You see, since I have been getting older, I seem to have been getting more and more bony. I used to always have a nice round, curvy bum but in the past year, my bum seems to have been getting pointier and pointier!
Hsin-Yi thinks that as us ladies get older, we either become round and fat, like Elizabeth Taylor -- or thin and haggard, like Teri Hatcher. Well, I guess I’m a Teri Hatcher doggie, then. No matter how much my humans try to feed me up, I just can’t seem to get my curves back. (sigh)
So lately, every time I sit down, the bony part of my bum is rubbing and rubbing on the floor, until all the fur and skin on that part of my bottom has rubbed away! And now I’ve got a sore pink ouchie there!
Well, actually, to be honest, it isn’t really bothering me that much. In fact, I didn’t even know that I had it until Hsin-Yi noticed it!
But she’s worried that if the skin breaks and I get a nastie sickie called an “infection” there, then it will become a big problem because it’ll take forever to get better again, ‘coz it will always be rubbing on the floor every time I sit and never get the chance to heal.
My blog friend, Mango the Mastiff, recently had an ouchie like this but on his back leg and he got the nasty infection sickie which made yucky yellow pus come out of his leg and he had to go to the vet…ugh! I don’t want that to happen to me!
Hsin-Yi is trying to make the ouchie get better by putting some special medicine cream on it. My vet back in Auckland gave my humans this cream because I’m such a rough tomboy when I play that I’m always hurting myself and getting cuts and bruises…so my vet gave my humans a whole tube of this special cream so that they wouldn’t have to keep taking me back to the clinic every time I got a cut or a graze!
So Hsin-Yi has been rubbing some of the special cream on my ouchie…but unfortunately, it’s not working very well so far ‘coz it keeps rubbing off every time I sit or lie down (which is most of the time -- my motto is ‘Why stand when you can sit? Why sit when you can lie down?’)
So now Hsin-Yi is just hoping that I might grow some thick scabby skin over that part of my bum, to cover up the ouchie. These ouchies are called “pressure sores” and they happen to us giant doggies a lot.
Most of us giant doggies also have thick scabby skin on our elbows and backs of our legs -- called calluses - where we lie or sit down, especially if we’re lying on hard ground. It’s because we’re so heavy. Smaller dogs don’t have this problem -- it’s just one of those things that happens to giant doggies, especially if we’re lucky to live many years.
My humans have tried to always have soft things for me to lie on -- I even have my own special square of carpet that they put down in the garden every morning, so that I don’t have to lie on the concrete -- but even with all their efforts, I still have a little bit of scabby skin under my elbows and at the backs of my legs. But not too much…so I guess I’m not doing badly for a nearly 7-yr old giant doggie!
OK - now, as promised -- here is a movie of me at my new Obedience class!
You remember I told you that I’ve started going to a new class at the Metro Dog Obedience Club? It’s ‘coz those Rally-O & Tricks classes at the RSPCA Animal Training Centre finished and Hsin-Yi wanted to find something else that we could do together once a week -- so now we’re doing this on Mon nights!
Although Hsin-Yi does lots of training with me all the time -- and of course, we do our dancing practice -- we haven’t been in a proper Obedience class for a long time, so we weren’t sure how we would do….well, they assessed me on the first day and told Hsin-Yi that I could go straight into the Advanced Class!
So here’s a peek at what I get up to in class -- as well as Heeling both on and off-leash past distractions, we also do lots of Down Stays (Yuck! I HATE those!), Sit Stays, Stand Stays and Recall past the other doggies -- and they do that touchy-feely thing too where I have to stand while someone comes and gives me a weird massage. Most doggies find that exercise very hard although I don’t mind -- hey, who can complain about a free massage, even if it’s a bit weird?
Well, can you believe it -- we have only been in the class 3 weeks and this Monday, at the end of class, they told Hsin-Yi that I’m good enough to be promoted out of the class! Since this is already Advanced, the only next level we can go up to is the Instructors’ Class. (GULP). Yikes. I wonder what that’s going to be like.
They were also telling Hsin-Yi that she should do Obedience competitions with me but Hsin-Yi is still thinking about that. She doesn’t care much about getting ribbons and titles -- the most important thing for her is that we are having fun, so she says she doesn’t want to make me do something which might be stressy for me, especially as now that I’m supposed to be a “senior doggie” and heading for my retirement. With dancing, the competitions have always been so stressy…but I find this Obedience stuff much easier to do than the dancing. So maybe we’ll give competitions a try…
Anyway, my humans were so proud of me! When I first walked in, all the other people in class looked at me a bit funny and I could tell that they were laughing inside and thinking that a giant doggie could never do much…well, I soon showed them! Hsin-Yi says I was one of the best doggies in class -- better even than a lot of the working breed doggies -- and I really showed everybody what Great Danes could do!
You can achieve anything if you believe in yourself and work hard!
I was really shocked and sad this morning to find out that my long-time blog friend, Saige the Irish Wolfhound – who lives in a beautiful faraway place called Nova Scotia – went to the Rainbow Bridge this past weekend. She was the most beautiful doggie and HUGE even by our giant doggie standards and she had been sickie for a while now. She went very suddenly and quickly – but she was just a few days short of her 4th birthday.
My beautiful friend, Saige...
Saige’s human has written a lovely post remembering her and she has a wonderful attitude because she is not feeling sad (although, of course, she misses Saige very much) but she is happy that Saige is at peace now – and most of all, that she had a short but very wonderful, FULL life – full of ‘Splorin Wolfie adventures – more than any doggie could want. That is what I would want my human to feel for me when it is time for me to go.
I have followed Saige on many of her adventures and I know she was shared in many of mine – and I shall miss her terribly. I know her brother, Guiness, will continue going on adventures in her spirit but he and their human will be taking a break from blogging for now. Farewell, sweet Saige – till we meet again…
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One of the greatest tragedies of owning a giant breed is to know that your dog’s time on Earth is even shorter than most and their time with their families even more precious. We are constantly told, from the moment we bring home that little puppy with the huge paws, that their days are numbered – sometimes cut even cruelly shorter than the already short “average” by encroaching disease & illness that attack and devour that great body.
While Saige was taken much too early, this is sadly not uncommon in giant breeds. Most dog owners think of a dog at 4yrs as just entering their prime but we giant breed owners know that ours are preparing to enter middle age. Great Danes live on average 8 yrs (and I think Irish Wolfhounds even shorter) – and although people are always quick to point out an example that has lived to 10, 12, 14 – this is unfortunately the exception rather than the norm. Many of us lose our gentle giants even well before the “average” time. It is not about being unlucky or not feeding right or choosing the wrong vet care…it is just a reality we have to accept, a part of owning a giant breed. Sure, genetics play a part and this is again why it is so important to get a puppy from a reputable breeder who health tests their breeding stock – but at the end of the day, dogs were never meant to be this size. Dogs in the wild – those that Natural Selection created – are half this size. Sadly, extremes in any direction are never healthy. But I cannot complain…although I know with a scientist’s heart that it is wrong that they were created, I love Great Danes – and indeed, I have a soft spot for all giant breeds – and I can’t be sorry that they exist. But I do wish their great size and beauty didn’t have to come with such a curse.
Perhaps I felt Saige’s passing even more keenly because I have a big girl too. Honey will be 7 years old in Oct so she is fast approaching the dreaded “average” marker. Yes, she shows no signs of slowing down yet and seems in good health but we know our days with her are numbered.
Honey has been greying so slowly for the past few years (she started going grey from about 18 months!) that we have hardly noticed but just the other day, I looked at her and realised how grey she was becoming, how little of that beautiful dark mask she used to have was left.
In fact, we went to a Great Dane meet-up yesterday (will do a proper post soon) and I was a bit shocked when I saw her next to another young fawn Dane (also named Honey!) – to see just how grey my Honey was compared to the younger dog. Moments like that make you realise: ‘My God, my dog really IS getting old…’
Perhaps because Honey has lost none of her zest for life and is still as agile and active as she has always been (bar the occasional injury trying to climb trees after possums! ) , I haven’t felt the passing of time as I should have. In my mind, she has remained a puppy still – and perhaps she always will to me. But I am looking at her now with new eyes and reminding myself to enjoy every day with her, to cherish every moment. I hope with all my heart that she will be here for many years to come and we will be able to continue sharing her adventures with you all but if she should go, I will be glad to know – like Saige’s human – that she has lived a full and happy life.
~Hsin-Yi
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OK – now that my human has made you all think sad, morbid thoughts – I’m back to tell you about something uplifting to celebrate!
My great blog friends, the Schnauzer brothers, Max & JD, who live in the faraway place called England, have come up with a wonderful idea to help a doggie called Shelby who has had a very bad time and still needs help to get better. They have organised an exciting auction – to take place on the 28th/29th of Aug – and we can all support by either donating things to be auctioned or bidding in the auction (and telling our friends about this great event!). It was inspired after the wonderful GABE event when lots of doggies sent little pressies to each other. This time, we can all show the power of the paw again and each do our bit to help Shelby.
Am preparing a special “K9 Aussie Experience” pack as my donation to the auction!
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Oh! Before I go – I just wanted to clear something up in case there has been a misunderstanding from my last post. First of all, some doggies might have been confused and think that I am on an “all-meat diet” but this is not true. I am on the Raw Diet, which just means that most of what I eat is natural and fresh (or fresh frozen) and not made by humans in a factory, squeezed into funny shapes with chemicals added. Most of my diet is raw meaty bones (so lean meat, fat, skin, bone, cartilage, etc) – because in the wild, doggies would hunt down small animals as their main source of food – they would not be munching grass like cows or eating seeds and nuts like squirrels. However, doggies are also scavengers so they will also eat lots of other things, like ripe fruit and eggs and vegetable stuff digested in the stomach of their prey and even poo of other animals, which may contain minerals and other nutrients (sorry for those squeamish humans but this is true!).
So I do get vegetables and fruit and some grain in my diet. The only difference is that I am not on a “grain-based” diet – which means that I eat mainly raw meaty bones and other fresh things, with a bit of grain added (eg. cooked rice, oatmeal, sprouted grains) – as opposed to kibble which is mainly grain (eg. wheat, soy, corn, etc) with a bit of chicken or lamb meal added. My humans often give me leftover vegetables from their meals, like broccoli, carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, etc, and any ripe fruit too, as well as things like potatoes, rice, oatmeal, beans, etc.
OK, second – when my humans said they don’t believe in ‘supplements’, they meant the kind that comes in little pills and medicine bottles, from shops, which are again made by humans in factories. Or those injections that the vet wanted to give me. And in particular, they were talking about glucosamine and chondroitin supplements for preventing arthritis – because those have been shown in experiments not to have any preventative effect. It does not mean that other kinds of supplements (like fish oils) aren’t useful but they are for a different thing, not arthritis. My humans do agree that it is helpful to feed foods high in good stuff but they generally like to feed it to me in the natural form, if they can. So like they give me whole mackerel once a week because it is high in the good fish oils like Omega-3 but they would rather give it to me in the natural whole fish form than in a pill form. But of course, not everybody can find mackerel easily or feed it easily so it is fine also to give fish oil capsules if you have to. So my humans do give me ‘supplements’ but just in the natural form, for example, they add things like honey and apple cider vinegar to my meals because they contain good things for my health.
And about the question about the chondroitin & glucosamine supplements working in horses – again, my human says that people are confusing the difference between working AFTER you get the condition and preventing it BEFORE. The two are very different things. They’re not saying the supplements don’t work at all but the key is when. Yes, the supplements do work very well – on horses, doggies and even humans – AFTER they already have arthritis symptoms. But there is no proof that if you eat them while you’re still healthy, it will stop you getting arthritis later. In fact, so far the experiments seem to show that it makes no difference. It is like a towel will definitely help dry you off AFTER you get wet but rubbing yourself with a towel BEFORE you go out in the rain won’t stop you getting wet, no matter how hard you rub now. But many people think you should take supplements anyway – “just in case they work” – as long as they have no bad side effects. Well, my humans are happy to do that but they don’t believe that the factory-made supplements don’t have side-effects – so they think it is best to give me the “just-in-case” supplements in as natural form as possible. It just so happens that chicken feet is a natural source of glucosamine & chondroitin, so it’s a good compromise.
Of course, if I DID start to show signs of arthritis then my humans wouldn’t hesitate to use any of the factory-made supplements to help me feel better – but that is because they HAVE been proved to work in THAT case. They will work when I need them but not before I need them. Paul says this is called “evidence-based medicine” and it is usually the best way to do things.
Anyway, I hope that explains things better and sorry for any confusion!
Do you remember a few months ago, I was looking for a new vet here in Brisbane and couldn’t find a nice one we could trust? I had to try so many before I found my nice vet at last! Dr Dr Seung Ho at the Central New Farm Veterinary Clinic.
But before I found him, my human, Hsin-Yi, took me to try Another Vet who was quite nice and gave me lots of treats and pats before checking me over…
…BUT the only thing my human didn’t like was that this Other Vet kept scaring her by telling her what a “senior” doggie I am now and making her feel guilty for not feeding me lots of special medicines called “Supplements”.
He even said I should go back to him and have injections in my bones every week -- for 6 weeks! - because he said this will stop me getting the arthritis sickie.
Well, Hsin-Yi didn’t like the idea of injecting lots of chemicals and medicines into my body and she also thought maybe it was a trick to get more money paper -- so she didn’t just do what he said. Instead, she came home and asked Paul to do some research.
You know Paul is a Human Vet so he can go into a special library on the Internet and look up all the experiments that people have done on medicines to see if they work. Well, he found that it was all rubbish! It is true that AFTER you get the arthritis sickie, then Supplements will help you feel better, move more easily and with less ouchies -- so it IS good to have the Supplements AFTER you have been diagnosed with arthritis….
…but there is NO PROOF that they can protect you BEFORE you get arthritis. The Scientist Humans did lots of tests and followed people who had taken the Supplements and those who had only taken a sweetie called a “placebo” and they found that the supplements hardly made any difference.
So Supplements won’t stop doggies or kitties or humans from getting arthritis. (Hsin-Yi says they have “no prophylactic effect”) -- they don’t prevent or slow down the arthritis sickie, no matter what the shiny papers or bottles say. Paul says it is just a way to make more money paper because many people are very scared of getting old and getting the arthritis sickie and so they will eat anything that promises to protect them -- and they don’t realise that the promises are fake ones.
Well, of course my humans would be happy to give me any medicines which would help me, no matter how much money paper it would cost, but they don’t like doing something that comes from a fake promise! (Hsin-Yi says it’s important to always ask questions and look for more information yourself, rather than just believing everything it says on a shiny, pretty paper.)
Anyway, at the moment, I am not showing any signs of arthritis at all. My nice vet, Dr Seung Ho, gave me a really big check-up, pinching and prodding me (and even sticking sharp things into me to test my reaction!) - and he said I was really agile and flexible for my age. He thought this might be because I’m such an active doggie all my life, doing lots of different things, and that practising my dance moves actually helps to keep me flexible!
(in fact, if any of you missed my last post, do go and watch the video of highlights from my RallyO & Tricks class- you can see just how bouncy and twisty I can be and how fast I can run! )
My humans were not surprised because I never show any problems getting up or lying down or climbing stairs or jumping over things and never walk stiffly or whatever -- and I can bounce out of bed really quickly (and as anyone knows, it’s not easy to bounce out of a beanbag! )
So my humans have decided not to give me any Supplements or injections until I really have the arthritis sickie.
But some people say you should still give Supplements even if there is no proof that they have any powers because it’s just “covering all your bases” -- you know, “just in case”. But Hsin-Yi still didn’t like the idea of giving me medicines which are made in a factory -- it would still be a kind of chemical that my liver and kidneys would have to clean out of my body…
…then Hsin-Yi had a great idea! First of all, she had read before that doggies on Raw Diets seem to have less arthritis problems because they eat a lot of joints and cartilage naturally in their diet.
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See, everytime I eat my chicken wings or chicken necks, am eating lots of joints and cartilage, which have the important ‘glucosamine‘ and ‘chondroitin‘ that can help arthritis sickies.
Well, then Hsin-Yi read that chicken feet are a really good natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin!
In fact, the Chinese people have used it for thousands of years in Chinese Medicine -- they make soups and jellies from chicken feet for their old people to drink.
So Hsin-Yi thought: here was a great way to give me a “supplement” -- to “cover all bases” -- but still do it in a natural way!
This way, if it DID have some special protective powers, I was getting it -- and if it DIDN’T have any special powers, it wouldn’t be hurting me either ‘coz it’s all natural anyway.
And best of all -- it’s YUMMY!!
Yeah, I know they look a bit weird and creepy but they are actually really CRRRRRUNCHY and delicious! I loved them immediately and gobbled them all up!
They’re like natural doggie chips -- hee! hee!
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Look -- watch me eating them and see how crunchy they are?
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So now I get chicken feet three times a week -- with my two lamb meals and my offal meal. Sometimes I also get it on my ’fish’ day, with my mackerel (which has lots of good oils). On the other days, I get chicken wings anyway so I’m already getting joints & cartilage.
My humans get the chicken feet from an Asian butcher in Chinatown (they are very cheap! Just $3 for 1 kg) The usual ‘Western’ butchers don’t sell them but Asian butchers always do because Chinese people love chicken feet and eat lots of them in their cooking. They call them “Phoenix Claws”. (Hsin-Yi says if any of your humans go out to eat “dim sum” -- also called “yum cha” - then you will often see them steamed in those little round bamboo pots. Hsin-Yi doesn’t like them herself but her mummy loves them!).
When she came back from the Chinese butcher the first time, Hsin-Yi also brought me back a special yummy. She said it was a fresh pig’s ear!
Well, I had never seen a fresh pig’s ear before…
…I’d only tried the roasted dry ones from supermarkets before…this one looked so strange and pink and soft and flappy…I was a bit scared of it!
But then Hsin-Yi held it for me (like she holds my Scary Bowl Monster sometimes) and I felt much braver and decided I could try it after all…and it was quite yummy actually!
My name is Zeppelin and I am a 9 month old Great Dane. My mom loves your videos and has been able to teach me many new tricks, and we are grateful for all the time and effort you have put in My mom was just wondering what the recommended time should be to take me for a walk. I do have a lot of energy and get very excited, so she wants to make sure that she gets me the right amount of exercise a day so that I am burning off all this pent up excitement. Do you have any tips for her? Thank-you for taking the time to read this and for your future response. We really appreciate it!!
Zeppelin
Thanks for your lovely message and kind words -- and I’m glad you’re finding the videos useful!
I’m not sure if I’m the best person to answer this question! -- as we were awfully “relaxed” with Honey when she was a puppy and didn’t follow all the exercise restrictions that most owners of giant breed puppies are supposed to. Therefore if any large breed dog owners reading this would like to add their thoughts, please do in the comments below -- we’d be grateful for your input.
First of all, before I talk about how much exercise and what’s safe -- I just want to say that it’s a very common misconception that physical exercise is the only way to satisfy the needs of energetic pups/young dogs and so people tend to only focus on how much physical exercise they need to give their dogs. If the dogs remain excitable and full of energy, they keep assuming they’re not giving them enough physical exercise.
In actual fact, dogs develop stamina far faster than you can keep up with them: this means that if all you do is use physical exercise to tire your dog out, you will have to keep doing more and more as he improves his stamina and will need more and more to tire him out! It becomes a vicious circle. You’ll be exhausted and your dog will still be bouncing off the walls.
So what’s the solution? Exercise his mind -- through training and games. I know I seem to keep harping on about training all the time but it really is the cure for so many ills and has so many great advantages to boot! Mental stimulation will do far more to tire your dog out than all the walking in the world. They say that 10mins of intense training is equivalent to 20mins of running.
“Training” doesn’t have to mean doing obedience drills -- you can alternate between practising the important & necessary basic obedience exercises (Down, Stay, Come, Heel, etc) and other interactive activities -- like teaching your dog to fetch/retrieve a toy or ball, playing games like hide & seek with your dog (either finding you or finding an item) and teaching your dog fun tricks (shake paws, play dead, balancing a biscuit on the nose, etc) or even using clicker training to do some free-shaping… Basically, keep teaching your dog new skills, keep expanding his vocabulary, keep testing his abilities…Keep Challenging Him. (Remember, learning new things is very tiring -- especially for a Dane! )
It doesn’t matter what it is as long as you’re making your dog concentrate and use his brain. Don’t consider training as a ‘once-a-week-bootcamp’ -- you should do it as part of your daily walk. I may walk Honey for about 40mins a day but 10mins of that is stopping somewhere on the way and doing a bit of training. For a young, excitable dog, I would actually recommend that you start the walk with some training -- this will help to calm him down a bit and remind him to focus on you. We always did 5mins with Honey in our garden or pavement in front of our house, before we set off on our walk or in the carpark before she was let loose in the park -- just a bit of Heeling and then a couple of Sits & Downs and Stays -- maybe even a short Recall -- or even ask for some simple tricks -- just to “switch her mind on”, get her to focus on me and take the edge off her excitment. It made her much more manageable on the walk afterwards.
It also shows the dog that he “earns” the reward of his walk by focusing on you and “working” for you first. Remember the NILIF system? (Nothing In Life Is Free) -- that should be applied everywhere in your dog’s life, especially when you have a “life reward” that your dog really values. There’s probably nothing as exciting to your dog as his walk so take advantage of that -- show him that he can earn that “life reward” by paying you attention, practising self control and doing things you asked for. This also shows your dog that he gets things by being calm and well-behaved, rather than acting like a hooligan. That he gets his walk AFTER he has managed to focus on you and behave calmly -- NOT when he is jumping and tugging and being over-excited.
Another way to stimulate your dog’s brain is to continually expose him to new things and take him to new places. You should continue socialising your dog all the way through his first year (dogs go through a second “fear period” at around 7-8 months) and ideally throughout his life. So you should aim to try and give him at least 1 new experience a week. It doesn’t have to be a big thing -- it can be something as simple as a new surface he has never walked on before or a different noise he’s never heard before. A lot of things we take for granted are pretty spooky for dogs! I remember Honey got to her 1st birthday before she ever saw a balloon and she was terrified of it!
Honey’s so busy recovering from her new experiences all the time, she’s always worn out and sleeping whenever she can!
An easy way to socialise is to take your dog somewhere completely new every so often -- even just a street he’s never walked through before. People tend to fall into ruts and do the same walk every day with their dog (down to always turning right when they walk out their front door or always walking on the same side of the street, etc!) Try to have a few different walks (eg. different parks, around the block, downtown) and rotate them -- so that by the time your dog goes back to the first walk, there will be new smells (new peemail!) and new changes to the environment to occupy him.
Even if you have to do the same walk, try to change it up a little if possible -- if you always do the loop in one direction, do it in reverse. If you always turn right at this corner, try going left for a change. If you always walk on this side of the street, try the other side.
Also, do a mixture of leashed walks through streets and off-leash romps at the park -- don’t always just take him to the park and let him tear around with other dogs. Do some walks where you expect your pup to walk calmly past other dogs and ignore them -- and other walks at the dog park where he can socialise with other dogs.
Keep things unpredictable -- keep your dog guessing -- this will also do a lot to support your position as pack leader and remind your dog that he has to constantly pay attention to you and look to you for direction. The minute you become too predictable, you’ve lost some of your ‘mojo’!
Finally, I don’t know if you’re in training classes now but if not, I would strongly recommend them. Even if you don’t have any serious behavioural issues or are not planning to do any kind of dogsports, just attending training class once a week is a great way to stimulate and socialise your dog. Don’t see it as a chore -- see it as a weekly ‘date’ with your dog, where you can spend time just enjoying being a “team” together -- learning new stuff, testing your teamwork skills -- and also a great chance to meet other dogs and people.
Through her first year, starting from puppy kindergarten at 12 weeks, Honey was never out of a training class -- I didn’t have any specific ambitions for her -- we weren’t necessarily working towards a specific goal -- it was just something fun we did once a week together. Dogs are supposed to be your “best friend” and yet there is so much you CAN’T do with your dog -- you can’t go to the movies together or enjoy a meal in a restaurant or go shopping together…
Walking and cuddling are great but they are all quite “mindless” activities -- if you want to do something together that’s actually engaging the brain, then training & playing games is the only way you can enjoy working together as a team. I love watching Honey discover things and learning new things with her together - to me, being a team with your dog is really what dog ownership is all about.
Anyway so remember -- to tire your dog out, it’s often not about how much to exercise but how differently to exercise him.
OK, now about how much physical exercise to give…You ARE supposed to be very careful with exercising any large breed of dog during their first year, as they are growing extremely rapidly (in the case of giant breeds, the growth can be frightening -- your puppy can literally double in size overnight!)…
…giant breed puppy growth!
- and so they are very prone to developmental diseases and deformities. In Danes, this can be as serious as OCD & HOD, which can severely lame the dog, or as mild as “pano” (panosteitis) which is essentially “growing pains” and will usually go away of its own accord.
Thus many Dane owners and breeders will advise you never to let your Dane pup run in their first year, NEVER let them climb stairs and some even advise you not to take them on walks of any length or distance, saying that you should only exercise your pup in your own garden- so that they never get a chance of over-straining or damaging their musculoskeletal systems during the important growing phase.
I had a friend with a Dane pup who would panic every time her dog started to run or jump in its first year -- she would make a fuss and instantly put it back on lead. Her dog certainly did avoid injuries but I did wonder if it missed out in other ways since it was never allowed to run and play normally with other dogs of similar age.
Personally, I feel that -- aside from it being impractical (how on earth do you keep a dog the size of a pony happy and occupied in just your garden for a year, unless you’re the Duke of Edinburgh and own vast chunks of land??) -- it is also dangerous to keep your puppy cooped up because he will be missing out on vital socialisation and training, which can lead to behavioural problems later that can have just as much impact on his/your quality of life.
*People tend to overlook the importance of socialisaion and training because it is something that only produces results slowly over time but it is just as important to your dog’s well-being as good health and in some cases, can be just as influential in leading to your dog’s death.
Honey at 10 weeks playing with 16 week old Dane puppies at a "puppy party" (you can see that even being smaller & 6 weeks younger, she was already playing really rough and giving as good as she got!
Therefore, I believe that it is really about trying to strike a balance between what is practical and necessary for “real life” and what is safe for your dog. I believe -- like a lot of things in life -- it’s about everything in moderation. For example, I certainly wouldn’t do Agility with my dog in its first year but on the other hand, I would let it run and play with doggie friends, as long as things don’t get too out of hand. I wouldn’t let my puppy jump off a great height but I wouldn’t panic if it did a little hop over a step. I would definitely take it out for walks but I wouldn’t make it pound hard pavements with me for hours on end -- and I would certainly NEVER take it jogging (I would hesitate to take even an adult Dane jogging -- they are not built for stamina and can overheat very easily. The constant high impact can also contribute to the risk of arthritis in later life).
With Honey, as I said, we were very ‘relaxed’ and probably let her do more than she should have (and maybe also because I’m strongly against “mollycoddling” dogs). For example, the house we were living in at the time had a flight of steps up to the front door and although she didn’t go up and down these every day (we usually took her in through the back door, which was accessed via a more gentle slope) -- she did go up and down those stairs a fair bit in her first year.
Similarly, with exercise - as an inexperienced, over-enthusiastic, first-time dog owner - I was probably a bit over-ambitious! I remember taking Honey on her first “walk” when she was about 10 weeks old - and thinking I would take her to the bottom of our street and back -- a 15 minute round trip. Well, what seemed like a quick loop suddenly seemed like a HUGE distance when I had a little puppy in tow and I quickly learnt my lesson when she stopped exhausted and I had to carry her all the way back! Let me tell you -- at 1o weeks, Honey already weighed about 15kg (35lbs) and was about the size of a Staffie -- no small bundle!
But yes -- since I enjoy walking myself and consider 30mins a “short walk” -- I probably walked Honey far longer and further than she should have at that age. I remember taking Honey for long walks around the block every afternoon - often 40mins, sometimes more -- from 6 months onwards. Overall, we also pretty much let her run and play and jump as much as she wanted.
If you haven’t seen it before, here is a video of Honey at 3 months (12 weeks) amusing herself running & jumping in the garden… (we had a very steeply sloping lawn -- nothing we could do about that -- although I did put up some wire netting to prevent her jumping off the retaining walls at the higher end -- but I didn’t prevent her doing little jumps)
I’m not saying this was the right thing to do -- it probably wasn’t -- but Honey seems to have turned out OK, with good balance of muscle & movement and good structural development (level back, legs the same length, even gait, etc) . This might be down to good breeding or this might be down to luck -- or even down to letting her have some freedom. There are some who believe that puppies DO need to be allowed some “rough exercise” in order to develop the muscles needed, otherwise they are actually more fragile & prone to injury. Who knows?
We may just have been lucky but Honey never had any developmental issues, other than a very short bout of “pano” and she is now nearly 7yrs old with -- according to the last vet check -- no sign of arthritis yet. Certainly she still moves with great speed & agility (when she’s motivated enough! ) and I don’t notice any stiffness or reluctance to do anything (other than when she is displaying the typical Dane wimpiness about things).
Remember, though, that everything is a result of both Nature & Nurture combined. That’s why I keep going on about only getting puppies from reputable breeders -- because if you get a pup with a genetic predisposition to poor hips or other structural deformities, then even if you never let them climb a single step, they might still develop problems.
Anyway, so I’m afraid I can’t really give you any specific times for how long or how much to exercise a Dane pup. (At 9 months, Zeppelin will have passed the most dangerous phase of rapid growth anyway). I would think that after 6 months, you should be safe to walk for at least 30mins a time -- although I don’t know if others would recommend walking up to an hour. It will also depend on the pace you’re walking (is it continuous or do you keep stopping and starting?) and the type of surface you’re walking on (pavement is more unforgiving than soft grass). Some may recommend you split it into 2 smaller walks (eg. 2 walks of 20mins each, morning & evening) if this suits your schedule, so that your pup isn’t subjected to prolonged exercise in one go. One thing I think you should absolutely avoid is jogging or any kind of forced, prolonged running and jumping until at least 18 months.
I think if Zeppelin has done well up to now then you’re probably fine with what you’re doing so far and if you can just add more different training, socialisation and interactive activities to stimulate his mind, it should tire him out more and keep him content.
Hope this has been helpful and good luck!
~ Hsin-Yi
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(back to Honey…)
My blog friend, El’bow the Mastiffin Belgium, is celebrating his birthday next week and he’s hosting a great contest for the most creative birthday card from his friends. So here is my card for El’bow:
My humans get lots and lots of people telling them that they would love a doggie like me – a Great Dane.
Well, it’s not hard to see why – after all, us Danes are one of the most beautiful and majestic of dog breeds – we’re not known as the “Apollo of Dogs” for nothing!
We’re also known for our placid, easy-going temperaments and for being “gentle giants” despite our huge size.
But us Danes have a dark side too (see below) - Hee! Hee!
So - because I know lots of people, who think they would like a Great Dane, read this blog - I thought it was a good time to tell you a bit more about what it’s really like living with a Dane - especially now with the ‘Marmaduke’ moviecoming out.
Of course, I’m very proud that Hollywood is making a star out of Great Danes but I am also sad because it is often a bad thing for our breed, because movies are only make-believe and only show the cute side of things - but humans can be very silly and just rush out to get a doggie like the ones they see in a movie, without taking time to find out all the problems that such doggies can bring.
This makes the Evil Puppy Farmers and Backyard Breeders very happy because then they can force their prisoner mummy dogs to make lots and lots of sick puppies to sell to the Dummy Humans who have done no research…
This is India, a Great Dane mummy dog rescued from Backyard Breeders. They beat her everyday, even though she gave them 4 litters of puppies in 3 years. When she was rescued, she was nursing 11 day old puppies. She had whipworms and sarcoptic mange, her fur was falling out and she had open wounds on her body. But she was one of the lucky ones and has now found her forever home. (Click on the photo if you want to read her story)
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…and then when the Dane puppies get to 5 months and are the size of baby elephants with no manners at all or lots of sickies, the Dummy Humans decide they are too much trouble and try to throw them away.
That’s how you end up with lots of lost, scared Danes looking for homes but often with mental sickies or back and leg sickies which make it really hard to adopt them – and even if they are all fine, not many people want or can have a giant, slobbery doggie in their homes so it can be really hard finding homes for them…
…and so sometimes, they are forced to go to the Rainbow Bridge early, even though they are still puppies, really; even though they’ve done nothing wrong except be born; even though all they ever wanted was just to find somebody of their own to love…
Lots of puppies die tortured, unloved, scared and lonely, just because some silly human thought it would be fun to get a doggie like they saw in a movie.
* In 1998 – the year following the “101 Dalmatians” movie – over 2,000 unwanted Dalmatians were dumped at Southern California’s shelters alone – and the Dalmatian Rescue people were only able to save 69. The following year, the number was over 3,000… and this was just in one part of the US.
So if you really love Great Danes, I hope you will read the rest of this post and think carefully before you rush out to buy that cute puppy.
Thank you.
Slobbers,
Honey the Great Dane
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(by my human, Hsin-Yi – COPYRIGHT: please ask for permission before reprinting)
The Truth About Great Danes
“With great power comes great responsibility”
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Everyone remembers the first time they fell in love – and so it was with me. We were on holiday in Spain – sitting out late one evening enjoying paella and the balmy summer weather, at a cafe in Madrid – when I saw the most magnificent dog sitting with his owner a few tables away. At the time, I wasn’t sure what breed it was but I was captivated by his majestic beauty and noble presence. The massive, chiselled head with the gentle, dark eyes; the rippling muscles in that great body which whispered of strength and power, and yet moved so lightly and gracefully; the patient dignity with which he sat and waited – it epitomised everything I thought a dog ought to be.
I watched as he got up every so often and wandered over to another table, regarding its occupants with a gentle curiousity – but at a snap of his owner’s fingers, he would turn and instantly return to his master’s side. After seeing so many small dogs out-of-control with their ‘spoilt brat’ aggression, this combination of great size and power coupled with such gentle obedience was breathtaking and awe-inspiring. I knew then that this was the dog for me. When we returned to England I searched eagerly for more information and learnt his name at last: the Great Dane.
(Honey's brother, Zeus)
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The Wonderful Things
Ask any Dane-lover what makes this breed so special and he will probably start telling you about their gentle natures, their sweet, soppy personalities, their goofy antics, their elegant beauty…but in practical terms, I think what makes Danes so wonderful is that they are sucheasy dogs to live with (- IF you have trained and socialised them properly).
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Easy-Going Housemates: Danes are generally very calm, placid dogs who take life at a slow and easy pace. While they like to be with you, they do not demand constant attention and interaction like some other breeds – not for them the need to constantly chase a ball or dig a hole or scavenge for food or chew their surroundings to pieces – if nothing is happening, they tend to lie down quietly in a corner and more often than not, go to sleep. (Yes, there are Danes who bark and destroy and constantly ask for attention but this is more due to poor training and socialisation and the owners rewarding ”attention-seeking behaviours”).
zzz...ZZZ...zzz
And while we’re on the subject of sleep, let me tell you – these dogs sleep. A lot. We have counted and Honey sleeps on average 18 hours a day – not kidding. What always surprises us is how tired she seems when she returns to bed straight after breakfast – surely a dog that’s been sleeping since 10pm last night and only woke up at 8am this morning for a toilet visit and breakfast can’t need to sleep so deeply again, snoring as if she hasn’t slept for days?
Honey usually goes back to bed around 9am in the morning and won’t wake again until about 4pm when she will stretch leisurely and wait patiently to be taken for her daily walk. Once her walk is done and she has had her dinner at around 7pm, guess what? Yup, she’ll head straight for her bed again. I sometimes think that unlike other dogs who consider sleeping a second-rate activity to fill the time when there is nothing better to do – for Danes, sleeping is an aim in itself. This is not a dog whose primary mission in life is to terrorise potential intruders, dig a hole to China, chase every moving object or consume every edible thing…this is a dog whose primary mission in life is to sleep - as much as possible!
Can you spot the Dane??
Their quiet natures mean that they are actually ideal indoor dogs. Many people wonder how we cope with such a huge dog in the house but ask any of our friends who have stayed with us – you hardly notice her. Honey is so quiet and so inactive indoors - she is almost like an extra piece of furniture. You actually feel there is “less dog” than if you had two smaller excitable dogs running around, jumping up and barking all the time. Many people mistakenly believe that you need a mansion and estate to have a Great Dane (we lived in a tiny 2 bedroom garden unit back in Auckland) - in fact, in Europe, they are known as “apartment ponies” because their quiet natures mean that they are actually more suited to living in a limited space (as long as they get decent walks daily) than many of the smaller but more active working and sporting breeds.
It also means that – providing you have done the right training and got them used to the idea gradually – Danes can be easier than many other dogs to leave alone at home. They are generally happy just to sleep the day away, instead of getting up to mischief like trying to escape or ‘help’ you with your interior decorating.
When Honey was younger (5 months onwards), I was out working for the large part of each day – (certainly not ideal but unfortunately not everyone has the luxury of working from home and dogs can cope if they are prepared properly, exercised enough and given adequate boredom relievers while alone). Accordingly, we left her lots of things to occupy her time – from stuffed Kongs and raw bones to treats hidden around the garden and chewtoys galore. I used to come home to find most of these things untouched and Honey just stretching and coming out of her bed as I walked through the door…! It was almost like she had a switch and was in “OFF” mode when we weren’t around – and then tackled all her toys and treats with gusto as soon as we came home!
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BUT this was only because we took time to traing & prepare her, gradually extending the time over days and weeks, so she felt secure and relaxed about being left home alone. AND we made sure that she had enough mental stimulation (through daily training sessions) and physical exercise (a variety of walks – we never missed a day, no matter how tired we were and if we were going to be late, we booked a dog walker) when she waswith us, so that she was content to sleep when we weren’t there. (And of course, her fundamental stable temperament helped – dogs that are anxious, excitable or neurotic are much more likely to develop separation anxiety).
* I am not saying that Danes are suitable for being left alone for long periods of time – no breed is – and if your dog will have to spend most of his life alone, then you shouldn’t have a dog. Constant, prolonged solitary isolation is one of the cruellest things you can do to a dog.
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Easy Exercise: This inherent “laziness” in Danes also means that they don’t have much stamina. A Dane tires really easily. Even when she was a boisterous teenager – 10 minutes of training games or playing Tug with Honey would mean that she needed to sleep it off for at least another 2 hours…not a bad trade-off!
And this means - contrary to what a lot of people believe – Danes do NOT need a lot of exercise. Yes, they are massive dogs but their energy requirements are low compared to other breeds. Thus, you don’t need to jog for 10km a day or throw a ball for an hour to satisfy your Dane – he’ll be quite happy with 2 shorter walks or 1 longer walk a day.
We tend to only walk Honey once a day in the afternoon, usually for about 40mins although occasionally for 1 hour, and she is very happy with that. We do make an effort to give her lots of variety – so over the course of a week, she gets a rotation of leashed pavement walks and off-leash runs at the park or beach. (Just by taking your Dane to an unfamiliar place – even if you’re not doing a long walk - will tire him out with all the new smells and stimulations. Dogs get bored with the same routine just like we do.) Of course, Honey also gets regular, short training sessions throughout the week – don’t forget, 10 minutes of intense training can equate to 20mins of running in tiring the dog out. People who just rely on physical exercise find they have to walk longer and longer as their dogs develop stamina faster than they can keep up with it.
However, for the few rare times when I’m really busy and can only spare 20mins or the weather is horrible, Honey is fine with a quick stroll around the block and won’t be climbing the walls at home with her excess energy. Conversely, if we want to go hiking for 3 hours on the weekend, Honey will tackle any trek with enthusiasm and have no problems keeping up (although of course, she will be comatose for the whole week afterwards! )
This again is what makes Danes so easy to live with – their flexible exercise requirements. It’s one reason why they were top of my shortlist – I wanted a breed athletic enough to cope with substantial exercise when I wanted it but mellow enough that I didn’t HAVE to devote hours to exercising him every day. I also like the fact that I can take Honey to a 2-day dog training workshop when I want to but she will also lie quietly and not bother me all day when I have work deadlines to meet and can’t spare much time to interact with her. I have friends who own a Dalmation/Border Collie-cross and they have to walk him 3 times a day (two of which are 5km jogs) just to keep him sane. I admire their dedication but I’m too selfish myself and like having a dog where I have the flexibility to be lazy sometimes – and not suffer any consequences!
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Easy Management: In training language, Danes are known as “extremely low drive” – which basically means they can’t be bothered much, especially with anything that requires a lot of effort. They need to be given a LOT of motivation and “good reason” for them to do anything. This can be a nightmare when you are actually trying to train them in advanced obedience and competitive dog sports (like I am with Honey) as they lack the constant enthusiasm & focus of the traditional working breeds – but it’s a blessing when it comes to living with them.
Obviously, there are exceptions and puppies will always be puppies but in general, Danes are very easily deterred. They give up easily. This means that it’s not hard to stop them doing things – whether it is escaping from a garden or stealing food from the kitchen – they are easily daunted. Sure, they will seize an opportunity just like any other dog but if you make things just a little bit difficult – whether through poor access or constant supervision - they will often give up and not try again.
These are not dogs that will spend a lot of time cleverly working out how to open every cupboard in the house or repeatedly planning how to sneak past your defences…which has led some people to label Danes as “stupid”.
The truth is, Danes are no more stupid than any other breed – they can learn to open cupboards or any other clever trick – but the key is, they just can’t be bothered most of the time.
Much like cats aren’t stupid – in fact, they are probably more intelligent than dogs – but they are difficult to train because they often just can’t be bothered. To do something, an animal has got to not only be capable of doing it but also want to do it…this is the reason why many people struggle with training their Danes. They have a much a harder time motivating their dogs than owners of other breeds.
Some claim that Danes are “stubborn” and yes, they can be but it is not the same kind of stubborn persistence and continual enjoyment in defying you that you find in some other cheekier breeds. This doesn’t mean that there are no naughty Danes – of course there are Danes that steal food, dig holes and destroy things! – but more often than not, if you’re clear and consistent with the rules in the beginning and supervise so that they don’t get a chance to develop the bad habit, then they will accept the status quo and never think of questioning it again, unlike some other breeds that will keep testing you and pushing boundaries as long as they’ve got breath left in their bodies!
Honey respecting the 'Out-of-Kitchen" rule...we can go out and leave food on the counter and she will not enter, because this rule was consistently trained and reinforced from Day 1.
Danes are also known to be ‘sensitive’ – they value affection more than food or toys and really get upset by your displeasure or anger. Honey fears my Scary Face and Scary Voice far more than any other possible punishment. This means that they are often easily deterred from doing something naughty just with a Stern “Telling Off” – they really don’t like annoying you – compared to other breeds which may defiantly talk back to you or just shrug off your objections and turn a deaf ear.
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Easy Grooming: Great Danes really are wash ‘n’ wear dogs. Their short, single coat requires minimal grooming – a run over with a rubber curry comb (eg. Zoom Groom) once a week to remove any dead, loose hairs is often more than enough. (This is another reason they topped my shortlist as I HATE grooming and wanted a breed I could get away with doing as little as possible! I’m ashamed to say that sometimes, Honey only gets groomed once a month!)
Any mud dries and falls off quickly – there are no long hairs to clump and matt together. Compared to other breeds, they do not shed excessively although they can “moult” twice a year in spring and autumn but as long as you’re a bit more conscientious with the grooming then, it is hardly any trouble. Certainly nothing like the huge clumps of hair and fur you will often see coming off other breeds.
After a bath, they dry extremely quickly – 10 minutes in hot sun. Their big size does mean they can be difficult to bathe IF you have not done the proper training and socialised them to baths from an early age – it is practically impossible to hold a squirming, soapy giant dog that is panicking. Even more so with nail clipping – Dane nails are like huge talons and are extremely hard and take a lot of strength to clip, and if they have dark nails like Honey, very difficult to see the quick – so it is essential that your Dane will lie quietly while you’re struggling to squeeze the clippers – otherwise things could get very ugly! . But get in early with positive associations & socialisation to these activities and you’ll be fine. Honey doesn’t enjoy her baths or her nail clippings – but she stands or lies quietly and complies dociley while I’m getting on with it.
But don’t think it’s all plain sailing with Great Dane personal care - the Curse of the Slobber (see The Dark Side below) more than cancels out any grooming benefits you get!
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The Dark Side
Despite their wonderfulness, Great Danes have a lot of negatives too and much as I love them and consider them to be the epitome of what a dog should be, I would be the first to admit that a Dane is not for everybody. In fact, I would go so far as to say a Great Dane is not for most people. They require a more dedicated, committed owner than average so if you can’t embrace the following things 100%, then DON’T get a Dane!
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You absolutely CANNOT skimp on the training. Danes aren’t any worse behaved than other breeds – in fact (as mentioned above), in many respects they are easier to manage but this does not mean you can skimp on training in any way. Why? Because if they DO misbehave, the consequences will be 10 times worse than other dogs – just because of their sheer size and strength.
This is not a dog that you can afford to have even a bit ”out of control” – he can be a serious danger to himself and others. I hate the double standards that seem to apply to dog breeds based on size but in this case, I have to admit that there is a point. Not that it excuses them or makes it right but you can hang on to or pick up a toy breed that is misbehaving – whereas you will be lucky to escape injury or a lawsuit with a Dane. It is like the difference between you not knowing how to ride a bicycle: the worst that can happen is you fall off or crash into 1 pedestrian – and you not knowing how to fly a Jumbo jet: you could kill hundreds of people, damage airports and cities or worse.
And an untrained Great Dane can seriously impact your quality of life – you can’t just “put up with it” as many owners of smaller dogs do and just get on with life, albeit with some exasperation and discomfort. A Jack Russell pulling on a leash is a nuisance – a Great Dane pulling on a leash is a hip replacement waiting to happen. A chewing accident won’t just be a favourite shoe destroyed – it will be half the house demolished. I’m not kidding. I have seen Danes chew up half a kitchen wall. Yes, the wall.
I had a friend whose Dane lunged and took off down the street, dragging her face down on the concrete road behind him…she only stopped when she smacked into a telephone pole and had to be hospitalised for days with concussion and “burns” all over her body where her skin had been ripped off. It may seem funny on a YouTube video but it’s not when it is happening to you. Which it will. Guaranteed. If your Dane is not trained properly.
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Sure, there will be those who can rely on brute strength to hang on – maybe one reason why Danes are often walked by big, tall, beefy men – but unfortunately, we can’t all be Arnold Schwarzenegger. And besides, you shouldn’t have to.
Walking a Dane in a ballgown & high heels? It's all down to the training!
One of the things people say to me more than anything else is how surprised they are that such a small woman as myself can handle a Dane. And not only just “hang on” as many people seem to but have her behave beautifully.
Er…why? Leadership is not about how much you weigh but about how much authority you have. And only training gives you the kind of authority that allows you to control an animal that weighs 20kg more than you and whose jaws could rip you in half.
I actually prefer controlling Honey when she is off-leash – I rely on my voice and authority – and not on a length of nylon to restrain her. But I can only do that because she respects my leadership, which was established through training.
Of course, I totally understand that not everyone is as interested in dog training as I am and I don’t expect them to be. For me, it is almost like a hobby – no different to golf or knitting or even shopping for some. But not everyone wants to spend large parts of their spare time training their dogs and that’s fair enough. But just don’t get a Dane then. I hate to say it but get something smaller that you can “get away with it” . It still isn’t right – every dog, not matter what size or breed, should be trained and I’m constantly disgusted at the number of small dogs I see who are allowed to behave like canine terrorists – but it is true that you can get away with less training with a smaller, less powerful dog. At least you CAN hang on or physically drag them away.
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And if you’re thinking I’m just being a goody-goody and you can probably get away with it – trust me, you won’t. We get on average 5 messages coming through the ‘Contact Honey’ page every week and a lot of them are Dane owners begging me for help because their Danes are out of control. A lot of them thought they could “get away with it” and didn’t bother to put in any time training when their Danes were young. They’re all suffering for it now. And the sad thing is, it could all have been so easily prevented.
Of course, there will be those reading this who will be thinking, “But I hardly trained my Dane and he’s an angel!” Good for you – but you’re one of the very few, rare lucky ones. Yes, there are some dogs who grow up magically well-behaved with you hardly doing anything (just like children) but can you take the chance? Like playing Russian roulette - if you’re lucky and get an empty round, that’s great, but if you happen to get the bullet…
I’m not saying that you have to go to the extremes I do with participating in dog sports, etc, if you get a Dane but you HAVE to be prepared to commit a significant amount of time to training, especially in the first year and even thoughout your Dane’s life. With great power comes great responsibility and you have a duty, if you get a Dane, to ensure that he is not a danger to himself or others.
Besides – you want to enjoy your dog, don’t you? You don’t want to spend your life panting behind your dog, with your arm dragged out of its socket…or breaking into a cold sweat every time you see another dog/cyclist/jogger/cat coming down the street whilst your dog has turned into a cross between Godzilla and a Giant Mexican Jumping Bean…or skulking around, walking your dog at midnight in the hopes of not meeting anyone…(all things I’ve known Dane owners to do)…if life with a dog has to be like that, what is the point?
This is what life with your dog ought to be...
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You might not believe it looking at Honey now but we went through a very bad time with her when she was about 7-8 months old. I would get panic attacks just at the thought of having to take her out for a walk. I would be dragged behind her until the rubber soles of my shoes were almost smoking, as she lunged and barked at other dogs. I was flipped off my feet, flat onto my back. We were expelled from training class for being “out of control”. I could not enjoy her at all and yes, I did even think about giving her up. (GULP)
But then we decided to get professional help from a wonderful trainer called Flip at Flip’s Top Dogin Auckland and the rest, as they say, is history. So I’m telling you all this not because I enjoy preaching but because I have lived through the nightmare of having an out-of-control Dane myself and I would not wish that experience on anybody.
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You have to do MORE socialisation – and never stop. You know all those stupid things that people are told NEVER to do to strange dogs? Like stare at them, point at them, run up and hug them, scream and make sudden moves, touch them from behind…? Well, they’ll do it to your Dane. Guaranteed.
I am constantly staggered at the kind of things people do to Honey – from joggers giving her rump a smack as they run past (??!!) to children mauling her head and crawling underneath her. One little girl in a park even came up and patted Honey’s tongue as she was panting! Not to mention the construction worker who asked me how much Honey weighed and then before I could reply, proceeded to try and lift her in his arms to find out for himself!
Of course, they are at fault for doing those stupid things and would totally deserve it if they provoked a reaction from your Dane but if anything did happen, who do you think would be blamed? Especially when there is a “big dog” involved? And sure, all of this applies to all dogs but a lot of breeds can get by relatively unnoticed – with a Dane, you can never avoid it - he will always be drawing attention – and bringing out the worst in stupid behaviour.
So it is up to you to make sure that your Dane sees all this excessive attention as a good thing. That he is very tolerant of stupid behaviour – because he will have to put up with a lot more than most other dogs. And you can only achieve this through adequate socialisation.
(sigh) Can't I just sniff the grass in peace?
Be aware, also, that some Danes can be quite timid and ‘skittish’ – you can try your best to avoid this by selecting a reputable breeder who only breeds from stable dogs with good temperaments - but to some extent, there is a definite tendency in this breed. Therefore, it is even more important that you “bomb-proof” your Dane because a fearful Dane that can’t cope with all this attention may resort to aggression – perhaps justified, you feel – but in the end, it is your Dane who suffers (and might even be put to sleep).
Sure, you can protect your Dane if you never take him out ever or only live up in the mountains – or build a Force Field around him to prevent anyone coming near…but realistically, you will have to rely on socialisation. So can you spare the time, especially in the early months, to take your Dane to a host of places and expose them to a variety of people, animals, objects and experiences in a positive way? And ideally continue doing this for the rest of his life, to cope with the constant new social challenges he will have to face? You just never know what the next stupid person might do or when it might reach your Dane’s breaking point – so you have to continually ”put credit in the socialisation bank”. If you can’t invest this kind of time, then DON’T get a Dane.
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SLOBBER!!!!! Danes are definitely NOT for the houseproud. There’s no delicate way to put this – unless you’re very “relaxed” about home cleanliness and decor (or you want to spend most of your days manically cleaning), forget having a Dane. These dogs can drool like there is no tomorrow. Yes, some of them have ‘tighter’ mouths and only produce a dainty dribble but there is no guarantee for this and no way of predicting, especially when they are a puppy, just how ‘slobbery’ they are going to be.
As someone who lives with a “slobbery Dane”, I can tell you that it is not for the faint-hearted. Honey drools constantly. She drools when she is hot; she drools when she is excited; she drools when she is walking; she drools when she is sleeping; she drools when she eating food; she drools when she thinking about food; she drools when she rides in the car; she drools when she is playing; she drools when there is nothing better to do…it is non-stop and relentless.
And we’re not talking about a few dainty little drops, either, but great long stringy gobs of slime which smell and stick everywhere – on your clothes, your hair, your walls, your furniture, your carpets, your floors, your cars, your friends…
The walls in our house are always covered in slobber. From great big splatter patterns that look like an alien was slaughtered in the room to small blobs that have hardened into lumpy projections. Nor is the furniture safe, even though Honey is not allowed on the sofa – a good toss of her head means she can fling her drool far and wide. A lot of Dane-owners have forgotten what their lounge suites look like as everything is always perpetually covered with sheets.
And even when she is not actively drooling, Honey’s mouth is always wet. This means wherever she lays her head, there is likely to be a slimey damp patch afterwards. It also means that the area around her mouth is always moist and a perfect breeding ground for bacteria, especially given all the folds and wrinkled skin underneath her chin. This is one reason why so many young Danes suffer from pimples and acne on their chin.
Of course, we do our best to fight it. We keep Honey’s water bowl outside and feed her outside and wipe her mouth with a towel before she comes back in the house. We keep a ‘slobber towel’ in several locations in the house and wipe her mouth at every opportunity. But it is a losing battle.
We’ve got used to it and don’t mind it. My personal pet peeve is noisy dogs and I cannot stand dogs that yap a lot at every small thing – so I’d rather deal with slobber than excessive barking and howling. It’s not a judgement – neither problem is better than the other – but just what you are happier to put up with. But just make sure that if you do decide to get a Dane, you can put up with this.
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Great Danes could be the most expensive mistake you’ll ever make. When people ask me about the cost of having a Dane, the only thing they tend to think about is food. Actually, I think – once they are fully grown – Danes don’t cost significantly more to feed. They might even eat less than a slightly smaller but more active working or sporting breed. It also depends on what you feed them – some foods deliver very little nutrition so have to be fed in huge amounts. But when they are growing puppies (which can be up to 2 years), you will have to invest in an expensive, high quality diet. Danes are already prone to developmental problems as it is – you really have to do everything to ensure good growth and health - if you skimp on the quality of food now, you’ll be paying for it in vet bills later.
Any discounts for giant breeds?
Make no mistake about it: EVERYTHING about your Dane will be expensive. Like the look of that dog bed? Wait until you see what the price is in XXL size. Want to buy some flea treatment? You’ll be paying what other owners pay in a year just for one sitting. Thinking of getting a crate? Better start saving for the cost of the Giant model. Need to put your Dane in a kennel? Double the standard rate just to start with. Searching for a Dane-friendly dog coat? Be prepared to pay designer prices. Looking for a new car to transport your canine friend? You’ll be looking at models with hefty space at the back and a hefty price tag attached. And as mentioned above – any damage your Dane causes (whether in destructive behaviour or accidental injuries) will be MAJOR and likely to cost you a LOT in repairs/treatment.
Any time you think something is good value for money – wait until you see the same thing in XXL size. It is incredibly frustrating but there are no good deals in the giant range of anything. And any vet treatment and pest control is always calculated by weight – and your dog will have a LOT of it. Even a simple course of antibiotics could easily cost you hundreds. NOTHING with a Dane is cheap.
As for pet insurance, I only have 2 words: get it. Even a simple operation for a Dane is likely to cost thousands, especially if anaethesia (again calculated on weight) is involved. But don’t go on the premiums quoted on the website – Danes will fall into their “special breeds” group where the premium are extra high – told you nothing with a Dane is cheap!
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The curse of the celebrity. You might think it’s really cool to have everyone oohing and aahing over your dog every time you go out but trust me, it wears really thin very quickly.
Please don’t think I’m ungrateful – I am very honoured and flattered that people think Honey is so beautiful and want to meet her and ask questions about her – and I am more than happy to oblige a lot of the time and enjoy making new friends - but sometimes, I really just want to walk my dog or go to a cafe in peace. But it’s NEVER an option. You are stalked wherever you go and we have had people literally queue up to take photos with or pat Honey.
If you’re someone who craves being the centre of attention all the time then yes, maybe you would enjoy it. (But I really worry about those who just get a Dane because they want to show off having “the biggest dog in the street”).
I’m not a particularly shy person and I’m comfortable getting attention and talking to strangers – but I still find the constant onslaught a bit of a strain, as would any normal person.
Those of you reading this with young Danes probably won’t agree – you’re still enjoying being singled out with all the attention…I used to think like you when Honey was 2 yrs old – after all, I agree, it’s nice to feel “special” – but now that we’ve had it for nearly 7 years, the novelty is definitely wearing off!
And don’t forget all the ‘smart comments’ you will get. This can wear REALLY thin. I have to grit my teeth now every time someone passes us and says “You could put a saddle on that thing” or some other “horse” remark.
I know they are only trying to be funny – and often they look at you, expecting you to laugh uproariously at their “witty” comment – when in truth, I’ve heard it so many times I can barely stretch my lips into the semblance of a smile.
I wouldn’t mind it so much if people actually came up with something original but everyone says the same stupid things and thinks they are so creative. I don’t understand why they feel the need to comment anyway? Do they think I haven’t noticed that my dog is very big??
As for the stupid questions, don’t even get me started. They range from “Will she eat my dog?” (in all seriousness) to “Did you know she was going to get so big when you got her?” I mean – huh? It’s like ordering a Vindaloo Curry and then asking, “Did you know it was going to be spicy?”
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Can you cope with a Special Needs dog? Getting a Great Dane compared to getting a more common breed is like keeping exotic tropical fish instead of common guppies. I don’t mean they are more valuable or special but just that they require more expert knowledge and ‘work’ to raise them well and ensure optimal health.
This particularly applies to Dane puppies. They have to be carefully watched, fed and exercised during their first year as their rapid growth (and genetic heritage) means that they are very prone to developmental & skeletal diseases. Even when they are fully grown, you will have to continue with special routines and procedures to avoid things like bloat & gastric torsion.
So think carefully about whether you are able to put in the time & effort for all this extra “special care”. Just like how if you haven’t got the patience, know-how and time to tend & prune & trim & fertilise a garden full of exotic orchids, then it might be better if you just stick to a less ambitious garden with hardier plants that don’t need so much specialist care.
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NOT the ideal dog for a young family. If you have children under 5 yrs old (AND ESPECIALLY if you’re a first-time owner), please think twice about getting a Great Dane puppy. As mentioned above, you really cannot afford to skimp with a Dane puppy’s training and socialisation – and it is hard to find the time when you have your hands full with tantrums and Teletubbies.
Honey at 5 months
Of course, this could apply to puppies of all breeds but you have a lot less leeway with a Dane. Why? Because of their growth rate. A 4 month old Dane puppy will be the size of a large Labrador already – and probably much stronger. It will still have the mind of a puppy and all the same puppy issues but behave like a small rhinocerous in your home. It can also hurt your children a lot harder if there are any accidents.
I can’t tell you how much it upsets and angers me to get the messages we get through the ‘Contact Honey’ page every week – almost all identical – from people with Danes about 5 months old which they just cannot control and are now becoming a threat to their families. It is always the same age: 5 months – when it is no longer a cute, lumbering puppy but a huge boisterous young dog causing havoc. Invariably, none of them will have done any training. Why? Why? Why are people so stupid?
Of course, there will be those indignantly reading this now who have welcomed a Dane puppy into their family of young children and raised a wonderful family dog. I’m not saying it can’t be done but it usually requires a lot of dedication and hard work. And a large dose of luck too.
Life is unfair with a Great Dane. If you’re going to get a Dane, brace yourself for some serious discrimination. This probably affects all owners of large breeds – and Danes are probably better off than those breeds which have a certain (usually undeserved) ‘reputation’ such as Rottweilers, but nevertheless, you will find life with a very big dog very uncomfortable at times.
There is a terrible double standard that exists in people’s perception and tolerance of dog behaviour, based on your dog’s size. Little dogs can behave atrociously, barking ferociously, lunging aggressively, even biting – and people will often laugh it off or call it “spunky” or “cute” – whereas if your Dane ever so much as sneezes in the wrong direction, people will be all over it, accusing it of aggressive, threatening behaviour. You will suffer far more and far quicker judgement on your Dane and be forgiven less.
When it comes to incidents between dogs, the bigger dog is ALWAYS blamed. And when you’ve got a Dane, you’ve got the biggest dog in the park. Doesn’t matter if he didn’t start it. Doesn’t matter if he is standing 3 metres away. It will be his fault. We learnt this the hard way when a Manchester Terrier attacked Honey in a park back in Auckland and when she tried to defend herself, the Terrier’s owners reported her to Animal Control, wanting her to be muzzled for being a “dangerous dog”. Their argument was that a big dog had no right to defend itself against a little dog because of the size difference.
Having a bigger dog also means that any un-dogfriendly attitudes are magnified. Even if people are willing to consider it for a little dog, there is no way they will allow it for a Great Dane. These double standards also often apply to the things you can do and places you can go. Lots of so-called “dog-friendly accommodation” only welcome dogs below a certain size.
You will even suffer negative attitudes from other dog owners – especially ladies of a certain age with dogs of a certain fluffy, white type - who will be snatched up and cradled in their owner’s arms as you walk by with your perfectly behaved, perfectly disinterested Dane - whilst they sniff disapprovingly and coo to their bristling, yapping bundle that “Mummy won’t let that big nasty dog hurt you.” Like the smart aleck comments, this one is easy to shrug off once in a while but when it becomes a daily occuremce, it can really get you down.
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Big size means big incoveniences. While you don’t need a huge house & garden to have a Great Dane, their big size does make things pretty inconvenient at times. For example, any cafe you want to stop at will need a lot of room around the tables. You can’t just tuck your Dane out of sight under the table – more likely than not, they will sprawl halfway across the pavement, blocking everyone’s way.
Their height also means that you ‘d better train some very good food manners or have very high counters! Things that are out of the question for most dogs are an easy reach for Great Danes. And while you can get away with a small car (as we did for our final year in Auckland), you really do need to get a decent-sized station wagon or 4X4 to transport your Dane. And remember, if your dog gets exhausted or injured while out on a trek, you won’t be able to carry him back easily. Come to that, if he gets stuck in a narrow space, you won’t be able to get him out easily!
With a dog this size, it’s never a quick “get up and go” – you will have to plan every outing and check every destination for enough space and welcoming attitude to cope with such a big dog.
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You won’t get a ’Honey’ We get a lot of people writing in saying they would love to have a dog like Honey, ie. a Great Dane – but we also get quite a few saying they would love to have a dog like Honey. Literally. They don’t just want a Great Dane – they want a ‘Honey’.
This also happens a lot when we go out and meet people marvelling at Honey’s good behaviour and lovely temperament. I am always in a quandry in these situations. Of course, I am delighted that Honey is being such a good ambassador for the breed but I also worry that she is giving people unrealistic expectations.
Honey wasn’t bought – she was made - through blood, sweat and tears. And unless you’re going to put in the same amount of time and commitment I have in training and socialisation – which most people can’t or won’t – then your Dane won’t be Honey. I’m not saying Honey is better – your Dane doesn’t have to be Honey to be wonderful – not all Danes have to learn how to stay out of the kitchen, do advanced Obedience or dance. But please don’t think you’ll be able to get a ‘Honey’ easily.
Some of you may remember Honey’s little niece, Raffy, who she babysat in Auckland last year. Raffy was 4 months old at the time and her owners had visited Honey’s website and wanted a Dane like Honey in their home. They had brought Raffy especially to our trainer, Flip, and that was how we met. I was a bit surprised to find that they had booked a 4 month old puppy into a ‘bootcamp’ programme where Flip did most of the training – this is usually reserved for dogs with serious issues. I was even more horrifed to learn a few months later that they had decided to rehome Raffy. Her crime? She was just a typical boisterous 6-month old Dane puppy.
Honey & Raffy practising their Down Stays in the park...
I had had the chance to spend some time ‘working’ with Raffy myself and she was just the most gorgeous, normal ‘little’ puppy – she reminded me a LOT of Honey at the same age: very bouncy & rambunctious, overly-confident and fearless – a LOT of spirit which, yes, if not channelled right, could be a handful. I just could not believe it when I heard her owners complaining about her wrecking things in the house when they went out and left her alone or being too rough around their young children….what did they expect? I got the impression that they couldn’t understand why she wasn’t perfectly behaved, given that she came from Honey’s breeders, was related to Honey and had been taken to the same trainer! Thankfully, our breeders took her back and found her a lovely new home with a lady who had just lost her old Great Dane. So Raffy is now living happily with owners who really understand Great Danes.
You can’t always buy everything – sometimes, if you don’t put in the time and hard work yourself, you will never get the results you want. Even if you took a puppy cloned from Honey, you would not get a ‘Honey’ if you don’t do all the things I have done with her training and socialisation.
But if you CAN put in the dedication and work required, then yes, you can get your own ‘Honey’.
And for those of you who haven’t seen this before – I’ll leave you with this video which shows just how wonderful life with a well-trained, well-socialised Dane can be:
Following our post “Shopping for the Raw Diet“, we received so many questions in the Comments section that I thought I’d better do a post dedicated to answering them.
*Apologies for another long, wordy post and to all of those who are not interested in the Raw Diet – sorry in advance for boring you!
~ Hsin-Yi
If any of our readers/blog friends who feed raw have anything to contribute to these answers, please do share in the Comments! Thank you!
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Is it terrible to feed my dog kibble? How do I choose a good brand?
First of all, let me say that I understand the Raw Diet is not for everyone and it doesn’t mean that your dog isn’t healthy if it’s not on the Raw Diet.
Many dogs do very well on kibble all their lives (although usually the premium quality kibble, not the cheap supermarket brands) – Honey was fed premium kibble until she was 3 years old and was in good condition, although she did always produce enormous amounts of smelly, sloppy poo when on the grain-based diet.
If you ARE feeding kibble, then just make sure that you check the ‘Ingredients’ list to see exactly what goes in it. Choose a kibble which lists some form of meat (eg. chicken meal) as its first ingredient and not some form of grain (eg. corn). The first ingredient listed is always the highest in terms of weight, with descending amounts as you go down the list. Grain is a lot cheaper than meat so it is often used as a ‘filler’ to make the food cheaper to produce and therefore more profitable for the manufacturers, although less nutritional value for your dog.
Don’t go by the branding. Just because the packet says “recommended by vets” does not mean it is good quality (nor necessarily if the vet is selling it!). Check the ingredients list yourself to see exactly what’s in it. For a very good explanation of pet food labels and what to look for, go to: http://www.fda.gov/animalveterinary/resourcesforyou/ucm047113.htm
However, many people do find that their dogs don’t do so well on kibble – many dogs with constant, recurring allergies / skin conditions / digestive tract troubles find that they clear up when switched to the Raw Diet. Some vets believe that (aside from the preservatives and additives), the high amounts of grain in kibble is unnatural for dogs who – although omnivores – are designed to eat more meat than grain. Therefore, ‘forcing’ them to continually digest a food high in grain is believed to lead to ‘intolerance’ which can cause inflammation (eg. similar to irritable bowel syndrome in humans) and auto-immune responses as the body struggles to cope.
Like all things, it is down to the individual dog. Anyone who has watched “Supersize Me” will probably remember the man who eats McDonalds for breakfast, lunch & dinner and has done so for over 40yrs now. He was still alive (and presumably healthy enough) although it wouldn’t be the recommended diet for most people and many would probably have developed health problems on it.
By the way, we did not swap Honey onto the Raw Diet because of any allergy or digestive problems she had on kibble – I simply happened to be researching the Raw Diet for an article I was writing and I liked the logic of what I read and believed it to be a better quality diet, so we switched. She has been on it for nearly 4 years now. We have certainly never regretted it – strangers comment on her good condition all the time and every vet is very impressed with her clean teeth, for her age.
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I don’t feed the Raw Diet like you do – I use pre-made raw mixtures/patties (eg. Nature’s Kitchen/BARF) or dehydrated raw (eg. Honest Kitchen/K9 Naturals) – is this OK?
There are different ways of feeding the raw diet, just like there are different ways of feeding children. Some people believe you should feed pre-made babyfood from supermarkets, some believe you should feed home-made mash/puree made from fresh vegetables & fruit and still others believe you should just give them smaller (cut-up) portions of normal adult food.
With the Raw Diet, there are 2 main schools of thought:
Group 1 (Dr Ian Billinghurst) believe that you can feed it as ground up mixtures of meat, bone & offal, plus other ingredients like vegetables, fruit, eggs & supplements added. This is closer to the commercial idea of creating a “complete & balanced” food for each meal and trying to put in everything needed at one time. This kind of Raw Diet can be made up yourself (a lot of work! Like making home-made mash/puree for children) or – more commonly – it can be bought commercially in ready-made patties (eg. BARF). Note: there are different types of ready-made raw patties, as we have discovered, and you may need to experiment to find what suits your dog – some contain grain and some don’t, plus check the other ingredients & supplements and the type of meat used.
This type of Raw Feeding is the equivalent of feeding your children using commercial babyfood, where everything you think is needed is mashed up into the mixture and delivered at once.
Pros: less work, less mess ‘coz can be eaten from bowl, more convenient, less worry about maintaining balance & variety
Cons: no teeth-cleaning benefits at all + commercial ready-made patties can be VERY expensive to feed for larger breeds and just not economical
* If you’re going to feed the Raw Diet this way, make sure that you also regularly give raw bones for your dog to chew on, so that they get the teeth cleaning benefits which are very important for preventing gum disease (which can lead to serious illnesses), and also muscle exercise and mental well-being.
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Group 2 (Dr. Tom Lonsdale) believe that the Raw Diet should be fed as much in whole, unprocessed form as possible, ie. raw meaty bones - this means whole chicken frames, necks, wings, whole sections of rabbit, whole chunks of larger animals, such as lamb brisket (this is a section of the lamb ribs which has soft bones), whole fish, etc + green tripe, raw eggs & other healthy leftovers. Many believe this to be the true Raw Diet. The idea is that as the dog chews and gnaws and crunches, the dog is doing the processing of the food while also cleaning its teeth, exercising its jaws & neck muscles and getting mental/emotional satisfaction. With this sort of feeding, you achieve variety and balance over time – ie. you don’t try to squeeze everything into every meal but trust that you are balancing things out over the course of the week.
This type of Raw Feeding is similar to the way we feed ourselves in that different meals with different nutrients are rotated over the course of the week so that balance is achieved that way. Most children are raised on this sort of diet – eg. sausages & mash on Mon, chicken & rice on Tue, fish & potatoes on Wed, pasta & mince on Thur, beefburger & bread on Fri…etc, with different vegetables and fruits on different days, and other occasional nutrients as snacks (eg. yoghurt, nuts, eggs, etc)
Pros: most natural way to feed, great teeth-cleaning & other health benefits, gives dog constant variety in its meals, generally much cheaper way to feed
Cons: can be difficult to source the variety of the raw meaty bones, more messy as dogs tend to take raw meaty bones out of bowl and eat on the ground (so will need to feed outdoors or indoors on towel/washable surface), need to maintain ‘balance’ & variety by rotating meal types (although once you have worked out a weekly menu, it is easy to remember), need to research & have good knowledge of types of raw meaty bones that are good and types to avoid.
* This type of feeding takes more work initially – researching and learning about the types of raw meaty bones to feed (& avoid) and finding places to buy them. But once past the initial set-up, it is no more work and just as convenient as feeding using commercial patties (and usually cheaper).
The key to success in this type of feeding is finding good suppliers of raw meaty bones, who will ideally bag them up for you in the right sized meal portions so that it’s all ready to store in your freezer and then ready to defrost & serve. You will need to do some local & online research to find suppliers:
some supermarkets may provide most of what you need (eg. here in Oz, we ask the supermarket butcher/deli section to bag up chicken wings or necks in 500g portions for Honey)
many butchers will keep aside “off-cuts” (the sections they don’t use for humans but still great for dogs) so you just need to befriend them and find out.
there are also now many specialist companies that supply and even deliver raw meaty bones especially sourced for dogs on a Raw Diet. In NZ, there is Raw Essentials. I haven’t found a specific company in Australia although as I said, the supermarkets here generally suffice. Our friend, Preston the Puggle, kindly told us about a chain of supermarkets in the US called The Wholefood Marketswhich apparently have a freezer section dedicated to raw food for dogs (free-range, antibiotic-free, and hormone-free). I did a quick search online myself and found the following places which supply Raw Meaty Bones in the United States (I’m sure there are others): Primal, PetfoodDirect.com, Wholefood4Pets, Hare Today , K9RawDiet.com. For the UK, here is a list of raw meaty bones suppliers: http://www.ukrmb.co.uk/showcontent.toy?contentnid=7379
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We actually do a compromise between the 2 methods: we feed Honey primarily with raw meaty bones (her main meal) but we also give her a smaller evening meal of the ready-made raw mix. This is because the ready-made contains many good supplements such as kelp, honey, omega oils, etc., plus often has a variety of vegetables & fruit mixed in…we could obviously provide these additional nutrients ourselves by adding them to her raw meaty bones but we’re lazy and this is an easier way to ensure that we’re not missing any “balance”. I guess we’re just using the ready-made mixture to “tick all the boxes” although I still believe the raw meaty bones is a better form of the Raw Diet and so feed the main portion of her food in that form.
* Both types require you to remember to take tomorrow’s meal out to defrost so it’s the same amount of work from that point of view.
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Where can I source the Raw Diet?
It is best if you do your own research - a lot can be found through Google. Here are some links I found just by doing a quick search online:
The Whole Dog website which lists Raw Diet suppliers in the US (both the patties & raw meaty bones form) - it also has a link to suppliers in Canada: http://www.thewholedog.org/meatsuppliers.html
How much does it cost? Is it more expensive to feed the Raw Diet?
If you are feeding the Raw Diet using the ready-made patties exclusively, then it can get very expensive – almost prohibitively so if you have a large breed. However, if you are feeding using the raw meaty bones method, then it will probably be no more expensive – if not cheaper – than traditional kibble (provided that you are comparing to premium quality kibble and not the cheap supermarket brands).
Obviously, it depends on the cost of things in different countries but all I can tell you is how it worked for us in NZ as we did do a comparison there and found it cost the same to feed Honey on the Raw Diet as it did to feed her on the premium kibble we had been using.
When we fed kibble, we used ‘Nutrience Holistic’ (duck & brown rice) – giant breed version, which was about NZ$120 for an 18kg bag that lasted about 3 weeks/20 days.
When we switched to the Raw Diet, we found that her main morning meal (raw meaty bones) cost on average NZ$2.50 per day. Her smaller evening meal (ready-made mixture) cost about NZ$2 per day. So in total, it cost about NZ$5 a day to feed her on the Raw Diet – which equates to NZ$100 for 20 days – so actually slightly cheaper than the premium kibble.
I don’t know how this would compare to prices in the US or UK – it would depend on the price of your raw meaty bones, the price of your ready-made raw patties and also the price of the premium kibble alternative you would be feeding. However, I do know that many people I have spoken to who feed raw (especially using the raw meaty bones method) find that it costs the same, if not cheaper, to feed than kibble. I guess the real additional cost is in the bit of extra time & effort involved in the Raw Diet, especially in the beginning when you are just learning & setting up.
If any of you who feed the Raw Diet would like to share your experiences about the relatve costs, please do leave a comment!
It is less work and more convenient (and possibly more economical) in the long run if you get a separate freezer for your dog’s Raw Diet supplies as you can bulk buy and also have to stock up less frequently.
However, we have never had a separate freezer and we manage to stock enough to feed a giant breed, using just our little freezer in our fridge (and sharing it too!). When we lived in Auckland, our 2 bedroom unit/garden flat was just too small to house an extra freezer for Honey’s food and we had no garage with power points. We found that we managed fine, as long as we stocked up regularly. It worked in our case because our raw meaty bones & ready-made raw mix were stocked by places within 15mins drive of home and we used to just pick up Honey’s supplies as part of our weekly food shop. But those who don’t have somewhere to pop into easily for Raw Diet supplies may find it easier to have a separate freezer, so they can just stock up once a month or even longer.
Note also: we don’t have a large family and don’t eat much ice-cream or other frozen foods & ready-made meals, so we don’t need so much freezer space for ourselves.
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I tried the raw diet but it doesn’t seem to agree with my dog’s stomach!
But basically, yes, some dogs’ stomachs are more sensitive and as I said, the Raw Diet is not for everyone – however, more often than not, the reason dogs have trouble with the Raw Diet (diarrhoea, etc) is because of the way you introduce it. Mixing kibble and raw feeding is often the cause of problems and so is generally not recommended. Apparently, a dog’s stomach requires different digestive juices & enzymes to deal with grain-based kibble Vs. raw meaty bones and so the constant change back & forth might be too much for those with sensitive tummies. Might be fine for some but might cause diarrhoea, etc. in others. It is generally advised to “go cold turkey” on kibble when you’re making the switch – ie. fast your dog – ideally for 1 day but at least for 1 meal – and then start them on just the raw diet.
Another thing new raw feeders often do wrong is rush to include too many different types of raw meaty bones in the diet – this can be too overwhelming for the dog’s digestive system in the beginning. It is best to start with just 1 type of raw meaty bone (usually chicken necks/wings/frames) and stay on that for about a week, just to let the dog’s stomach settle and get used to the Raw Diet…and then gradually introduce other types of meat slowly over time. Remember, dogs on kibble are usually only on one type of “meat” anyway (eg. chicken flavour or lamb flavour) so it won’t matter if your dog does not have variety for a while in the beginning.
Remember also that it may just take them a few days to adjust to the new diet and some tummy trouble initially may be normal. Just like you might get an upset tummy if you went to a foreign country and suddenly started eating a totally different diet – you would need a couple of days to adjust. As long as the raw meaty bones are fresh/fresh frozen and your dog hasn’t got any specific allergies to certain types of meat, it should be fine to try it for a couple of days and see if their tummy settles down.
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My dog is not interested or refuses to eat the raw food!
Some dogs take to the Raw Diet immediately and never look back (Honey was one of these – but we were lucky in that she was never a fussy eater and never had a sensitive tummy). Other dogs may take a while. For many dogs raised on processed petfoods, having anything raw may seem very alien and it may take them a while to get used to raw meat & bones.
Like humans, dogs will have their preferences and may like one type of raw meaty bones better than others – many dogs find things like rabbit too “gamey” if they’re not used to raw food. Chicken is usually a universal favourite and a good one to start your dog on. It is a good quality, low-fat protein that is also bland for sensitive tummies. If your dog refuses something, it is worth offering it again a couple more times because often they will accept it after more exposure.
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What happens when the dog goes to kennels or goes away with you on holiday?
A lot of people insist on their dogs remaining strictly on the Raw Diet and indeed, many kennels now are happy to feed it to your dog, provided you supply them with the raw food suitably wrapped and portioned. However, this does rely on the kennel having a fridge/freezer and also tends to work best with the ready-made patties form of the Raw Diet.
We, personally, take a more relaxed approach. I don’t think it matters if there is an occasional lapse from the normal diet – just like you might eat a bit more junk food or “naughty stuff” when you’re away from home on holiday – and so we just use whatever is most convenient. If Honey is going into kennels for a few days, we tend to just let her eat whatever the kennels feed the other dogs; if she is staying for longer, we may provide a supply of the ready-made raw mix/patties.
Similarly, if we are going away on holiday with her, we may take some ready-made raw patties (if we’re staying somewhere with a fridge and the drive isn’t too long) or I may even just take a small bag of good quality kibble. I don’t worry about breaking her Raw Diet – as it is a temporary situation, I don’t feel a change matters too much.
However, we may be lucky in being able to do this because Honey doesn’t have a sensitive tummy and generally eats everything put in her bowl – and we don’t find that changing her diet for short periods causes any problems. But you may not be able to do this if you have a dog with a very sensitive stomach or who is a fussy eater. Also, Honey is well-socialised to staying in kennels and does not pine or lose her appetite like many other dogs – so again, there is no worry about having to keep her on her original diet.
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Does it make a big mess? Can I feed the Raw Diet if I don’t have a garden?
If you use the ready-made raw patties, then it is probably no different to feeding tinned dog food – they will just eat it straight out of the bowl. However, as mentioned, you will need to supplement this form of the Raw Diet with regular raw bones for teeth-cleaning so this would probably need to be given outside or in a laundry.
If you feed using raw meaty bones, then yes, you will probably need to feed outdoors although if you have a smaller dog, you may be able to get away with feeding them on a towel indoors in a room with a washable floor (eg, laundry). I know a lot of people with smaller dogs who feed them raw meaty bones indoors very successfully. Dogs tend to take the raw meaty bones out of the bowls and drag them around a bit as they gnaw and chew and crunch on them, so you do need a suitable area.
In our case, we had always fed Honey outdoors anyway, even when she was on kibble, because she is such a messy eater and drools SO much that she would make too much of a mess anyway. (Her water bowl was also outdoors and we have taught her to ring a bell to ask to go out for a drink.) So switching to the Raw Diet was not a big change for us in the way we fed her.
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Isn’t it tons of work weighing things out every time?
As said above, if you buy from specialist raw food suppliers, they will often bag the raw meaty bones up for you in easy portions, so you don’t have to worry about weighing things every time. Once you work out approximately what weight you need to feed for each meal – and what corresponds to that weight (eg. 6 chicken necks = X g) – then you just use that as your portion guide. In our case, we know Honey needs ~500g in the mornings, so we ask the supermarket butchers to bag up chicken wings in 500g portions or when we buy the ready-sealed bags of offal, I try to choose the ones that are the closest to 500g. If it is slightly above or below, I’m not going to panic. It will even out over time.
The only time we have to do a bit more work is when we get big bags of lamb ‘off-cuts’ – but again, we just approximate. If the bag is labelled as 1.5kg – then we know that it is approximately 3 meals – so we just divide it into 3 smaller bags. We don’t worry about weighing things.
Again, it is like the analogy of feeding human children – mothers don’t weigh out the exact amounts they feed their children every day – they just use an approximate estimate, which might be slightly above or below the required amount but they trust that things will balance out over the course of the week.
The hardest thing for a lot of people switching onto the Raw Diet is changing their mindset from the commercial dogfood method which is all about measuring exact amounts (eg. 3 cups) and emphasises every single meal needing to be “complete and balanced”…to the Raw Diet method, which is a more holistic approach with balance in both quantity and nutrients achieved over time. Remember, most human mothers do not weigh their children’s daily meals out on the kitchen scale nor feed them identical meals every day that contain every nutrient they need…and yet they still manage to raise healthy children into adults.
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* Penny in Melbourne asked us to explain more about choosing the “right” raw meaty bones from the bags of ‘lamb off-cuts’. As this is better illustrated with photos, I will do this in a separate post another time.
* Moose the Labradane asked us why we feed meals of offal & other meats separately – he was worried about offal (eg, liver) being too rich on its own – and asked if it could be mixed in with other meats in a meal.
- Yes, of course you can mix it if you prefer (eg. have a meal that is half offal, half chicken necks). I think it depends on how sensitive your dog’s stomach is. Honey seems to have no problem tackling 500g of ox liver in one go – but then I wouldn’t give that amount to a Chihuahua! This also goes back to people worrying about trying to achieve complete balance in EACH meal as opposed to over the course of a week. Having one meal of pure offal is not a lot when seen in the context of the WHOLE week.
The only thing I would be careful about with offal is liver as that really is very rich and can give some dogs diarrhoea, especially if they’re not used to it (same with pure liver treats). Kidney, heart and tongue are usually fine. So it is a case of trial & error with your own dog – start with smaller amounts if you’re not sure.
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And finally, here is a question from House the Great Dane & Jeanette, one of our regular readers:
My mum worries about my weight. I am 98cm at the shoulder and I am only 52kg (3.6years old). I just won’t eat …I am not on the BARF diet just the conventional diet. Mum gives me extra but I just leave it. Thank you for the raw diet info – we might try it but in the past I wont eat even chicken wings and raw lamb. Thanks any ideas ?
I think the first thing is, rather than go on numbers, have a look at the shape of the dog. Our blog friend, Moose the Labradane, recently posted a very good “dog weight chart” on his blog so I hope he doesn’t mind if we nick it to show it here:
So unless House is looking like the first 2 pictures, I wouldn’t panic.
I wouldn’t worry about his weight being 52kg in itself – yes, that is on the low side for a male Dane but some Danes are lighter than others, just like some humans weigh a lot less than others, even if both are healthy! It is only more worrying when compared to his height and if that’s true, I can see why you’re concerned. Have you spoken to your vets and what do they say? Have you checked him for worms, thyroid imbalances and other possible causes of weight loss?
Are you SURE he is 98cm at the shoulders? That converts to 38.5 inches which is unusually tall, even for a male Dane. The usual average is 34 – 36 inches ( 86 – 91.5cm) for males. I’m not saying I doubt your measurements (!) but perhaps it might be worth double-checking them – or asking a Dane breeder or someone experienced with showing dogs to measure House and see.
But at the end of the day, if he is alert and energetic (not lethargic and listless) and has been given the ‘health OK’ by your vet, then I guess you may just have to accept that that is how he is. It’s unusual but it doesn’t mean it’s a problem. In the human world, fashion models defy the norm by being an unusually low weight for their tall height – but that’s why they’re “special”! Most people who are 6ft would not weigh only 50kg or whatever. !
As for his appetite – if he is full of energy and otherwise healthy, then it may be that he is not eating because he has had enough. Most animals will not willingly starve themselves. Having said that, I know that Danes are often known for being difficult, fussy eaters (we’re very lucky that Honey eats like a garbage truck – indiscriminately and comprehensively! – but I think this may be unusual for Danes). I have heard a lot of stories of fussy eaters and difficulties putting on weight – although this may be a genetic thing, ie more common in certain lines.
Also, remember that Danes do come in different ‘types’ and certain types are definitely a lot lighter, even if they may be taller. Sometimes you get a lot of height but not enough substance to go with it – it’s in the breeding and there’s not much you can do about it. It’s the same in humans – some men grow up tall and lanky, others short and stocky – not everyone ends up with a physique like Hugh Jackman (sadly)!
If he keeps showing very little interest in his food, he may just not like it and it may be worth you trying something else – more palatable. Also, look at the calorie content of the food you are feeding – you may simply need to feed him a food with higher calories (eg. more fat). Giving him extra might not work because the actual food doesn’t contain enough calories and House fills up too quickly to eat enough. Some foods may have more volume but not necessarily more nutrients. I have heard of Dane owners giving something called “satin balls” as supplements to skinny Danes but I don’t know anything else about them. Ask on the online Dane forums.
If you’re thinking of switching to raw, perhaps start him on minced meat as this is easier to deal with than large pieces of raw meaty bones if he is not familiar with them. Try him on one of the commercial raw mixtures/patties which have everything mixed in and come in several “flavours”. Get him used to eating raw then gradually introduce something easy to crunch up, like chicken necks. Don’t go straight to lamb bones which may be too overwhelming. You could even smear the food with tuna or something that has a strong smell to tempt him more (you could try the same with kibble).
Sorry I can’t be more helpful and if any readers (esp Dane owners) have anything to add to help House & Jeannette, please do share in the Comments!
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Whew! I hope I have covered everything – apologies if I have left anyone out! ~ Hsin-Yi
Here are some links to very good information on the Raw Diet for those interested:
“Ask Honey!” is a new series of posts in which I will answer questions sent to us via the ‘Contact Honey’page. ~ Hsin-Yi
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Hi!
First let me start out by saying I love this site and have been visiting it daily to watch the videos of Honey with my two year old and he is a HUGE fan! Congrats on everything you’ve done, you both are very inspirational!
I am hoping to add a Great Dane to our family soon (within 6 months) but I am having trouble knowing which puppy would be best so I was wondering what brought you two together?
Also, seeing as this is my first time dealing with breeders are there any promises or should-be-deal-breakers I should be aware off? If you could help answer these questions I would be really grateful! Thanks!
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Thanks for your lovely words and I’m delighted that your family is getting so much out of Honey’s site!
To answer your 1st question…
Honey is my first dog and she is the dog I waited all my life to have. Growing up with parents that hated animals, I was never allowed pets – although this didn’t stop me sneaking downstairs after everyone had gone to bed and nicking things from the fridge to go out and feed the stray cats in the streets around our house! (My mother could never work out where all those leftover bowls of lamb mince and roast chicken were disappearing to! )
At my favourite place...the Zoo!
Paul @ 'Disocver Dogs' - UK (1999)
More than anything, I desperately wanted a dog. I spent hours poring over dog books, memorising all the different breeds, imagining all the tricks I was going to train and the places I would take my pup.
Even when I got older and romance entered the equation, the No. 1 criterion for any boyfriend was always: “must love dogs”.
In fact, Paul can attest to the fact that before he met me, he knew nothing about dogs other than that most of them were called Labradors and they barked and wagged their tails - but within a year of going out with me, he could tell a Grand Bassett Griffon Vendeen from an Otterhound, name the 4 different kinds of Belgian Shepherds and explain how the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever got its name.
He even faithfully accompanied me on my yearly pilgrimage to Crufts…now that’s true love!
'Discover Dogs' - UK (1999)
Sadly, even when I left home to go to university and then later when I married and started work, our living arrangements and my long work hours meant that having a dog was out of the question.
Still – having my own home meant that I was finally able to have ‘a pet’ and Paul and I were thrilled the day we went to the pet store and came home with a little hamster. I named her Smilla, after the heroine in one of my favourite books, ‘Miss Smilla’s Feeling For Snow’ and she was the most adorable little thing with great personality…
The one & only Smilla...
Smilla’s nocturnal habits meant that she suited our working hours perfectly and was always ready to greet us at the top of her multi-level, ’space station’ Hamster Hub when we came home at night. As she had the honour of being our very first pet (Paul came from a non-animal-loving family too), Smilla was probably the most spoilt hamster in the entire United Kingdom and we were absolutely devastated when she died after 2 & half years, even though we knew this was a hamster’s normal lifespan. For such a tiny thing, she left a huge hole in our hearts.
Life was even more unstable after we decided to emigrate Down Under and I think I reached the low point in my pet-less existence during our trial year in Sydney when we were living in a high rise block where even pet fish were not allowed. In desperation, I adopted a slug I found in a cabbage and named him Solly (short for Solomon). I made him a luxury home in a plastic takeaway container and lavished him with love and spinach leaves…
Solly the Slug
But alas – Solly went to the Great Cabbage in the Sky after just one month and I was desolate, although Paul consoled me with the thought that 1 month was probably a ripe old age for a slug and he had become a very fat slug by then and had lived a great life with us…
It wasn’t until we finally decided to settle in NZ (and sold our souls to the Devil in order to finance the mortgage on our first house) that we were finally in a position to have the dog I longed for. Now, I hadn’t been wasting my time – all those years of going to Crufts and devouring dog books…I had been researching dog breeds obsessively – and ultimately, my chosen breed: the Great Dane.
I made contact with the Great Dane Club in Auckland, went to a couple of dog shows and got to know the breeders in the country. My favourite were the fawns with their expressive black masked faces. My years in the UK had given me a preference for the European style of Dane, with the more solid structure, heavy jowls, wrinkles and majestic head.
NZ CH Yacanto Dato Star (Imp UK) - Honey's father
But the most important thing for me was temperament. I quickly learnt that there was one breeder in NZ who was renowned for the temperament of their dogs – and we were lucky enough to make their acquaintance at a dog show. Not only were the Yacanto Daneswonderful in temperament but they were stunning in looks and exactly of the European type I preferred. It was meant to be! I met Honey’s father, Blade, and her brother, Jake, and fell in love with them immediately. They were just the most gentle, sweet, placid dogs you could imagine.
Meeting Honey's big brother, Jake, and father, Blade...
Like all good breeders, they had a waiting list a mile long but we were lucky in that they liked us enough to bump us to the top of the list (Paul thinks it was more because they thought my obsessive research a bit disturbing and wanted to get me off their backs as quickly as possible! ) – but we still had to wait a year for the litter, which would be a repeat of the mating that produced Jake. That was probably the longest year of my life! But finally – that email came: we had a puppy.
Holding 4 week-old Honey for the first time...
We drove 9 hrs to visit the breeders and see Honey when she was 4 weeks old.
Going into that room and hearing the squeaks and grunts of the puppies was probably one of the most exciting moments of my life.
In fact, I had waited so long for this moment that when it came, it all passed in a bit of blur – like a dream.
It was hard – even when I held her warm little body in my arms – to believe that here was my dog, at last.
Honey was actually one of the smallest pups in the litter at the time – who would have believed that that little puppy would grow up into such a big, tall girl!
There were 7 puppies in the litter but only 2 girls – so because we insisted on having a girl and Honey’s sister had already been marked for a show career, we didn’t really have ‘a choice’ as such – not that we’re complaining! And while Honey may not have had a great show career, I think she has still become a good ambassador for Great Danes – and made her breeders proud, in her own way!
I had always promised myself that I would have my dog before I turned 30 – and sure enough, just a few months before my 30th birthday, Honey arrived home – the sweetest huge puppy with enormous paws, lots of wrinkles and a permanently bewildered expression…
…and then the real fun began. All the reading and research in the world had not prepared me for what it was really like to have an 8 week old Great Dane puppy rampaging around the house. Let me tell you – it was a VERY steep learning curve!
But that’s another story for another day…!
OK – and now to answer your 2nd question with some practical information! (if any readers have anything to add, please feel free to do so in the comments!)
With regards to choosing the most suitable puppy, I’m sure you have heard the standard advice: if you’re a first-time owner, don’t choose the most confident puppy that comes running forward first to grab your shoelace (likely to be a real handful and require more experienced training) - nor the shy, timid pup in the corner (likely to need sensitive handling to prevent fear aggression developing) – but to choose the puppy in the middle: the one that might be cautious at first but then comes forward happily when you call; the one that interacts happily with his littermates but doesn’t try to bully or pin the others down all the time; the one that enjoys being handled but isn’t a miniature Jaws constantly at your fingers…of course, such a perfect puppy probably doesn’t exist! (Actually, looking back, Honey pretty much met all these criteria although we were not really checking that intently at the time!)
But there will definitely be variations within the litter and if you get a choice, it’s worth your while observing the different personalities and how they interact with each other and with the humans in the room. Think about your own lifestyle and what kind of canine companion would suit your family, eg. if you have loud, rambunctious children, then perhaps a more confident puppy might be more suitable after all; if you’re a pensioner living a quiet life, then a shyer pup might not be such a bad idea.
Personally, I would always go for a more confident dog over a more timid one because there is a lot more you can do to temper a bold personality (with good leadership & training) whereas it can be very difficult to manage a fearful, anxious dog, especially if you do not have a lot of time to devote to patient socialisation (not that the more confident puppies don’t need this too but you can probably get away with less, because of their naturally exhuberant, ‘bounce-back’ personalities).
If you want to get technical about it, there are ‘puppy temperament tests’that you can do – these are often used to determine whether pups are suitable for life as a service dog – and include things like gently flipping the puppy on its back to see how much/how long it struggles and making a loud noise near the pup to see how quickly and well the pup ‘recovers’ from being startled. For more information about these tests, go to:
However, these tests need to be done at around 6 weeks to produce any worthwhile results – before that, the pups are too young and haven’t really developed their personalities yet. Remember though, these tests are not an exact science, although they can give helpful insights.
In any case, with rare pedigree breeds like the Great Dane, you may often not have a choice of puppy anyway, especially if you’re looking for “just a pet”. The ‘show homes’ will always get first choice of a litter and pet homes then select from the remaining puppies. If you are after a specific gender like we were and looking at a small litter, then the choice may be made for you.
This is why I feel that it is more important to choose a good, responsible breeder who will only be breeding from healthy dogs with stable temperaments - this means that while there will be variations within the litter, all the puppies should generally have stable temperaments and not be especially fearful.
With Honey's breeders and her father & mother - both holding stuffies! You can see where Honey inherited THAT trait from!
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With regards to choosing a good breeder – as you can probably tell from my story above, I spent a loooong time researching and “preparing”. I was very lucky to be living in the UK at the time, where I could go to Crufts (the big annual dog show – equivalent to the Westminster in the US but bigger) as well as another great event called “Discover Dogs” which is organised by the British Kennel Club with the intention of helping the general public get to know the different breeds – so there are about 170 stalls, one for each of the breeds, and volunteer owners/breeders from each breed would be at the stalls with their dogs so people could meet the different breeds in real life, interact with them and ask questions about them. It is a fantastic way to really learn about a breed you’re interested in – see just how big or hairy or slobbery or hyper it is – and ask owners what it is like to live with them. You just can’t get that from a Dorling Kindersley, no matter how pretty the pictures! There are also doggie events on throughout the day, so I got to know all about the different activities you could do with your dog, like Agility, Flyball and of course, Canine Freestyle (“dog dancing”).
So I did this for several years while I narrowed down my shortlist of breeds and then once I’d decided on the Great Dane, I researched the breed for another 3 years before making the commitment, reading every book published on the breed and also joining several online Dane forums just to lurk and read and learn (there are links to some of these forums in our sidebar)
I don’t know if you have anything similar to Discover Dogs in the States but
if not, you can still go to dog shows and wander around. The people might
not be so willing to chat ‘coz they might be busy preparing for the ring,
etc, but this is still a good way to get to know the Dane breeders in
your area. In particular – if you do have a preference for a certain type of Dane – then you can see which breeder’s dogs match your preference. (I often get asked by other Dane owners what to feed their dogs so that they will become big and solid like Honey and I don’t have the heart to tell them that it is a matter of genetics and they have the lighter, daintier type of Dane which will never look like Honey no matter how much they feed it! So if it matters to you, make sure you pick the right type from the start.)
Of course, you must remember that dog shows are a very artificial environment and not necessarily how a dog would behave, especially in a pet situation, but at least you can get some idea of what the stud dog or brood bitch is like when strangers approach and their attitude towards other dogs (watch the breeders – are they quite relaxed or very tense and constantly having to pull their dogs back from lunging at other dogs?) – this gives you some idea of temperament, which is the most important thing in a pet. Don’t be swayed by the ribbons and silver cups – there are many show champions with questionable temperaments who would be disasters in a pet home situation.
Don’t be shy about introducing yourself to breeders and saying that you’re thinking of getting a Great Dane and just doing research on the breed. Good breeders will be impressed with you. When we were living in the UK, I knew there was no way we could have a dog but I still got to know the Dane breeders around me, even though I knew I would probably never get a pup from them. It was good practice and the more different Danes you see and different breeders you speak to, the more information & experience you get for when you are REALLY selecting your puppy.
We even went to visit a couple of breeders just to meet their dogs in a home setting – nice breeders won’t mind and will be very happy to discuss their breed with you – even though I told them from the beginning that I couldn’t get a pup yet but just wanted to research the breed. In fact, if you are interested in a particular breeder, I would advise visiting them separately and seeing their dogs in a home setting if you can, before putting your name down for a puppy.
Another reason it’s good to go to shows and introduce yourself is that good
breeders will have very long waiting lists and they will usually only breed a few litters a year (no more than 2 litters from the same bitch a year, ideally less) – so you want to make a good impression with them so that they will remember you when you’re on the waiting list.
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Questions to ask breeders…
Make a list of questions to ask and see if a breeder minds being asked these questions. A good, responsible breeder not only won’t mind but will welcome questions as they will see that you have done your research and really care and know what you’re talking about. If a breeder gets huffy or won’t answer questions, then walk away – no matter how cute the pups are.
Things to think about when selecting a breeder include:
Health Tests
- make sure you read up on the common hereditary conditions affecting your breed, so that you know what tests are available for these conditions and can ask about them. (For books about Great Danes with info on genetic conditions, go to the My Librarypage).
Hip Displasia- are their breeding dogs hip scored and what are the
scores? The Dane breed average is 13, I think, so dogs with a score lower than the breed average are preferred - and the lower the better. Both Honey’s father and mother had low hip scores. This doesn’t guarantee that she won’t get hip dysplasia but it will lower the chances. (Honey’s breeders were one of the few in NZ who hip scored their dogs at the time and this was a big deciding factor for me)
Any heart tests? Danes are prone to cardiomyopathy and other heart problems. It’s not always easy to test for this as dogs usually present with heart problems late in life when they will have already been bred from – but it’s still good to ask the question.
Eye tests & Hearing tests? (especially if you’re planning on getting a dog from harlequin lines) Also, look at the prospective parents because this will give you an idea of what kind of eyes the pups will have. Some Danes are very prone to conditions like ”haws syndrome“, cherry eye and entropian – problems with a drooping or protruding 3rd eyelid – not only is this unsightly but it can cause the dog a lot of suffering, becoming red and inflammed, etc. So you really want to avoid that if you can. Similarly, some Danes can have very small, almost squinty eyes which can cause problems if the eyelids keep rubbing against the cornea. We are very lucky in that Honey has nice big but ”tight” eyes, with no loose red skin sagging underneath.
Ask the breeder about any health issues in their lines. If they insist there are none, I would walk away. A good, responsible breeder will admit that no line is perfect and there are always health issues and they will be honest and say what they are doing to address those issues (eg, testing or changing their breeding)
The following is a (non-comprehensive) list of diseases known to affect Great Danes:
Hip Dysplasia
Bone Cancer
Cardiomyopathies
Cherry Eye
Entropion
Ectropion
Epilepsy
Glaucoina
Stockards Disease
Cervical Vertebrae Istability (Wobblers)
Osteochonditis Disecans (OCD)
Megaesophagus
Gastric Dilation Volvulus (GDV /Bloat)
Calcinosis Circumscripra
Von Willebrands’s Disease
Central Core Myopathy (Muscle wasting disease)
EosinophilicPailosteitis (Wandering lameness)
If you can, ask how long their (past) dogs normally live to. This isn’t a
sign of a bad breeder since Danes sadly only live to 8yrs on average but I know some breeders have more longevity in their lines. Having said that, I would still go with temperament first as I’d rather have a lovely-natured dog for 7 years than a difficult one for 12.
Other requirements:
For Danes, I would avoid a breeder who breeds several colours at once. Most responsible, ethical breeders only specialise in one or two colours and they are usually grouped together – ie. fawns & brindles/ fawn & black/ harlequin & black (incl. merle, mantle)/ blue & black) – there are some breeders who do have lots of Danes and breed all colours but they tend to be more of a “farm”.
Also avoid any breeder who advertises ‘unusual’ or ‘rare’ colours, such as “fawnequins”, especially at exhorbitant prices. These are not ethical breeders as purebred Great Danes follow a strict code of breeding in terms of which colours can be bred together. Certainly, there are some colours, such as merle, which are not accepted in the show ring but make perfectly lovely pets but they are an accepted result of harlequin matings. The main colours in Danes are: fawn, brindle, black, blue & harlequin. In the US and Australia, the mantle (Boston) colouring is also accepted in shows although they are banned in the UK and NZ. Merle, merlequin and white Danes can also be found in harlequin litters and make attractive, lovely pets, even if they are not accepted for show (note though: white Danes often suffer from deafness and blindness).
Another thing to keep in mind about Danes is that the ‘rarer’ colours, such as blue and harlequin, have much more limited gene pools meaning that there is more inbreeding in general and any hereditary diseases are more likely to manifest themselves in these colours, than in the more ‘common’ colours such as fawn.
Even if breeders are being very careful, they may simply have fewer genes to select from. Furthermore, some inethical breeders, in their determination to produce the elusive harlequin markings, will breed from dogs who have the ‘right’ coat colour, even if they have poor health, temperament or structural conformation. I’m not suggesting that all harlequin breeders have this mindset or that all fawn breeders are ethical and produce healthy pups but it is something to bear in mind. (My original first choice of colour was blue but after doing research and learning about the higher incidence of health problems in blue Danes, I decided to go with fawns, which were my 2nd choice.)
There also tends to be fewer breeders of the ‘rarer’ colours and therefore your choice of breeders is more limited.
Avoid cheaply-priced Dane puppies. It is very expensive to breed and raise a litter of Dane puppies correctly and at the end of the day, you do get what you pay for.
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Handling of puppies…
Are the puppies whelped and kept indoors in the early weeks, so they can be exposed to the noises of the house and start their socialisation? This is vitally important. Ideally, pups should be kept in the house until they go to their new homes but with a giant breed such as a Great Dane, it may not always be practical or possible, especially if the breeders live in a small house. So they are often moved outside to purpose-built kennels after 5 weeks or so. But avoid breeders that let their bitches have their pups outside in the garden shed and keep them outside all the time - these pups will lack the vital contact & socialisation with humans and normal household noises.
What socialisation has the breeder done or plans to do? The more the better. For example, vacuuming near the pups, having a radio playing loudly nearby, having their own children or grandchildren (or friend’s children) visit and handle the pups, exposure to other pets…A puppy’s crucial imprinting period is from about 4 weeks to 16 weeks and once you miss this window, it can be very hard to socialise and overcome any fears – possibly resulting in an anxious, fearful, unstable dog which can develop fear aggression. So the early socialisation is absolutely crucial.
What are their responsibilities after the sale of the pup? – eg. would they be willing to take the pup back if needed? A good breeder will care about every pup they breed and be responsible for it for life. For example, our breeders have it written in our contract that if for any reason we need to rehome Honey, she would go back to them first, so that they can make sure she goes to a good home. They have a “spay-neuter” clause in their contracts which means that any pup they sell as a “pet only” must be neutered, so that no irresponsible breeding can be done from him/her. This protects the dog and prevents backyard breeding. These are all signs of responsible breeders who really care about their dogs, as opposed to just making money.
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At the end of the day, however, some of it will be based on your gut instincts and your ‘feel’ for the breeders. We didn’t ask every one of these questions or check every one of these points specifically with Honey’s breeders but I was aware of them and therefore, I was probably subconsciously ticking things off as we spoke and interacted with Honey’s breeders.
Sometimes, a good breeder won’t tick all the boxes but will tick several of the important ones, which is enough. You have to judge for yourself – but the more knowledge you have, the better you will be able to judge. It doesn’t mean, of course, that if you fulfill every one of these criteria, you will have the perfect puppy with no health or temperament issues – but it will go a long way towards stacking the odds in your favour.
Most of all, don’t rush!Don’t just go for the first breeder in your area who happens to have a litter available. Do your research, assess the breeders, take your time. I see a lot of people who decide they want a Dane and get impatient and just jump on the first litter they see advertised. Not all breeders are created equal (and not all Danes are created equal!) and there is a reason why good breeders have long waiting lists. We waited over a year for Honey (or actually, 30 yrs!) and I’m very glad we did. Good things come to those who wait.
* Warning: this post is not for the squeamish (especially if your human is a vegetarian! )
photo courtesy of Rachael Hale
As some of you may know, I am on the Raw Dietand one of the hardest things about it is finding the right places to do shopping for it. Because you see, the Raw Diet is not like just finding bags of dried biscuits, all with a certain name, and then just buying the same thing all the time. Shopping for the Raw Diet is more like the way humans shop for their own food - seeing what’s fresh and yummy, having different things every day so that over the whole week, you get lots of variety and balance.
Back in Auckland, we were very lucky because our local petshop, Animalia in Newmarket, had a big freezer which had lots of things from Raw Essentials - a special company that collects all the different kinds of raw meaty bones us doggies need on the Raw Diet (eg. chicken necks & carcasses, lamb brisket, rabbit shoulders, minced patties, even whole pilchards) and packs it all up for us in little bags, so it’s all ready to go in our human’s freezers at home.
My humans also worked out which local supermarkets sold things which I needed in my raw diet, such as raw offal and butcher’s off-cuts. Most of my diet is fed as whole, raw meaty bones in the morning but for my smaller evening meal, my humans gave me a commercial raw mix called Mighty Mix, which had other good nutrients and supplements added in (eg. omega 3, 6 & 9, cold pressed flaxseed flour, eggs, green lipped mussels, kelp, garlic, honey and apple cider vinegar).
* We were also very lucky that our wonderful vets in Auckland (The Vets, 608 Manukau Road, Greenwoods Corner, Epsom, Auckland) were very open-minded and supportive about the Raw Diet. In fact, here is some information taken from their website about their views on the Raw Diet:
The Raw Alternative
This approach is by many classed as alternative. It goes back to the days where our pets ate raw food and sometimes table scraps. This is a fact – there has been no food yet produced, wet or dry, that will exercise your dog’s jaws, teeth and also mental well-being as well a bone. These diets are based around the premise that cats and dogs would naturally eat animals they would catch and eat most parts of the animal.
The people who promote these diets feel that animals do better eating raw food than commercial, largely grain-based diets. What type of foods are we talking about?
Chicken – frames, necks, whole.
Ostrich mince, wings.
Rabbits mince, shoulders, legs, saddles.
Salmon, lamb, beef, venison (mince).
Tripe, tongue & heart mix
Pilchards
Lamb brisket bones, beef neck bones
It is a big change. This type of feeding requires a commitment to sourcing this type of diet, to have an area where you can store it – needs to be frozen. It even potentially needs an area to feed as it can be messier than the more conventional dry food diets.
This type of diet can provide significant benefits to dental health. The amount of this that we see in the practice in both dogs and cats is enormous.
The chewing of a bone can sometimes take a dog twenty minutes or so, it is great exercise for the jaw muscles and provides the dog with mental stimulation for an extended period of time. It allows them to fulfil a base premise of being a dog – chewing.
How many of our dogs eat their daily intake of dry food within a minute? So these diets can provide not only health benefits but also behavioural enrichment.”
It was very easy for my humans to do the shopping for my Raw Diet back in Auckland but when we moved here to Brisbane, they had to start from scratch again. They had to find places they could buy the different kinds of raw, meaty bones and also find a good commercial raw mixture for my evening meal.
So it has taken them a long time to find good shopping places but finally – after nearly 6 months – they are working it all out.
+ ripe fruit & vegetables (usually leftovers from my humans), raw eggs (couple of times a week) and the commercial raw mixture.
Chicken is the foundation of my diet – it is a good quality, low fat protein, and doesn’t cost a lot of money-paper too! I get chicken on Mon, Wed and Fridays. Then on Tue & Sat, I get lamb (or sometimes other types of red meat, like pork or beef, if my humans find cheap off-cuts of those). Every Thur – once a week – I get raw offal, which is especially good for things like Vitamin A and iron. And every Sun – once a week – I get oily fish, which has lots of good things for my joints and my heart.
So my weekly menu looks basically like this:
Mon: Chicken
Tue: Lamb
Wed: Chicken
Thur: Offal
Fri: Chicken
Sat: Lamb
Sun: Fish
That’s for my morning meal, which is my bigger meal. My evening meal doesn’t change – it is the commercial raw mixture every day, although my humans add different extra things to it every day, depending on what’s leftover in the fridge. Some days I get a raw egg, other days I get some old ripe fruit, another day I might get some yoghurt, another day some leftover roast potatoes…it changes all the time.
You might be thinking this is a lot of work but actually, my humans say that once you get used to it, it is not really. Yes, it is a bit more work than just scooping biscuits out of a bag but they feel that it is such a better diet for me that they don’t mind the bit of extra work. All they have to do is remember every night to take tomorrow’s food out of the freezer to defrost.
All my raw meaty bones neatly bagged & stored in the freezer (the top layer is for my humans, the bottom 2 layers for me!)
So for example, today is Friday so they will need to take some lamb out of the freezer for me, so that it’s ready for tomorrow morning. Then tomorrow morning, they just take it out of the bag, put it in my bowl and give it to me to crunch away!
In Brisbane, there is no pet shop here that sells the different types of raw meaty bones like back in Auckland but my humans were very happy to find that the supermarkets here sell pretty much the same things:
Different types of chicken at the supermarket deli...my humans usually get chicken wings, necks or frames.
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And here are some of those things ready to be served as my breakfast!
Chicken necks...
Mmm...love chicken wings!
My humans have also found that the supermarkets here sell lamb off-cuts in the pet section, which are really cheap and good for me. They just need to check through to make sure that there are only ‘soft bones’ (eg.white rib bones) which can be easily crunched up and nothing hard like grey/brown spine bones, which could get stuck :
A big bag like that would give about 2 lamb meals...
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The other great thing is that the supermarkets here also sell raw offal – often all chopped up and sealed in convenient bags!
Diced beef kidney...
Mmm...what's for breakfast?
Lamb hearts!
Unfortunately, my humans could not find any place that sells whole oily fish like I had back in Auckland (I used to get pilchards). So they had to use tinned fish but they make sure it does not have any salt added and is just the fish in its own natural juices. So every Sun morning, I get 2 tins of mackerel:
YUM! Stinky fish! My favourite!!
Hsin-Yi says this is actually worse than all the raw meat because it really stinks! I don’t know what she is talking about – I think the fish has a lovely smell and I always try to rub my wet, fishy jowls on the sofa afterwards to spread the smell around but Hsin-Yi always yelps and catches me first and practically wipes my face off with my slobber towel! Humph!
Now, you know the Raw Diet is not fed like kibble where you get so many cups per meal, etc - with the Raw Diet, we are fed according to our body weight. So for example, a giant doggie like me, I should get about 1-2% of my body weight daily (smaller doggies need a higher percentage ’coz they are more active). This means I should get about 700g of food a day. My morning meal is usually about 500g – which means there is 200g left for my evening meal – which is usually given to me as the commercial raw mixture.
Now this is where we ran into trouble. When we first arrived (because you can’t get Mighty Mix in Australia) my humans decided to feed me the famous BARF patties, which are a mixture of raw meats, vegetables and other good stuff. They came in different flavours but my humans got me the Combo Recipe which had 4 different meats all mixed together:
According to the box, each patty weighed about 200g so my humans decided to give me 1 patty for dinner every night.
But then they started noticing that I was looking very thin…some of you may remember a while back when my human, Hsin-Yi, posted about the mystery of my disappearing weight. I had always weighed about 70kg (~155lbs) all my life back in NZ and everyone thought I looked in very good condition but after I moved over to Australia, my humans were shocked when they took me to the vet the first time and my weight came up as 59kg!!! That was a lot of weight to lose in a short time.
At first they thought it was because of the hot weather and the stress of moving to a new home…but as the time passed and I still didn’t gain much back (I remained about 61kg) – they started thinking it might be my diet. Well duh! I could have told them that! I was starving all the time! They tried giving me 2 patties every evening instead of just one but I still didn’t put on much weight – even with 3 patties…and it was starting to get very expensive. So they sat down and thought about it and realised that maybe the problem was with the BARF patty itself.
You see – they didn’t realise that 200g of the BARF patty might not be the same as 200g of the Mighty Mix they gave me back in NZ. In fact, Mighty Mix is a special dog food made for working sheepdogs and so it has lot of energy (‘calories’) in it – but also, my humans realised that it had some grain, whereas BARF patties have no grain at all.(Hsin-Yi says this is like humans going on a “no-carbs diet”). Now, some Raw Diet people don’t believe us doggies need any grain in our diets at all – and it’s true that kibble probably has too much grain, which is not good for us - but my humans believe in ”everything in moderation” so they think a little bit of everything is best for balance.
So they decided to do an experiment. They started adding some cooked oats or brown rice to my evening meals…and suddenly, I started putting on weight again!
So that solved the mystery of my disappearing weight! But it was too much hassle for my humans to keep cooking oats & brown rice for my dinner every day so they decided to look for another commercial raw mix…and they were very happy to find a food called “Meal for Pets” which is sold in the Pet Cafepetstores.
Meal for Pets premium grade fresh kangaroo meat, mixed in the correct proportions with fresh tripe, crushed and sprouted cereal grains, flax seed, vegetables, barley grass, garlic, parsley, calcium, yeast, lecithin, kelp and vitamin C
Although it only has one kind of meat (kangaroo), my humans think this doesn’t matter because I get such a variety of other different meats in my morning meal anyway. And the good thing is it contains “crushed & sprouted cereal grains”, so no need to add oatmeal or brown rice (except as occasional extras!).
So I have been eating this new food as my evening meal for 2 weeks now and everything is going really well! I am still putting on weight slowly – my humans took me to be weighed last weekend and I am 64.5 kg now! That’s still quite far from my original weight of 70kg but my humans think that I only need to gain back to 67-68kg, because I am older now and so it is better to weigh a little bit less.
See – part of the problem is ‘coz I’m such a big, tall girl – so a couple of kilos more or less on me is very hard to see. For example, here is a picture of me a few months back when I weighed only 60kg
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And here is a picture that Hsin-Yi took of me this morning, weighing about 65kg:
Not much difference to see is there? That’s why Hsin-Yi got a bit grumpy and frustrated when we were seeing the different new vets here and everyone would look at me and say “Don’t change her weight – she looks good as she is now” – but I could be weighing 5kg more and they wouldn’t know the difference! People always think I look good, whatever weight I am at! If I went in at 70kg, they would probably think I looked good at that weight.
Here is a picture of me at 70kg (back in NZ)
Anyway, Hsin-Yi felt very bad because all the vets were giving her a Telling Off for wanting me to put more weight on and didn’t believe her when she said I looked too thin. My hip bones were jutting out and even the knobbly bits at the top of my spine! Not to mention my ribs…
So she emailed my lovely breeders back in NZ and they told her not to listen to vets who were not experienced with giant breed doggies and who didn’t know what we should look like. They agreed with Hsin-Yi that I looked too bony and scrawny at 60kg. All the doggies in my family are ‘big’ – my brothers make me look small and dainty! My breeders said most of the boy doggies in my family weigh 80-90kg (175 – 200lbs) and the girl doggies weigh around 65-70kg (140 – 155lbs) , so it was fine for me to gain some weight back.
So hopefully I will be getting my curvy figure back soon!
Oh my goodness!! Thank you so much everybody who voted for me! My movies have won both the Comedy and the That’s Entertainment categories at the Pawdance Film Festival!! I’m so excited!
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My new home, Australia, is full of ‘evil possums’. Yes, they are always teasing me – especially when I go on my walks after dark – and staring at me from up in the trees with their glowing eyes and making funny noises…
…well, of course a doggie has to jump up and try to catch them!
I know if I just jump high enough, I’m sure I can catch one!
So when I was in the park the other day, I jumped up really high and stood on my back legs and tried to climb up the tree to catch the possum. My humans were laughing at me and Hsin-Yi said she thought Great Danes couldn’t walk on their hind legs…well, I proved her wrong!
Except they weren’t laughing when we came home and I started acting a bit funny. And then I woke up in the middle of the night with a terrible back ouchie! I staggered to my humans’ bedroom and stood crying outside their door – and when they came out, they found me standing, staring at the floor, with my back hunched and shaking terribly. I could tell Hsin-Yi was scared I was having the scary sickie called bloat but then I showed her that I was fine in between my ouchie attacks – I would walk around, wagging my tail and carrying my toy – but then the next minute, I would get an ouchie attack again and it would make me hunch my back and feel all shaky and trembly.
My humans were very worried and took me to the Pet ER – of course, I was completely fine once we got there. We all know there is some magic air at animal hospitals that makes us doggies all fine again the minute we step in and makes our humans look like neurotic idiots! Hee! Hee!
But the ER vet did a lot of prodding and pushing and said that I had “tender spots” on my back – she said it might be that I had a back sickie in my spine but it was more likely that I had pulled a muscle or something because of trying to jump up and stand on my hind legs and climb up the tree after the evil possums.
She said No, Great Danes should not be standing on their hind legs! Our backs are very long and our chests really big and deep so we are very ‘top heavy’ (did you know my front paws are bigger than my back paws?) and it is very bad for us to try to stand on our hind legs. It can give us a back ouchie from “over-extension of the spine”.
The ER vet gave me an injection of anti-inflammatories for 24 hrs and then told my humans to take me to see a ‘normal’ vet for a check up after a few days, to see if I still had the back ouchie.
Now, you know I have been having a terrible time finding a new vet here in Brisbane. We have tried 3 vets so far:
The 1st one gave my humans a lecture for feeding me the raw diet, even though it was clear she did not really know what the raw diet was about.
The 2nd vet was the worst! He was terribly rude and didn’t say hello to me, give me treats or even let me sniff him – just grabbed me and stuck a thermometer in my bum and tried to make me lie down by pushing and forcing me, which really scared me. Hsin-Yi said he was very patronising to her and had no “bedside manners” at all – and he was lucky I’m such a well-socialised doggie because he would have got bitten by another doggie for the way he was handling me!
The 3rd vet was quite nice and he did give me treats – but Hsin-Yi didn’t like the way he seemed “brainwashed” by all the pet drug companies and was pushing her to buy supplements and injections for sickies I don’t have yet. He made her feel guilty and kept telling her what an old doggie I was with lots of problems…when our vets back in Auckland had always said I am a very healthy doggie for my age!
Oscar the Weimaraner pup who introduced me to his great vet!
Anyway, so I was really despairing of ever finding a good vet – but then I got a lovely message from Oscar, a Weimaraner pup living here in Brisbane, who follows my blog and had been reading all about my troubles finding a vet.
Oscar told me all about his vet , Dr Seung Ho Kim, who is at the Central New Farm Veterinary Clinic- and who is lovely and kind and isn’t always trying to sell things from pet drug companies or cut doggies open for any small reason. He also loves extra big doggies like me and would like his next doggie to be a Great Dane! (At the moment, he has a rescue Labrador/Dane-cross)
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So my humans decided to take me to go and see Dr Seung Ho yesterday. It was already a few days after my visit to the Pet ER and I had not had any more ouchie attacks and was just my normal self again - although my humans would only take me on leash walks and not let me run around in the parks (humph!).
I liked this vet clinic as soon as I walked in…they were so nice and friendly, with big smiles to welcome me!
Hello! I'm Honey the Great Dane...
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And then I met Dr Seung Ho! And he was just as lovely as Oscar said! He said hello and gave me ear rubs and cuddles – and then he gave me some liver treats!
He spent a long time listening to my humans very carefully and asked lots of questions about me and any changes in my behaviour lately, like holding my head funny or having trouble getting up…Nope! Just my new obsession with possums, my humans said! And then he started doing lots and lots of tests:
First, he made me follow a liver treat around with my nose, so that I had to twist and turn and bend down and reach up to get it…really, it was almost like doing a dance routine! He said I had very good ‘mobility’ and ‘flexibility’, especially for my age and had no problems bending or stretching my body to do anything. (Well, that’s what dance practice does for you! )
Then he pushed and prodded my neck a lot – and also pulled and prodded my back legs…and even poked my bum with the pointy end of the scissors!
This was to check if I might have a sickie called Wobblers Syndrome [Cervical Spondylopathy or Cervical Vertebral Instability (CVI)],which a lot of us Great Danes can get (and other large doggies too, like Dobermanns) - it is when the bones in the spine in the neck start squeezing on the nerves. Doggies who have Wobblers start to hold their heads in a strange way and their back legs start going funny and they can’t walk properly and sometimes they drag their back paws ‘coz they can’t feel them very well and they can’t hold their wees or poos either… But nope! I didn’t have any of the signs! He even said I had “very good tone” in my bum – and great reflexes in my back paws!
Next, he needed to check my back leg muscles and knees by banging a hard metal thing on them to see if I twitch (Paul says humans have this test too, when they bang a rubber hammer on their knees!) – well, I twitched fine! Hee! Hee!
Actually, he was very impressed because Hsin-Yi asked me to lie down flat on the floor, with my “Tummy Rub” command, so that he could examine me properly and he said he had never seen such a well-trained doggie who made his job so easy! He thought when he saw me that I would be very difficult because I am so big – but Hsin-Yi explained that controlling doggies isn’t about their size but about how well-trained they are. Even holding a wriggling, struggling small doggie would not be easy!
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Then last, he started pushing and prodding on my spine, starting at my neck and then going slowly down my back…
…and that’s when he found some ouchie spots – down at the bottom of my back, near my tail. They weren’t big ouchie spots – I didn’t cry or flinch or anything – but just when he prodded me there, I would try to sit down.
So Dr Seung Ho thinks that my back ouchie is because of inflammation and it could be from 2 things:
1) maybe one of the discs in my spine is popping out a bit and squeezing on the nerves around. This is something that just happens naturally as you get older – Hsin-Yi says it is from “wear & tear” and I’m such a rough tomboy, I have been doing a lot of ‘wearing and tearing’ all my life! Since I am a senior gal now for a giant breed (I’m almost 7 yrs old which is almost 55yrs old in human years!), this is something that is normal for my age. But he said it is not arthritis – it is a different kind of thing.
Helping Paul with his back ouchie...
Humans also often get this, especially if they have a long back – in fact, Paul had this 2 years ago and his disc was popping out so badly, it was giving him big ouchies and his leg was going numb!
He had to have a big operation to cut some of the disc away and he couldn’t work for two months after that…and now he has to be very careful and can’t lift heavy things or do any jogging or ride bicyles or horses – or anything which bangs his spine…he is very sad. But it is better than not being able to walk!
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2) maybe there is nothing wrong with my discs and I just pulled a muscle when I jumped up and tried to climb the tree after the possum. So now the muscles are sore and ‘inflammed’ and giving me ouchies.
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Anyway, Dr Seung Ho said that rather than rushing to do X-rays on my spine and another scary thing called CT-scans – which is what the ER vet suggested – and which would mean that they would have to give me some yucky medicines to make me sleep (and might be dangerous for me), it would be better to try some anti-inflammatory medicines first. If my back ouchie goes away, then that will be fine and I just have to be more careful in the future (and no more climbing trees after possums!). If my back ouchie doesn’t go away, then we can do the next step and have more tests.
Last thing before we finished, Dr Seung Ho looked at some of my X-rays from before - remember that first time I went to the Pet ER, when I was feeling panty and wobbly on my feet, after I had my annual heartworm injection? They took X-rays of my stomach and chest and also did lots of blood tests but everything came out completely normal so it was a mystery. My humans thought maybe I had a bad reaction to the heartworm injection. Anyway, they brought the X-rays and test results for Dr Seung Ho to see, just in case he was interested.
Here we are discussing my X-rays…
Dr Seung Ho loved looking at my X-rays: he said that unlike in most doggies, everything in my X-ray was so big and easy to see clearly, even blood vessels! And look at the size of my heart! (It is the big white blob) It is not enlarged or anything – it is a perfectly healthy heart – but that is just the normal heart size for us Great Danes. They don’t call us “giant breeds” for nothing!
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My humans thought Dr Seung Ho was a very good, sensible vet who didn’t just rush to do “invasive procedures” and wasn’t “aggressively commercial” (these are all big words that Hsin-Yi said) but instead, tried to do the least stressy thing for me first…just like my vets back in Auckland. They were so happy that we found him!
So now I have to take an anti-inflammatory medicine called Rimadyl for 5 days and “only gentle exercise” (ie. short leash walks) for the next 2 weeks – and hope that my back ouchie will go away. (Oh no! No playdates AGAIN! ) I have taken Rimadyl lots of times before – it is yummy chicken flavour – although you mustn’t take it for too long ‘coz it can hurt the kidneys in some doggies.
Paul says my middle name should be ‘Rimadyl’ because I am such a rough tomboy and always doing something silly and hurting myself - that I’m always being given Rimadyl by the vets, all my life, ever since I was a little puppy!
Catching a ball...Honey-style! (2006 - 3 yrs old)
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But Hsin-Yi says that now that I am older and my body isn’t able to repair itself as quickly as it used to, I must stop being such a rough tomboy and learn to take things slowly and behave more like a lady…
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Humph! Who want’s to be a lady? It’s BORING!!
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Hsin-Yi says: Starting this blog for Honey has been a wonderful experience for me, making new friends and enjoying sharing our dogs’ adventures. But I never realised how much the blog would help us too in a very ‘real’ sense – how generous and supportive people have been. If it wasn’t for this blog and all the lovely people who have taken time to write in, we would not have found out about some great dog-friendly places in Brisbane, made some wonderful new doggie friends or finally found a good vet we like and trust!
So I just wanted to take this opportunity to say a very big THANK YOU to all of you who read and follow Honey’s blog – and who take the time to write to us or leave a comment. Especially those of you who send us lovely messages via the Contact Honey page – I know you don’t have a blog or website I can visit you back on and I always try my best to reply, although sometimes when things get hectic, I may not get a chance – but please know that I really appreciate all your messages and am constantly touched by all of you making time in your busy lives to write to us. Thank you.
I wasn’t sure whether to post about this but I’ve decided to share it as it may be useful to some other dog owners. So please excuse the long wordy post!
Honey gave me a scare on Tue – I had been out for lunch and came back around 3pm to find her sleeping peacefully in her crate, but at around 5pm I noticed that she was awake and panting very heavily. I was a bit concerned as it was not a hot day but didn’t want to be a paranoid pet owner so I bundled her into the car and took her to one of our local parks. She seemed quite alert & well when we arrived at the park and started the walk in her normal trot, although still panting heavily. She also seemed quite thirsty, wanting to stop at every water fountain for a drink… but otherwise, she was alert & well and even did a nice, normal poo.
About 15mins into our walk, we had wandered into the empty fenced off-leash section and I let her off for a little sniff, thinking I might also do some training. I asked her to Heel and noticed that she seemed a bit unsteady on her feet – it was like she was trying very hard to follow my command but struggling to do so. I stopped immediately and watched her – and was horrified to see her teetering slightly, as if she was struggling to stay on her feet. I panicked, thinking that she might collapse and wondering how I was going to carry her (she weighs more then me) back to the car, which was on the other side of the park. It was about 6pm by this time and getting dark, with very few people in the park. Thankfully, I managed to get her to walk back to the car and I immediately rushed her off to the emergency vet (Pet Emergency- : 263 Appleby Rd, Stafford Heights, Qld 4053, (07) 3359 0777).
The main thing I was worried about was bloat, as heavy panting is one of the signs – although the ‘wobbly spell’ also had me worrying about her heart – sadly, these are both things that are prevalent in this breed, no matter how many precautions you take – it’s a genetic lottery – and much as I hate to admit it, Honey isn’t a young dog anymore…
By the time we got to the emergency vet, she had perked up a bit and by the time the vet examined her, she seemed fine and back to her normal self, although still panting (but this was probably more due to the excitement of being in a new place). The vet assured me it wasn’t bloat after examining her abdomen and that her heart also sounded fine and it was unlikely to be a bowel obstruction (always a consideration when you’re on the raw diet) because Honey had done a nice, normal poo in the park, was taking food & water quite happily and did not have a tender abdomen…but she was concerned enough by my description to keep Honey in for full blood tests & X-rays. I was sent home to wait by the phone…
At around 10pm, they rang to say that results had all come back and they were all fine. Honey had practically “perfect” blood results and her X-rays were completely normal too – so it was a mystery. I went to pick her up and she was full of beans – I really started to feel a bit of a fool! The vet did say that clear results may not be a guarantee that there is no underlying disease – she even mentioned the dreaded ‘cancer’ word - as she said dogs often pant from pain or acidosis, if not from heat – but given Honey’s overall good health, appetite, energy, etc, – it seemed very unlikely.
So I brought Honey home, feeling like a bit like an idiot – maybe I had imagined it all? But something had definitely happened in the park to cause me to panic – and I would have never forgiven myself if I hadn’t done everything I could and regretted it later. Better safe than sorry, I guess. And if it had been bloat, that could have been a fatal emergency. Thank goodness we’ve got pet insurancebecause that little panic trip & tests, etc, cost us AUD$600! (US$550) – with a giant breed, everything is expensive!
Honey has been fine since then – completely her normal self, with no further “funny episodes” – but I have been thinking and I do wonder now if it was a reaction to the annual heartworm injection which she had 2 weeks ago at that 3rd vet. Here is a list of the possible side-effects, which makes for disturbing reading. “Wobbliness” and “shortness of breath” certainly fit. Of course, these are side-effects to Proheart 6 – NOT Proheart-SR 12 , which is what Honey had – but the fact that they are from the same stable makes me uncomfortable. Anyway, if that is what it was – then let’s just hope that these are the only reactions she suffers, as some of the others on the list are really frightening.
Of course, there is nothing to prove that it was a reaction to the injection and it may simply be a coincidence. I did ask the emergency vet, of course, about the possibility, but like most vets, she brushed it off, saying that most reactions occur immediately after the injection. However, I do know – from my own research for several articles I have written on vaccinosis – that studies show that vaccine reactions usually show up in the 3 months following the vaccine…delayed reactions are quite common…and it is reasonable to assume that reactions to this injection might follow a similar pattern.
Oh, how I regret agreeing to that heartworm injection before doing proper research on it! Especially as we had no problems giving the monthly tablets but were just silly to simply follow what the vets recommended…you would think someone like me, who usually researches everything to death, would know better! I think we were just so overwhelmed with the whole move and everything that when it came to heartworm being a “new” Australian issue that we’d never dealt with before, we just bowed to the Australian vets’ advice without ever questioning them…
Anyway, hopefully this will be the end of things and at least one good thing that’s come from all this is that we have X-rays of Honey’s heart & lungs & stomach & intestines, etc, and detailed blood test results and from those, she seems a completely healthy dog - in fact, very good for her age. So I suppose that is reassurance of some sort!
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On a slightly related topic, we have also been a bit concerned with Honey’s weight. I didn’t mention this in the post about the vets previously but we were a bit shocked when Honey got on the scales here and came in at around 60kg! Back in NZ, she had always weighed 68-70kg all her adult life and looked good at that weight – our vets there were happy and nobody commented on her being overweight. So even allowing for a slight difference in scales between countries, 10kg seems a huge difference to account for!
I know the move has been very stressful for her and we may have also been feeding her slightly less as we’re getting used to new raw diet supplies here - and to be honest, I had been looking at her recently and thinking she looked very bony and sinewy. The other Dane owners on our recent beach playdate commented on her hip bones jutting out and I was wondering if she was a bit too thin – you can definitely see her back ribs quite clearly and I’d noticed even her spine was a bit prominent along her back…but what is confusing is that the vets here all kept telling me that she is good at this weight!
Well, if she is good now – that must mean that she was OVERweight all the rest of her life back in NZ! Or if she was good then, that must mean she is UNDERweight now! Which is it? And what weight should we be aiming for?
The problem with Honey, I find, is that she is such a big girl, she tends to put on or lose a few kilos with very few people noticing and most people always say she looks good at whatever weight she is at…
Here are a couple of photos I took of her yesterday morning, at the weight she is now (60kg):
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And here are a couple of photos taken last year back in NZ when she was around 70kg:
As you can see, there isn’t a huge difference although in terms of numbers, that’s 10kg. And I certainly don’t think she looked fat or overweight in the pictures from NZ, at 70kg! In fact, I think I prefer her looking more like before – more rounded and fleshed out.
I have asked our lovely breeders as they are so experienced and they know what their type of Dane should look like - and they say that Honey is a big girl (35″ with big bones – of the more solid type of Dane) and takes after her mother, who apparently tipped the scales at around 70kg too- so that should be an acceptable weight for her. They also said that dogs can lose weight in the heat, plus the stress of the move so perhaps she is a bit underweight. Certainly, they don’t think she looked overweight back in NZ and ultimately, they felt that I should go with my own instincts, as I know Honey best, as opposed to vets who may not be necessarily experienced enough to judge for individual breeds.
The vets here talked a lot about Honey being a “geriatric” and muscle wastage from ageing. I’d noticed recently that her ‘bum’ in particular is looking very bony and almost pointy at the end, near the tail. – so perhaps that is not due so much to weight loss as muscle wastage due to age? It does seem a bit dramatic though - those pictures in NZ above were only taken about 6 months ago – how can a dog age that fast?!
I actually wonder if all this “muscle wastage” is not due so much to ageing as lack of decent dog parks here in Brisbane where she can run off-leash! Back in Auckland, there were so many ‘proper’ off-leash dog parks (whole parks, not small fenced enclosures) – and so Honey got off-leash exercise at least twice a week, often without necessarily playing with other dogs – but just exploring by herself. She had a lot more chance to do free running and steady trotting for extended periods – whereas here, we primarily do pavement/leashed park walks and the few times she has had off-leash runs, it’s been in areas with lots of other dogs so she starts playing – but that is a totally different kind of running, with lots of high impact, sudden twisting & turning and braking – it’s no wonder that she injured herself at the last playdate!
Honey enjoying free running in a big, uncrowded Auckland dog park!
There is only really 1 proper, big, unfenced dog park here at Kedron Brookbut because it is so unique, it is always crowded with dog owners from all over Brisbane and it is impossible to go there without meeting other dogs constantly. This means that unless I keep stopping her (which seems cruel), Honey would start playing and – aside from the fact that she is not allowed to play at the moment while on her 6 weeks prescribed “rest” by the vets – it is also not really the beneficial kind of steady off-leash exercise that would help to build up her muscle tone, I think.
(sigh) I just wish there were more parks here where she could run off-leash for an extended time, without being crowded by lots of other dogs & owners…we never realised how lucky we were back in Auckland!
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Lemon - Forever in our hearts... (Oct 2003 ~ Jan 2009)
No matter how much my humans try to feed me up, I just can’t seem to get my curves back. (sigh)
In fact, I didn’t even know that I had it until Hsin-Yi noticed it!
Hsin-Yi is trying to make the ouchie get better by putting some special medicine cream on it. My vet back in Auckland gave my humans this cream because I’m such a rough tomboy when I play that I’m always hurting myself and getting cuts and bruises…so my vet gave my humans a whole tube of this special cream so that they wouldn’t have to keep taking me back to the clinic every time I got a cut or a graze!
So Hsin-Yi has been rubbing some of the special cream on my ouchie…but unfortunately, it’s not working very well so far ‘coz it keeps rubbing off every time I sit or lie down (which is most of the time -- my motto is ‘Why stand when you can sit? Why sit when you can lie down?’)
Hsin-Yi says I was one of the best doggies in class -- better even than a lot of the working breed doggies -- and I really showed everybody what Great Danes could do! 
My great blog friends, 
Well, Hsin-Yi didn’t like the idea of injecting lots of chemicals and medicines into my body and she also thought maybe it was a trick to get more money paper -- so she didn’t just do what he said. Instead, she came home and asked Paul to do some research. 
Well, of course my humans would be happy to give me any medicines which would help me, no matter how much money paper it would cost, but they don’t like doing something that comes from a fake promise! (Hsin-Yi says it’s important to always ask questions and look for more information yourself, rather than just believing everything it says on a shiny, pretty paper.) 
This way, if it DID have some special protective powers, I was getting it -- and if it DIDN’T have any special powers, it wouldn’t be hurting me either ‘coz it’s all natural anyway.
“Training” doesn’t have to mean doing obedience drills -- you can alternate between practising the important & necessary basic obedience exercises (Down, Stay, Come, Heel, etc) and other interactive activities -- like teaching your dog to fetch/retrieve a toy or ball, playing games like hide & seek with your dog (either finding you or finding an item) and teaching your dog fun tricks (shake paws, play dead, balancing a biscuit on the nose, etc) or even using clicker training to do some free-shaping… Basically, keep teaching your dog new skills, keep expanding his vocabulary, keep testing his abilities…Keep Challenging Him. (Remember, learning new things is very tiring -- especially for a Dane! 
It also shows the dog that he “earns” the reward of his walk by focusing on you and “working” for you first. Remember the NILIF system? (Nothing In Life Is Free) -- that should be applied everywhere in your dog’s life, especially when you have a “life reward” that your dog really values. There’s probably nothing as exciting to your dog as his walk so take advantage of that -- show him that he can earn that “life reward” by paying you attention, practising self control and doing things you asked for. This also shows your dog that he gets things by being calm and well-behaved, rather than acting like a hooligan. That he gets his walk AFTER he has managed to focus on you and behave calmly -- NOT when he is jumping and tugging and being over-excited. 
Similarly, with exercise - as an inexperienced, over-enthusiastic, first-time dog owner - I was probably a bit over-ambitious! 
We may just have been lucky but Honey never had any developmental issues, other than a very short bout of “pano” and she is now nearly 7yrs old with -- according to the last vet check -- no sign of arthritis yet. Certainly she still moves with great speed & agility (when she’s motivated enough! 
