My son in law has fallen in love with a very large male he...

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Answer by Deb
Submitted on 9/27/2003
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Hi Brenda, I'm no expert, but I have owned 2 Harls now during the last 6 years. I lost one and bought another puppy from a breeder. In response to your question about how they interact with small children, I wanted to tell you about my experiences so far. I have 8 grandchildren ranging in ages of 2 months to 7 years. 4 of them are between the ages of 1 and 3. My dane is a 2 year old female. In general, even though danes were originally bred as boar hunters, they are not aggressive. Rather, they are very gentle and affectionate. They are not considered good dogs to keep outdoors. The greatest concern I have in regard to her interaction with my grandkids isn't whether she will hurt one of them intentionally but whether she may inadvertently knock one of the children down due to her size compared to theirs. They tend to lean on someone when they want to be close. She is naturally curious and can seem very imposing and intimidating to a small child, but with the appropriate introduction and conscientious attitude, my grandchildren relate well to her. My dane is gentle and affectionate, and my grandchildren are not afraid of her. My only caution in regard to adopting one from a shelter is that your son first understand the nature of his commitment to ownership of a giant breed: what it will require, and that he try to determine the nature of the dog's history and how it may have affected his personality before he was placed in the shelter. Often danes are abandoned by their owners when the novelty of owning such a large dog sets in and they realize the consequences of their decision. The question your son-in-law should ask himself is: Can I promise this dog that he will never know another home other than his? In order to answer that question honestly, he needs to learn everything he can about the breed and about the dane in question BEFORE he adopts him. I live in a duplex which is about 1200 sq ft of living space. Danes don't really need a lot of space despite how large they are. They do well with a long walk every day and they are content in the house. I wouldn't even think of keeping my dane outside. Ever. They're known as "gentle giants" which is part of the attraction people have for them. I hope your son-in-law finds he can adopt his dane because, to me, one of the saddest sights is a dane that's been abandoned because someone didn't do his homework. Good Luck!

Answer by Jill
Submitted on 10/23/2003
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This may or may not help, I adopted a Dane from a rescue centre especially for Dane's. i was informed that she was a very good clean dog in the house but had a huge problem with other dogs. I have had her now for 2 years and would not dream of parting with her. She is great in the house and can be left no problen whilst I am at work. She is very protective of me and my daughter, but once a stranger has been accepted into the house by myself she is fine. Taking her out for a walk is another matter altogether, she has to wear a halter so that she can be controlled. My advise is know your danes strength and learn to adapt to that by using aids such as halties for control. My dog has a problem but I would not swap her for the world. I took her on as a rescue and made the comitment to her and she has paid me back with love, trust, and affection time and time again. If you are a patient person your rescue dane will reward you.

Answer by Amy
Submitted on 1/27/2004
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We live in a home of 1,500 Sq feet. Our dane has been a wonderful companion for the whole family. She is patient, gentle, and very protective of our children. However, we have discovered the strength of her tail. Several times she has hit the wall or other object hard enough to split her tail open. With this in mind, I would suggest extra caution when a small child is in the room. Any one considering a dane should do plenty of research first. A dane is a huge responsibility, yet extremely rewarding. One more comment in reguards to Tanisha's answer: Danes do not need large spaces and do not have an appetite that costs a fortune. Our dane weighs 107 lbs and eats a 20 lb bag of dog food (Iams Large Breed approximately $15 to $17 depending on where purchased) every 7-10 days. Also nothing against huskies (what a beautiful dog), but I believe most huskies have wolf in them. This can cause them to be unpredictable, not a trait desireable in a dog that will be spending time around children. Good luck!

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Question by Brenda
Submitted on 9/15/2003
Related FAQ: rec.pets.dogs: Great Danes Breed-FAQ
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My son in law has fallen in love with a very large male he found at the animal shelter. He has a one year old. How is a very large adult male with a child of this age. They are about to build a 1300 sq foot home. Is that enough room? ANd can you give me a estimate of a monthy expence of a Great Dane? Thank you ,Brenda

Answer by Tanisha
Submitted on 1/15/2004
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I have a book that says that they like big places. They "won't curl up easily in a small house." They do sound like they have a good temperament. However it sounds like they take alot of commitment and money (due to their big appetite.) If you want a dog that is good with very small children you could consider a husky. I would trust mine with my baby sister. Thank-you for considering adopting from the shelter!

Answer by Sara
Submitted on 3/9/2005
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Hi! I have a dane right now. He is our first. I wouldn't part with him for anything. We live on 2 acres, but he only wants to be with us. He loves it outside, but if we are indoors he will pick spending time with us instead of running around. He loves to sit touching one of us. He takes turns sleeping with my kids. I adopted him and he is 14 months old. I wouldn't trade him for anything. He is so silly!!! He is very protective about us, he barks really loud but he is a push over... he is afraid of our dauschand!

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