health tests, and if you choose to continue without them, we no longer support you. It is even more offensive to set up a website with a breeder/kennel name and continue without this testing.

    Puppy buyers are becoming more and more savvy about this. It can be extremely difficult to sell puppies from untested parents, because people are seeing just how heartbreaking it is when Great Danes receive preventable structural, growth and health faults.

    If the dog you want to breed came from parents who were not fully health tested as outlined above, these things are even more important. 

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    Color Testing in Great Danes

    Great Danes come in a rainbow of colors!

    As of this writing, only 7 are accepted within the breed standard.

    All other colors may be beautiful but are considered faults. Some of these colors may cause health problems, too. Other colors are generally harmless.

    Color testing can help you determine what colors your dog carries and might pass on to the puppies.

    This is especially important if you aren’t as clear on the colors within your pedigree.

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    Double-Merle Great Danes

    A primary reason for color testing is to prevent creating double-merle puppies.

    Double merle puppies are dogs that received two merle genes: one from each parent.

    Puppies with two merle genes are often white or mostly white and may:

    • Be deaf or blind
    • Have health problems, including autoimmune disorders
    • Struggle with confidence and training, and might have temperament problems such as aggression
    • Be difficult to place with families
    • Die in the womb

    For this reason, only ONE parent should carry Merle in their color genetics.

    Color testing is one way to ensure that your dam+sire pairing is a solid, safe, and ethical match.

    You can learn more about Great Dane color testing here: https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/panel/dog-coat-color-great-dane

    What Age Can Great Danes Be Bred?

    OFA health testing cannot be completed until the age of 2+. Thus, age 2 is the minimum age when you can consider breeding a Great Dane.

    Not only that, but you can’t fully evaluate a Great Dane’s mature structure until they are at least that age.

    Males in particular tend to mature slowly; you do not want to breed a still-growing 18-month-old Sire and then find out that they never really fill out correctly (and passed on a poor substance to the puppies).

    Patience is a virtue here! It’s important to allow Great Danes their full chance to develop before asking them to breed for you.

    Females especially should never be bred before the age of 2. Breeding uses up a lot of nutrients and resources that are necessary for bone and heart health, two things that young Danes especially need to focus on. For the health, safety, and comfort of the bitch, she should not be bred before full maturity.

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    Has your dog been bred before? 

    No Dam/Bitch should ever be asked to breed more than 2-4 times. So if you’ve reached that point, STOP.

    If your Dam or Sire has produced a litter in the past, what were the litters like?

    Were the puppies solid, healthy, robust, curious, and friendly?

    Did they become quality pets?

    Did any of them have significant structural problems, health issues, or faults?

    Have any of those puppies developed bloat, aggression, autoimmune disorders (including allergies), heart problems, limb deformities, blood clotting problems, seizures, diabetes, or thyroid issues?

    Don’t breed again if your breed choices are not producing dogs that serve to improve the breed.

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    Do you have a breeder mentor?

    What made you want to breed your dog in the first place?

    Find a mentor who has vast experience breeding Danes.

    Don’t just pick up advice from a backyard breeder (unfortunately, they hide in plain sight) or other pet owners. Find somebody who is truly focused on breed health and ethics. The Great Dane Club of America is a good place to start.

    At some point, if you truly want to get ‘in’ to breeding, you’re going to see the difference between ‘well-bred’ and ‘purebred’ and you’re going to want a puppy from an excellent breeder

    By seeking out their advice BEFORE you breed, you prove yourself early and are more likely to have access to quality puppies.

    We are always happy to provide our honest opinion about your breeding program and breeding stock as well, just send us an email!

    So You Bred Your Great Dane, Now What?

    Breeding your Great Dane doesn’t stop with the choice to do it or not. Once the decision has been made, there are key considerations, especially for females!

    Breeding a Great Dane Sire

    Breeding the male comes with much less responsibility than breeding the female.

    The biggest responsibility here is to make sure that your excellent, fully tested, and proven male is only being offered to excellent females who will be bred ethically, are fully health tested, and with a breeder who plans to support the puppies for life.

    You will want to work with a qualified reproductive veterinarian to discuss semen collection vs. natural breeding.

    Choose a female that compliments your male well and balances his faults. Do not just pick a random AKC Great Dane.

    Breeding a Great Dane Dam

    If your dog is the Dam, you have additional responsibility as your dog will be carrying the litter.

    They say to never breed a dog you would not be ok losing.

    The fact of the matter is that breeding and whelping can be dangerous.

    You should be working with your veterinarian, and ideally, a Reproductive Veterinarian.

    Not only that but raising Great Dane puppies is fun until it isn’t.

    The mother may require medical support and even an expensive C-section. You MUST have money set aside for this.

    Some of the puppies may die or need to be euthanized, and you MUST prepare yourself emotionally for this, too.

    You will need an appropriate XXL whelping pen, puppy pads, blankets, a heat lamp, ribbons and collars for each puppy, and a kit full of additional birthing supplies and supplements that your veterinarian will recommend.

    Because pregnancy, whelping, and nursing will use up a lot of important nutrients, your female will need to be on science-backed high-quality puppy food and supplements (talk to your veterinarian).

    You will be up all hours of the night, especially at first (and that’s just with a healthy pregnancy and birth!).

    There will be POOP and PEE everywhere.

    You’ll have to pay for additional veterinary checkups for your dam, and the puppies will also need vaccinations, deworming, and possibly dew-claw removal (more $$!).

    Registering and microchipping the litter will also cost money.

    As the puppies grow they become tenacious, noisy, and HUNGRY! They also bite. A LOT.

    A large litter can eat a lot of food, as can the mother who needs the nutrition to support the growing puppies.

    Additionally, you’ll need to keep the puppies until 8 weeks of age and invest time and money into Puppy Culture so they are well-socialized.

    This decision to breed could end up becoming the longest and most expensive, exhausting, frustrating, and rewarding 5 months of your life. 

    You’ll have to find quality, dedicated, and knowledgeable homes for the puppies, too. That is no easy task for new breeders, especially. You need to draw up contracts and be prepared to enforce them, too.

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    Can you support your puppy buyers?

    Expect to have to provide support to all puppy buyers, for the life of their dogs.

    They will send you text messages and phone calls and will need information about food, puppy biting, vaccines, and more.

    Are you educated about Great Danes and prepared to field those questions?
    If not, don’t breed your dog.

    Are you also prepared to take those dogs back should any one of them have significant health or temperament issues, or if an owner cannot keep the dog?

    Ethical breeders feel immense pain and guilt if any of their dogs end up needing rescue, expensive veterinary care, or euthanasia.

    If you don’t care where the puppies end up once they leave the litter, you should not be breeding your dog. 

    Will you be proud of the results? 

    Are you willing to accept responsibility if puppies in the litter turn up with significant faults?

    Will you be proud of your litter if they have flat feet, hunched backs, or timid personalities?

    Are you going to feel good about seeing puppies turn up with droopy eyes, bloat, or wobblers?

    Will you feel good about your decision to breed if your puppy buyers tell you that their dog has become aggressive or fearful and requires intense behavior modification?

    Think about how the choices you make now will affect not only every puppy in the upcoming litter but your life for the next 5-15 years.

    We Understand wanting to breed Great Danes, truly.

    This is why we are here with a solid belief in education and ethics, wishing to share that foundation with others so that every puppy buyer receives a dog that has been truly set up for success. 

    Good breeders have waitlists. If you have to work hard to sell the puppies, that’s a good sign that you should NEVER HAVE BRED the dogs in the first place.

    Do you wish to get into breeding ethically?

    Do you desire to make sure that you are creating healthy, confident puppies?

    We encourage you to keep learning. Find a high-quality breeder and mentor with them.

    Purchase a dog that could be shown and consider going into the show ring. Get to know the people in your local breed club. Dig into the written standard and understand what the difference is between a well-bred dog and a purebred dog.

    Lastly, be thoughtful.

    We know you love your dog, but chances are you probably shouldn’t breed him or her.

    Alternatives to Breeding

    If you really want to breed so that your dog can ‘experience motherhood’ or so that your kids can ‘learn and experience it’, consider rescue instead.

    Many rescues need temporary foster homes for whelping mothers, or temporary housing for young puppies until they are placed.

    It’s a good opportunity to do a POSITIVE thing for your Community and still get to experience the sweet magic of tiny puppies!

  • Bad Breeder Red Flags: Questions to Ask Dog Breeder BEFORE You Bring Home Your Adorable Puppy

    Bad Breeder Red Flags: Questions to Ask Dog Breeder BEFORE You Bring Home Your Adorable Puppy

    MUST KNOW QUESTIONS TO ASK DOG BREEDER

    There are questions to ask a dog breeder to examine whether they are producing quality puppies!

    We hear often from people who brought a puppy home from a bad dog breeder, an unethical or back-yard breeder and said ‘I just didn’t know any better’.

    Breeding dogs should be something for responsible dog breeders, NOT for everyone. Likewise, a new puppy owner should be educated on what puppy is the right puppy for them, be sold a healthy puppy, and be prepared to take care of them for the entire puppy’s life.

    Questions to Ask Dog Breeder

    DOG 1 New

    Responsible breeders LOVE to answer questions from puppy buyers!

    Reputable dog breeders pour their life and heart into their new puppies. A dog breeder who is hesitant to answer questions is NOT a good breeder!

    Puppy buyers should never be afraid to ask ALL of the questions, as a legitimate breeder will love to discuss all of your wonderings.

    QUESTIONS FOR YOUR DOG BREEDER

    1. Does the mom and dad have temperament testing?
    2. Do the puppies come with a health guarantee?
    3. Are there health certificates to show the health tests that have been done on the mom/dad?
    4. What is the breed’s temperament?
    5. Are there any genetic diseases in the genes?
    6. Are you able to visit the breeder’s home and see the puppies in real life?
    7. How many dogs does the potential breeder own?
    8. Is the dog breeder apart of a kennel club?
    9. Are you able to speak with previous puppy buyers?
    10. Does the breeder own the puppy’s parents?
    11. Do the puppies get taken to vet visits?
    12. Do the puppies and dogs get socialized from a young age, and if so what are the methods?
    13. How many litters has the female and stud dog had?

    RESPONSIBLE BREEDERS VS. BACKYARD BREEDING

    Whether we like it or not, bad breeders are out there. They are everywhere. Some are even scams: they just want your money and have no puppies to sell at all.

    Off Color and Designer Great Danes
    Bad Breeders
    Scam Breeders: What to Look For
    Breeders: Shady Business
    Should I Choose a Breeder or Rescue?
    Choosing a Dog From a Show Breeder
    What Makes a Breeder Good?
    Find a Great Dane Breeder

    If you are looking for your next (or first!) Great Dane puppy, we wrote this post for you. Just because a breeder has puppies doesn’t mean that they are operating ethically or selling healthy puppies that were raised with care.

    Look for Red Flags When You Are Getting a New Puppy

    Questions to Ask Dog Breeder
    Questions to Ask Dog Breeder

    Responsible breeding is not easy to do. Dogs and puppies cost a lot of money and time to care for properly. If a breeder is not asking questions about you and your home, they may not be as interested in finding the best homes for their puppies as they should be.

    A responsible dog breeder will:

    1. Be able to tell you about the temperament of the parents and grandparents
    2. Have done health testing on the parents
    3. Ask you a lot of questions about your home and family
    4. Help you to pick the right puppy for your lifestyle
    5. Give you a contract that outlines their health guarantee and terms of sale.

    When you are looking for a breeder for a puppy, look for ‘red flags’ to help you identify the reputable breeders from the ones who may not be the right breeder for ou.

    RED FLAG NUMBER 1: The breeder has no name or a bad name in the local community. 

    Questions to Ask Dog Breeder
    Questions to Ask Dog Breeder

    Search your local Great Dane board on Facebook or the internet. Look up your local Great Dane breed club. Visit the GDCA website and search their database. We also recommend searching in the Great Dane Bad Owners Breeders & Information page.

    Keep in mind that just because people might know about your breeder or may even recommend them, does not mean that they don’t have other red flags!

    A newer responsible breeder may not have an established presence, but if they are operating ethically, they are working under the mentorship of other breeders and will have a reputation that way.

    It is ultimately the breeder’s responsibility to make connections within the breed clubs and find mentors that will help them produce the best puppies for their puppy buyer.

    RED FLAG NUMBER 2: No or limited OFA Health Testing.

    Breeders that invest in OFA health tests are more likely to be interested in the breed standard and health as a whole. When both parents have been fully tested, they are less likely to pass on painful, preventable, and sometimes life-threatening conditions such as hip displasia, thyroid disease, and cardiomyopathy. Ensuring that your puppy has a health certificate can be the difference between many breeders who are breeding solely for financial gain vs. buying a puppy from a reputable breeder who wants to better the breed.

    Ask the breeder for the CHIC # for both dogs contributing to the litter. If they cannot give you this number, don’t have it, or you cannot verify it in the database at www.ofa.org, it is a MASSIVE red flag.

    Outside of the U.S. the process for this will be different, however, it is a red flag if the breeder doesn’t complete at minimum x-rays, echocardiograms, eye exams and blood work to check for hip dysplaysia, elbow dysplays, eye disorders, thyroid disease and cardiac problems on both dam and sire.

    Expect NOTHING less. A vet check is NOT health testing.

    RED FLAG NUMBER 3: They seem desperate, too ‘perfect and impersonal’ or require a deposit provide more information.

    Questions to Ask Dog Breeder
    Questions to Ask Dog Breeder
    Questions to Ask Dog Breeder

    Desperation is a classic breeder red flag that may also indicate that the breeder is a scam and may not even have real puppies to sell you.

    If they seem pushy and offer high-pressure sales, list off all of the triggers (‘Health tested’, ‘Raised in a Home’, ‘Comes with a Leash and Collar’, ‘Snuggly and cute’), and seem to have very little interest in making sure you are the right home for the dog, tread cautiously.

    Great dog breeders don’t have the capacity to get an entire litter of puppies potty trained, leash trained, and even ‘fully trained’ before sending them home. Yes, a responsible breeder can get started on these things and other dog related activities, but it is ultimately up to the puppy’s parents to finish these tasks1

    A breeder should NEVER require you to place a deposit before answering your questions, and good breeders are exceptionally picky about buyers. You should have to work a little to prove yourself. If it’s the other way around, be wary.

    RED FLAG NUMBER 4: The breeder won’t show the parents, or the parents are aggressive, look sick, or don’t look like Great Danes or the breed.

    A professional breeder is proud of their Dam and Sire dogs. They keep them in a home environment and make sure that they are healthy, clean, and well-cared for.

    Run from any breeder that won’t show you the parents, or if you see that the parents are kept in a kennel/barn, are not well-kept or lack breed type. It is unacceptable to see dogs being bred that have roached or sway backs, narrow hips, minimal substance, flat feet and overall poor structure. The parents should be excellent example of breed type in both structure and temperament.

    If you aren’t sure, reference the written breed standard.

    RED FLAG NUMBER 5: The puppies are sick, weak, timid, roached or are knuckling and have flat feet.

    Ask to see photos and videos of the puppies often as they are raised.

    They should have plenty of substance (they should not appear wimpy or scrawny), great structure, nice head shapes and large, solid tight well-knuckled feet.

    A reputable breeder will be exposing them to a variety of textures and obstacles (ramps, tunnels, boxes, grass, tile, gravel, etc.) that help build their confidence and strength. Additionally, the breeder should keep the puppies clean and trim their nails often.

    knuckling 8

    IS YOUR GREAT DANE PUPPY KNUCKLING?

    Check out our science-based and constantly growing knuckling resource page.

    KNUCKLING RESOURCES

    Timid or ill-tempered puppies (those that resource guard or are pushy and rude) often become timid and ill-tempered adults. 

    Quality breeders work very hard through thoughtful breeding practices and socialization to make sure puppies have excellent substance and temperaments.

    KNUCKLING IN GREAT DANES RESOURCE PAGE
    How to Prevent Knuckling in Great Danes in 7 Easy Steps
    Is My Great Dane Puppy Knuckling?

    Ideally you want to see that the puppies are curious, stand up tall and appear enthusiastic and healthy.

    If you notice something looks off about the entire litter, there could be something amiss with the breeder. A whole litter getting sick is a red flag.

    RED FLAG NUMBER 6: The breeder doesn’t have a contract or lifetime breeder support and return guarantees. 

    Questions to Ask Dog Breeder
    Questions to Ask Dog Breeder

    Don’t get sucked into the line that the dog breeder is ‘desperate’ or ‘has cancer and cannot offer support’. Dog breeders who do this solely for the money will make up all kinds of lies to tug at your heartstrings.

    Ethical breeders care very much about their puppies and never, ever want them surrendered or ending up in rescue. Run from any breeder that doesn’t state in the contract that they want the dog back for any reason.

    The contract will also outline breeding rights, spay/neuter timelines, and care guidelines. A dog breeder who truly cares about their dogs will be there for the entire dog’s life. Buying a puppy from a good breeder is not ‘a moment’, but a relationship!

    When to Spay a Female Great Dane

    RETURN POLICY OF PUPPY

    The dog breeder should require you to return the dog to them if you are unable to keep it for some reason.

    As a dog owner, this gives you an opportunity to return the dog to a safe place (the breeder who can then rehome him or her) if needed, instead of dumping the dog into the lap of our already strained Great Dane rescue system. If the breeder doesn’t offer lifetime support and at least a 2 year guarantee warranting the dog against certain health problems, run.

    RED FLAG NUMBER 7: The dog breeder allows the puppies to go home prior to 8 weeks of age. 

    Inexperienced or careless breeders may claim that the mom ‘lost interest’ and ‘isn’t caring for the puppies’ around the time that the puppies naturally wean from the mother.

    Why Great Dane Puppies Should Stay with the Litter Until 8 Weeks
    Puppy Culture – Early Socialization for Great Dane Puppies Before and After 8 Weeks Old
    How to Care for a Great Dane puppy

    The mother may snap at the puppies to remind them to stop nursing or to correct them for being rude, and breeders will use this as an excuse to send the puppies home weeks before they should be leaving their mom.

    The communication the mom gives the pups, and the communication the pups give each other is an incredibly important part of their development.

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    Why Great Dane Puppies Should Stay with the Litter Until 8 Weeks

    Puppies that go home prior to 8-10 weeks are extremely immature and struggle with bite control and potty training. There is rarely a reason for a puppy to go home earlier than this; if the mom is truly exhibiting dangerous aggressive behavior towards the pups, she should not have been bred.

    Be patient and hold your dog breeder to a higher standard!

    Puppy Socialization
    Puppy Culture: A Way to Socialize from the Start
    Puppy Socialization Guide
    Puppy Training: 5 Mistakes in Training
    Canine Good Citizen Training for Great Danes
    Your Puppy is Bored
    How to Choose the Best Dog Trainer
    Schedule for Bringing Home a Great Dane Puppy

    RED FLAG NUMBER 8: The dog breeder bred two dogs with merle/spot patterns/genes. 

    It is extremely unethical to breed two Great Danes that have spot/merle patterns.

    Doing so runs an extremely high risk that a significant number of puppies in the litter will receive BOTH copies of the merle/spot gene.

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    What is a Double Merle Great Dane?

    Double Merle puppies can be deaf, blind, or may have allergies and other health conditions. In the right hands these dogs can live a wonderful life, but many of them are either euthanized or end up in rescue and have questionable temperaments and high veterinary bills.

    It is very important when buying a puppy to be able to see a full health certificate of all of the dogs within their genetics to make sure that your puppy was not the result of a double merle breeding.

    DOUBLE MERLE GREAT DANE DOGS

    Double Merle Great Danes

    Double Merle Great Danes

    Double Merle puppies are preventable. Make sure your breeder only pairs genetically proven (through testing) solid colors (such as mantle, black or blue) when breeding to a harlequin, merle or piebald dog.

    Did you buy from a ‘red flag’ breeder? We’d love to hear your experience! 

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    READ MORE:

    Blue Great Danes – Facts, Photos, and Care

    The Top 5 Adorable Facts About Great Dane Brindle Dogs

    Black Great Dane Puppy – An Adorable Addition to Your Family

    Miniature Great Danes: The ‘Pocket’ Version of a Great Dane

  • How to Choose a Great Dane Breeder Near Me

    How to Choose a Great Dane Breeder Near Me

    We’ve written posts about how to spot a Great Dane Breeder Scam , and we’ve written about common Great Dane Breeder Red Flags.

    That’s a lot of information on which breeders NOT to choose, but how do we know which breeders are the ones to look for?

    Great Dane Breeder Near Me

    This post is perhaps the most important in our series on finding and supporting ethical breeders, and one you should read before you purchase your next Great Dane Puppy.

    FIND A GREAT DANE BREEDER NEAR ME

    Before you can begin the process of choosing a breeder, you have to find one!

    Great Dane Breeder Near Me
    Great Dane Breeder Near Me

    There are a few ways we recommend searching.

    Make sure to chat with references, veterinarians, and Great Dane lovers who are ‘in the know’.

    KNOW WHAT A BAD GREAT DANE BREEDER LOOKS LIKE

    Inform yourself what backyard breeders look like, talk like, and act like with their litters.

    Too many breeders are getting away with making people think their puppies will be healthy when they are not health tested at all.

    Read and educate yourself of what a backyard breeder does with their litters so that you know what to avoid.

    Off Color and Designer Great Danes
    Bad Breeders
    Scam Breeders: What to Look For
    Breeders: Shady Business
    Should I Choose a Breeder or Rescue?
    Choosing a Dog From a Show Breeder
    What Makes a Breeder Good?
    What is a backyard breeder? The AKC has 1000’s.

    CHOOSE A GREAT DANE BREEDER

    Now that you’ve got a few names, you’ll want to narrow it down a bit. Perhaps you are looking for a specific color, or really like the ‘look’ of the dogs being produced by one of the breeders. Avoid buzzwords like ‘Euro’.

    Euro Danes: A Big, Droopy Problem
    What Does Euro Mean in Great Danes?

    Decide on a color that you’d like, and pursue Great Dane breeders who test their dog’s health and produce those colors.

    Blue Great Danes
    Mantle Great Danes
    14 Exciting Things about Black Great Danes
    Colors of Great Danes

    VERIFY HEALTH TESTING IS COMPLETED WITH OFA

    The next thing you are going to want to do is to verify the following things.

    I’m going to be brutally honest here.

    What is OFA Health Testing?
    Is Embark a ‘Good Enough’ Health Test?

    We are really, really sick and tired of breeders who claim they’ve ‘health tested’ their dogs after getting them checked out by a veterinarian.

    That is NOT health testing.

    Great Dane Breeder Near Me
    Great Dane Breeder Near Me

    Actual health testing for dogs in a breeding program involves x-rays, bloodwork, an eye-exam and an echocardiogram.

    Expect nothing less. OFA health tested dogs are much less likely to pass expensive and painful conditions onto the puppies.

    Read more information about OFA Health testing here. 

    Both dogs that were bred to create the litter should be fully OFA Health tested: Hips, Eyes, Heart, Thyroid.

    Ask the breeder for the CHIC# for each dog, and then verify the results at www.ofa.org using their free search tool.

    LOOK FOR EXCELLENT PARENTS

    Look first at the parents that were bred.

    Are they excellent examples of the written breed standard?

    Are the parents free of roached back, droopy eyes, flat or deformed feet and legs, bloat, aggression, fear, thyroid disease and heart problems?

    Are they strong, clean, well-cared for, trained and offered enrichment and family time?

    Great Dane Breeder Near Me
    Great Dane Breeder Near Me

    Does the breeder show their dogs, or have puppy buyers that show the dogs and prove that they follow the breed standard?

    AKC PAPERS DO NOT MEAN THE DOGS ARE WELL BRED

    Note: AKC Papers are not enough.

    Healthy Great Dane puppies should have good bone (‘substance’) and be confident, curious and friendly. They should have tight, strong feet and be free of knuckling, worms and sores.

    If you see timid, sick, weak or small puppies contact your local Great Dane rescue.

    Great Dane Breeder Near Me
    Great Dane Breeder Near Me

    They may be able to step in and request that the breeder surrender the dogs and help them find suitable homes once they are healthy.

    WHAT IS AKC REGISTRATION?

    Ask the breeder about AKC Registration.

    They should have a documented pedigree for the puppies going back at least 4 generations, and should be willing to share it with you so that you can research the genetics.

    Great Dane Breeder Near Me

    Most ethical breeders sell their puppies with an AKC LIMITED registration, meaning that you won’t be able to breed your puppy and register the off-spring with the AKC.

    This restriction helps breeders keep their genetic lines from getting mucked up by ‘backyard breeders’.

    IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO BREED YOUR NEW GREAT DANE

    If you want to breed, be honest with the breeder and ask if you can mentor with them. Finding a quality breeder to learn from will also ensure you have better access to quality puppies for breeding in the future.

    LOOK FOR A BREEDER THAT SOCIALIZES ITS PUPPIES

    Make sure the breeder you are talking to thoroughly socializes the puppies.

    Puppy Socialization
    Puppy Culture: A Way to Socialize from the Start
    Puppy Socialization Guide
    Puppy Training: 5 Mistakes in Training

    Well-socialized dogs make GREAT family pets! Be wary of any breeder that doesn’t expose puppies to a variety of textures, obstacles, noises, experiences and items. They should be spending time with the puppies and making sure they have lots of opportunity outside of the whelping area.

    Great Dane Breeder Near Me
    Great Dane Breeder Near Me

    If the puppies are extremely timid, shy and fearful it’s very likely that the breeder is not using ethical practices for breeding and socialization. These puppies absolutely deserve an amazing chance at life, but their breeder does not deserve your money.

    Some of the best breeders use Puppy Culture/ENS type protocols that are time consuming but extremely effective for ensuring that puppies are confident, engaged and able to handle the world. Read our post on Puppy Culture socialization here.

    NO DOUBLE MERLE

    No ethical, thoughtful breeder will pair two dogs with spotted coats.

    Double Merle Great Danes

    This can create double merle puppies, which can be blind, deaf, and have piles of health problems.

    Great Dane Breeder Near Me
    Great Dane Breeder Near Me

    Here are a few examples of color pairings that you do NOT want to see:

    Harlequin + Harlequin
    Harlequin + Merle
    Merle + Merle

    Entire rescues are dedicated to saving the sick, timid, weak, deaf and blind white or mostly white puppies that result from these preventable pairings. Some breeders will do this anyways and then hard cull (euthanize) the white puppies at birth so that people never know.

    Be educated about this, it’s important!

    CHOOSE AN APPROPRIATE COLOR PAIRING

    Great Dane Breeder Near Me
    Great Dane Breeder Near Me

    Appropriate Great Dane Color pairings include:

    Harlequin + Mantle
    Mantle + Mantle
    Black + Black
    Etc.

    BREEDER CONTRACT

    A breeder should have a solid, in-depth contract for you that covers everything from basic care requirements to breeding restrictions, spay and neuter and health and return guarantees.

    Any breeder that does not require this doesn’t likely care much about the puppies, where they end up, or their relationship with you as the buyer. Ask to see the contract in advance; this can also help weed out breeders that are actually a scam and don’t have any puppies to sell you at all.

    Great Dane Breeder Near Me
    Great Dane Breeder Near Me

    BREEDER GUARANTEE

    Your breeder should be 100% willing to take a puppy back at any time, for any reason.

    This simple guarantee helps ensure that no ethically-bred Great Dane ever ends up in a shelter or rescue. 

    If your breeder wouldn’t take a dog back, they don’t care much where they end up. In my opinion, that’s one of the worst offenses a breeder can make.

    Great Dane Breeder Near Me

    If you don’t think it matters because you never have any plans to return the dog, do a quick search through the many Great Dane rehoming groups. Digest the sheer volume of posts from people who didn’t think they would ever have to find a new home for their dog.

    None of those people likely have a breeder who backs them up and will help them. Don’t be that person, and don’t financially support those kinds of ‘breeders’.

    BREEDER KNOWLEDGE AND SUPPORT

    The breeder you choose should have a HUGE amount of knowledge about Great Danes and will be able to talk to you about nutrition, health and more.

    Expect your breeder to be interested in you as a buyer, and to want to watch the puppy grow up. They will be there to answer your questions!

    Great Dane Breeder Near Me
    Great Dane Breeder Near Me

    It is important that you have a personal relationship with your breeder. If you don’t like them as a person, that maybe a red flag.

    WHY DOES CHOOSING THE RIGHT BREEDER MATTER?

    It’s not the ethical breeders that are the problem.

    It’s the careless, thoughtless backyard & mill breeders that are a driving reason behind why so many dogs end up in rescue.

    We support breeders, and we support a buyers choice to choose breeders instead of choosing rescue.

    If you choose to purchase a dog, we ask that you to be thoughtful in your decision. Choose only the types of breeders who are not contributing to the population of discarded purebred Great Danes that fill up local rescues across the Country.

    Great Dane Breeder Near Me
    Great Dane Breeder Near Me
  • Puppy Culture – Early Socialization for Great Dane Puppies

    Puppy Culture – Early Socialization for Great Dane Puppies

    Socialization for Great Dane puppies is SO important! Puppy Culture is a dedicated socialization program that good breeders use on puppies from birth onward to ensure that their puppies are stable, friendly, and resilient. Finding a breeder who participates in Puppy Culture is a good thing!

    Many people believe that puppy socialization means taking them to the pet store and the dog park. However, doing so can actually cause the puppy to have bad experiences and become more fearful!

    This is especially true for Great Dane puppies that may have come from breeders who are not focused on developing sound and stable temperaments.

    Good socialization is actually a combination of positive experiences, exposure to different sights, sounds and textures, and a keen understanding of how to utilize small amounts of stress to build confidence and resilience.

    Socialization is how you teach dogs to live in our world. They learn to be confident, because they know that everyday things (other dogs, people, sounds, textures) aren’t going to hurt them.

    Confident, well-socialized dogs are calm, easy to train and free of aggression, fear and frustration.

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    What is Puppy Culture?

    Puppy Culture is a written protocol for socializing puppies before they leave the litter at 8-12 weeks. Good breeders will use this protocol, even though it requires a LOT of their time. 

    We talk a LOT about choosing ethical breeders, and this is one reason why!

    Quality breeders socialize puppies a lot before they go home with you. This helps keep dogs OUT of rescues and shelters, and helps to make sure that the dog you welcome into the family is positive, friendly and free of aggression.  

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    What is Involved in Puppy Culture?

    Puppy Culture goes beyond exposure to grass, tile, and other dogs.

    To give you an example of a non-Puppy Culture (but standard) approach, some breeders will allow their puppies to play in the grass outside and be exposed to children or farm animals. They will keep the puppies in an enclosed space and let them poop or pee at will. These breeders may attempt to trim their nails, but will do little else to expose the puppies to handling, experiences, or otherwise.

    Puppy Culture breeders, however, will:

    • Handle the puppies all over, often, and may even employ ENS (a form of early stress that has been shown in studies to increase resilience)
    • Introduce teeth cleaning, exams, and nail trims early on and often
    • Introduce crates and early hygienic potty habits
    • Create times where each puppy is alone and away from the litter
    • Expose the litter to everyday sounds in the home, including vacuums, hammers, and hair dryers
    • Work on their engagement with humans and desire to stay close and recall
    • Use positive methods to work on bite control/puppy biting and prevent resource guarding type behaviors
    • Create safe obstacles for the puppies to overcome, such as ramps, tires, beams and wobble boards
    • Have the puppy touch and explore as many surfaces as possible with their paws and nose
    • Invite puppy lovers over to play with the puppies several weeks before they go to their new homes

    Breeders who utilize all Puppy Culture protocols are dedicating a significant amount of time, effort, and love to doing so and the results are incredible!

    Pro Tip: When choosing a breeder for your Great Dane puppy, please note that some breeders are relying on buzz words such as “Puppy Culture” and “OFA Health Tested” to generate sales.

    However, they are not fully participating in these programs and many of them cut corners. Make sure to ask a lot of questions! Ask for verification of their socialization efforts AND the full health test results (heart, hips, eyes, thyroid which should be published at www.ofa.org) of both parents.

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    Socialization of Fearful Great Dane Puppies

    Fearful or unsure puppies will keep their bodies low to the ground. They may pin their ears back, tuck their tail, and keep their head shrugged or hung low.  Additionally, they will shy away from eye contact. When being handled, they may cower, act ‘head shy’ or roll onto their side or back. 

    Fearful puppies should be socialized as early as possible. Unfortunately, fearful behavior is often the result of unstable genetics, and many fearful Great Danes are plagued with a combination of bad genetics and poor early socialization.

    Socialization does not mean forcing your fearful Great Dane puppy to interact with other dogs or humans in situations that they could get hurt- like dog parks.

    Socialization of Great Dane puppies means that you are exposing them to new situations and allowing them to learn that these situations are not actually scary.

    For fearful puppies, this means going slowly and building confidence through positive experiences.

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    Socialization of Puppies Who Are Confident

    Confident puppies will have their heads up and their ears forward. They are more likely to make eye contact and truly engage with people. They will be interested in tackling obstacles and will have plenty of energy to do just that!

    When they are raised with Puppy Culture, they are especially good at maintaining focus and even sitting as a form of ‘please’.

    Confident puppies often need more obedience training to prevent them from wandering off out of curiosity for something in the environment. They are often very receptive to positive reinforcement, and love to be trained, too!

    The good news is that Puppy Culture satisfies their curiosity and confidence, while rewarding them for engaging with humans and responding to requests to come back and look for direction.

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    Why Does Puppy Socialization Matter?

    Puppies from healthy, well-tempered parents that are properly socialized from birth are more likely to be confident, curious and calm family pets.

    For giant breed dogs, this translates to them being easier to live with, easier to handle, and safer around other dogs, people, and situations of all kinds.

    Fear and aggression are considered one of the top three risk factors for bloat in Great Danes!

    For health reasons, helping Great Dane puppies grow into confident and resilient adults is also incredibly important! Many dogs who experience bloat are fearful, timid, and aggressive.

    Installing confidence and a calm indifference to the environment makes training a breeze, too! Dogs that are over-stimulated or anxious about the environment around them will have a much harder time learning and focusing.

    A lot of aggression and reactivity is based in fear. The world can be an overwhelming place!  

    Great Danes are prone to anxiety and aloof, timid, or even aggressive behaviors. But none of that is actually within the written breed standard, and none of it has to be a reality.

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    Socialize Your Great Dane Puppy

    Even if your puppy didn’t come from a breeder that spent a lot of time on socialization or Puppy Culture, there are LOTS of things you can do! 

    Expose your puppy to a variety of textures; wood chips, sand, blankets, tile, gravel, grass, cement and bridges. 

    Give them obstacles such as tunnels, ramps, platforms and FIT Paws, then encourage and reward them for being confident and exploring!

    Expose them to a variety of people wearing glasses, hats, masks and walking with strollers, bicycles, wheelchairs, canes, walking sticks, snowshoes and skis. Instead of asking those people to pet your puppy, just sit and watch them from afar.

    Explore novel environments and encourage curiosity. 

    Need more? Check out our positive Great Dane puppy socialization guide HERE.

    We hope this helps you not only choose ethical breeders that are creating wonderful family dogs, but find the Great Dane of your dreams!