Hi Again, I have now registered, and I am still looking for some advice.
We want to get a great dane puppy around August time but we already have a golden retriever who is 6.5 years old (male). Does anybody think this is a bad idea, I don't want my golden to feel threatened by the size of the dane! I would be grateful for any advice anyone could give me. (Thanks Grace for replying to my guest posting)

Hello,

Welcome to the board, hope you enjoy it here.

I would say that if your Goldie enjoys the company of other dogs and likes playing and socialising with them and doesn't mind pups, there is no reason at all that he would be put out by a GD puppy, any more than any other breed, BUT you will have to make sure that the pup doesn't harrass and bully him or he will get angry or become withdrawn, depending on his temperament.

Always allow him time on his own to have his own space, NEVER rely on him to occupy your puppy when you can't, it's not fair.

Good luck and hope all goes really well for you, what colour are you thinking of, I LOVE the harlequins!! :D

manda
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Hi,
Thanks for your advice. I definately agree with you on the occupying the puppy bit.
That would really be unfair to expect him to amuse the puppy when I can't be bothered.
How mean would that be? I think we are going to go for either black or blue, I do love harlies but have been told that they can be a bit more boisterous then the others, and as a first timer, I think the gentler the better!!
I really just don't want my dog to feel left out, but he does like other dogs and when he's out in the park, he doesn't really pay them any notice at all. But I do think he'd love a pal.
Been to see some adults now, so think I am going to get one when I come back from holidays.
Let you know how it goes.
Cheers.

A long time ago I had 2 labradors and they were about 6 -7 years old (much the same size as retrievers - give or take a wee bit !) and then I got a dane puppy and the labs were just fantastic and no problems were encountered so I got another dane and still no problems and so the story goes on.......................................
I'm sure you and your retriever will be just great. Have you found a reputable breeder tro get your puppy from ?

Margaret

Hi,
I'd love to have a house full of dogs! So do you now have 4 dogs, 2 dane and 2 labs?
Well the main thing being I don't want to hurt his feelings, Manda said about not leaving him to play with the pup when I couldn't. Did you find this a problem because I work 4 hours in the morning and my dog doesn't even bother now when I leave the house, but I worry about leaving a puppy as I don't want my house destroyed!
Would you recommend one of these pens, I know it wouldn't fit a Dane for very long, but I figure it will fit long enough to get the initial training over and done with, plus I think it would give them both some 'quiet time'.
Any advice grealty appreciated. I think I know which breeder as everyone I have spoken to have recommended her.

Hi Sharon,

There are cages large enough to accomodate a Dane, one of the families that had one of my pups has one for when they are at work, it's huge :D The pup has taken to using it fine, and tends to go in there when she wants a bit of quiet, and they leave the door open anyway, so she can wander in and out if they are about.

Good luck with your search, and keep us updated as to what you get and when :)

Grace

Hi ,
Thanks, it's good to know that there are cages available and that they seem to work.
I think that it would be a wise move! (If I want to keep my nice, NEW, leather suite NEW!!!)
It seems like such a long time ago since Baillie was a puppy, and I never had a days bother with him.
I suppose if you get the puppy used to it early enough, it'll be fine.
You said the people got one of your puppies, how many danes do you have?

Luv,
Sharon.

Hi Sharon,

I have four Danes, a three year old neutered black boy, a two year old fawn girl that I show and two of her pups that are now 15 weeks old. We also have an Akita X, two cats various small furry things :D and we are soon to get a collie pup!
You are more than welcome to mail me if you wish :D
I know you asked Margaret, but I would say to get a bitch then you are less likely to encounter and hostility as the pup grows, but if your boy is entire you will either have to be very vigilant when she's in season, or get the bitch spayed.
Grace

Hi Grace,
What size of house do you live in?
Thanks for offering me to mail you, I would appreciate all the advice I can get. I don't want to be going backwards and forwards to the breeders, all the time asking this and that, although I'm sure that they would rather their puppies went somewhere where the people had tried to get some idea of what they're getting into, rather than someone who didn't.
Baillie is entire, and the prosect of him trying to mount a great dane, amusing though it is, doesn't really appeal, but at what age can you get a bitch spayed, at their first season, what age would that be?
I've never had a bitch before - so I have got NO idea!
Sharon

Sharon,
We have a four bed bungalow, which isn't huge, but has a good bit of garden to it, and we are in the country side so it's ideal. My dogs sleep out in kennels at night but spend the evenings in the house when the kids are in bed. My web site is in my profile as is my mail addy so feel free to have a look at the site, and mail me any questions you like. Chloe will tell you I will answer anything :D
Vets usually like to wait until midway between seasons, and each bitch is different as to when they have their first. Maggie didn't have her first until 14 months, but another bitch I used to have had her first at ten months :)
Look forward to hearing from you :D

Grace

Grace,
Thanks for the info. I'm just going to have a wee shiftie at your site.
Thankx for all your help.
Sharon
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P.S. How do you all get those little smiley or grumpy faces?

Sharon,
If you click on "help" at the top of the forum board it tells you in there how to get the emocions ;)

Thanks for the mail, hope you got the reply :D

You'll soon be able to do these :p

Grace

Grace,

My first emocion!

Sharon
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Grace has about 14 I reckon :D

Whats a "new suite"? I've got nothing new anymore *sigh*. Willis is 8 months old, blue and gorgeous :)

I bet he's worth it, he sounds adorable. Willis is a great name.
I'm not particulary fussy colourwise, blue, black or harlie, but my husband likes the blues!
Sharon.

He is adorable - sometimes. It takes some getting used to - the sheer size compared to other dogs - but he's defintiely worth it. Grace has helped a lot, especially as you don't raise Danes the same as you would a "normal" dog...

As long as you realise that size = comparable destruction, slobber, the loudest bark imaginable (split ear drums), a gallop that could give a racehorse a run for its money, ears that could lift the dog off the floor in a strong wind, paws that could take out Mike Tyson, and a dog that, weighing 9 stone at 8 months, thinks he can sit on your lap - you'll be fine :D

Hi Chloe,
I don't think my lap is that BIG!
I do realise that there will a big difference between baillie and a dane, and I think I am prepared for that.
I kind of found this board by accident, but I'm so glad that I did, it is so helpful.
Did you have a lot of destruction with Willis? That's the bit that worries me most I have to say!
I work 2 mornings and a full day each week, but I only work 2 miles from home, so it's really easy to get home at luchtime. I feel that my shifts are alright to think about getting a puppy, as I'm home more now than I have ever been in the past - what was your position when Willis was a puppy? I'd be interested to know how you coped.
Cheers,
Sharon.

Hi - Mailed you direct :)

Sadly a good few years ago I lost the labs and then the danes I had at the same time as them to old age. At present I now have 4 great danes. I do think a large cage is a very good idea for your new puppy. It will give both dogs a chance to rest. I found boththe labs to be very tolerant of my puppies and very patient with them. Size was never a problem as the puppy grew the labs just never seem to notice. Do let us know how you get on when you get your new puppy and good luck with him/her I'm sure you will have loads of fun.

Margaret

Hi Margaret,
Wow 4 danes! I'll bet that keeps you busy!
What colours do you have? I think that we are going to go for a blue or black, I don't really mind. The harlies are gorgeous, but a couple of people have put me off by saying that they can be a bit boisterous but then others have told me, it's down to the way you bring them up, which I suppose is true. We'll see!
With Baillie being a dog, I'm not sure now whether I should get a bitch and have her spayed or another dog.
if I got another dog would I need to have him neutered? Just wondering what you did, when you had your labs.
Thanks,
Sharon.

At present I have 1 brindle dog and 3 fawn bitches. The oldest being nearly 8 and the youngest being 2. I have all the combinations I could possible have had with 4 danes. 1 bitch with 3 dogs, 2 bitches and 2 dogs and 3 bitches and 1 dog and so far never encountered any problems. They all get on so well together. It's a good idea to have your bitch spayed if your other one is a male, accidents do happen (so far not to me) and if you have no intention to breed from her I would have her spayed, but if it's a male you get I don't see any reason why you shouuld have to him done. When I had the labs the bitch was spayed so there was never a problem with the seasons. But then I go and get a great dane bitch and when she came into season I kept her seperate from the males for the 3 weeks - well by the time my dogs worked out what was happening it was only 2 weeks I had to seperate her from them. The boys were fine when she was in season, it was a case of out of sight is out of mind !!! TCP is a wonderful thing ! That smell would mask anything - well nearly ! Yes the harlies are beautiful and as you say can be a bit of a handfull, as long as you bring them up the right way you will be ok. To get a really good blue or black can be very difficult and very few kennels produce good quality blues and blacks. My advice is do your homework first. Danes are know as the gentle giants - posh phrase for saying big soppy gits and believe me they are . Good luck and do let me know when you get your new puppy.

Margaret

Hi Margaret,
Do you show your Danes at all? Also what breeding are yours from? You can mail private mail me if you wish to :)

Grace

Hello Grace,
Yes I show my danes, not the 4 of them, now only the 2 younger ones. They are all Garsak Great Danes. Rather than bore people here I will email you privately and give you chapter and verse !!!!!

Margaret

Got that thanks Margaret, but I'm still waiting to be bored :D

Could talk dogs, especially Danes, all day me ;)

Grace

aint that the truth :rolleyes: :D

Margaret,
I would rather have a dog than a bitch, as I have not had any experience of bitches.
No-one I've spoken to reckons that I should have a problem bringing another male puppy in but it's when the pup grows up, just with the sheer size, I would hate any aggresion problems, it's good to know that you haven't encountered any.
Thanks for that, I'll definately let you know that next instalment.
Sharon
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Hi Sharon,

See you've left a message on a Champdog breeder's mailbox, is that who was recommended to you or are you investigating several breeders? Only ask cos she's my chum and I've read this message just after I checked her mailbox :D

M.

Have mailed you, M

Grace :D

Hi M,
I am still kind of a newstart here! I don't know where I've left messages, although, I am checking out a few different breeders, because this will be my first Dane, and I want to try to gather as much info as possible, before I make a final choice.
But everyone on here has been great, I've learned loads!.
Sharon
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