Getting a Puppy!

[JaniceZ]

My fiance and I have decided to get a puppy/dog for Christmas. I have always wanted a dog put chose to spend my money on horses instead.

The dog would be living with me until we get married in September.

I have noticed a lot of people trying to re-home older dogs (2+ years old for example). Is this a good option for me since I have never had a dog before? Or should I stay away from them and assume they have issues since someone is trying to get rid of them?

I am leaning towards a Great Dane because I want a lower energy breed since we are in a city, and my fiance wants a 'manly' dog

Is a Great Dane a good choice for us? I have been doing a lot of research on different breeds, and Great Danes seem to fit our needs, but I would love to hear from someone who actually has had one.

Any other suggestions and advice is welcome!

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

Do for sure look at adult dogs. Many times they are looking for a new home because the owners just never thought about how big that cute little puppy was going to be or they just aren't as cute anymore or the owner has lost interest in them for one reason or another. I have adopted adult dogs and they were the very easy to fit into our home. Wonderful dogs and there was no need to go thro house training or teething either. With the grown dog you can see what you are getting right away. Puppies demand alot of attention and I can't stress enough to people that you will get back what you put into a pup. If you can make him/her part of every moment of your day( they are just a baby) they will learn quickly what is expected of them. If you must leave them alone for hours every day they will find their own ways to fill their time and like a young child what they can imagine up to have fun might not suit you very well.

As far as breed choice there are a number of breeds big and not so big that might suit you. It is up to you to decide how big you want to go. What size will not be in the way all the time in your home? There are plenty to choose from some not so big that are still 'manly'. If you do choose an adult dog you can base your decision on the individual rather than breed characteristics too. My best advice is narrow it down to a few breeds you like and then begin researching those breeds. Find out all the negatives you can about them. Better yet visit a breeder and actually meet the breed you are considering. Then you should be able to narrow down the choices to finally find your perfect new addition. Good luck, getting a pet is exciting but it is also a lot of responsibility. Let us know when you finally choose and share pictures

 

[Katiean]

I had a great dane for about a month. You do have to take into account just how BIG they get. Zuse was an adult when I got him. He was well mannered. But, when he layed out in my living room I could not walk around him because he took up the whole room. He was not good with cats until I took him to my moms and he snatched up my moms persian cat. With blood dripping from his mouth he let go of the cat. When we caught the cat there was nothing wrong with the cat. The dog had gotten his mouth scratched to heck. He didn't touch a cat after that. The worst thing he did was if I left he would bark non-stop. My landlord made me re-home him or re-home myself. I re-homed the dog.

 

[anoki]

If you are still unsure of what breed, head to a CKC show. There are several coming up here in Ontario....not sure where exactly you are located, but I can help you find a show local to you. There is usually a show every weekend with many in the Toronto area, but Welland, Tillsonburg, Lindsay are all ones that are coming up soon. Pm me if you'd like more info.

You could look into Breed Rescue as well. Here are 2 Great Dane links that say they have 'bases' in Ontario.

http://www.danesindistress.com/index.php

http://www.greatdanerescueinc.com/

I would personally go through a breed rescue, or contact a breeder to see if they have any older puppies to place, rather than answering an ad off the internet. Not saying you can't find a good dog by answering an ad, but breed rescues will know if the dog(s) they have available will be a good match to help avoid any issues you might be concerned about. And breeders *should* be able to help in this way too. These people should be willing to be there if you have any questions AFTER you get the dog as well!

Good luck with your search!

~kathryn

 

[Jill]

There's a member here who has a lot of experience with Great Danes. Rachel... I think her LB name is like Six Danes. She may be a good source of insight!

Getting a new puppy or dog is the best! I look forward to seeing and hearing about the dog or puppy you decide to give a home to!

 

[Magic]

I have a Great Dane, she's getting older now and is on prescription medicines to manage her arthritis. My Dane is the best dog I've ever had, but she's also the most expensive dog I've ever had. Great Danes are SO big, and everything they require costs more. More dog food, bigger treats and bones, larger dog beds, and more expense for vet meds, like heartworm meds, because they are prescribed by weight, as are her arthritis medicines. Those meds and the glucosamine/chondroitin alone cost us over $400 a month. Boarding them when you go on vacations costs more than for smaller dogs. I won't even board mine anymore, I get a housesitter. Danes are a low-energy breed, but they still need daily exercise. As others have said, they are also HUGE. If you have a small place, your dog literally won't fit into your life. When your dog is stretched out sleeping you need to be able to walk around them. If you let them on the furniture they may take up ALL the space on it, leaving you none. Danes need excellent training because of their size, they can eat off of the table and kitchen counters if they want to. I've had dogs all of my life, but I actually hired a professional dog trainer to come coach me and my family on training for our Dane. She was great with me, but she didn't have a lot of respect for the children, they were more like littermates until the trainer. I don't know that I would recommend a Great Dane as a first dog; they're great, but they are MORE, in every way. Even your vehicle needs to be large enough to hold your dog. There are smaller dogs that are still "manly", and not as expensive to keep or as difficult to house. An adult dog is a good choice, but whichever type or age of dog you do decide on, please be sure to make a commitment to your dog and don't give up on them. Accidents happen, things get chewed on, messes get made, it's like having a child and one needs patience and a sense of humor to deal with them. There are ups and downs, but having a dog or dogs in one's life is well worth it.

 

[StacyRz]

Congratulations. And GOOD FOR YOU for considering an adult dog. I agree with everyone who said that not all adult dogs are rehomed for sinister reasons. Sorry I couldn't think of a better word

There are several Great Dane rescues and you can probably find exactly what you're looking for, right down to temperament and color.

Just remember if you do get an adult to give it some time to get used to your, it's new home and new rules. It may try to test you and do things it's "never done before."

Good luck in your search! Great Dane owners can really open your eyes to the breed!

stacy

 

[shorthorsemom]

Danes are awesome, alot of dog. My sister in law had them for many years. Her last one was kind of humbling, he turned on the stove and almost burnt the house down and he could reach things on the counter. She refused to use a crate. I remember laughing when one day while they were at work... he ate a whole bowl of jolly rancher candies... barfed them in the living room, ate all the grease out of a "fry daddy" and barfed it on the sofa, ate a whole pack of address labels and barfed them on the hardwood floor and then finished with turning on the stove. GEEZ... she finally got a crate. Large puppy loose in house equals destruction.

Short life span is the biggest drawback of the dane, sigh, they break your heart, I love the breed, especially when they have natural ears. I also wouldn't describe them all as laid back.

Another cool big "guy cool" kind of dog would be a greyhound. Ultimate couch potato but cool enough for guys. They are wonderful, my friend brings dogs up from Florida for a local rescue group. If I didn't have a housefull of little furry silly dogs that look like bait, I would have a greyhound.

good luck!

I say pick the dog, not the breed. About a week after I told somebody I could never live with a hound.. somebody abandoned a basset hound on our farm. my whole family is in love.

Who would have thought. I used to be a dog snob and only had dobermans.... Now I have a collie, a tibetan spaniel, three chinese cresteds and a basset hound. Go figure..

 

[Chelley]

My sister had a great dane...super neat BIG dog with a LOT of energy. He required a lot of attention and when they were gone he chewed a hole through the sheetrock of one of their bedrooms-you could see daylight!!!! And it took him no time to do! Her neat freak husband about came unglued and they had to rehome him to a nice country home with some kids where he could burn up all that energy. He is the only one I have ever been around, so not sure if this was just unique to him and his personality or if it is the breed, but I definitely would not consider them an apartment-type dog, unless you are home a lot and have plenty of time to entertain him. However, we love dogs-have 3 outside dogs- and I hope you find the perfect one for your family. Happy hunting!!

 

[StacyRz]

Shorthorsemom.. You know I immediately thought of greyhounds too!!! AWESOME breed!

 

[sfmini]

Does it have to be a purebred dog? Or even if you want a pure bred, don't forget the animal shelters. There are some wonderful dogs in shelters through no fault of their own.

My second choice would be a rescue dog. The dogs are fostered long enough that the foster parents know the personality of the dogs and what kind of home would be best.

Adult dogs are great, someone else already went through the house training and the puppy destruction phases and the dog is ready for you to enjoy.

I do suggest finding a dog training class, like a six to eight week basic obedience class. That way you would have someone who will work with you and the dog and give you advice and it is a great way to develop a good relationship with the dog.

 

[shorthorsemom]

Does it have to be a purebred dog? Or even if you want a pure bred, don't forget the animal shelters. There are some wonderful dogs in shelters through no fault of their own.

My second choice would be a rescue dog. The dogs are fostered long enough that the foster parents know the personality of the dogs and what kind of home would be best.

Adult dogs are great, someone else already went through the house training and the puppy destruction phases and the dog is ready for you to enjoy.

I do suggest finding a dog training class, like a six to eight week basic obedience class. That way you would have someone who will work with you and the dog and give you advice and it is a great way to develop a good relationship with the dog.

Ditto obedience classes, great advice. It should be required to own a dog because most dogs abandoned are because of basic obedience. Fostered dogs are GREAT. The foster folks give so much and can tell you so much about the dog, they don't want the dog to bounce back so they are careful to have total disclosure. You can show mixed breed dogs in obedience and agility if you so desire. Greyhounds make good first dogs, they typically are very social, crate trained... Sweet. Hopefully if you work all day you will hire a dog walker to get your dog out during the day. Very sad when folks think a dog can stay in a crate all day and be a well behaved apartment or "lay by the fireside" dog when they get home. Do a bunch of reading, visit a local dog school, check out pet rescue. You can check out petfinder.com and type in your zip code and browse the dog listings. There are so many dogs out there. I will probably never get a puppy ever again. All my dogs were adults when I got them and are terrific. I got my tibbie at 6-7 years old, my basset that showed up is probably about 4. Very hard to know how a puppy will turn out like if you pick when they are babies. Many terrific dogs right now out there. People have lost jobs and homes and are giving their dogs up. It is very sad, but you can make somebody very happy adopting their beloved dog they have to give up. Go slow and pick carefully and you might just find the dog of your dreams out there.

PS, on obedience training... I swear greyhounds don't sit. LOL, The most important thing is socialization.

 

[Charlene]

i have had danes for several years now, all from rescue. i just recently lost my senior girl, adopted her at age 7 and she made it to 10 before arthritis took over. i have 2 other danes, both adopted at age 4ish.

if i understand correctly, this would be your first dog? if that's the case, i'm not at all sure a great dane is the breed for you. i haven't read all of the replies so forgive me if i'm repeating someone's advice but dane puppies can be EXTREMELY difficult for someone's "first" pup. where a small breed puppy might eat a HOLE in your couch, a dane puppy will eat the WHOLE couch. lacking enough exercise, a dane puppy will be extremely destructive just because of their size. also, when your dane pup reaches the age of about 7 or 8 months, just when you think he is the most perfectly trained dog on the planet, the "teenage" years kick in and he forgets absolutely everything he has EVER been taught and for the next few months, you will be pulling your hair out. remember...things that are cute for a 40# puppy to do will NOT be so amusing when that dog is 150#!

danes can be EXTREMELY expensive. everything (food/toys/vet bills especially) will be a LOT more expensive than with a smaller breed. any puppy/dog is a lifetime commitment. do your research, talk to breeders (GOOD breeders, not just somebody who has a female dane and wants to experience the miracle of birth or someone who thinks they can make lots of $$$ by throwing a couple of intact danes together)...read everything you can and talk to as many GOOD breeders as you can. i can't emphasize this enough. there are SO many "back yard breeders" out there and danes can be subject to a LOT of genetic problems which, if you buy from a not-so-reputable breeder, you WILL experience somewhere along the line. not only health problems but also inherited behavior problems. there are so many danes in rescue because somebody brought home a cute puppy and didn't realize it would GET THAT BIG (not saying that is you, just saying it happens frequently)...if there is a rescue near you, contact them and see what's available, if you have your heart set on a dane. i would strongly advise against getting a dane puppy as your first dog but perhaps an older, adult dog might fit your bill.

do you have room in your place for a ginormous crate? because if you get a dane puppy, you WILL need a crate the size of manhattan!

getting ANY puppy or adopting ANY dog from rescue or a shelter should be something that you think about and re-think about many times before you take the plunge but getting a dane pup or even a rescue dane should be something you think about 10 times longer.

 

[sfmini]

Well said Charlene, If you are going the purebred dog route, this is not the time to get the less expensive puppy from a backyard breeder. Buy from an established breeder who does genetic and xray screening of their breeding dogs, is up front and honest, and will actually be screening you as well to make sure the placement is the right one. A good, ethical breeder will insist on a contract stating that if any time you cannot keep your dog that you are to return the dog to them.

Study the breeds, know going in what the possible genetic problems are so you know what screenings you will be looking for by the breeder. If anyone EVER tells you their breed or even their dogs don't need any screening RUN. Understand that really large dogs have a shorter life span.

Understand the basic personality of the breeds so you know what you are getting into. I have been involved with Corgi rescue for more years than I care to count and the list of reasons for surrendering dogs is truly amazing.

Getting a divorce.

Getting married and the new spouse doesn't like dogs (lose the spouse to be!!)

Moving to a place that doesn't allow dogs.

Chases the kids and nips their heels. Duh, Corgis are herding dogs.

Barks too much. Yep, that's a corgi.

Sheds too much. Yes, I tell people they shed year round and blow their coat at least twice a year. That is a lot of hair.

Had a baby.

Bought a new puppy and the older dog doesn't like it so the older dog has to go.

One person bred a litter thinking show people would just love them because of their pretty blue eyes and all of the flashy white on their bodies. Um, that is a mismark in Pembroke Corgis, major flaw, plus they are pet quality dogs anyway. That person showed up at our place with the puppy in the back seat with the kids (I named him Oscar De La Puppy) and the sire of the puppy was in a crate in the trunk of the car in a panic, bloody nose, just a mess. It was all I could do to not chase the butt off the farm with my .38! The sire had never been in a house so spent a long time in his foster home getting housetrained and basic obedience training.

One came because she hated men. We really tried hard to fix that but she just couldn't help herself. She would try to make up with Pete but then just flip out and attack. We couldn't adopt out a dog like that, the liability was too great so we had the awful job of taking Jingles to be put down.

One snapped at a kid out of the blue. When we got her, we found a huge bruise on her side that was very painful so likely the kid who was petting her petted the bruise and she snapped from pain. Once that was healed, she was just a wonderful dog.

The good news is, all of the dogs found good second homes except for poor Jingles.

Rescue fostering is hard, you have to get attached to your charges to take good care of them, then give them up to someone else. They have to move on so you have room for the next dog that needs your help.

 

[chandab]

Wow, this has been a very interesting thread. Lots of good advice on getting a dog, any breed and whether its your first or 10th; still lots of good information. Thank you all for sharing and while I'm not personally looking for a dog right now, this is information to save and look at often if you are thinking of getting a dog.

 

[JaniceZ]

wow very informative! Thanks everyone for the honest advice! After reading them all I don't think a Great Dane would be good for us, because this will be my first dog, and I will more than likely be living in an apartment at some point in the next few years. I am prepared to spend lots of time going for walks and exercising whatever dog we end up with.

When you talk about rescue dogs do you just mean dogs from the shelter? Or are their dog rescues like their are horse rescues?

Thanks for all the advice! I need as much as I can get!

ETA: It does not have to be pure breed. Personality is much more important to me!

 

[Ashley]

Question for those who have Danes. It will be years before we get another dog, we said no more until the 3 we have all pass. That said a Dane is one that I always wanted. I know how big they get as I have seen several, and have plenty of room for it. What I dont know is how much do they eat?

 

[chandab]

When you talk about rescue dogs do you just mean dogs from the shelter? Or are their dog rescues like their are horse rescues?

yes, there are rescues for dogs much like those for horses, and there are also breed specific rescues around the country. Even shelters can be a good place to find a dog, just do your homework, as sometimes those in shelters do have issues (many of those issues are caused by be confined to the kennels at the shelter and not getting enough socialization, so many turn-around quickly once out of the shelter).

 

[Magic]

My Dane doesn't eat a lot for her size (A lean 153 pounds and 34" tall); she used to eat six cups of a premium dog food (Blue Buffalo) a day. Now that she's 11 1/2 years old with arthritis and on meds she's even pickier than she used to be so I cook chicken for her and give her half chicken and half kibble, with broth mixed in. The chicken is actually cheaper per pound than the kibble.

Excellent points about Danes not living very long. Mine is actually living longer than I'd expected, which I am extremely thankful for. She's been very healthy too, except for the point where I almost lost her at two years old, it ended up being an immune deficiency, thousands of dollars of tests later. Even at this point her blood levels are great, her vet is very impressed.

And yes, younger dogs will chew, and big dogs chew BIG. Hole in the wall, been there.

We used our laundry room as her "crate" when she was younger and though she had numerous bones and chew toys, if she got bored anything else was fair game. We were lucky that she didn't chew on many things that she wasn't supposed to, but when she did you definitely knew it, lol!

 

[shorthorsemom]

On how much a dog eats.. depends on the dog. I feed depending on their weight not what it says on the bag. Energy level and exercise will often determine how much they eat and neutered dogs require less calories than intact dogs.

Big dogs cost more than little dogs in more ways than food. Take antibiotics for example... Your small dog may need a course of antibiotics and it will set you back $50 . A dane on the same antibiotic may cost $250 or more. Heartworm meds are more money for big dogs, frontline price goes up the larger the dog etc......

To find your local rescues. Go to Petfinder.com and type in your zip code. Local rescue groups post on petfinder. you can find websites and information about local breed rescues. Petfinder is a good directional pointer. I personally prefer dogs that are in foster homes to shelters, but that is not to say you can't find a terrific dog in a SPCA shelter either... I just mean that foster homes will have tested the dog and know a bit more about what you are getting than picking a cute looking dog in a kennel run.

I stand by my belief that you should pick the dog, not the breed and if this is your first dog... I highly recommend get a trained adult or at least a young dog well past the cry all night puppy stage. You can also call breeders to see if they have any (for lack of a better word) "breeder leftovers" Breeders typically hang onto puppies until they teethe to see what the bite is going to be like and see what the adult coat is going to be like... When they make their show picks they may have very social young dogs that walk well on a leash, are crate trained... but are pet quality. My collie is one of those dogs. She didn't get enough of a show coat. For the price of the spay, the breeder gave her to me. She is 8 years old now, she came to me at 8 months of age. Awesome dog of my dreams.

You can write me any time if you want to ask specific questions. I have been training dogs for 35 years in obedience. I am endorced by NADOI and taught classes and did private lessons. When I retire from my job I will probably start teaching again. There is a need for trainers to help people such as you with their dogs.

And lastly. KUDOS to you for doing research, asking questions and going slowly rather than going out to a pet shop, buying a cute dog and suffering as so many people do.