How to decide if a Great Dane is the right dog for you, and how to pick the right one

The Great Dane is one of the world’s largest dogs, and with their tall stature, kind faces and gentle, friendly personalities, they are highly appealing to people who like large dogs! Many people aspire to owning a Great Dane as a pet, but not everyone is well equipped to take care of these canine giants!

While making the decision to own a dog is not a consideration to be undertaken lightly at any time, if you are considering buying a large breed such as a Great Dane, there are several further considerations to take into account too, as well as some challenges that smaller dogs do not have!

In this article, we will look at some of the considerations to bear in mind when deciding whether or not a Great Dane is the right choice of dog for you, plus how to pick the right Great Dane to suit your lifestyle. Read on to learn more!

Assessing your lifestyle and living situation

First of all, large dogs need plenty of space, and will not be comfortable in small, cramped rooms that are not easy for them to move around in. If your home is not reasonably large and spacious, considering a large dog like the Great Dane may not be a good idea.

If you have children, you will also have to assess whether a Great Dane is a good choice of dog to keep with them; Great Danes are almost always gentle, kind and loving with children, but due to their sheer physical size, they might run the risk of knocking smaller kids over! Also, you should ensure that your kids are of an age and temperament to respect and love the dog, and treat it correctly; and not try to ride the dog!

As big dogs, Great Danes are also expensive to keep. As well as needing more food than most other breeds, the larger the dog, the more costly many of their expenses will be, from veterinary care to insurance to flea treatments. Owning a Great Dane is not something that can be done on the cheap! You should also consider whether or not you will be able to walk your dog enough; Great Danes are not among the most excitable of dogs, but they are large and rangy with a long pace, and will need at least two walks of half an hour to an hour per day.

Like all pedigree breeds, Great Danes are potentially apt to inherit some genetic health problems, and may be more prone than other dogs to conditions including gastric torsion, hip dysplasia and health problems. Learn about these conditions before you make a purchase.

Finding the right Great Dane for you

If you are confident that a Great Dane is the right choice of dog for you, the next step is finding the perfect Great Dane!

Check out Great Dane classifieds ads to findbreeders and owners near to you, and then research more about the quality and types of dogs that they produce. When you have found a few potential breeders, get in touch with them for an informal chat to find out more about the types of dogs they keep, the standard of litters that they produce, and their general level of knowledge.

Let the breeders know about your own situation and what you are looking for in your future dog, and find out if they think they might have a puppy (or have a litter planned) that will be a good fit for you.

If everything looks good at this point, talk to the breeder in more depth about the process of buying a dog from them; is there a waiting list? What does the breeder need from you in order to permit you to buy a dog from them? When might they have a puppy available? And so on.

It is a good idea at this stage to arrange to visit a couple of breeders, and compare their level of knowledge and how you feel about their operation. The facilities should be clean and well maintained, and any dogs that are there should of course be happy, well, and clearly loved and well cared for.

You should also ask to see the breeding pair for any potential litter you are considering buying from, and spend a little time with the parent dogs to assess their personalities and temperaments. Also, find out if the breeder undertakes any health screenings on their dogs, and if they have test results available that demonstrate the breeder is doing everything they can to ensure their pups are healthy.

Once you have picked your favoured breeder, you may have to wait a while for the right litter to come along, and be prepared to join a waiting list! When the litter arrives, visit again and see the pups, and see if you find one that you would like to have from those available. Do not be afraid to back out at this point if you are not entirely happy with what is on offer.

Choices such as the colour and pattern markings on the pup are a matter of personal choice, but if you have your heart set on a certain colour, you may have to wait a while for one to become available! Don’t rush into any decision or purchase, and be prepared to take the time to wait until the perfect Great Dane for you becomes available.