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PUPPIES:
 

RESEARCH: Part One
December 27, 2011

Research is the first thing you should do when deciding to get a new puppy or adult dog to add to your family.  This pup/adult dog should be considered a member of your family; it will give you and your family unconditional love, companionship and with some breeds such as the Great Dane, protection for many years.

Your first step is to decide which breed is correct for your family and is a puppy or an adult best for your life style at this point in your lives.  All family members should be in agreement that this is the right time for a dog, the breed of dog and the age of the dog.  You may have always wanted a Great Dane your whole life but if your spouse is afraid of large dogs,  or you or your spouse cannot tolerate dirt, hair or drool this may not be the breed for your family.  Do you have small children?  If you do you need to realize this puppy will outgrow your child in a matter of months, and still be a puppy between the ears.

What age is right for your family?  Great Dane puppies are like having a small child or in many cases, "another" small child; they must be constantly supervised and trained.  Small children’s toys can pose a hazard to puppies that like children put everything in their mouths.  Any breed will go through a teething stage and if not dealt with properly can form annoying habits.  Do you and your spouse work out of the home?  Puppies, like children, depend on you, you’re love, attention and protection.  Great Danes in general do not do well alone.  An adult Dane (preferably two) may be a better choice for the life style that is away from home 8-10 hours (coming home for a 30 min. lunch does not help at eight weeks old) a day.  Yes a puppy is a clean slate for training however puppies need allot of time and attention to be raised properly.  An adult who is past the teething stage,  and can hold his/her bladder for long periods of time may be your best choice if your time is short.  Purchasing an adult Dane should be approached with as much caution and research as purchasing a puppy.   Adult Danes will adopt their new families very quickly once they realize they can depend on you.  The level of training you may need to give an Adult Dane can vary from very little to starting over from scratch depending on where you get your dog and what problems if any it has had to endure.

Beware of the source your research information is coming from.  Are you reading information produced by a breeder or a shelter?  We all have bias that are hard to keep to ourselves.  Many speak and write with the purpose of swaying you to their biased opinions.   Be suspect of anyone who refers to any breeder as a "backyard breeder" , listen to their warnings and check out for yourself if their concerns are true.  Breeding is a very competitive and political environment, lie's and rumors abound.  It is unfortunate that so many of us spend our time warring against each other instead of the factions who are trying to end breeding altogether.

Look for sources that quote (unbiased) "scientific" authorities when quoting facts.  The research you do will help you know when you have found a breeder or rescue source that you are comfortable with.

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