About the Author:
by Lyn Richards

PUPPY SELECTION CONSIDERATIONS

Dogs Require:
Training: To be a good family member and citizen Danes MUST be trained in at least rudimentary obedience. Their great size and tendency to be bossy means that the owner must be master in his household, and the dog needs to understand this. Training in obedience for the dog, and in behavior modification (understanding how a dog thinks) for the owner are both helpful.

Care: Both small & large breed dogs commonly have medical problems related to their great size. Prospective owners of large boned breeds must be prepared for the possibility that there may be substantial financial outlay in the way of veterinary bills and special care.

Indoor Life: Dogs especially need to be kept indoors as family members. They will be unhappy living a solitary life as an outdoor dog as they are gregarious and need to interact with people. Another consideration is their thin skin and short fur. Danes have short hair coats, which make for great discomfort in warm climates due to insect bites and sunburn, and cold intolerance in temperate and cooler regions.

Feeding: Dogs should NOT eat high protein foods at ANY stage in their growth cycles, especially as puppies. Buying a Dane requires the new owners to educate themselves in dietary and growth needs of large boned breeds in order to help prevent the onset of diet related health problems. Great Danes are prone to bloat and torsion, both of which can also be related somewhat to diet and eating, and hopefully regulated somewhat by proper diet and care. (See feeding FAQs)

Exercise: Most breeds are wonderfully happy and energetic dogs. This results in much tail wagging and leaping about. Both of these things can be either amusing or tragic! Long tailed breeds are known for wagging so hard that they split their tails open and bleed everywhere. When they wag they slam their tails against any and all objects at tail height. The result ends up looking like the Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
Large puppies can be both funny and dangerous, with their energetic antics. Imagine a pirouette being " gracefully" performed by one of these gentle giants? Cute and funny, unless there's a two year old child standing right under him! Small breed pups can be stepped on and harmed by small children. All are playful animals and do have energy that must be released by giving them regular exercise and playtime. This requires a fenced yard or a dedicated owner who will run/ walk his dog twice daily no matter what the weather.

Commitment: Dogs require a stable home life and all dogs need a home they can count on for all of their natural life. If you plan to buy a dog, think ahead to major events upcoming in your future. Will they accommodate a large, sweet dog? If not, wait. A dog is a lifetime(10 years at least) responsibility, think of it as a marriage, not easily given up on or walked away from.

A Question to Consider:

Have you actually seen the size of a Great Dane "puppy" or of the TINY size of a Yorkshire Terrier or Chihuahua pup? If not, then be prepared for a surprise! A 9 month Dane pup can weigh as much as 120 pounds! While Danes grow fairly quickly in size, they mature much more slowly. It sometimes takes up to 3 years for mental maturity to be complete. In the meantime you are dealing with a rather large puppy!
The small breed pups are SO tiny, they take a lot of care and resposibility. This disparity is what I refer to when I recommend rather extensive obedience training.

Picking Your Puppy
Nightmare Scenario:
Sounds easy... Run to the PET STORE and let some harried salesperson show you a bunch of cute, squirmy bundles of fur. After you let the kids pat and tug, ooh and ah you finally trip on home with the one for you. Your first days are a whirl of squeaky toys and puppy cuddles. Everyone wants to play with Rover! But the newness wears off quickly, soon there are puppy puddles and piles no one wants to clean, and a stack of chewed shoes and pillows to replace. Rover grows QUITE large and is ignored by everyone. Soon he is howling out by his doghouse day and night, making you regret buying that cute little bundle of fur. NO! It doesn't need to be that way. With a little emergency preparedness this can be a happy, fulfilling relationship.

Here's the Real Scenario.. But, get ready for a little work! (It's worth it.)

A. Buy an All Breed Dog Book
You can find one in any book store, it gives a brief summary of each breed of dog, personality type, full grown size, how long the coat gets and required grooming, how the breed relates to people (how people oriented the breed is), activity level, and volume and quality of food required to sustain them. This book also contains the Breed Standard, a description of what the ideal animal of this breed looks like. It is important that before you dedicate yourself to a specific breed of dog, that you make yourself aware of different breeds and their characteristics. This eases the changes that always come with a new addition to your family.

Reference Books to Consider:
THE SIMON AND SCHUSTER GUIDE TO DOGS
Edited by Elizabeth Meriwether Schuler
Simon and Schuster

READERS DIGEST ILLUSTRATED BOOK OF DOGS
Readers Digest

THE ULTIMATE DOG BOOK
By David Taylor
Simon and Schuster

*THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE DOG
Bruce Fogle
Dorling/Kindersley

*THE RIGHT DOG FOR YOU
Daniel Tortora
Simon and Schuster

*Disclaimer! No I DON'T own stock in Simon and Schuster, it just happens that they published books I like!

Authors Note: The last 2 titles listed are my favorites. I reference these books frequently when asked by people what breed might best suit their family. Bruce Fogle is a behaviorist and Veterinarian who is very dedicated to the Human-Dog bond. Daniel Tortora has written many articles, but this book is his best I think.

Learning about the Breed
Once you have determined which is the breed for you, it is time to study up on the breed standard (what the ultimate dog breed you have chosen, is like in temperament and structure). There are MANY good books on the origins and personality of each breed.

A. Appearances
Things are not as they seem to be. A Great Dane, which is one of the largest of breeds, does well in a small home or apartment as long as daily exercise is provided. This is because of their great size. Great Danes do not move as fast as the small breeds, do not tend to be as energetic and their metabolism level is lower. These dogs require a lower level of grooming than some breeds and shed little. This enables a small home (cave) dweller to be comfortable with this size dog. They are also graceful despite their size, and with a minimum of effort, most homes can accommodate them. I am personally prejudiced toward this breed. I have 2 Danes and live in a Condo, and my other dog (a Pointer) takes up twice as much room, and has three times as much energy as do the Danes. (Arrggghhhh!)

On the other hand, a large home with many small children is not always the place for one of these gentle giants. They are heavy, and given the space and opportunity will run about. Little children will be knocked aside with no malice intended, but could be harmed easily. A better choice for the home with little ones would be perhaps a Golden Retriever or Labrador pup which stays a much more manageable size, yet is very gentle. A small breed dog in a home with small children would probably not fare well either.

Go See A Veterinarian
Why should you visit a vet if you don't yet have a pet? Well, if he is a good family vet, he will know after talking with you which breed might suit your family best. (I say might here because there is NO guarantee that any dog will be true to its breed 100%. Just pick as best you can, and train the best you can to achieve optimum results.)
Your vet has a wonderful tool at his disposal that is your next best friend. It is called a Dog Breeders Directory, and is usually sponsored by local dog clubs. Any breeder with a good reputation will be listed in this book. Your vet can supply you with a list of names and phone numbers of breeders who show and breed Great Danes.
A note here, that not all Vets are as knowledgeable as they could be where Danes are concerned. Danes require special care as do other giant breeds. Be VERY cautious when looking for a vet to care for your new puppy. Ask other owners of that breed to recommend a good Vet to you, as your choice may spell life or death for your dog should an emergency occur!

Pick a Breeder
Contact your local Breed affiliate club, the names of local club members can be obtained by contacting the national breed club associated with your breed choice. The local clubs will be happy to steer you to responsible, reputable breeders.
Subscribe to Breed publications. Dane They are usually very good sources of information about the breed. They also both have listings of breeders and photos of many colors and types of dog.
Attend some All Breed Conformation and Great Dane Specialty shows. There are always people at these shows willing to give information about the breed and share knowledge. As well, you can observe the different colors of Danes and types of show competition available. Conformation, Obedience and Tracking are only a few of the types of competition that this breed can participate in.
Again, a veterinarian can also supply you with a list of local breeders, though they cannot always guarantee how reputable the breeders may be. Some vets may know them personally and can help you in that respect. Make a list of all the names you are given and proceed to the next step.

What Color and Sex?
Read the Breed Standard, and decide what color and sex dog you prefer. There are usually MANY other choices of colors which cannot be shown in a breed ring, but make GREAT pets, as color does not make the dog, personality does.
The sex you pick may or may not be important, depending on whether you intend to show and /or breed. Bitches which are not neutered experience a heat every 6-9 months. This can be a difficult time for you and her, as bitches are temperamental at this time, and the bleeding can be an inconvenience. Males left intact require a very firm hand, as when exposed to a bitch in heat they are very persistent in reaching her. They can also be more aggressive than neutered males. NEUTER or SPAY if you do NOT intend to show!
Once you have decided sex and color, it 's time to contact some breeders.

Breeder Contact
After you have assured yourself that this is the breed/ breeder you are interested in dealing with, visit the breeder(s) kennel and/or establishment. Have a visit, check out the facilities and make yourself at home. Would you like to live there if you were a dog? Is it clean? Is the whelping box (where the puppies are kept) clean? Are the parents both there for inspection? Do they look well fed and happy? Do tails wag and coats shine? Are pedigrees available for inspection?

Interview the Breeder
Ask questions! How and what does the breeder feed? How often does he produce litters? Why is he breeding, what are his goals? Does the breeder belong to the national breed club, or one of the affiliated local clubs? Does the breeder follow up on puppies he sells, keeping the rights to recover dogs he has sold should they become available? Does he interview prospects such as you? He should be very carefully screening potential puppy purchasers. If he is not, then find another breeder, as a good breeder will not allow just any home to have a puppy.

When you purchase a puppy from a breeder, you are also in essence purchasing the knowledge and experience of that person. Be sure that the breeder you deal with is able to supply these.

Who is the vet that this breeder uses? Sometimes a talk with this doctor is helpful, too. Your new breeder friend will give you info on purchasing, feeding, caring for and training their breed. Have the parent dogs been screened for health problems? Here is a list which you should use to gauge how much health screening is done by the breeder and what significance the tests can have for a Dane.

References
If they are caring and responsible breeders, they will gladly give you a few names and phone numbers of their happy customers. Call the people referenced to you and invite yourself over. Meet the puppy and family, see the environment and ask all your questions. Trust me, new puppy owners are like proud new parents- if they are happy with their new kid they'll tell you all about it.

HEALTH SCREENING TESTS
OFA: The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals is a group of radiologists which reviews x-ray films of dogs hips taken to test for Hip Dysplasia. Hip Dysplasia is a crippling condition which can cause much pain and lameness for the life of your dog. These films are used to certify the dogs' hip joints as Normal (Dysplasia Free), rating them either, Excellent , Good or Fair, these films are also used to rate the degree of dysplasia should it exist.

Penn-Hip:Penn-Hip is a similar test done for Hip Dysplasia. One main difference between OFA and Penn-Hip is the age at which certification is done. Another difference between OFA and Penn-Hip Testing is that a computer, rather than the human eye evaluates Penn-Hip x-rays. OFA testing may be done at any age, but Certification must be done at or after 2 years of age. Penn Hip Certification can be done as early as 6 months.

Von Willebrands Disease: VWD is a bleeding problem in some breeds, that is much like Hemophilia in humans. Testing is done by drawing blood samples.

CERF:CERF is short for Canine Eye Registration Foundation. They can certify a dog to be free of congenital eye diseases after a veterinarian examines the eyes. This test is only good for one year, so must be done annually.

Cardiac Testing: A canine cardiologist tests the dog for any cardiac abnormalities, especially Cardiomyopathy, a disease which strikes many breeds.
(A note about Cardiomyopathy tests, not all breeders test for it, this is NOT a negative reflection on the breeder)
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I hope all of this does not discourage you. A dog should not be purchased as a whim, because a they can for . God knows, I don't long time. I do not want to live with ANYONE for that long unless I'm absolutely sure it's LOVE.

Would you consider a Rescue dog? I am in favor of rescuing from local shelters and breed rescue groups. Although great care must be taken in the selection of an animal from a rescue situation due to possible previous abuse and neglect, these animals can be wonderful companions. The people who run these operations are usually knowledgeable, good-hearted and pro-animal. They will screen prospective pet adopters, and train you about the needs of a dog and of the specific breed. Best of all, they also REQUIRE spaying and neutering as part of the adoption procedure.

The subject of Neutering and spaying is a whole other chapter, but suffice it to say that unless you plan to become a professional show person and breeder, NEUTER YOUR DOG!

Pet Stores and Puppy Mills
Notice here that I have said nothing yet about PET STORES and PUPPY MILLS. In general, I have strong feelings against buying ANY pet (dogs or cats) from a store, under ANY circumstance. Nothing can guarantee that the pet you purchase from a store is not the product of a puppy mill or disreputable breeder. Puppy mills are breeding farms where the breeding stock is kept many times, in crowded, unsanitary and unsafe conditions.
Many of the "better" pet stores try to check on the background of the breeders they buy from, but many more do not or cannot. Animals purchased from stores might have genetic problems that the neophyte pet owner knows nothing of and is financially unable to handle. AND, if you buy from a pet store, you do not have a breeder/mentor to guide you through the rough spots, as a good breeder would. The best way to prevent cruelty to animals is to prevent the puppy mill from making money by not buying their puppies from stores.

Pet SUPPLY stores are a great place to purchase animal care supplies, food and small animals such as gerbils and goldfish. But puppies should be purchased from someone with intimate knowledge of the breed. Enough said on this subject except for this, if you buy from a pet store, get a written money-back guarantee, and get the pup checked immediately by a vet. But in short please, DON T DO IT!
Hang in there, we re getting to the good part...

PICK YOUR PUPPY
Yay! We finally get to have fun. Once you've decided on the breed and breeder, ask when the next litter is due. You can sometimes be first on the scene so to speak.
Early socialization is good for puppies, and most breeders will invite prospective buyers for supervised play visits once the pups are old enough. Contrary to common belief, after birth the puppies are strong enough to fight off most disease, and with precautions can be handled by some strangers in a controlled environment. It is important that handling of the puppies is done between the ages of 1-3 weeks, as this period is when much of submissive traning is done. By 6 weeks the first set of shots are given, and the public may then be allowed to handle the pups more freely. You can watch the pups develop and get a sense of which one might be yours . At the time that you are visiting, observe how the breeder handles the puppies, and how the mother dog disciplines them. These observations are useful later on, to help with training. You will learn at this time about dog packs, eye contact and a whole slew of dog psychology things that you will in time need to know very well.

Reputable breeders have designed newsletters and informative handouts for prospective puppy purchasers. These breeders go the extra mile to assure that their charges are placed properly. Many will go as far as to guarantee to take back any unwanted puppy for any reason at any time, and may even require right of first refusal. This means should the buyer of a puppy decide to sell that puppy, the breeder must be given first option to purchase. This guarantees that the rescue dog population is kept to a minimum, and that the breeder has control over his puppies destinies.

Breeders should provide you with a complete guide for feeding and caring for a new puppy, as well as health records, a copy of the pedigree and copies of both parents health certifications
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Contracts and Guarantees
All puppy purchases should be completed with a written contract. This contract should spell out clearly the terms of sale, whether or not AKC registration papers are being supplied and on what terms (limited registration, etc). There should also be a written guarantee regarding health, hips and eyes, and a spay or neuter requirement for all companion pet sales. All puppies should have their first set of vaccinations and parasite testing before the sale and this should be spelled out in the contract.

Puppy Temperament Testing
There are available, if you so desire, people who will perform Puppy Temperament Tests . These are a series of tests designed to check the adaptability, temperament and personality of a puppy. They should be performed 49 days of age, and should be given at intervals of 1-2 weeks until the puppies are ready to leave mom. The tests are performed up to 4 months of age to better determine what the dog is capable of. The practical reason for administering these tests are obvious. Do you want to do obedience work with your puppy? If so, you want a willing puppy who wishes to please you and be with you. Do you have small children, who are likely to pull an occasional tail or ear? Yes? Then you need to know that the pup you are bringing home is forgiving in nature, and flexible in body. Your breeder or a local obedience school will be able to steer you towards a good test administrator.

Obedience Training
Because of their potential great size, I recommend that pups be started in obedience training as soon as you bring them home. This involves at- home teaching of the rudiments of house training, coming when called and simple commands like sit and down. Once the puppy has his first shots, he should be enrolled in Puppy Kindergarten and from there continue obedience training through adulthood.
Owning a dog is a very large responsibility, one not to be taken lightly. But, it is more rewarding yet than any other experience I've had. These gentle giants will give you their hearts and souls, for only a little love and care. They are worth every minute you can spend with them!

Tattooing and Micro-chips
Tattooing is a permanent, painless procedure which allows dogs to "phone home" if lost and deters theft. It usually involves tattooing the inside of the rear leg with an ID number of some sort. Licensed laboratories are required by law to return any tattooed animals which come to them, so people who steal dogs for sale to experimental labs check for tattoos, and release dogs they have stolen allowing them to be recovered. The act of tattooing also puts the dogs under the "branded animal act" so that those caught with a tatooed animal they do not own are charged with a federal felony rather than a local misdemeanor.

There are many registries, but the two main National ones are ID Pet and National Dog Registry (NDR) both of which have been in business since the mid 1960's. ID Pet has a coded number. All tattoos begin with an X, then the agent's coded letters and then the next numerical number. NDR is based on the social security number of the owner though they now have other numbers by special arrangement. ID Pet charges $15 for an individual registration and $30 for a Permanent Lifetime Rate (PLR), NDR charges $38 for the registration of the social security number and all dogs get the same number.

Tattoo agents charge varying amounts for the tattoo application. Call 800-243-9147 for ID Pet or 800-NDR-DOGS for the authorized agent nearest you.
Consider tattooing to be an insurance policy. You hope you never need it, but it is priceless when your dog is missing.

Micro-chips are injected sub-dermally (under the skin) at the nape of the dogs neck. About the size of a grain of rice, these chips each transmit an unique number that when scanned by a vet, identifies the dog and the owner. Most Veterinary clinics and Animal shelters possess a scanner. Efforts are being made to universalize the scanners, so that one scanner can read a chip from any system. Please use one or both of these forms of ID to help protect your pet from loss, or use by a Laboratory. We use HomeAgain Microchips in our pets. Ask your veterinarian who they use!

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About the Author:
Hi, I'm Lyn Richards. I am a great believer in the grace, strength and loyalty of our wonderful breed The Great Dane.

A Graduate of UNH Durham, I have a Degree in Animal Science, with a Major in Light Horse (as opposed to Draft Horse). I trained and taught Hunt Seat for three years at Townsends Training Farm in Pembroke, NH and competed on the 3 Day Event Hunt Show Circuit with an emphasis on Dressage for 6 years.( While I realize that this is immaterial, I loved working with horses and credit my early education with those noble beasts for motivating my current work with dogs.)

I raised and trained German Shepherds for 6 years, and trained one Shepherd to CD readiness who unfortunately died before completing his CD. Also, I have trained at Gail Tamases Fisher's All Dog's Gym for the duration of several courses. I've 3 years experience training and teaching at The Center for Dog Management, Manchester, NH under the expert tutelage of Carole and David Baikow. I have attended Bernie Brown and Bobbie Crissey Obedience Training Seminars, and have Trained for TDI (Therapy Dogs International) at Dog Talk under Maureen Ross. As a TDI Certified Evaluator, I do temperament testing as part of my evaluations.

I have also trained obedience for a company called Animal Behavior and Training Associates, teaching at Petco locations in Manchester and Concord NH as the NH head Trainer. Most of my experience with Danes is credited to Linda Jacobson of Linhaven Great Danes, who is both knowledgeable and a great friend.

Most of my dogs have earned TDI and CGC certificates, and have completed American and Canadian CD titles. One of my Danes, "Billyn's Buddy Apollo" earned his AKC CD with 185, 195 and 191 scores consecutively, including a First and Second place finish for the last 2 legs in the US and a High in Trial in Canada, all before he was 2 years old.