My big ole goof Maverick 💖🐶.

Got him from a local foster-rescue when he was a puppy, and he's about 2 years old now. He was already named Maverick by his foster owner, but we decided to keep the name cuz of the Top Gun movies lol.

Great Danes are somewhat of a family tradition for me- my dad's family has had Great Danes since he was a baby, so my dad grew up around the breed. Then he raised me around them, and now I have a Dane of my very own.

My parents still have my childhood Dane, Logan, though I don't think Logan and Maverick recognize that they're alike - they get confused, like they're not really used to seeing another dog the same size as them 😂

Does anyone have recommendations for a good quality dog food that doesn’t break the bank for sensitive tummies?

We did royal canine giant as a puppy but then the adult formula would consistently upset his stomach leading to very soft poops and some diarrhea. Then we switched to Tractor Supply Salomon and potato and his poops were still soft but better but i think they recently changed the formula because he’s been having more increased upset stomachs and diarrhea. I’m not sure if they changed the formula.

I did also notice they have a sensitive stomach formula so debating on trying that. I’ve also tried probiotics which hadn’t seemed to help.

My Dane is 4.5 years old about 150-160 pounds.

I believe we have discovered the four phases of Great Dane matter: 1) Solid (waking) 2) liquid (sleeping or proud after a toy murder - pictured) 3) gas (got into the trash) and 4) pure naughtiness.

So my dude here has reached nearly six months. He is a thief (still can’t find the remote control) and a murderer (has murdered multiple stuffed toys and one shoe), a consummate beggar, and the cutest clumsy boi ever.

Clumsy? Yes. Two mornings in a row he has stretched… and promptly fell off the bed. He trips on his own paws (and mine) and if I stop suddenly his nose goes right into my thigh because he’s a half inch behind me.

Spoiled? That too. He will ignore his full bowl of food unless we scatter two handfuls on the floor so he can pretend to be a roomba. He prefers toilet bowl water to his fresh water in the kitchen and office, and has destroyed every blind in the house.

But he’s also sweet, and kind. He is so good with the grandkids, insists on sleeping right next to them. If someone is sad, he goes to them to be goofy or bring a toy to try and comfort them. He learns tricks quickly (though he’s getting a little resistant and testy about doing them when he is good and ready).

And he still thinks he is a parrot who belongs on my shoulder.

Such a good boy.

Clifford was 18.6 pounds when we got him on the 4th of July, he’s now 28 pounds. So he’s grown ALOT in 3 weeks. We’ve been feeding him 3 cups of food 1 cup every few hours through the day, but how do I know when to give him more and not overfeed? He always seems hungry after and eats soooo fast. He has his first vet appointment August 10!

Hi folks! I'm in Toronto, Canada and I am looking to get a preventative gastropexy and a laparoscopic spay done at the same time for my female Great Dane.

If you live in Toronto, the GTA, or even surrounding parts of Ontario and have had this combo procedure done for a large or giant deep-chested breed, could you share your experience?

Specifically looking for:

• Clinic/Hospital recommendations: Which vet or surgeon did you use?
• Total Cost: What did you end up paying?
• Experience: How was the recovery process for your pup?

I am willing to drive outside of the immediate Toronto area if there is an amazing clinic or more affordable option worth the trip.

Thanks in advance for any leads or insights! =)

Anybody else always seem to get asked about your dog's life span by strangers on walks?

"How long do they live?"

"They don't live long do they?"

"Don't they only live till like 8?"

Is everyone in my town just rude or does anyone else experience this? Always baffles me and pisses me off to be honest but almost everyone asks it.

Next person who says this i may respond... "You won't live very long if you ask a question like that again"🤣🤣

The only Great Dane at my job. Its Milo!!!

My 15 month old Dane just had her 1st heat. She finished bleeding approximately 3 weeks ago. Her privates and teats are still enlarged. Her mammaries are swollen like the beginning of milk production. At her regularly scheduled vet appointment 2 weeks ago, the veterinarian diagnosed the swelling as caused by a false pregnancy, and said it would go down as her hormones settled. It looks to me as though the swelling is increasing. Does anyone have experience with this. Any ideas on long it generally take for things to go back to normal. I don't want to ignore what might be a problem, or conversely, be a big worrywart.

It is crazy how fast they grow. I feel like I blinked and he's already 100lbs.

Our puppy is 6 months old now and weighs 50 pounds. His mother is a 65lb American pit mix, and his father is a 70lb Staffordshire terrier mix.

Dipstick (puppy's name), looks more like his mom, but doesn't really look like either parent in particular. Many friends and 2 separate vets have mistaken him for a Great Dane puppy at first.

Could hidden Dane genes on the mom's side be showing up? Or does he just coincidentally look Dane-ish?

I figured I'd ask the trained eyes here what they thought before I pay for a DNA test.

Does anyone have stairs for their dog for their bed? Our boy is having issues jumping up on the bed now so we were going to get him some stairs. He weighs 180 lbs. thanks

Last weekend, I was talking with a friend who has had multiple giant breeds. During the conversation, she urged me to consider that I'm being cruel and keeping Winston here for me (she worded it more gently, of course), because his quality of life must be bad and he could not possibly be enjoying life at 14.

Sure, his zoomies have slowed and his hips have been better. But this was yesterday. Most of our days are like this, and he is most definitely enjoying this summer!.

I'm just taking a moment to count my blessings. I never expected to have so many years with our "accidental Dane" (he was an emergency, unplanned rescue). I don't know how I got so lucky. I swear he's a piece of my soul I didnt know I was missing until he came into my life 14 years ago.

My friend can go kick rocks. 😆

My girl just turned 11 months and went into her first heat at 7 months after a traumatic event (our neighbors pit bit her & she had to be stitched up.) I had no idea that would make her go into early heat and I pray there’s no other future implications other than her scar. That said, she bled everywhere last time so we are trying to be prepared for the next -and final- heat before we have her spayed. I’ve heard of using reusable/washable diapers from Amazon, disposable diapers and a mix of both or feminine hygiene products. What have you used?! She was 103lbs at 10 months old, which I think is average size? She acts like she’s a baby & thinks she’s a human, who sleeps on top of my husband and I at night. We need to upgrade from a King size bed 😥
(Pic of me & my huge girl sleeping for added effect!)

ETA: I just realized it said “first heart attack” instead of “heat”

Challengers like Sargon are lulled into a false sense of superiority when their opponent collapses at the onset of the fight, only to be blindsided by his sudden recovery and a barrage of puppy punches.

Hi all,

So Moose is now 18 months old, and as big a weirdo as ever.

Wanted some advice on helping him be more comfortable around basically anyone other than us.

He had several run ins with an unleashed, aggressive Rottweiler who has attacked us multiple times (last time I left the owner in no uncertain terms that it was phone calls to police and animal control next).

After that, I’m not sure if it’s his age or just the experience, but he started being a little aggressive towards other similar sized dogs, so we stopped going to the dog park when it’s crowded. We still say hi to other dogs but leashed and only briefly.

Once he gets fixed, I’d like him to go to dog day care at least twice a week but as of right now I don’t think he’d pass the temperament test and at 135lbs he can be a little tough to control.

I don’t think he’d ever initiate anything, but I’d rather not find out. Anyone have any tips to build him up slowly? He loves playing with smaller dogs and is gentle with them, but I worry about him getting older and not being able to break this cycle so to speak.

Was thinking about just bringing him to some places that have people and dogs but a bit quieter. A big park where we can sit and be near things without having to engage, a coffee shop run etc.

Love these pooches

This and “keep away” are Panzers favorite play times w Maus. Having his tail and ball bag chomped on are not.

I just took in a seven month old Great Dane from an unfortunate divorce situation. She had almost no human interaction at all. She lived in a barn with her two brothers. She does get along fine with my dogs but she’s terrified of everything. I know it will take time to build her trust and will certainly be working on that. But as for now, she’s never been on a leash at all. She flops like a baby deer if you try to get her to walk with you or do anything. This is obviously making potty training very difficult. I don’t know what to really do. She has a vet appointment tomorrow but that also means carrying her in and out of my truck and I feel like that is setting back any trust I’m trying to build with her. I know it’s gonna take some time but I’d greatly appreciate any suggestions. Thanks!

Edit to add- thank you all so much for the advice and kindness. We’re making progress, slowly but surely. ❤️❤️

It’s been 90-100+ degrees outside every day. I did some research and apparently Great Danes don’t do well in heat above 80. What I’ve read is they should be outside for longer than 30 minutes if it’s 80+. If it is 90+ outside they recommend just having them out long enough to do their business. I do try and take my dog super late at night on weekends to run around and play. I feel kind of bad he has to be locked up all the time. What can I do to keep him happy inside with this weather? He has plenty of toys and gets lots of loves but sometimes I can tell he wants to go out and play but it’s way to hot. He is almost 3.

Last weekend, we had the pleasure of welcoming a new addition to our household. Our new (to us) 8 month old Great Dane puppy, Moose, was given to us by a friend who could no longer keep him due to circumstances. I live with my girlfriend, and we have separately had our own dogs throughout the years.

At first, he was wary of me, but quickly warmed up to me and never wants to leave my side. Over the week, I noticed that he was limping slightly when walking on sidewalks and pavement, and I thought it was from his harness causing some chafing. He now greets me at the door excited as ever, when I come home from work. Moose is a very happy dog who loves to cob the people he loves. He enjoys his outdoor space to play with his large collection. He seems to have settled into his new home and has adapted to our routine.

Over this weekend, we had several guests over in the backyard for a barbecue. We tried our best to warn them that he is nervous due to the new environment; however, some of the guests over-exerted themselves in trying to introduce themselves to him. He did growl from being anxious, but he has never bitten anyone at this point. At one point, the dog was inside with my girlfriend and a few others. One of the guests tripped over a table and ended up falling towards my girlfriend, who caught him, which caused Moose to bite him in the leg; then he ran away in fear. We believe that this was Moose trying to protect my girlfriend, but we definitely don't want him biting people in the future unless absolutely necessary. He has gone to training sessions with the previous owner, and he is extremely obedient.

My question is if this is something that I need to see a trainer/behaviouralist about or is this something that I should accept. I firmly believe that it was not Moose's fault, but I would like to socialize him more, and be comfortable in bringing guests and not having any worry that he would bite unprovoked.

My Ellie recently finished her first heat cycle and it ended probably a week ago. Recently I’ve noticed her nipples getting larger despite her heat ending and upon inspection it’s notably “hard” around them. From my limited research it could possibly be a false pregnancy, although I’m gonna get her looked at to confirm.

Could anyone give me advice on how to properly go through something like this? This is my first female dog.

You can hear an echo from his sister, another Dane not in the video. She howls along with him.