[O_Troubles]

I love great danes!! I have and always will love them. In general I love big dogs! My question is though if I were to get a great dane what's my cost looking at what are some of the problems that are spefic to great danes behaviour and health wise (ex. Yorkies have hip problems) also I really want to get a specific looking great dane pure, black with mabey white paws or kind of like a white spot on the face.(cropped tail and ears so there pointy not floppy what does it cost to crop?) is that hard to find? I live in winnipeg MB canada.

[Lil_Red_Hatchetman]

Great Danes are just that.. . Great. They may be very large in size and personality,but they are the laziest dogs. They actually adapt very well to apartments. They don't need a huge yard to make use of their long legs. Just be prepared to find them either "folded" up in a ball on the sofa, or flat on their backs with one front leg sticking straight up in the air, once again on the sofa.

[O_Troubles]

So do they have any like problems in there breed? Or is there anything special they need? And what do they cost ?

[Lil_Red_Hatchetman]

I believe (not sure) that in the US a Board licensed Vet. Cannot do the "cropping" procedure. I definitely know that most Vets would refuse anyhow. It is purely a cosmetic procedure. Not to mention the undeserved trauma inflicted upon the poor pup. Although the AKC still reconizes the procedure it is still considered by most to be inhumane. Breed standard acknowledges either way.

And why "dock" the tail? Its not a Rottweiler or a Weimeriener

As for color blue Danes and black Danes (the dark ones with the white toes) tend to be homebodies. Happiest when they are with their own family in their own yard. Typically the most shy as well, therefore more likely to fear-bite a stranger. Not the well suited for those with busy social-lives.

Hope this helps.

[O_Troubles]

Yeah a bit thanks still looking to find out what a puppy costs

[Lil_Red_Hatchetman]

I recommend checking out your local rescues or shelters. Unless you are planning on dedicating your life to having a "Show" dog for competitions I strongly suggest the Shelters/Rescues. Finding a reputable (key word) and trustworthy breeder can be very time consuming and costly. Easily costing over $1,000 (US dollars) compared to maybe a couple hundred, at a shelter or rescue, (most are non-profit).

I urge you to Not buy a dog from a commercial pet store, like at a mall, unless it was part of a dog rescue's adoption event.
You will feel much better about your decision.

[labman]

Go to American Kennel Club - akc.org and find their page on Great Danes. If it doesn't have anything on specific health problem, it should have links to Great Dane specific sites. The CKC may have info too. One of the best sources for dogs with a predictable personality is the rescue dogs. These are dogs that lost their home, but were taken into a foster home
To be retrained as necessary and placed in the right home for them. You may
Find a rescue near you starting at American Kennel Club - Breed Rescue dog dogs puppy puppies The rescues charge a fee to help cover their expenses, but is much less than the price of a puppy plus all its medical expenses the first year. I don't know if AKC includes rescues in Canada or not.

I would also check for more examples before accepting that Great Danes are couch potatoes. I admit I don't know that many, but the few I know, aren't. Dogs vary widely within a breed and even within a litter.

[RubyPitbull]

Great Danes are wonderful, wonderful dogs but they are plagued with medical problems due as a result of years of poor breeding practices. Here is information taken from one of the web sites I use for information. This is a direct quote from Dog Breed Information Center®, DBI :

"Not a long lived breed. Be careful to buy from a conscientious breeder, as some very poor specimens are being sold to the unsuspecting public. Beware of hip dysplasia; buy only from OFA certified stock. Also prone to bloat, tumors, heart disease, and tail injuries. Do not jog with this dog until it is at least one year old."

Here is a direct link to the webpage that will give you additional info on the GD:
Great Dane Information and Pictures, Great Danes

Here is a link to all the rescues & shelters in Manitoba. Scroll down through the list, there are at least a couple in Winnipeg.Manitoba Dog Rescue Organizations and Shelters

[helpneeded24]

Great Danes are wonderful. I would recommend them to anyone. My females are more active than my male. My male loves to go places, even basketball and football games. But all of them love to lay around the house. We also have chihuahuas and the danes have never been a problem with them. In fact it's the chihuahuas that pick on them. As with any animal make sure you socialize them well as pups.
As far as price, please go to a reputable breeder, not a pet store. See the parents, check out their temperments. Check your local shelters, too. Danes can run anywhere from a few hundred to thousands, depending on registration, bloodlines, and location.
Danes, like a lot of breeds, are known for hip problems, ask about family history. It is very important that you feed them a puppyfood formulated for large breed dogs, or even an adult dogfood. Regular puppyfoods can cause them to grow to fast and the bones to be soft. Please do not let them get obese as this can cause problems too.
Concerning ear cropping, we had our first two done. Our female they said they weren't sure if it would turn out because she was 16 weeks old. Her's are perfect, it cost about $275.. Our male we had done at 10 weeks old, which is supposed to be the best age, and his was a nightmare. Over $600. and 5 months of taping, and still not right. The same vet did both dogs. I love the ways the danes look with their ears cropped, intelligent and regal, but we will never do it again. Our other female, looks like a big clown, but she's still great.
Hope this helps.