You are thinking about adding a Great Dane to your family. How do you know whether the Great Dane is the right breed of dog for you? Danes are amazing wonderful companions. If you are prepared to handle their size and expense, you can't find a better companion.

Great Danes are wonderful dogs, wonderful companions. They are quirky and fun loving with distinct personalities and many of them think they are humans. They steal your heart and after having one, it is very difficult to have any other breed of dog. And if your house and lifestyle can manage you often times end up collecting more and more of them 🙂 But you need to have the right circumstances and have the ability and the resources to take care of such large animals. They are big and they can be a bit expensive. They need time with their people and they absolutely need training. Behavior issues with any dog can be annoying, behavior issues with Great Danes that weigh 125-170 pounds, can be dangerous.

In the following paragraphs I'm going to outline things to think about before getting a Great Dane puppy. At the right point in your life, you can share your life with a Great Dane and lots of people can't help themselves and share their lives with multiple Danes :-). The question is, is this the right time in your life? 

Responsible Great Dane breeders will ask you extensive questions trying to understand your expectations, your experience and your ability to care for such a large, active dog. It is as much for your sake as the puppies'. It is heartbreaking and difficult to have to give a puppy back to a breeder, hard for the puppy and hard for you.

There are traits and issues to be aware of no matter the temperament of the Great Dane you add to your family (whether fairly laid back or high energy). 

1. Great Danes are BIG, very BIG. People often feel the need to buy a larger car, an SUV or a minivan. They take up quite a bit of room in your house. Their dog beds are BIG, their crates are BIG.
2. Do you love your yard? For the first year or two, your yard may take a bit of a beating from a young Dane. Adult Danes usually need less exercise and your yard can thrive again 🙂 If you don't get too much rain in your area, lawns can often handle Dane activity just fine. 
3. From point number 1, that they are big, it should be obvious that they are a bit expensive, from food, vet visits, bedding, etc. EVERYTHING is more expensive for a Great Dane. Surgery on a Great Dane is $1,500 - $4,000. Breeders recommend Pet Insurance.  
4. Most Great Danes are gentle giants, but because of their size, they can and do knock down small children and older adults. Danes can knock you down, absolutely without meant to. With time and training it can all be managed, but it does take time.
5. Great Danes, like all puppies, can be destructive to your belongings. When they are young or bored, they can tend to chew. If chewing becomes a problem, the best way to deal with young puppies is to use a crate when they can't be supervised. This is not to say they should be crated all day long!!!! Great Dane puppies need to be with their people and they need exercise. Constant crating isn't a good idea, but if you can't watch them for a few hours or at night, crate them and your house and furniture will thank you. And  you may never have anything damaged. I've had two chewing Danes and one that didn't hardly chew at all. So you may never have a problem. And if you have a chewy puppy, make sure they get good exercise and are crated when you can't watch them, problem solved. These are the sorts of things a responsible breeder will chat with you about to make sure you are ready for your beautiful fabulous new Dane puppy.
6. Most Great Dane breeders require their puppy homes to have fenced yards. Great Danes, especially for the first 3 years of their lives need a good bit of exercise, play type exercise. Great Danes should not go jogging with you until they are 2 years old and their growth plates have closed completely.
7. Great Danes need to be socialized, which means accompanying you on errands or family activities or visits to pet stores. Dogs, if they don't get out and learn to trust people they can become fearful and worried about strangers. It is fairly easy to do this, but it is crucial that it be done. There are several places you can take dogs, you can sit outside at coffee shops, you can take them to Home Depot or Lowes, children's sporting events often allow dogs and there are LOTS and LOTS of basic obedience puppy classes. Many people make a point of starting puppy classes when their puppies are 3-4 months old. Don't wait until your puppy is too much older to start. They can settle into a fear pattern and preventing it is far easier than fixing it 🙂
8. Besides socializing, puppies need obedience training. As I mentioned earlier, enrolling your Great Dane puppy in a puppy obedience class is an absolute must.

There is just about nothing as wonderful as having a Great Dane in your life 🙂 Once you have one, you won't want to be without one. When you are ready, search for breeders that health test and wait for your future family member to be born. It can take anywhere from a month to a year to find the right breeder and puppy, but it's absolutely worth the time, you new family member will be with you a long time 🙂