Adopting a Dog: What to Expect from a Great Dane

From the moment I laid eyes on her, I wanted to take her home. A beautiful huge horse of a dog at the animal shelter. She was pure black with the faintest streak of white down the center of her neck. She looked at me with her pleading drooping eyes and I was sold. Only one problem--I knew nothing about Great Danes, but I was soon to find out.

If you are considering a Dane for a pet, do some research--what you find might surprise you. As soon as I adopted Lucy, my Great Dane/Black Lab Mix, I knew I was in for a treat.

First, Great Danes have to be one of the laziest breeds of dogs. They are characteristically known to be prone to do nothing for hours on end. Lucy doesn't like to fetch nor does she like to be out in the yard for long periods of time. She is simply content to lay in whatever space of the house that she can find. Because of this trait, Danes actually make excellent apartment dogs. They only need to be walked several times a day and will be content. They don't need a huge backyard to roam around in. The only drawback is that some apartments will not allow for the weight size.

Next, I learned that Great Danes are very loyal and very loving. Lucy follows me everywhere and once she knows I will be stationary for a while she plops down and sleeps.

She's a "leaner"--she loves to sit at your feet and lean her entire massive weight on you. She will repeatedly use her nose to nudge your hands to pet her as much as she thinks you should.

Most Great Danes, because of their laid back attitude, are good with children. But as with many pets, each dog has its own distinct temperament and never assume that your dog will immediately take to your child. Have a supervised "trial run" to ensure that it will get along with any child in the house. Same if you have other pets in the house. Most pounds and sellers will let you introduce your other pets to a new dog. Always take advantage of this opportunity.

Thirdly, consider the weight and size of a Great Dane if you are thinking of acquiring one. At the pound, Lucy seemed big. But when I brought her home, she seemed even bigger. Danes are known to be large, massive dogs. Right now, a Great Dane holds the Guinness World Record as being the tallest dog ever. By standing on its hind legs, it measure over seven feet tall!

If you are worried about the cost of feeding a Dane, don't be alarmed--it is not all that bad. Danes average about four to eight cups of food a day. They are typically not finicky eaters, but always consult your vet as to which brand of food will best suit your new pet.

Lastly, every dog has its drawbacks. If you don't like dog hair all over your house, don't get a Dane. Lucy sheds huge amounts of hair twice a year. With wood floors in my home, I will sweep one day and during shedding season, I will have to sweep again the next day. Great Danes usually shed in the early spring and then once again in the early fall. Trust me, there will be dog hair everywhere. Keep in mind, however, that all dogs are different and some Danes do not shed as much as others.

One other drawback that also varies with each individual dog is how much they drool. Lucy has a tendency to take large gulps of water and hold part of it in her deep jowls and then come over and dispense water all over the new clothes you just put on. It can get tedious finding constant wet spots all over the house but patience and love can get you past that. With age, most Danes seem to outgrow this habit.

If you are thinking about having a Great Dane for a pet, I would strongly recommend it. Danes are big beautiful dogs--just make sure you are prepared for what they have to offer and make sure that you can offer them what they need in return.