Should I ???

sharky

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On sunday I meet a lovely female great dane puppy ( 7-8 months) ... She is at a rescue and came from a "puppy mill"... Maggie is her name and she laid down on my feet ... her adoption fee is a very reasonable 75$ and she is already fixed.... I have done the research and think a dane would be a good fit for me ... Ie I need a laid back not needing a hike dog ... A few glitches ... she chases cats in the yard , my semi feral is indoor and outside in back .... Maggie is good with cats inside ....

Gigi my yorkie likes big dogs but in five years hasnt lived with one for more than 10 days ... Gigi is a mommys girl and very spoiled with toys so I would have to watch as gigi is very alpha ...


The other issue is my Kandie she is now 18.5 and while she loves dogs I am unsure how stressful a new puppy would be ... Oh and then there s mom


What do you guys think ??? should I ???
 

miagi's_mommy

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It's your decision but if you think it will work out and if you have time for a puppy and can afford a puppy then YES!!
and thanks for deciding to adopt.
 

celestialrags

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If I had the chance, I would! If it is a match for you, and things can work out, I would.! (But Danes are one of my favorites and would love to have another one!) What color is she? I had a harlequin, he was so beautiful, but I really like the "common" fawns. Good luck with your decission, I am sure she will go fast if you decide to not do it, because of the cats age, a pup may be stressful, so good luck!
 
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sharky

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Maggie was poorly breed so her coloring is not std.. she is a black and white with patches of grey and black harliquin....
 

celestialrags

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They call that a merle don't they? I like those colors too! I just really love Danes.
 
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sharky

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on a dane I am not sure ...lol.. I wanted the rare blue harliquin
...
 

tavia'smom

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If I was at a place I would definately take a dane but with them obediance training is an absolute must. Because they are big powerful dogs and if you don't train them then you can't control them and that is a very bad thing for all in the family. And by making all of the cats the alpha's you can curb the chasing. Always feed the cats and the yorkie first and things like that when you take them walking let the yorkie walk infront of the dane so that she sees the yorkie as the alpha and obediance trainers can give you alot more advice on that stuff those are just some tips I have learned from having Tiny my dad's chi around my big dogs.
 
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sharky

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Originally Posted by Tavia'smom

If I was at a place I would definately take a dane but with them obediance training is an absolute must. Because they are big powerful dogs and if you don't train them then you can't control them and that is a very bad thing for all in the family. And by making all of the cats the alpha's you can curb the chasing. Always feed the cats and the yorkie first and things like that when you take them walking let the yorkie walk infront of the dane so that she sees the yorkie as the alpha and obediance trainers can give you alot more advice on that stuff those are just some tips I have learned from having Tiny my dad's chi around my big dogs.
The yorkie being Alpha aint a problem...lol... the only one who gives her guff is the 18.5 old Kandie .. Yes I would do the obediance training and likely take Maggie for social training so she would be better socialized than Gigi ...
 

KitEKats4Eva!

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I would normally recommend against people getting puppies - I know it sounds weird because I love them so much, but I'm always scared that they won't know what they're in for, and then the puppy will end up mistreated and abandoned. I know that's just a ridiculous way to think, but I can't help it!

You, on the other hand, are knowledgeable and experienced, and would probably be the best person I can think of to take on a Great Dane puppy, knowing what it would entail.

The only warning I would have is, that as she is poorly bred, you don't want to have the costs of possible future health issues as a result. However, I'm sure you would be adequately prepared for any contingencies, and of course, she does sound completely gorgeous. Your Kandie is also a worry - she's old and probably frail, do you think it would be fair? If you think that she will manage and probably continue to rule the roost (lol) then why not? I'm always for giving a needy animal a good home.

Just so long as you can give the dog sufficient exercise then I say go for it!
 
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sharky

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Okay my dumb question time ....


I talked to my vet and she thinks a dane is a good fit for my gang ...

How much on ave would a 100lb girl eat ... wet and dry ( I dont think raw or homeade would be cost effective.. It has been over a decade since my 125lb shepard past ( thus my giant skill set is rusty )

How much exercise do they need ?? Gigi walks 3-6 times a week and like about 2 miles a time ( I of course like about 1 )

Maggie had that lower eyelid thing ... the one where they look blood shot .. Is that something to worry about ??? I would have my vet look at her right away ... What genetic tests should be run ...??

How elevated should the food dish be ...???

Some of these sound strange but for the last six yrs I have had a Yorkie ..lol..
 

celestialrags

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Cherry eye? is that what you mean (is that what it's called) I think it is painful, and needs corrected, but after that I think there isn't any problems, like reocuring, or problems later on. I am not sure, I don't remember, not sure if that's what you are talking about either.
I hope she's ok, and not hurting or having some thing that will cause her life long problems
 

juliekit

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I say go for it. You are lucky she is past the really young puppy stage, so housetraining should be a breeze. You'd have to work on a good solid 'Leave It' so she learns not to chase the outdoor cat. But if she is familiar with the cat being indoors I dont think she'd chase a member of her 'pack'

As for the Yorkie being alpha that also shouldnt be a problem. Make sure she knows the Yorkie is alpha. Feed the Yorkie first, pet Gigi first, pay more attention to Gigi, etc. We may think they need equal treatment, but if you treat them equally it will be a disaster waiting to happen. With such a large size difference they need to know who is boss.
 

arlyn

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My overweight 95 pound dog goes through a 15 pound bag of Nutro Senior and 24/14 oz cans a month.
He's still high energy and goes on 2-3 1 mile walks a day, though in bad weather he doesn't want to go at all so he plays hard instead.

Only thing off the top of my head to check her for his hip dysplasia and heart problems.
 
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sharky

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I asked the foster mom for pictures hopefully I can post them.... Now to explain to my mother WE REALLY NEED A GIANT
 

arlyn

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Oh, on dish elevation, I put Bear's dishes chest high.
That is the lower-most part of his chest.
 
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sharky

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Originally Posted by Arlyn

Oh, on dish elevation, I put Bear's dishes chest high.
That is the lower-most part of his chest.
Maggie by my imperfect measuring is about 27 inches at the shoulder already ... did you special order one for Bear cause Petsmarts tallest was 12 inches???

I am worried I havent heard back from the Foster mom.....
 

nekochan

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So did you decide to adopt the Dane, then?
I was going to say go for it as well, I've had a couple times where there was a dog I really felt drawn to and I ended up not adopting them, and I still wish I had gone for it!

As for the dish, I would try Big Dog Basics: www.bigtallk9.com if you want an elevated dish, although personally I would not be too concerned about having it extra-tall unless the dog seems uncomfortable eating off a lower dish.
 

arlyn

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Actually, Bear has a regular food dish, but it is placed on top of the storage box that I keep his milkbones in.
It just happened to be at the perfect height.

Drs Foster & Smith generally carry adjustable risers that adjust up for giant breeds like danes.
 
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