great dane puppy

jennifer2kii9

ok....
im 16 n im looking to get a great dane puppy.
i have the space and i have been saving up for agessss now.
i have been doing a lot of research about the breed and got a heap of tips from a man in the local pet shop. he said the best place would be to get a pup from the ikc. and he also said training at a young age is very important because you dont want a agressive dane or one who pulls on the lead.
i've learnt all the parts of the body and im learning all the bones and i have to keep proving to my dad to let me get a great dane puppy.
im goin to stop blabbering on...
i just want to know is the internet a good place to seek out a puppy???
and i heard there is 2 great dane resuce homes in ireland i know of the one up in nothern ireland dose any one know the second????
thanks xxx jenny

Zillah

You're adorable. Good luck with the puppy, I think you'll do great.

jennifer2kii9

lol thanks ^.^

IrishIrish

Don't have much info but we use to have one. Really nice dog but they dont live very long. Only like 6 or 7 years which is pretty low. Sorry :pac:

jennifer2kii9

yea i kno my cuz had 1
he was realy cool. and he lived to be 11 but he had to be PTS because he eventually couldn't stand,he got either hip dysplasia or arthritis i cant remember. xxx jenny

hadook

I assume you have a plan for who's going to take care of the dog if you go to college or want to move town/county/country for a job etc?

I got "my" first dog at not much older than you and he's still with me. I was lucky that my dad was very fond of Budda and didn't mind looking after him while I went to college etc but you can't expect your parents to be the safety net if *you* decide you want a dog. A dog can tie you down almost as much as a kid will. Holidays have to be organised around dog-sitters or kenneling, daily walks need to happen no matter what and the hair, drool and general dirt involved in keeping a dog the size of a small pony in your home will keep Dyson, Vileda and Dettol in business for years to come. Personally I'd advise anyone of your age not to get a dog now but to wait until you're older, settled and have lived life a bit but it is, at the end of the day, a decision only you (and your parents!) can make.

Re money - as well as saving for the cost of a pup you'll need to budget for vet trips, pet insurance (the single most important thing you can buy for a Great Dane) and replacing the things your Dane breaks/chews/destroys while growing from a pup into an adult. Food is more expensive simply because they eat more, normal flea and worm treatments cost more etc. As well having the cost of the dog saved for I'd suggest putting a good couple of hundred extra aside for the first couple of months. And invest in a long handled mop - Dane drool sticks to everything and it's a nightmare to get off the ceiling when they shake their heads after drinking.

I wouldn't buy a dog from an online advertisement unless I'd done a lot of research and knew the breeder to be reputable. The IKC will give you details of breeders in your area - vall them, have a chat and find out about their dogs and the planned litters. Ask about history of any health issues - hip problems, heart problems (Dilated Cardiomyopathy is common in Danes for instance), eye problems (another common problem is entropion) etc in their line.

Don't pick a dog based on a cute picture online, do the research first and meet potential breeders. This is a long term commitment so make sure you know as much as you can about the history of your prospective pup. Start looking now for training/obedience classes in your area and find out when they start new sessions as a Dane can be quite aloof so socialisation and early training is essential for a pup.

mhairt

Hi
I have two great danes. I got this guy from leitrim animal rescue.

I was down there about three weeks ago and they had another dane they were trying to rehome. It was a black male about 2.5 years. The one we got from them is the most affectionate dog ever. You should consider a rescue rather than a puppy. The rescue below is based in Antrim
www.irishdanerescue.com

Good choice they are the best dog ever

anniehoo

+1 for everything Hadook said.

jennifer2kii9 wrote: »

i've learnt all the parts of the body and im learning all the bones

Aww! I used to do that and i did up my own handwritten first aid book for dogs.:p Twas a loooong time ago though!

mhairt wrote: »

I lol'd at that pic.

jennifer2kii9

i have a 4 year old westie x shih zsu and she's just the best ever!
and no matter the weather trust me were alway out and about!
and if i do,and when ever i do get a great dane my mam and dad wont be a safty net for me. because i said "IM responable for her IM the one who looks after her" and i'd hav it no other way because ripplesz is my responablity!
and i love her to bits!!!!and im bassically in love with the breed, i went to a show in sowrds and was asking around about litters the man in the pet shop said it was a good idea to go and see them in the flesh , and they are a amazing dog! and i got the number for the irish great dane club and im goin to give them a ring. :]
n omg mhairt you'r dane is super kute!
jenny xxxx

arybvtcw0eolkf

Cutest thread ever!.

Jenn, best of luck with your search - lovely thread, you brought a smile to my face.

But its after midnight you should be gone to bed


.

jennifer2kii9

awwwhs thanks :]
jenny xxxx

jennifer2kii9

lol n im not tired ^.^
xxxx

Omnomnom

http://www.donedeal.ie - Just browse anyway! I got my doggy on there and i love her to bits

jennifer2kii9

thanks for the link.
i have cheacked done deal before and enquired about a pup....but the fella wasen't to......"nice" and he called me back and told me he was talking to my dad in dublin O.o (but my dad was working on the farm)
but any way thanks lol
jenny xxxx

Morganna

Good luck jen you sound so caring and responsible look at balltfrawley great danes this lady is a responsible breeder and may know of one

jennifer2kii9

thank you
i acctually did hear of her. she has some stunning great danes!
jenny xxxx

Morganna

She has indeed and is a friend of mine ,Her danes are outstanding and she is very responsible good luck

kassie

hi jenny

i'm a dane owner and like you wanted one since i was about 5 after watching Disney's "The Ugly Dachshund", i'm 29 now and have owned my precious boy for 13 months! I don't doubt your brilliant intentions and applaud you sincerely for all your research and hard work you've put in to researching your puppy, but i am concerned about you owning and being responsible for such a big dog at 16. I don't want to be patronising here but owning such a big dogs brings HUGE responsibitly and commitment.

I grew up with family dogs and absolutley love dogs of every breed and nature... i got my very own dog when i was 25, she's a small dog, got my second dog a year later another small dog. From the time i started reseaching my great dane puppy to when i actually got him, i had waited almost one whole year. Dane puppies can be hard to come by and be prepared to wait. They are cute and cuddly and big as puppies... nothing can prepare you for living and owning such a big animal, it took me by surprise! The pet store worker was correct, you need to train and socialise socialise socialise your dane to every kinda situation possible. The last thing you want is an overactive dane jumping and barking and messing about in a public area where there are ppl/children. Danes honestly don't realise how big they are... my TWELVE STONE and still growing, 15 month old boy will sit on me and lean on strangers. Thankfully he's a friendly well mannered chap and laps up the attention but he can get a bit lary with other male dogs... if you got your dane and he/she engaged in a row with another dog, could you handle the dog and take responsibilty for his/her actions? Dogs will be dogs, they are instinctual and will row not matter what precautions we take and no matter how much training and socialising is put in place. My dog at only 9 months old had a incident with a friends dog, one split second caused serious damage, the other dog was smaller than my dane and obvioulsy came out the worst, had to be rushed to the vet for four puncture wounds 2 of which had to have 4 layers of stitches.... thankfully the dog made a full recovery but that incident brought it home to me how big a responsiblity owning such a big dog can be. Thankfully my friend had insurance but i did pay her bill which wasn't covered by insurance, if she hadn't insurance i would have cost me hundreds of euros in vets bills. It was a really upsetting time for me as my dog never showed any sort of domniance or agression before and it all happened within a second. Since then i have to be completely aware of his body language and other dogs around him, he's not an aggressive dog or a dominant dog, he's just a dog, an animal with instincts going through adolesence becoming a fully grown male. And i've heard some frightening stories about females too.

I'm not saying this to try to put you off, i just want you to be fully informed and realistic about what you might be taking on. Granted all dogs are different and some might never show any sign aggression in their lives other will...

I second all that hadook has posted... insurance, space, time, unforseen circumstances for the future as you as so young, you might want to go to college, go travelling, get into a relationship, what ever it may be, what do you do with your 10+ stone dog???? Not everyone is willing to look after or take on such a big dog as quickly as a small dog... no matter how dog mad they may be! Dane puppies especially need a certain quality of food and will work out expensive to feed, they have to be watched carefully as they grow so quickly. And there's the dredded bloat (and other health issues) that i'm sure you've read about...

Danes are not for everyone but i completely understand your want and love for them... they are such loveable and sensative dogs, my dog makes me smile and laugh every day, he's incredibly sensative and will look for a cuddle(speaking of which he's just come from his bed to get a cuddle from my husband and has now gone back to bed, awh), he will sing for his meals, plays relatively gently with my two smaller dogs, he walks very well for a big dog on lead (thanks to a dogmatic), his recall is practically non existant and for that reason i cannot let him off lead where there are other dogs or ppl. Then there is the dredded drool and whip tail... my dane lives indoors and its like living with a giant snail.. the counter tops are constantly being cleaned where his chin has been counter surfing looking for nice bits to steal, nothing is safe when a dane is about, he ate our chops one nite we had left out to put in the oven!!! The tail... nothing like it, i'm constantly bruised around knee height from it... but these are all part and parcel of living with a dane.

I know the lady at Ballyfrawley danes... i show my dog with her,she is lovely and will definitly advise or guide you should you contact her. If you were at a show at swords, we could have met? I'm up there for majority of shows, if your at another please come and meet my dog, he loves the attention and i'll only be too glad to answer any questions you might have! did you bring your dad with you when you went to meet and greet?

Again i don't want this post to come across as patronising or negative... i would ask that you reconsider your choice to get a dane at the present time, give it six months or a year... you never know what the future will hold for you at 16! But please do feel free to post more questions or queries or PM me for any advice or stories... or if your at another show come see us, we're a friendly bunch!!!

jennifer2kii9

lolz i've seen that film before :]
thanks for all of you'r information.it was realy helpful.
im in no rush to get a great dane.because i still have alot more to learn and more saving has to be done.
i don't think we met at the show beacuse i slept it out and missed the danes but when i got there i was talking to the man from k9komforts and got to see his danes ( who were super kute)
and the main reason i went to the show was to get my dad to come with me so he could see for him self how intrested i am in great danes because he just never realy listens , like when i mention anything about great danes he like switches of but he said to me about a week ago "im not stoping you from getting a great dane its just a lot of work and their a very big dog" witch i know from my cousins dog. bu when i asked my dad to come he said no and he went to a cattle sale instead!
i don't think im goin to get my dad to unerstand, but i geuss it just might happen in time.
thanks again for you'r help.
jenny xxxxxx

kassie

LOL i feel your frustration in trying to convince you dad.. it took me nearly 3 years to convince my husband to allow a dane in the house, but i got there and we're all very happy!

Yeah the K9Komfort ppl/dogs are very nice

hadook

kassie wrote: »

Then there is the dredded drool and whip tail... my dane lives indoors and its like living with a giant snail.. the counter tops are constantly being cleaned where his chin has been counter surfing looking for nice bits to steal, nothing is safe when a dane is about, he ate our chops one nite we had left out to put in the oven!!!

That sounds so familiar. Also - 8 months old and caught standing on the kitchen table to get a better look at the postman. :rolleyes: Being able to reach the top of the fridge so nothing is out of her reach (even if it is out of mine!). And that moment after she's had a drink when she turns around drooling and slopping water everywhere and suddenly want a fuss. Eurgh!

My Dane ended up a massive infection - with fluid on her lungs and in heart failure the one and only time we tried putting her outside in a (heated, insulated) shed in the autumn. That's when we discovered that she has DCM. We have a tiny old cottage and it's been a nightmare trying to do any major restoration work around a dog who threatens to die if she's not allowed to sleep on the couch but isn't fond of strangers disturbing her sleep. :rolleyes:

kassie wrote: »

The tail... nothing like it, i'm constantly bruised around knee height from it... but these are all part and parcel of living with a dane.

Speaking of tails - I had to pay an early morning trip to the vets one day with my collie and was surprised to be told by the vet that he was already in the surgery. When we got there Loki didn't want to go in for some reason and I didn't figure out why until I opened the door into the surgery. It was a bloodbath. There was blood sprayed up the walls, pooling on the floor and even covering the ceiling. It seriously looked like a murder scene, I've never seen the like. The culprit was a 2 year old Dane who'd wagged her tail through the glass door of a bookcase and ended up having the bottom 1/3rd of her tail amputated in the wee hours of the morning.

kassie

oh so many danes end up having their tails amputated coz of their wagginess and strenght of their wag... it damages the tail to such an extent that it can kill off the living tissue which requires the amputation, just from wagging like a normal dog and having it bang off so many things... it can also happen with their ear tips... when they shake their head their ears snap sometimes causing clotting or internal bleading and in extreme cases a partial amputation is required... there is a special name for this but i can't remember it! I'm constantly running after my boy telling him to "mind your tail" not that he understands me LOL

jennifer2kii9

lolz
my sister bought my dad a collie pup a good while ago and now shes a year and 7 months.and for a collie she realy tall.i said to my dad one day "lassie's got very big" and he said"yea ,thats not the only way!"
so she had a litter of 8 cute puppies. their 7 weeks old now and by god they love my shoes!!!
and only about a week ago we had to bring "binkie" my little sisters favrote to the vet because as my dad said "she's goin down hill very quickly"
she looked lifeless in the car on the way to the vets,she would wimper and all of a sudden she leap out of the box and into my sisters arms and she lookd grand.and when we got to the vets she was asleep on her back with all fours up in the air!
my dad thought it could hav been parvo, but thank god it was'nt,the vet kept her in for 3 days. when we went to collect her the vet said she had 3 fits on the first day we left her in so she's to take half of a tiny tablet twice a day.so the vet took us into a diffrent room to tell us that the staff noticed that when the let her out to runn around she was bumbing into things so they looked at her eyes and found out that it hadn't devoleped propper,and the said he diden't think it would.so now we have her home again.
we can't keep her up on the farm because theres to many dangers, so we're bringing her down to my house,because we think its not fair to have her PTS.
like shes a grand little pup,she'll head straight for my straps on my runners and she chased her dad who went running a mile!
and there is my little favrote puppy,who im thinking of getting instead of a great dane,because like i said before im in no rush to get a dane.
lols the little pup [can't think of a name for her] she is just super smart,wen i click my finger she sits!!! and she has the cutes eyes!!!

thanks for your replys its all realy helpful and much apreciated
[sorry about my spellin >.< ]
jenny xxxx

jennifer2kii9

ok.....
my mam and dad r lettin me get a great dane puppy n i cant wait.
we should be collectin her around the 24th of oct.
and im just woundering what would be the best puppy food to buy???
im sure the man in the pet shop will help but i wanted to get more ideas and stuff!!!
2day is like the best day of my life. im aloud to get a puppy i hav always wanted and i got my jr cert results back and im trilled!!!!
anyway i g2g
jenny xxxx

andreac

Its best to keep the pup on the food that the breeder is feeding first, for a few months anyway and then when it gets a bit older you can change over if you feel the need to.

Where are getting the pup from? have you researched a good breeder?

wexford202

jennifer2kii9 wrote: »

ok.....
my mam and dad r lettin me get a great dane puppy n i cant wait.
we should be collectin her around the 24th of oct.
and im just woundering what would be the best puppy food to buy???
im sure the man in the pet shop will help but i wanted to get more ideas and stuff!!!
2day is like the best day of my life. im aloud to get a puppy i hav always wanted and i got my jr cert results back and im trilled!!!!
anyway i g2g
jenny xxxx

Hi jen

I was reading your posts from the start and I am sure you will make a great dog owner.

Make sure you invest in a double bed if you don't have one as I can imagine it will be after wriggling it's way into it in a matter of weeks.

Get a book from your pet shop or possibly online and it will tell you the best foods etc for your dog. Either that the vet will tell you. Some pet shops to be honest don;t kow a great deal but will pretend they do. They may not stock the best food for your pup and try to sell you something else that mightn't be as good for it.

Best of luck again. It will be one ruined puppy. :rolleyes:

votejohn

wow, you must have gotten some amazing results in your exams!!!!!!!!!!!!



Congrats congrats congrats, you muxt be so excited!!! theres an 8 month old dane on http://www.irishdanerescue.com/homesneeded.html, perhaps you could get her??

What a great day for you though, get pics of your new pup up as soon as possible!!!!!!!!

dee o gee

mhairt wrote: »

Hi
I have two great danes. I got this guy from leitrim animal rescue.

I was down there about three weeks ago and they had another dane they were trying to rehome. It was a black male about 2.5 years. The one we got from them is the most affectionate dog ever. You should consider a rescue rather than a puppy. The rescue below is based in Antrim
www.irishdanerescue.com

Good choice they are the best dog ever

I remember when him and the other dane were advertised on their website, I thought your merle fella was gorgous, and just for a split second I kinda thought ''hmm I wonder''!! Glad to see he went to a good home anyways, he looks happy that look in his eyes is priceless!

Hi jenny, glad to here your getting a pup. I remember back when I was convincing my folks I printed off 100's of sheets of info and done up little priceplans and everything, never worked and I just wasted a load of ink!:D As regards food, with giant breed dogs you have to feed them low protein food so their joints don't develop too quickly and develop hip dysplasia. If you join the irishdogs.ie forum theres loads of experienced dane owners that can offer advise.

jenny2kii10

Heya!!!
(my other acc jenny2kii9 isn't working)
i got my puppy there on sunday the 11th!!!!
my famliy and me were at knock co.Mayo because of hail mary was going to appear,i didn't see her but i did see the sun changing color and dancing in the sky witch was freaky!
any way since we were in knock i convinced my mam and dad to go and collect my pup and OMG! she has to be the cutest thing i have every seen (part from ripplesz ^.^ cept there both super cute!!)
any way while we where there my god i have to say her mother is the biggest female great dane i have ever seen!!!!!!!
and when the woman put the pup in my arms i was like whoa! she is heavey! she slept most of the way home and got sick on my sister!!!! >.<
she realy settling in great! still have to introduce her to the other dogs (thought i'd let her get used to her new surroundings before letting her get used to the other dogs)
and i got a bit frightend/scared because when she was asleep shw was twitching her toes,legs,ears and her haed and then her eye was open a bit and it was rolling around. my mam and dad said she's just dreaming but i don't kno just asking to make sure?!
and tell me what you think of her and any good names?????? because my mam wants to call her lady after what happened on sunday in knock! O.o
thank you xxxx

jenny2kii10

lolz suger .....4got to add the photos !!!
and just woundering if any one can give me some training tips thanks again! xxxxxx

kodak

Hi, We resuced a Dane as his owners weren't up to walking him anymore.
They are lovely dogs and we now have our 2nd one. We have him from a puppy and he's great.

We fed him on the purina beta puppy food range until at least a year old. Our vet also advised us to give him calicum supplements beacuse their growing bones need it. You may want to check that out.
Here's the pics of the two of them