They are seriously so special. Great Dane puppies change every single day. They grow so quickly and their giant feet make them extra sweet and clumsy.
Our quick post today is all about those cute little tiny puppy toenails!
It is SO important to start nail trims early and do them often.
PRO TIP: Your dog’s nails should never, ever grow so long that they touch the ground. This can cause swelling, irritation, pain, and worse: joint damage.
Supplies for Trimming Great Dane Puppy Nails
Miller’s Forge Clippers (Red Handle). These inexpensive clippers (see on Amazon) last forever, are easy to use and stay crazy sharp.
Dremel Tool. There are several models, including knock off versions at Walmart and even a pet-specific name brand version. You need the Dremel tool and a sander drum OR a Diamagroove.
High Value Treats. Lots of tiny bites of something really good. Kibble isn’t going to cut it. Think Ziwi Peak, Zukes, diced chicken and freeze-dried organ meats.
I like to trim nailsevery weekend. Some dogs barely need this much, other dogs need a little more. The dog in the photo above is past-due for a nail trim!
For puppies, especially if they are under 4 months, nail trims should be a simple matter of routine. Plan to spend a few quick minutes each day introducing the concept and making it a positive experience.
Show your puppy the Dremel and toss treats on the ground. Do this often and at random. Turn it on and toss another few treats. Keep practicing this so that the Dremel ALWAYS predicts good things.
Make sure you give your puppy lots of praise, but don’t make a big fuss either.
Too much fussing and excitement can make your dog resistant to the process! They don’t always understand why you are so crazy and high energy all of a sudden and may find it alarming. Be calm, patient and confident.
If all you get is one nail trimmed, that’s progress!
Trim the nail as close to the quick as you possibly can but avoid cutting into it.
Make sure to round off the top, bottom and sides as well by taking tiny slivers off with the clippers or by introducing a quick buzz from the Dremel.
As above, stay calm and follow that with praise and a treat!
Why is Nail Maintenance Important for Dogs?
PRO TIP: If the nails are black or if you are scared of trimming, read the files in the Facebook group called ‘Nail Maintenance for Dogs‘ so that you can learn how to ‘read’ the nail.
Well maintained nails help keep paws neat and destruction to your home, hardwood, and skin to a minimum.
Overgrown nails actually change the shape of the paw. This can be extremely painful and frustrating to your dog, who doesn’t have much of a voice on this topic.
Keep the nails trimmed so they never touch the ground.
How to Teach Your Puppy to Hate Nail trims
Ok we joke. You do NOT want your Great Dane to hate nail trims, but here are some common mistakes people make that can actually make nail trims and other care behaviors extremely difficult:
Teaching the puppy that human hands = bad things (examples: hitting, shoving, pinching, ‘alpha’ rolling, tapping on the nose). This kind of training breeds distrust and shyness of hands.
Playing with the paws and annoying the puppy about it (old advice that can actually make things worse).
Asking the puppy to recall/COME and then forcing the puppy into a nail trim (quick way to ruin BOTH recall and nail trims!).
Not properly socializing the puppy to a variety of sights, sounds and experiences and helping it build confidence. Calm, mature dogs are built in confidence.
Believing that training is a war for power and respect, not a teacher-student relationship.
This paw is from a five month old puppy who is being conditioned to accept weekly maintenance with the Dremel.
There is no sharp point and the nails do not touch the ground when the puppy is standing or walking and moving.
Over time they will be made neater, but perfection at this stage is not the goal. Keeping the nails from developing long, sharp points, and teaching the puppy to expect and accept routine maintenance is.
Make Nail Trims a Positive Experience
When you finish the nail trim, even if you only got one nail done, do something FUN! Play a game, offer a really good chew in the crate, do a quick 1 minute training session with the treats you have left.
Teach your puppy early that nail maintenance is FUN, not-negotiable, and doesn’t result in pain or fear.
If you are really nervous about trimming the dog yourself, find a groomer. Some will come to your house, or you may have a neighbor willing to do it that will love the extra cash.
You will still need to keep sharp points off the ground, so develop a schedule of maintenance and make sure that routine trips to the veterinarian or groomer for nail trims are part of life.
We highly recommend the group Nail Maintenance for Dogs on Facebook for resources, tips, and learning. This group is especially amazing if you have a dog that is afraid of nail trims.
It’s happening! The Holidays are upon us, and once again I’m dredging up this post so we can have an honest discussion about getting a puppy for Christmas.
Beautiful memories, kids, gifts, and…giant puppy feet come to mind!!! We’ve all seen the tear-filled videos of children learning that their big present that year was a dog. It’s beautiful and warms the heart.
For the solid majority of people, this is a really bad decision. Sorry, I’m going to be that person. I have to be Frank. Not Frank Abignail, but “frank” as in…we need to have a serious chat.
How do I convince my spouse to get a puppy?
Should I give a puppy as a Christmas gift?
Are my kids ready to have a puppy?
How can I surprise my kids with a puppy on Christmas?
We have so many things to discuss. I promise to make it fun, though!
Is Getting a Puppy for Christmas a Good Idea?
I could write an entire blog on all the amazing and beautiful things that happen when you bring a cute Dane puppy into your home. Of course, at Hello Danes we focus on giant breed dogs, but ALL puppies are cute. So this blog is for everybody!
If you haven’t caught wind yet of my opinion on this one, here goes.
If you think you want or need a Christmas puppy, chances are that you probably don’t need one.
Hold the FORT! What are we saying here?
Sorry, not sorry, this stuff just has to be said. If you think it’s a good idea to stuff a brand-new puppy into a box and let children squeal and scream at it with excitement, think again.
If you are considering getting a new pet for Christmas, ask yourself the following questions:
After Christmas/New Years is over, do you still have time for this dog?
How angry will you be if the heirloom rug in your living room is peed on?
How much drool are you willing to wipe off of your clothes and walls?
Can you afford a veterinary emergency of $2500 or more, immediately?
Do you know how to train a puppy? Train it, properly and thoroughly?
Are you willing to accept that even at 45 lbs a giant breed puppy is still VERY MUCH a baby and will get up in the middle of the night?
Do you have other dogs in the home who are well cared for, well trained, and accepting of a new dog?
If the puppy chews on the remote and shreds up the couch, could that lead to divorce?
Can you pay for the vet bills, including emergent ones?
Is your partner on board?
I say all of this with a bit of humor, but so much of it is true.
Christmas puppies are traditionally a HUGE problem.
Once you have your moment and get your viral video of the kids squealing and hugging your now terrified puppy in a box, are you prepared for what happens next?
(Hint: you’ll have a hefty, confused, full-of-poop over-tired gremlin with needles for teeth terrorizing your peaceful Christmas house).
How Shelters & Rescues are Affected by Christmas Puppies
Every year rescues, shelters and breeders notice an increase in demand for puppies and dogs during the Holidays. People adopt and shop during this time more than any other.
This is not a coincidence; you aren’t the only person ever to have the brilliant idea of giving a dog as a gift.
The problem? MANY of those dogs end up returned or worse, surrendered. Many rescues suspend adoptions until the New Year, as a means to prevent people from making poor gifting decisions.
To meet demand, unethical breeders ramp up ‘production’ and create litters full of puppies from parents with questionable genetics. These dogs often end up with health and temperament problems that make them difficult if not impossible for the average dog owner to handle.
Know that you may have to be on a waitlist to get a quality Dane and that any breeder with Danes magically available and ready to go at Christmas may actually be a scam or at best, unethical (Read our Breeder Scams Blog Here).
Puppy-proof the house. The last thing you’ll want to do is to haul your new Christmas puppy into the ER on day one because he found and swallowed a glass ornament, three legos, and a cooked turkey bone.
If you plan to give a Great Dane puppy as a gift, do you really, truly think it’s the best idea?
Great Dane puppies are adorable and can turn into amazing dogs, but not without a lot of work. Socializing and training a puppy properly takes time, dedication, and desire.
Lacking that desire, it can be very difficult for a new Dane owner to get past some of the more common and frustrating Dane puppy behaviors (biting comes to mind…oh the biting!!!).
Try these ideas instead of getting a Christmas Puppy:
Place your deposit with an ethical breeder and then have your people unwrap a photo, a leash & collar, a t-shirt, or a camera with a video of the puppy on it.
Give a coupon that says ‘this coupon is good for one Great Dane‘. After they open it, share with your people how you will shop for an ethical breeder or find a rescue dog to bring into your home, and do the whole thing as a family.
Have your family make a donation or volunteer for a Great Dane rescue. Be a ‘secret Santa’ to a rescue Dane. Volunteer to foster and bring one home that way!
Decorate the house with all of the things needed for a Great Dane: a huge bag of food, a large bed, and some big Dane-sized toys, and see how long it takes your family to notice. Once they do, show them a photo of the puppies from the ethical breeder you are working with, or the rescue Dane that you think would be a wonderful fit.
Basic idea here, DON’T GET SCAMMED, and don’t be ‘that person’ that realizes somewhere in the Spring that the Christmas puppy was a huge mistake.
We are here for you and we are here for the Danes!
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 arepretending 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
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:
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.
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?
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.
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
#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?
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
#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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
We don’t judge here. Rehoming a dog is a thoughtful and responsible decision that requires careful consideration and dedication. It’s an act that comes with a lot of emotions, negative opinions, and fear.
While it may be a challenging choice, various circumstances such as changes in living situations, health concerns, or unforeseen life events may necessitate finding a new loving home for a Great Dane. We recognize that making this choice is often a responsible and selfless act that prioritizes the best interests of the pet, creating an opportunity for them to thrive in an environment better suited to their needs.
If you’ve found this blog post, it may be because you are thinking about rehoming your Great Dane.
There are legitimate reasons to need or want to do this; our goal here is not to judge but to help! If you are looking to find a new home for your Great Dane or are considering surrendering your Great Dane to a rescue, read on for ideas and need-to-know information.
Rehoming a Dog & Negative Opinions
Rehoming a dog can make you feel guilty. People want to make you feel as if you are doing something wrong, or that you are a bad person. Don’t let them.
If you have carefully considered the decision to rehome your dog, you should not feel guilty or bad about the choice. We have found that this choice often benefits the pet, as they will be in an environment more suited for them.
There is one exception to this, however. If you are rehoming a previously loved senior dog to make room for a puppy, you should feel guilty. That is never ok.
But if you are moving, struggling to have enough time or resources for your pet, or have a medical condition that requires your home to be free of pets, read on. We’re going to show you how to make this move responsibly.
1 – Check With The Original Breeder or Rescue
Sometimes the most simple solution is the one many tend to forget.
Depending on where your Great Dane originally came from, you need to check with your breeder or your rescue first! Most rescues and breeders require that the pet is returned to them if you feel at any time that you cannot care for it.
Ethical breeders will always have a lifetime return guarantee. They never want to see a dog of theirs end up in rescue at any age and will take the dog or help you find an appropriate home.
If your breeder or rescue is unethical and will not act in the best interest of your pet, we support you in finding alternatives.
2 – Be Honest About Training Problems
One of the most common reasons people rehome their pets is because of training issues.
It’s not unusual for people to say that they are at their “wit’s end” and can no longer deal with the pooping, peeing, barking, lunging, biting, or destruction.
If you need to rehome your Great Dane because of issues with training and socialization, be honest with the people who will be taking your dog.
While this can make it harder to find a suitable home that understands these issues, your transparency will ensure that your pet ends up in the type of home willing to work with it.
The rescue can provide training resources, the breeder will want to know, and a new home will be much more likely to keep the dog if they know what they are getting.
It may be easier to find a new home for your Great Dane if you gloss over the fact that he tends to bolt out doors, mark furniture, and nip children, but these things are extremely important for the new owners to be aware of.
If training issues are the reason that you need to rehome your Great Dane, that is ok.
Great Danes are not always the right fit for people, and poor breeding practices have led to many dogs with serious temperament problems.
It’s okay to acknowledge that you cannot help your dog or may not be the right home. We do however encourage you to consider first working with a highly qualified trainer.
Sometimes it is just a matter of making tiny changes to your routine and training communications!
3 – Special Considerations for Rehoming Aggressive Dogs
Aggression and bites are serious. A bite can be anything from a little nip to a full-on attack with puncture wounds or intent to kill.
Most aggression is based on fear. Some common and preventable examples are a Dane that bites a child who tried to sit on him, or a Dane that bites another dog over a toy or bone (resource guarding).
Some aggression and bites are based on problems with neurology, training, or even physical health.
Great Danes are NOT supposed to be aggressive in any way, so this is a serious fault of temperament (poor breeding practices), genetics, health, and environment (training & socialization).
Be very honest with the breeder or rescue about this. What led to the bite? How severe was it?
For many dogs, especially in areas with crowded municipal shelters, a bite history can be a death sentence (even if the bite resulted from an unfair event). If your Great Dane has bitten or shown aggressive tendencies, find a 501c3 rescue instead of surrendering to the shelter.
Most rescues will not take aggressive Great Danes, but some are insured and equipped to do so. Call around.
If your Dane is from a breeder, let them know about the aggression you’ve seen. Quality breeders don’t want to see aggression showing up in their lines and will want to address it.
For some particularly aggressive dogs, behavioral euthanasia is a compassionate choice. Read more about this HERE. This practice comes with heartbreak, but in many situations, it’s far more humane than sending an aggressive dog to spend its last days in fear at a shelter or being bounced around from home to home.
6. Peer to Peer Dog Rehoming
After you’ve checked with your breeder and/or rescue, you may be looking to rehome your dog in a direct peer-to-peer situation.
Finding the right home for your Great Dane can help you feel better about the process of rehoming, but watch out! There are some pitfalls that you want to avoid.
Some people won’t have your Dane’s best interest at heart.
Think the same way that a dog rescue does and be choosy and thorough.
We’ve included some guidelines and best practices below to consider when rehoming your Dane to another person.
Ask for References
When you find somebody interested in taking your pet, ask them for references! Call their veterinarian, too, and make sure that they’ve been keeping their pets healthy and up to date.
Don’t Rehome to Breeders. Instead, Spay & Neuter!
Unless you are rehoming a Champion show dog, you are likely rehoming a dog that should never be bred.
Backyard breeders will look for rehoming posts of intact dogs (not spayed or neutered) so they can buy them for cheap or free and use them in their breeding program. All this does is perpetuate the poor temperaments and health issues that put so many dogs into rescue in the first place.
Even if you are having to move and need to rehome a well-behaved, healthy, and wonderful family dog your dog should NOT be bred.
Do NOT rehome your dog to somebody that would breed him or her!
We know of a very ‘popular’ backyard breeder in Missouri who runs a same-named rescue on the side. His ‘rescue’ uses rehomed dogs for breeding. This is an unacceptable practice and extremely shady to boot.
If you are rehoming peer-to-peer, spay or neuter your dog in advance OR require that they sign a spay/neuter contract where they agree to complete the procedure within a certain time frame.
Charge a Rehoming Fee
This isn’t about making money on your dog. It’s about making sure you rehome your dog to somebody serious.
When a purebred dog is listed for ‘free’, lots of window shoppers (and backyard breeders) come along. Those are not often good homes for your dog.
If you are uncomfortable collecting this fee, ask the new owners to donate to your local Great Dane Rescue. Verify the donation with the rescue before placing your dog.
This fee is NOT about recouping costs you incurred while caring for the dog (training, surgery, transportation, breeder fees, registration fees, etc.). All of those are a loss.
At a minimum, we recommend charging a $500 fee when rehoming your Great Dane.
Be Picky About the New Owners
Be choosy about the new owners, even if that means turning people down. We know you may be desperate to give your dog up, but it’s much more ethical to find the right home in the process.
Be thoughtful about the type of home that would be a good fit for your dog.
Is your dog good with children? Does your dog need somebody who is home a lot? Does your dog need somebody with training experience and a tall fence?
ASK QUESTIONS! The right home will be willing to answer and prove themselves.
Require a Rehoming Contract
We recommend at minimum a simple contract that protects both parties. In the contract, cover at least the following;
Names & addresses.
Description of the dog, including color, height & weight, AKC registration, age, and breeder information.
Information on if the dog has been spayed or neutered and had a gastropexy done.
Spay or neuter requirements
No breeding allowed
Information on where the dog must go if the new owner cannot keep it (will you take it back? Do you want them to surrender to a rescue?
An outline of communication expectations. Do you want updates and photos? How often?
For the new owners, make sure that you also include:
Previous veterinarian information & records (including vaccines).
Microchip # and transfer information.
Food, so the dog can transition better instead of switching foods immediately.
If you have a pregnant Great Dane that you cannot keep or don’t know how to help, we highly recommend speaking with a Great Dane rescue. Many are willing to work with you to find homes for the puppies and make sure they are well cared for.
We believe there is a time and a place to rehome Great Danes.
We encourage people not to judge each other; sometimes rehoming a dog to a more appropriate home and owner is the best thing for it.
We tend to do things more often when we are rewarded for them. Dogs are the same way.
Most dogs are highly motivated by food. From a biological perspective, this makes a lot of sense. Use food to your advantage when training, and gradually distance and eventually fade out the rewards over time.
Treats for Puppies
Puppies especially need teeny, tiny bites.
I like to use pieces that are the size of my pinky nail or even smaller!
You do not need huge chunks of meat to teach with food; offering several rewards quickly is much more effective than a few big rewards spaced farther out.
By minimizing the size of each reward, you are also able to give more rewards in the same span of time, which is really handy for teaching difficult behaviors such as ‘STAY’ and ‘COME’.
Start with a high-rate of reward and as your dog understands the trick, space the rewards out.
Zuke’s mini natural are amazing and dogs go wild for them. I like to cut them in half so they go farther; these are rich, use sparingly.
Frozen veggies: some dogs will go nuts for a basic blend of carrots, peas and green beans in tiny bites.
Freeze-dried organ meats are fantastic when you really need to ‘get the point’ across. Use tiny bites sparingly.
Training has to be fun, otherwise why would either of you be interested? If you or your dog aren’t having fun, figure out why that is and fix it. The goal here is to reinforce correct behavior and build a bond based on trust, engagement and good habits.
The best training treat is the one that your dog will work for. Some dogs are happy to work really hard for plain old kibble, others need more motivation. The more difficult the skill you want to teach, the more valuable the rewards need to be.
Your puppy can only learn so much in a day. Break training sessions up so they happen several times per day, only a few minutes at a time.
Lastly, make sure you aren’t using so many training treats that it replaces more than 10% of the diet.
Great Dane puppies are exceptionally sensitive to dietary and diet-based growth issues, so you need to make sure that most of the nutrition is coming from their actual food.
If you notice loose stools or excess gas, back off on the training treats! Try even smaller bites, or use a spoon coated in pumpkin to do a quick lesson in ‘heel’, where they walk in position and lick the spoon as the reward.
We recommend that ALL Great Danes, especially puppies receive a daily probiotic supplement. This can help keep the gut bacteria healthy which is great for eliminating gas and loose stools. Additionally, gut health and bloat seem to go hand-in-hand! Having a healthy gut may be a key factor in reducing bloat risk.
The information contained in this post is for informational purposes only. We do our best to present the most up-to-date research, however it is up to the reader to make decisions regarding the health and well-being of their dog. We make no claims here to prevent or treat bloat or any other condition related to Great Danes. Find a veterinarian with GIANT breed experience, and chat with them.
Some of the products we list on our website contain affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase, we may receive a small commission for referring you. We only recommend products that we truly believe in. This commission does not affect the price of the product and is used to fund our content and expenses related to operating this website.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
What is a backyard breeder? Why is is so important to be educated about unethical breeding practices? How do we save puppies from backyard breeders?
There are many questions to ask when it comes to unethical breeding and backyard breeders. These practices are harming the breed we love and causing heartache and headaches for rescues and families.
You might be surprised to find that the AKC is riddled with backyard breeders. Having AKC registration is not a sign that the puppy is healthy, well-bred, or even pure-bred!
Yeah, we’re going to go there. If you are looking for a Great Dane puppy, this post is for you.
What Is A Backyard Breeder?
Many people believe that all home breeders are backyard breeders (because they ‘breed dogs in their backyard’).
This is actually a matter of nuance in language. The term “backyard breeder” has a very broad meaning.
A “backyard breeder” refers to any individual who breeds puppies without committing to the necessary measures for ensuring the full health testing, structure, temperament, breed standards, and overall well-being of the puppies throughout their lives, regardless of where they end up.
There are MANY friendly, nice “backyard breeders” who claim to health test their puppies.
They may even raise them indoors around kids and farm animals. It’s likely they even have a website and are recommended by others who are looking to purchase a Great Dane puppy.
But they are cutting corners somewhere, and THAT is what makes them a backyard breeder!
It doesn’t matter how clean the facility is, or how nice the breeder is.
Make no mistake, if they are breeding out of standard dogs, dogs with poor structure and temperaments, breeding dogs without FULL OFA health testing (see HERE), and not supporting those puppies for life, they are a backyard breeder.
Like we said above, the AKC has thousands of them.
Backyard breeders are more common than puppy mills, but despite their ‘friendly’ exterior they do a LOT more damage.
What is the AKC?
AKC is one of the most recognizable acronyms in the dog world.
They document pedigrees by giving breeders a place register their purebred litters. They also offer a range of services from dog shows & conformation to sports, advocacy and training certifications.
The word ‘papers’ is now actually relatively meaningless because of this. AKC registrations are a wonderful way to document and see the pedigree (lineage) of a dog. They are important, but they aren’t everything.
AKC papers do NOTHING to monitor if the dogs who have ‘purebred’ registrations even meet the standard for the breed they claim to be. This is how we’ve ended up with millions of Great Danes whose structure is so poor they suffer from orthopedic disorders. Their eyes are so droopy they need surgery to correct it. Their heads so big and jowls so droopy they look more like Mastiffs than Great Danes.
Not to mention the litany of health and temperament issues that come from breeders who are pairing dogs just because they happen to be ‘purebred’.
Technically, Only Purebred Dogs Can Be AKC Registered
Mixed breed dogs and dogs with unknown lineage cannot be registered with the AKC.
If a breeder is trying to sell you a ‘Danoodle’ or ‘Labradane’ with ‘papers’, know that the papers are probably from a made-up or low quality dog registry.
The AKC does try to maintain standards and educate breeders and buyers. However, having AKC papers is NOT enough to prove the quality of a genetic line or dogs against the written standard.
Remember the game ‘telephone’?
You sit in a circle with your friends. The first person whispers a phrase to the next person, who then takes that phrase and whispers it to the person next to them. The phrase makes its way around the circle.
The phrase may have begun as ‘I like to eat cake’ , but always ends with something completely different and usually funny. ‘I think you are fake’ for example.
The practice of breeding a Great Dane simply because it has ‘AKC Papers’ can create entire lines of registered, purebred Great Danes that look very little like Great Danes. Just like the game of telephone that we played as children!
Purebred Does Not Mean Well Bred
Of course, we are major dog and breed snobs over here, but even as a not-snobby pet owner you should care deeply about this breed.
Poorly bred dogs are more likely to suffer from health problems, including painful, frustrating and expensive conditions such as allergies, hip dysplasia, cardiac disease, aggression, fear, blindness/deafness and autoimmune disorders.
There are many purebred Great Danes suffering from health conditions that are largely preventable with selective breeding, including poor hips, bloat, heart disease, entropion, and more.
These disorders shorten the life span of Great Danes and contribute to the unfortunate reality that these giant dogs are both short lived and fragile.
So, How Can I Avoid Backyard Breeders?
In no way are we saying that imperfect Great Danes don’t deserve a home, or that your imperfect Dane isn’t good enough. (Truth! Ask me about my dainty three-legged Dane! I love the underdogs).
What we are saying, however, is that AKC papers can mean surprisingly little in the world of ethical breeding practices.
AKC Papers do not mean that a dog was bred with health and structure and temperament in mind.
They do not mean that a Great Dane exemplifies the appropriate health and structure of the breed.
Having AKC registrations is not a sign that a dog is of sound breeding quality and should be bred.
It is important to find Great Dane breeders who are:
Stop buying dogs from backyard breeders! Every time you support a breeder who doesn’t care about structure, health and temperament you support an industry that is creating thousands of dogs who eventually end up euthanized or in rescue.
