People often ask me what it’s like to have such a big dog in the house. Funny thing…. recently Mike made the observation that Ben doesn’t even seem BIG anymore, we’re so used to his size. Dogs like labs and rottis and shepperds actually seem small.
Now that we’ve lived with one for more than four years I’m convinced Danes think they are just another person in the house. They are sensitive, intelligent, gentle giants – unless you try to mess with their family. Ben sits on chairs just like we do, has respect for the fact that there is food on the table and he can reach it, but can’t take it unless it’s given to him…and when we go for our walks he does not pull. He walks along side me as another person would. He “talks” when you ask him a question with a series of moans and grumbles I have yet to decipher…except to know it’s his way of answering.
I know why there are Dane rescues. They look awesome as puppies and the thought of a REALLY BIG DOG is appealing to some. The truth is, it’s expensive to feed them and they take up ALOT of room. Because they are so big… (Ben weighs 190 lbs) they require support for their big bodies in the form of a good bed. Some use the family couch, some use really big orthopedic dog beds. Ben has my son’s old queen size mattress on my office floor. They are a fragile flower, meaning they can’t live outside because their coats are pretty thin. And lastly, because they are protectors too, they can be dangerous in the wrong situation. This is a truth about any breed. All these facts become daunting to some Dane owners, and often the dog is eventually dumped. Sad truth.
So m answer to the question always ends with… consider the meaning of owning a Dane IN your home before you take the plunge.
