Hi Guys,
As you all probably know, I wanted to get a Great Dane puppy after we come back from our hols in August.
I have been speaking to the breeder, and she has a 3yr old rescue bitch, who is from her breeding, and she says is very beautiful. She is a blue merle. Her owners have moved abroad to NZ and couldn't afford to take her :(
She is obviously housetrained, non chewing, loves kids and other animals, spayed and vaccinated and is used to being left alone, as her previous owners worked. She sounds adorable, but would I be asking for trouble as far as Baillie is concerned, how do you do the pack leader thing if you bring in another dog who's twice the size of the first one? Would she accept Baillie? I know that I would still have to put the work in to make her trust us but I'd love to know what you all think I should do!
Help :)
Sharon

WHERE ARE YOU ALL??????
I need help, don't know what to do for the best!!
Sharon

With her being a bitch and Bailie a dog I cannot forsee a problem if she has been properly socialised.

My youngest bitch's litter brother lost his very old canine companion, and at two years old with his owners being elderly, they didn't really want to start with a pup again. I heard of a five year old bitch that was looking for a retirement home, and they are all delighted with each other.

Hi Sharon

Personal opinion - I'd say go for it with her! We've just adopted a 5yo labrador and it's so much easier than having a puppy. We have brought in a second dog before and the size of the dog won't determine who is pack leader, that'll be done by personality :-) IOW you could get a tiny jack russell puppy and have that end up being pack leader or have a great dane who'll happily submit to a smaller dog.

The great dane will probably accept whoever you have in your household as she'll be aware that she is the newbie in the family. Do you think that Baillie will accept her? I guess you must feel that Baillie wants a companion to be considering getting a second dog.

Why don't you take Baillie to meet the Great Dane and spend a little while together, having a bit of fun in a field or whatever. I'm sure if you do that you'll be able to see quite easily whether they'll be easy or very hard work together. The breeder will be able to give you her opinion too.

HTH
Jo

Hi Jo,
Thanks for that... I will definately take him to meet her, but it's a 10/11 hour round trip!!
Yes I do think he'd like some company, but he's been my baby now for 6 years and I really don't want to put him out!
I do think he'd love a new friend as he just loves everyone to bits, a friend suggested we take her on a trial basis and see how it goes, and if it doesn't work out, I can give her back and go for a puppy then at least I would know that I tried.
Thanks for that, I'll let you know how it goes.
Sharon

My personal opinion is that you may have trouble on your hands. I fostered a rescue dalmatian over the weekend, a bitch, who was fine with other dogs. Then she met Willis, and she hated him :( Its become a regular thing too, smaller dogs seem to have a real thing about being intimidated by danes :(

With regards to the housetraining etc, please don't think it will be easy, you will have to take her back to puppyhood as she will forget everything...

Sharon - don't plumb for this one because there is not the right puppy out there for you at the moment - I really feel your boy would be better having a pup to get used to who grows bigger than him, than possibly bringing in a bolshy female. JMO - its your decision :) What does Grace have to say?

I'm interested to know why you think the older dog would need to be taken back to the puppy stage for housetraining? We've adopted a couple of older dogs over the years and have never had any problem where they were already housetrained! If a dog is already housetrained, there shouldn't be any problems at all, other than initial settling in especially if the dogs tummy has been upset by a long journey or change of diet, and the initial post did say that the great dane is housetrained.

Also, what makes you think that the great dane will be bolshy? From her description, that's the last thing she sounds (to me anyway). I think she sounds absolutely lovely.

Jo

Sharon,

Even though i replied to you personally I will reply here as well :)

My advice was to take baillie down to meet the bitch and see how they got on. This will only give you a bit of an idea as they will obviously be where she is confident and settled so she may well act a bit different if/when you get her home. Great Dane females can be bolshy, as can any bitch, although she may not be too bad with baillie being male. Being an entire male he might annoy her by sniffing at her a lot, but I'm sure she'll set him straight on that :) You really have to decide whether you want to take on an older dog with all the pros and cons that it will bring, or wait and get the puppy that you originally wanted...only you can make that choice. You know where I am if you want any more advice :D

Grace

Josilou

Its common sense to take a rescue dog back to puppyhood to housetrain, you then lower your own expectations and are therefore prepared for any accidents that may occur! Every rescue dog I have had has had severe housetraining problems, mainly down to insecurity, so please don't generalise.

I am sure she is lovely, but ultimately, in my experience of owning a dane, they are very intricate dogs and the whole "pack" thing that everyone adheres to goes out of the window because of their size. I haven't yet found another dog who likes playing with my dane, other than another dane - the rest are completely freaked by his size.

I have had many conversations with Sharon, of which you are not aware of, hence my reply being more cautious.

When I was 14 I worked in a stable yard and one of my jobs was to walk the 2 danes (him & her)

It was an interesting experience being walked by two dogs that seemed to come up to my chest. Strangely we always went where they wanted to go!! :)

Nothing at all to do with the above though I'm afraid.

I've had 2 resecues, neither of whom had the slightest problem adapting to life in my home, however I can quite see why the size of a dane could cause another dog to have animosity towards it.

Julia & hooligans

It was an interesting experience being walked by two dogs that seemed to come up to my chest. Strangely we always went where they wanted to go!! :D :D Julia - its an experience isn't it! You kinda get the feeling they are allowing you to think you are in control while it suits them!

There was no think about it :) They were in control. I felt as if I should have put roller skates on:D

They were beautiful, and very soft though.

They were fed on Green tripe and biscuits - mmmmm savour that odour!!

And then there was the day the daughter let the rabbits out........

Julia, don't talk to me about Danes and rabbits :(

That aroma of green tripe, nothing quite like it is there, thank goodness. Mind you it does my lot very well, thank you :)

Have to say I was recently wanting a smaller breed of dog than a Dane, but with a similar disposition, but couldn't find anything...guess I'll be sticking with my danes then :D

Grace

me too :) we love danes we do

Hi Chloe

I didn't generalise! You did! LOL.

It's not a problem though, we all have different experiences that we can share and different perspectives, tips and suggestions that we can pass to each other.

You saying that your response was more cautious because of the conversations you've already had with the original poster is fine. As I haven't had any conversations with her at all, my response was simply to what I'd read.

Jo

ok ok, we both generalised :D lol

Hi Guys,
Thanks so much for all your opinions!:)
I'm aware that I might have problems when she comes home as she will obviously feel nervous and a bit lost.
I do think I am prepared for that, what I don't want to do is bring her in, find a month down the line that we're just not coping with each other, and have to take her back. Do you not feel that this would unsettle her even more?
I believe she's perfectly happy where she is, and I don't think for a minute that it will be easy, but I don't know whether I should give her a chance, obviously no harm's done if I take Baillie and the kids down to meet her and as Grace says she'll probably behave different to the way she would if I were to take her home. Baillie would definately get excited around her, he does with every bitch, but you're right again, they don't take long to slap him back into place!! :)
But I also feel that if I wait and get the puppy, that I originally wanted, I bring it up the way I want, with my kids and of course Baillie, that's maybe the way to go.
Why is my life never simple???
Sharon

Just don't take the older bitch becuase you are having to wait for a puppy - thats my main advice for you. Go with your instincts, because with a dog that size you have to be sure! At least in taking on a puppy you get acclimatised ot the size as she is growing! ;)

Hi Chloe
I'll email you privately.
Thanks
Sharon