You may receive your dog 8 weeks after their birth with an understanding that they are transitioning through a critical stage of development in which exposure to fear can have longer lasting effects on behavior. Interestingly, this impact/fear period is well recognized among breeders but appears absent from scientific literature. Consideration for potential traumatic events should be considered at this time, i.g. cropping, unsympathetic discipline, and even challenging transport.
Lifetime breeder support and education on the litter (i.g. health testing, pedigree, and our reasoning for parental selection), modified Puppy Culture socialization and training, age-appropriate vaccines, deworming, vet exams, health guarantee, microchipping and importantly microchip registration (greater than 40% of microchipped dogs have been found to not be registered), AKC registration (to ensure it is done correctly and timely), introduction to crate-leash-potty training, and ear cropping if desired.
We believe our customized contracts initiate important conversation with our clients and help ensure the safety and health of the dogs we whelp. We expect potential owners to feel welcome to ask questions and be a participant in actively negotiating contracts.
We value healthy, affordable, safe, and convenient feed for your dog. We argue there is no feed specific to a particular breed. However, Great Dane puppies should not be fed many feeds labeled for puppies because they contain excessively high concentrations of protein and fat. Rehydrating a quality dry kibble and supporting your dog with a variety of additional healthy foods (less than 10% by weight of their diet) will meet the needs of most dogs and satisfy dog lovers. A fresh, or raw, diet can also provide exceptional nutrition for your dog.
The amount your Dane will eat depends on age, sex, type of food, and level of activity. Generally, our 8-12 week old puppies will eat 1.5 cups for each of their 3 daily meals. Adults will eat 6-10 cups daily divided roughly between two meals.
It is the choice of the puppy owner whether or not to crop. We believe the minimally invasive surgery on, and following months of maintenance for, dogs that are cropped is a benign custom that appeals to aesthetic and traditional values shared by many dog lovers. Ear cropping continues to be a largely aesthetic choice. We find arguments in favor of cropping because of health and/or the natural upright ears of undomesticated canids unconvincing. Equally unconvincing are arguments discouraging cropping due to a suggested reduced ability to communicate, comparisons to amputation or mutilation, and veterinary professionals claiming the procedure non-medically necessary or lacking a scientific justification. Undeniably, cropping is legally prohibited throughout many regions of the world, and the condemning and illegalization of cropping has had historical impacts on the breeding and popularity of Great Danes. There are no documented widespread changes in health or behavior due to cropping. There is no evidence for elevated cortisol levels after the wounds have healed in 7-10 days. We believe from personal experience that it is no more traumatic than a pierced ear or a scratched knee in which the wound similarly takes a few days to heal. It may be sore and itch, and we treat these symptoms. Posting the ear is not painful and much more frustrating and worrisome to the human than the dog. Therefore, we strongly advocate for and defend the choice of dog lovers and veterinarians to continue to crop their dogs as an extension of supporting the historical preservation and aesthetic of the Great Dane breed Standard and larger breed concept. It is a beautiful thing.
We choose and endorse Dr. Anne Midgarden DVM (Ohio) to crop our Great Dane puppies for our clients. We present clients with a modified care guide for educational purposes only. Cropping considerations and care should be made with the guidance of your veterinarian and breeders.
We follow the current standard as approved by the Great Dane Club of America and the American Kennel Club. How this standard has evolved and how previous conformation points were awarded is fascinating and telling of our breed. The traits associated with Euro-lines, sometimes called hyper-exaggerated features, are outside our standard, and others: UKC, KC, and FCI. We are happy to discuss individual features with curious potential clients.