Posted by Administrator on April 12th, 2006 — Posted in Great Dane Breeding Information
When a great dane owner purchases their dog from a source other than a professional breeder, they have to consider whether or not to crop the ears of their great dane. Of course, this is because the breeder did not take the liability to do it before the great dane was sold.
While some certified breeders allow their Great Danes ears’ go uncropped, they educate the owners about suitable care of a natural ear. They may sell a great dane puppy with a natural-eared appearance for ethical reasons.
Will cropping hurt your great dane? There’s no reason to glamorize this procedure. Yes, cropping is painful. There are no true benefits other than the “look” of cropped ears. Remember, cropped ears DO NOT make a great dane. A great dane is a ’gentle giant’ with a stunning personality. It’s the temperament of the great dane that makes it such a spectacular breed.
If you’re a new dog owner and you’re not sure that you have a reliable veterinarian available to crop ears — don’t do it. Never make a decision based on the cost of cropping alone. Ask your vet to see actual photographs of cropping they have done in the past. Also ask them to describe the cropping and taping process to you before you make a definite decision. Natural dog ears are just that, natural! That’s the way your Great Dane was intended to look.
Should you decide to crop, aftercare is a very important aspect to your dogs comfort and overall dog health. It’s important to keep bandages clean and dry in order to prevent infection. Should your dog show any signs of excessive itching or infection, call the veterinarian immediately and describe your Great Dane’s symptoms.
Article by Gale Renz.
Gale Renz is a great dane lover and professional qualified Great Dane Breeder and owner / founder of Dynamite Great Danes. You may publish this article only if you do not modify it in any way.
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Posted by Administrator on April 6th, 2006 — Posted in Great Dane Breeding Information
Great Dane Puppies need plenty of exercise
In order to remain healthy, your Great Dane puppy will need a lot of time to run and play. You need to provide this “play time,” as it will promote strength and physique. Nevertheless, it’s one thing to tire your puppy out — but you should never over-work your Great Dane. Without exercise, your Great Dane (like any other dog breed) can become bored and destructive.
Just like people, Great Danes need socialization too!
You should introduce your Great Danes to people, so they do not become hostile to strangers when they are adults. By introducing them to friends and family, you’re inadvertently teaching them to look for “strange people.” Great Danes are very perceptive, they can recognize the difference between a family friend and someone looking to do harm. Should you choose not to introduce your Great Dane to people, he may become fearful and angry and start biting in defense.
Small Children and the Elderly
Sometimes these gentle giants do not realize their own size! When Great Danes are puppies, they may bop up and down all over the place — knocking things over here and there. They don’t mean it! They’re just really excited to see you. But if you have a toddler or elderly person living with you, this may not be the ideal breed for you at this time. Your gentle giant may knock someone over, then cover them with kisses.
Aggression
Although Great Danes have wonderful temperaments, they may exhibit jealousy if another animal is brought into your home. It’s always a wonderful idea to have your Great Dane as the newest member of the household. It’s important to note, that like all dogs, your Great Dane may not like dogs of the same sex
Shedding
Although Great Danes are short haired dogs, you must accept the fact that your Great Dane will shed. Most shedding occurs right before Fall and Spring when they shed and grow their coats.
Slobber
For most Great Dane owners, this is not a real concern. Nevertheless, a prospective Great Dane owner should be aware that these dogs do indeed slobber. Most slobbering occurs after your Great Dane drinks water and shakes his head. Some dogs of this breed have looser jowls than others, causing more or less drool.
Liabilities
If you live in an area that requires you to have a dog license, make sure you can actually have a Great Dane. Unfortunately, many areas ban residents from having large dogs. In several communities, Great Danes have made that list of ‘menacing dogs‘. Regardless of how friendly your Great Dane is, rules are rules.
Article by Gale Renz.
Gale Renz is a great dane lover and professional qualified Great Dane Breeder and owner / founder of Dynamite Great Danes. You may publish this article only if you do not modify it in any way.
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Posted by Administrator on March 29th, 2006 — Posted in Great Dane Breeding Information
Have you ever wondered why over 30% of dogs in shelters are purebreds? Most animal behavior specialists and animal advocates blame puppy bills and commercialized breeders for this negligence. In order to become a responsible Great Dane breeder, there are certain responsibilities that you must accept. These responsibilities will protect your Great Danes and his/her puppies, as well as identify you as a reputable breeder.
Excellent Great Dane Dog Breeders DO :
Carefully screen each person and their household who wish to purchase a puppy.
Advise and suggest different methods of caring for the Great Dane puppy in every aspect, including: diet, exercise, documentation of lineage, health, knowledge of genetics, any history of illness (genetic or non-genetic).
Not sell their Great Dane puppies in a pet shop or pet-auction
Do not sell multiple breeds of dogs. If you are a Great Dane breeder, stick to Great Danes.
Involve themselves in the showing of purebred Great Danes and are very knowledgeable about the breed.
Keep the puppies as house pets until they are ready for their homes. This ensures that your Great Dane’s offspring will make wonderful pets too.
Test dogs for all diseases and proper examination prior to breeding, such as: Brucellosis, CERF (Canine Eye Registry Foundation), OFA (Hip X-Ray Certification), PENN-HIP (hip-joint laxity).
Provide full, lifetime guarantees covering genetic disease and temperament problems. This should be a written contract.
Agree to take the Great Dane back at any point of his life for whatever reason, should the new owner not wish to keep it.
Place the Great Dane with the new family ONLY if the new owners agree to spay/neuter.
Only breed Great Danes over the age of two years old.
Hold the value of your dog’s (and its puppies) health to highest esteem.
De-worm and vaccinate your Great Dane puppies prior to placing them.
Excellent Great Dane Dog Breeders NEVER:
Take a great Dane pup from it’s mother prior to eight weeks of age.
Breed puppies in a puppy-mill atmosphere.
Sell their Great Dane puppies to the local pet shop.
Hide or withdraw information on genetic diseases or the Great Dane’s lineage.
Keep their puppies in inhumane conditions, such as an outdoor shed or a room covered in feces.
Put unnecessary stress on their puppies, such as transporting them to different locations outside of their home.
Pick a Great Dane at random to breed their bitch with
Allow their bitches to breed every year
Decline on accepting their puppies back, should the new owner not be able to care for them
Breed their Great Dane prior to two years of age
Let their Great Dane run the neighborhood
Sell faux purebred Great Danes (which are crossed with God knows what)
Article by Gale Renz.
Gale Renz is a great dane lover and professional qualified Great Dane Breeder and owner / founder of Dynamite Great Danes. You may publish this article only if you do not modify it in any way.
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Posted by Administrator on February 19th, 2006 — Posted in Great Dane Breeding Information
Among numerous types of dog species, great danes present a significant feature. This distinct feature can be seen, as Danes have many different kinds of color patterns on their body. Generally speaking, three gene series are responsible for assigning the patterns to which great danes will exhibit. These series are called M-series, H-series and S-series and they this article will examine these genes.
In order to understand these genetic traits, we must first understand genes and alleles. For those unfamiliar with the term “allele,” an allele is any one of a number of feasible DNA codings of the same gene. In the case of the great dane, M-series genes, have two alleles: namely, merle and not-merle. If two dominant merles run into one another in a locus, the dog’s color changes its state to purely white [except for some regions in head and tail]. Nevertheless, when one of the genes are recessive, the coat color is turned into shaded blue with irregular patches of black.
A Herlequin gene, [otherwise known as H-series] is an incomplete dominant and carry two alleles. If a dog has recessive genes in her locus, the dominant gene will have no effect on the great dane’s appearance. There may be some irregular black patches, but shaded blue areas become fully white.
S-series accounts for white spots on a great dane’s body. When two dominant S-series genes come together in a locus, white in the body is likely to diminish, about 5% or less, and there remains a little white at chest and feet. The fact that one of the genes is recessive results in the increase in the amount of white on the chest, face, feet and neck. The dog will have approximately 25% of it‘s hair appear white in color.
There are three more possibilities that occur when the alleles come together abnormally. For instance, SSI (Sporophytic Self-Incompatibility Systems) alleles commonly label a great dane as having “pet-marked-blacks.” This odd name is derived from the appearance of the coat’s white color — which appears as a black hue. Dogs carrying SSW alleles tend to resemble Irish marked dogs. Perhaps this is because their gene type is exactly the same as those of the Irish marked dog. Ironically, SISW alleles lead to a completely dominant white color in dog’s body. The result is typically that of a white great dane having the appearance of a Boston head.
Article by Gale Renz.
Gale Renz is a great dane lover and professional qualified Great Dane Breeder and owner / founder of Dynamite Danes. You may publish this article only if you do modify it in any way.
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Posted by Administrator on January 9th, 2006 — Posted in Great Dane Breeding Information
Tips for House Training Your Great Dane Puppy
By: Gale Renz
So…you have a new Great Dane puppy. Puppies are adorable, snuggly, cute, fun to watch, and they have awesome puppy breath. Now it’s time to housebreak him or her and you aren’t quite as excited as you were when you first saw him.
Here are ten tips that will hopefully make the process easier for both of you.
1. Be Upbeat and Enthusiastic- The dog’s mission in life is to make their humans happy. If you want any training to go smoothly, you need to be enthusiastic. Your puppy will succeed much easier if he thinks that housebreaking is a fun adventure for the two of you! If you start out being gloomy and distressed, your dog will naturally think that you’re displeased with him. He’ll be confused and try to figure out what he did wrong. Since you haven’t even started yet, you’re sending the wrong message. Talk yourself into thinking you’re going to have a great time and convey this to your puppy. Each time you take him outside, do it with gusto!
2. Be Patient Let’s face it, you’re going to have some disappointing moments while you’re house training a dog. Try to look at the big picture. For one thing, your dog will bring you far more happiness in life than unhappiness. When he’s young, he’ll make lots of mistakes, but before you know it, he’ll be trained. So give him time to learn all these new behaviors. Also, if you act impatient with him, you’ll get into that confusion thing again. Just take a deep breath, smile at how cute he is, and know he’ll do better next time.
3. Make a Schedule- The smaller your dog, the smaller bladder he or she has. Every puppy needs to be put on a potty training schedule, so take this into consideration as you’re setting it up. Take him out first thing in the morning. Feed him, and take him out again. If you’re home with him during the day, take him out every hour while he’s tiny. You can figure out what adjustments to make as he grows. Always take him out the last thing before bedtime.
4. Be Consistent- Consistency is one of the most important aspects of house training a puppy. There are several methods you can use including putting papers down and confining your dog in the same area as the door he’ll be using. There is also dog litter box training, and the umbilical leash, where you keep him by your side every minute that you can. Whichever means you use, say the same words and take the same actions. Changes will make him nervous and cause accidents in the house. Crate training is the method we prefer and it gives your puppy a den of safety, too.
5. Reward Behavior- Every time your dog goes potty outside, even before he asks to go out, reward him. This will quickly teach him that he’s doing something that pleases you. You can give him food treats or his favorite toy. Whatever you give him for a prize, lavish praise and affection on him at the same time. Tell him what a good boy he is in your most ecstatic voice.
6. Don’t Punish and “catch him doing something right!!”- - The old school of housebreaking a dog held to punishments such as rubbing his nose in his own waste. The new model is much kinder and more sensible. Since he wants to please you, if you don’t react, but walk away instead, he’ll get the message loud and clear that he was a bad boy. Give him a few minutes, and then start speaking to him again.
7. Alpha Dog- Dogs exist in packs. That means there is one alpha dog and the rest are subservient. In your family or even just with you, you’re the pack members. The trick is to let him know right away that you’re the alpha dog. In other words, you are the leader of his pack. It doesn’t mean you have to be mean; you just need to let him know that you call the shots in dog housetraining; and all other training too.
8. Command Word- Every training exercise needs a command word; something simple. For house training your puppy, “potty” or “outside” are examples of appropriate words. Whatever you choose, always stick with the same one for the each command.
9. Keep it Simple- Don’t make housebreaking your dog any more difficult than it has to be. For example, each time he goes on his papers or makes a mistake in another area, pick him up, gently but firmly, take him out the same door, and set him down on the grass. He’ll probably urinate, so reward and praise him, and call him back inside. Don’t make side trips on the way out or try to have a conversation with him. The easier you make it for him, the easier he’ll make it for you.
10. Lots of Love- The last rule, which should be the easiest, is to give that dog all the love in your heart!
Article by Gale Renz.
Gale Renz is a great dane lover and professional qualified Great Dane Breeder and owner / founder of dynamitedanes.com. You may publish this article only if you do modify it in any way.
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Posted by Administrator on November 8th, 2005 — Posted in Great Dane Breeding Information
Comfortable & Appropriate Whelping Environment for a Great Dane Bitch
By Gale Renz
Over the sixteen years that we have been breeding Great Danes, we have tried many different scenarios and tested several diverse types of whelping boxes to find one that would be comfortable for a Great Dane bitch in whelp and that would accommodate her litter after whelping.
One major consideration is that Great Dane puppies are so very small in relation to their mommy that it is very easy for a bitch to lay on her puppies during and after whelping. This necessitates some sort of a barrier that will allow mommy to lie down and her puppies to avoid being squished against the side of the whelping box and suffocated. None of the whelping boxes that I was able to locate commercially were adequate in size to allow for a Great Dane bitch to whelp comfortably.
After much experimentation, we found that using a king sized water bed frame, with modifications, would help us to provide a safe, secure and comfortable nest to enable a Great Dane bitch to whelp and raise her puppies. We use 4’ X 6’ cattle mats on the floors of our kennel pens so that our Danes do not have pressure on their sensitive joints when they lay down. This also alleviates the tendency for Great Danes to develop calluses on their elbows as these mats (which are available at many farm supply stores) are designed to provide a comfortable surface for a large animal to lie on. These mats are easily disinfected and are relatively inexpensive to purchase (approximately $60 each). They are very durable and dry quickly, the only drawback, if it is one, is that they are very heavy. The benefit of that is that the weight discourages a Great Dane from dragging the mat around. [I don’t know about your Danes, but mine will drag around anything that is not nailed down and use it as a tug toy! ;-]
To provide a wonderful whelping environment for a Great Dane bitch, we use two of these 4’ X 6’ cattle mats as the base and set up the waterbed frame atop them. This type of box is also easy to break down for storage after whelping, which is a great advantage to their use. We position and nail a 1” X 12” board all the way around the top of the waterbed frame. This provides the barrier that helps prevent the bitch from lying on her puppies when they are tiny. The height at which you position this 1” X 12” is dependent on the relative size of your bitch. In my experience, about eight inches from the floor works best. The boards can be attached to the pieces of the waterbed frame with L shaped pieces of iron available at your local hardware store. The biggest challenge inherent in building this kind of a whelping box for your bitch is just finding the waterbed frame. They are many times available in thrift stores, at auction or in the classifieds for a nominal fee.
After you have a nice big box for your bitch to whelp in, it is just a matter of choosing an appropriate bedding material (we use bright, clean oat straw and 1’ pine shavings in combination) and changing it very frequently during and after whelping. If you want your Great Dane bitch to be truly comfortable with her litter, it is important to find a bedding that she enjoys and to keep the whelping box squeaky clean! If you have ever been a grandparent to a litter of Great Dane puppies, you will appreciate the amount of dedication and commitment keeping up with a bitch and her litter’s needs entails! Seeing a happy, relaxed mommy serenely nursing her puppies makes it all worthwhile!
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Article by Gale Renz.
Gale Renz is a great dane lover and professional qualified Great
Dane Breeder and owner / founder of dynamitedanes.com
Please include the above byline with direct html as well as our author name and credit if publishing this article.
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Posted by Administrator on November 7th, 2005 — Posted in Great Dane Breeding Information
Taking Care of Your Great Dane Bitch: Appropriate Care In and After Whelp
By: Gale Renz
One of the most important jobs any responsible Great Dane breeder has is caring for their dogs. Happy, healthy Great Danes produce happy, healthy baby puppies! Great Dane bitches have some special needs, such as special care to provide appropriate nutrition to moderate the stress to the bitch’s body as she carries a litter of puppies, whelps and feeds the litter for four to six weeks. These activities place a huge demand on a body. It is especially important to feed a premium quality, naturally preserved kibble and/or complete natural diet that will meet the needs of the bitch in the various stages of whelp. There are many wonderful commercial foods on the market with a balance of nutrients that have been established through extensive research to meet the nutritional needs of specific dogs at different stages of their lives. A naturally preserved, super premium quality kibble with a base of fresh beef, chicken or lamb that is formulated with a balance of vegetables and whole grains for adult dogs is a good choice. A supplement containing Vitamin E, Ester C, and garlic is an appropriate choice for a bitch in whelp. My vet also recommends a supplement of 1000 mgs. of coral calcium the two weeks before delivery. This is the only time in a Great Dane’s life that I would ever advocate supplementing the diet with a source of calcium. The best indicator that a bitch is receiving adequate nutrition is her coat and body condition. Over the years, I have found that paying close attention to my bitches’ coat condition (it should be shiny-even after whelp and while nursing), eye luster and expression(should be bright eyed and serene after recovering from whelp-by 72 hours after whelping is complete),
as well as overall body condition, I am able to have bitches who are not adversely affected by whelping stress. It is so much more satisfying to see a calm, bright-eyed bitch enjoying her litter of puppies rather than a stressed out mommy. Keeping your bitches in optimum condition takes care and commitment and it is well worth the effort!
Byline:
Article by Gale Renz.
Gale Renz is a great dane lover and professional qualified Great
Dane Breeder and owner / founder of dynamitedanes.com
Please include the above byline with direct html as well as our author name and credit if publishing this article.
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