The Great Dane

What is it really like living with this gentle giant?

I casually mentioned that I was thinking about getting a companion dog for our Cane Corso girl Jade. That’s all it took for my niece to call the next week with info about a Great Dane puppy needing a home. I was skeptical. Why were they giving him away? But then again, that is how we got our girl Jade. Free from a woman who kept her outside in a fenced in back yard. Jade didn’t know how to go potty on a leash and she had to be acclimated to being inside. Jade turned out to be a good dog so this Great Dane pup could too.

When I walked into the house to meet Vader (the puppy), IT WAS LOUD. There was a toddler running around pant less, A mom screeching at the toddler and an older Lab mix kind of dog barking. Then the screeching mom opened up the sliding door to the back yard and, very hesitantly, in came Vader. At first he would not come any closer than about eight feet from me. I sat on the ground and continued to try and coax the shy pup toward me. The screeching mom explained that they were rehoming him because between potty training the child, and trying to train the Great Dane, it was too much to handle. She then excused herself and the child from the room. This left myself and Vader to get acquainted. He slowly made his way over and melted into my lap, looked up with sad eyes that begged to be “taken home.” Every time screeching mom walked through, the pup began to shake horribly. I felt terrible that I had to leave him that night. I had to discuss everything with my husband before a final decision is made.

Great Danes have some health issues to consider and the breed is known to have a life span of about only eight to nine years. The only health issue we were informed of so far with this pup was anxiety (go figure) which would lead to bouts of diarrhea. Vader was only about 18 months old at the time and not at all full grown but a bout of diarrhea from a Great Dane did not sound like fun. Other health issues that plague these loving, gentle giants are Bloat: a medical emergency that requires surgery. This happens when the stomach fills with air and blocks blood flow and sending the dog into shock. Without treatment this will lead to death; Hip Dysplasia- a joint condition that is very painful; Cardiomyopathy-leads to enlargement of a dog’s heart and congestive heart failure; Cataracts-an eye condition that can lead to blindness. There are a few things you can do to improve your Dane’s health and lifespan. Feed your pup a high quality diet. It is suggested that large breed dogs eat from a raised bowl to help with digestion. Click here https://amzn.to/47Rf8WM Great Danes need about 30 minutes of exercise per day on grass or dirt, ( hard surfaces are not good for their joints) good grooming habits and yearly check-ups at the veterinarian.

Of course we decided to adopt Vader! He and our girl Jade became fast friends and inseparable-as long as Vader understood who was in charge! We had researched some things about Great Danes and read all the stereotypes, but Vader had his own ideas. We (my husband and I) figured some of this behavior could be trauma related. Danes are supposed to be social and love kids, adults, and other animals. Well, Vader is terrified of children and will go into a barking fit on sight. It is a “Don’t come closer I’m warning you” barking fit. He backs up as far as he can to get away. Therefore, he cannot be trusted around children. He is terrified of any dog smaller than himself. Vader will run full speed toward the neighbor’s fence, barking fiercely until the little English Bulldog snorts at him. Then he high tails it back to the patio faster than fast and barks from there. He Yipes like he’s being murdered if the back of his collar is touched-like to hook a leash. So, walks have always been out of the question and taking him anywhere is always a challenge. Vader picks and chooses on any given day who he will stay back and bark at, and who he will approach and maybe hug. The big, lean in, Great Dane, knock you down hug. He will NEVER like the mailman. The guy brings him a treat and Vader lays down and will not even look at him. Just like their reputation, he has destroyed a couch due to separation anxiety. Great Danes Crave attention and Human Interaction. Chewed the arms right off a leather loveseat. After that we had a custom made kennel for them in the garage. Some Great Danes are afraid of strange things. Vader’s Strange fear is water bottles. At first I thought it was the crinkling noise of an empty water bottle. But even the sight of a water bottle sends him out of the room. Like I said before -trauma response.

Vader is now almost five years old. Our girl Jade left us in March. Anyone who says animals don’t grieve or get depression has never had an pet. Vader did not eat or drink for three solid days after Jade died. My daughter who Vader adores came by and coaxed him to eat a little on the fourth day. I think it was because he was used to Jade eating first and she was no longer eating first. The first time he had to be in the kennel alone, he broke out by bending the chain link out and squeezing through. It was a miracle he wasn’t injured. It was weeks, WEEKS before he made eye contact with us or would come to either of us for a petting or anything. Vader still doesn’t stay outside but to go to the bathroom. No barking, no squirrel chasing or sniffing around. He still goes through bouts of moping around as if something reminded him of his best buddy. Of course the kennel came down and he roams a bigger area of the garage when no one is home. There is now a camera installed in the garage to check on him during the day. https://amzn.to/47znsuG

Vader is now a different more spoiled dog. He sleeps in our room on an extra large dog bed, https://amzn.to/47Vhcgi right next to mom and dad. Dad is the favorite. He runs around whining when its time for him to get home from work. But he listens to mom better. Great Danes are definitely a gentle, loving, good natured, and loyal, with many different personalities. We love our kooky, affectionate Vader. All 160 lbs of him!