Are Cheap Great Dane Puppies Worth the Risk?

[chefshawna]

I am looking into getting a Great Dane and wondered if anyone on here has one? My husband's hours are getting changed to 8pm-4am:yuck: and I do not want to be home all night with just me and the kids, so I told him it was either a dog or a boyfriend! LOL He went for the dog.
We're not interested in showing it. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to pick a legit breeder? I have talked to a couple and have found pups for as low as 200, which is really cheap compared to most. I just wonder if this is too cheap?
Any thoughts??
Thanks

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Not since Ron graduated from Wisconsin.

He plays for Houston now.

 

[chefshawna]

Oh, you mean the Heisman trophy winner gone bust.

 

[cmdtrgd]

What drew you to a Great Dane? I love the breed, but they are like lap dogs, not attack dogs. Not that you would want an attack dog, but I would prefer one who would protect me if I were in your situation.

 

[chefshawna]

Because I have three young children and just want the intimidation factor!!!!!lol

 

[PamperChefCarol]

Don't have a great dane, but have a 125 lb golden retriever, Enzo. One of his good friends at the puppy park is a Great Dane. Enzo's the only dog who will play with him!! Enzo is tall, he can perch his head on the dining room table and ask, "hey, you gonna eat that?" Can't tell you much about the breed, but the dog at the park is nice.

We have gotten our last two goldens through the Golden Retriever Rescue. They have all goldens, all ages, in fact we lucked out and got Enzo as a puppy. We know his who his parents were, in fact even have papers dating back to 1900 for both Mom and Dad, which is sort of cool Check to see if there is a rescue group in your state or area. The good thing about rescues is that they want to make sure you are happy with the dog, so they tell you everything they know about the dog upfront. Plus, most have dogs of all ages, sizes, etc. You could get one a year old, and he would be house broken and maybe even slightly trained. This is HUGE, esp when it comes to a big dog. Keep in mind, they leave BIG presents around!

Good luck and keep us posted. You can check out Mr Enzo in my picture.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Oh, you mean the Heisman trophy winner gone bust.

A little bitter, are we?

 

[pamperedposey]

I think that is the way to go. Great Dane's are a fabulous breed. Wonderful family dogs, but big enough (and scary enough bark) to keep intruders away. We have a boxer and she acts like a mother to my DD. She is very protective. She too is a big lap dog, but very intimidating looking to those who don't know her. Little do they know she just wants to give tons of kisses!:love:

Be careful though. You do get what you pay for! Great Danes are known to have lots of hip issues and if they come from a bad breeder that is going to be that much more likely. Make sure you can get a legit family history at least a few generations back. I definitely agree that you need to go to a breeder and not a pet store. Get referrals!

 

[PCJenni]

get a rescue dog... they are full of love. Did you see Oprah today? If not see her website.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

get a rescue dog... they are full of love. Did you see Oprah today? If not see her website.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/39/Twodogswithmonk.jpg

 

[RebelChef]

My best friend has Danes and used to breed them. They're great dogs and good with kids. Hers hated to have dirty feet so they'd drink all the water they could from their dishes and then dip their feet in to wash them. lol They also love popsicles after a walk. I think they're slightly spoiled. Definitely find a good breeder with papers.

 

[lacychef]

Aww, this brings back memories of when I was little; my mom had a great dane. Good dog:thumbup: His idea of playing was stealing toys out of my room & then I'd chase him around the house trying to get them, lol! You're right about the intimidation factor though....whenever we'd have company he'd rush out to the cars. Of course he was just greeting them; but people that didn't know him were nervous at first, just for his size.
Of course the other kind of dog my dad always had was a lab; wonderful dogs as well!

 

[chefjeanine]

Rescue groups can be a good source but if you want a puppy, check with your vet. You want to be sure your puppy is not from a puppy mill. You want breeders that are concerned about bringing healthy and well adjusted puppies into the world. Your vet can help you find those people.

Great Danes have wonderful personalities.

Jilly Sue has a Great Dane. Perhaps she'll pop up in this conversation.

 

[ChefTess]

My SIL had a Great Dane, she really liked the breed. He did have hip problems, I guess it is one of the issues with a larger breed dog. I had a Rat Terrier, they are great with kids and bark when anyone comes near your house. Not exactly a "guard dog", but a nice breed.

Here is a site about Great Danes
Great Dane Information and Pictures, Great Danes

 

[ChefJoyJ]

I think that is the way to go. Great Dane's are a fabulous breed. Wonderful family dogs, but big enough (and scary enough bark) to keep intruders away. We have a boxer and she acts like a mother to my DD. She is very protective. She too is a big lap dog, but very intimidating looking to those who don't know her. Little do they know she just wants to give tons of kisses! :love:

Be careful though. You do get what you pay for! Great Danes are known to have lots of hip issues and if they come from a bad breeder that is going to be that much more likely. Make sure you can get a legit family history at least a few generations back. I definitely agree that you need to go to a breeder and not a pet store. Get referrals!

I was going to say that I also have a boxer and she is fantastic with my almost 1 year old daughter (she'll be 1 in 2 days! ) Emily will crawl all over her, pat her (ie, pet her), play in her food while she's eating, take her toys, play with her face, and in general has a great time (for a 1 year old) with our boxer, and Layne (the boxer) takes it all in stride. She keeps an eye on her, is so super gentle around her (has been since the day we brought DD home), plays with her, checks on her when she's crying, and I know would be protective of her if necessary.

She is a great family dog. So much fun, definitely a character that has us laughing all the time. If you're looking for a dog that is great with kids and will keep you safe at night, I'd personally look at boxers. If you aren't familiar with the breed, you might be intimidated (b/c of their looks), but they are just giant marshmallow (full of love, wiggle butts, and kisses) - especially for their family.

I have no doubt that she'd protect us, if necessary, but boxers as a breed (if they come from a reputable breeder) are not an aggressive breed. Great family dogs, they accept pokes and prods from little ones with stoicism, and are bright, energetic, and playful. They do need exercise and attention, but will reward that ten fold with the love and devotion to you and your family.

Can you tell I love my boxer??? :love:

 

[Tropicalburstqt2]

We just lost our Great Dane of 8 years to CHF. Great Danes are WONDERFUL pets!! We LOVE them and are planning to get another one this Summer from a very reputable breeder in Atlanta. This will be our 4th Great Dane. His name was Jay and he was the class clown. When we had him, we had 3 other dogs at the time, 2 dobermans & a lab. Him and the lab were like best buds. The lab would walk under him every where he went. I think he declined in health after we put our lab to sleep (she was 17). He also NEVER ate from the table or ever hurt anyone.

The are also VERY protective, but not aggressive. When my boyfriend (Dan) was all geared up to ride his dirtbike and walking toward Jay & Dan's Dad, Jay's hair stood on and he was ready to go after Dan, but as soon as Dan started talking Jay's tail started wagging and was as friendly as could be. He was just trying to protect Dan's Dad.

When he was a puppy, he grew SOOO fast!! He would "cry" at night because of his growing pains, so we'd give him a baby asprin. If you want the name of the breeder in Atlanta or more info on Great Danes, PM me.

Best of Luck on your Dog Hunt!!