Adding a Dane to my pack

Doggyluv

Doggyluv

Zooville Settler
It just been me and my girl for about 10 years now, a few years ago I realized I should get another dog before she gets too old. I did my research, found a awesome breeder and will be picking up a Dane puppy in the near future. Anyone here have any experience with Danes? I would love to hear your stories about your goofy giants. I have always been awestruck by Danes, I'm super happy to be finally adding this beautiful girl to my pack.

Also, I was lucky enough to find a breeder that understands how unethical altering is and is letting me keep her intact. So any advice there would be awesome as well because my current dog is fixed and i don't have much experience in that field.
 
It's great that you could find a breeder like that. I'm a fan of the breed and their personality too, but it is not very common here.
 
not to be a debbie downer, but i know a family that went through 3 danes over 10 years... that incredibly short lifespan and various possible health issues is what puts me off even considering getting a dane myself (even if it still is a magnificent breed). best of luck to you
 
nekdoneco123 said:
not to be a debbie downer, but i know a family that went through 3 danes over 10 years... that incredibly short lifespan and various possible health issues is what puts me off even considering getting a dane myself (even if it still is a magnificent breed). best of luck to you
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My grandmother used to consistently have Danes. She had one Dane live to 11. One lived to the age of 8. While the other two couldn't get past 7. One she rescued from a backyard breeder, he only lived to be 5 because he had a lot of health issues. The other boy, my grandmother bought from a high end breeder with AKC papers and everything. He only lived to be 6 years old.

After her last one only lived to 5, she just couldn't do it anymore. She just couldn't handle the heartbreak. She loves the breed, but just couldn't take it anymore.

I too would be hesitant to get a pure breed Dane, but I wouldn't mind a dane mix.
 
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FloofyNewfie said:
My grandmother used to have Danes all the time. She had one Dane live to 11. One lived to the age of 8. While the other two couldn't get past 7. One she rescued from a backyard breeder, he only lived to be 5 because he had a lot of health issues. The other boy, my grandmother bought from a high end breeder with AKC papers and everything. He only lived to be 6 years old.

After her last one only lived to 5, she just couldn't do it anymore. She just couldn't handle the heartbreak. She loves the breed, but just couldn't take it anymore.

I too would be hesitant to get a pure breed Dane, but I wouldn't mind a dane mix.
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Your experience matches mine - worked for an outfit for ~6-7 years, and during that time, the owners went through 4 danes - The first one they lost to "old age" at 9, maybe 6 months after I hired on. Another grew a lump that turned out to be a tumor, and after having it removed, it came back - in spades - and she got put down after the final chest x-rays the vet shot showed tumors scattered around so thick in her lungs that it looked like she'd taken about half a dozen loads of double-ought buckshot to the chest, and most of it was still stuck in her. She was 6 when they pulled the plug. The third made it to 4 before his hips went completely to shit and it was kinder to put him down than try to keep him going as he literally dragged himself around. The last one I know about before I was offered a better job and moved away spent a night out in the woods after a tree branch fell on the corner of his run and let him out, and when he came back the next day, SOMETHING was wrong that was never figured out, but whatever it was, he did nothing but get more and more lethargic over the course of about 2 months before he finally just didn't wake up one morning - He was 5.

Danes may be great big goofy lovebugs, but they're nothing that even approaches being long-lived. Much as I like 'em, I'd never have one, specifically for that reason.
 
Thanks everyone for your concern
nekdoneco123 said:
not to be a debbie downer, but i know a family that went through 3 danes over 10 years... that incredibly short lifespan and various possible health issues is what puts me off even considering getting a dane myself (even if it still is a magnificent breed). best of luck to you
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I'm am concerned about the common health issues and short life span of Danes as well but... I got my girl from a breeder that focuses on health and temperament rather than looks. I think it's hard to find a dane that lives long without many health issues due to back yard breeders, puppy mills and show breeders that only focus on looks. Hopefully all my research pays off and she lives a long long time with no issues
 
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Mine is 7 now, multiple health issues caused by mammary gland lumps and a tumorous lump in her reproductive region. She is slow learning, does not understand her size and thinks she is a lap dog. However she got sea paws as she does crossings on the ferry between the UK and NL, even in gale 9 storms with head winds. I love her to the point that when my wife threw a hissy fit i chose her, had a home lined up for my Dane and me in Holland with a job and home in a year in Hungary.
 
My Dane is pushing 8 now, still loves cuddles and will follow you around even though you can see she has problems with her back leg. They are so very loyal!
 
I must say that you made a wonderful choice. I have no direct experience as a owner of Danes but they are my favourite dog breed ❤ , the ones I met were always very equilibrate and sweet giants and I bet they are great cuddlers too.
Dogs are not toys, so, you shouldn't evalute just how much they 'will last', because it doesn't matter if they live 5 or 20 years, it will never be enough...
Smee said:
she lasts 5 years longer than the last Golden retriever we had. he lasted 2 years before a brain tumour took him out.
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Sorry to hear of your loss ?
Yeah, one can make all the calculations he wants, but life is so unpredictable and you don't expect these tragedies can happen to you, so you must bless every moment you are given to spend with your loved ones...
 
Disanima said:
Dogs are not toys, so, you shouldn't evalute just how much they 'will last', because it doesn't matter if they live 5 or 20 years, it will never be enough...
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Like i understand the sentiment here, but I feel that bringing up concerns about the lifespan of specific breeds is not reducing them down to a "toy"
 
Not a toy, family member. when she needed protection i did the fighting, when i needed comfort after my dad dying she was there... with her last operation (mammary tumours) the insurance said no after the opp so only she ate good whilst my wife and me ate trash. my Dane is a old woman now as she is 7, wish i could keep her another 30.
 
catdoggo said:
Like i understand the sentiment here, but I feel that bringing up concerns about the lifespan of specific breeds is not reducing them down to a "toy"
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Well, that's my opinion. If you don't choose a dog only because it will "probably last till at max 6-8 years" you are simply evaluating it like if you are choosing a washing machine or something like that...
 
Disanima said:
Well, that's my opinion. If you don't choose a dog only because it will "probably last till at max 6-8 years" you are simply evaluating it like if you are choosing a washing machine or something like that...
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im looking at it more like "I will only get to share X many years with a creature i will love more than anything else, and im not ready for heartbreak that quickly"
 
I understand your point. It's not that I can't understand the heartbreaking part and that not all are ready to the consequences of living with an animal with a shorter (let's say) expectance of life, but it's the form when someone writes "they will last" that upsets me. There lies the objectification of the animal. I can't explain it better than this, sorry :confused:
 
No that makes plenty of sense. its easy to understand the objection to the word choice
 
Disanima said:
I understand your point. It's not that I can't understand the heartbreaking part and that not all are ready to the consequences of living with an animal with a shorter (let's say) expectance of life, but it's the form when someone writes "they will last" that upsets me. There lies the objectification of the animal. I can't explain it better than this, sorry :confused:
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dunno if you ment me (i did brought up the short lifespan first)... might seem like an objectification, but it's not. i felt like pointing it out, mainly because as someone who at only 30 years old already buried one lover (and it still hurts) i tend to specifically overlook breeds known for having a very short lifespan, i'd rather have another episode of crippling depression later than sooner... sorry if it looks like i'm comparing them to kitchen appliances, didn't even occur to me that it might look like that to someone.
 
Well, it was more a general complaint. You are not the only one who said that(and you surely are not the last one who will say that xD). In any case I won't bother anymore on this point, it was just my opinion.
 
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