Great Danes in particular are prone to hip displasia, bloat (most deep chested dogs are prone to this as well as to gastric torsion), cardiomyopathy, cruciate ligament injuries, osteosarcoma (I’ve had this argued, but I’ve run across this so many times in the Dane world I’m not convinced that Danes don’t have a tendency towards this cancer), OCD (elbow displasia) and Wobblers Syndrome.
We’ve gotten very lucky with Indigo. She did come from a back yard breeder (my opinions on this are for another post), but has a healthy ancestry and has been very healthy herself. Even so, Great Danes don’t have the greatest life expectancy. While there is always an exception (such as the ONE instance I heard of a Dane living to be 17), the average life span of a Dane in the US is 6 to 10 years. Good feeding, exercise and health care can help to prolong their lives, but even then it is unusual for Danes to live longer than 14 years.
Even with such short life spans, I can’t imagine having any breed other than a Great Dane. They have temperaments that are very suited to families with small children, older kids or no kids. The biggest “danger” I’ve found to them are with regards to their tails when they are happy. One swipe of the tail can send a 3 year old rolling. The thing I probably like the best about Danes is that they don’t lick. I’ve never met an adult Dane who will lick anyone on the hand, face, or anywhere. Every other breed of dog I’ve know will do this, but for a Dane to do this is an exception. Instead, Danes practice ritualistic leaning. Their casual approach and loving eyes gazing adoringly up at you are sure signs that you are about to be leaned upon. If you slowly ease away from the dog, their lean typically results in them laying flat on the ground, tail thumping the ground, and a hopeful look for some prime cuddles in that position. Despite their size, Danes are also well suited to apartment living. As long as they are exercised a couple times a day, the only requirement they have is a designated couch, chair or bed to lounge on all day while they wait for the next walk.
Right now Indigo’s bed is a futon cushion, or my side of my bed. In the past her “dedicated” beds have been a recliner, a separate couch, various cushions or blankets, and her crate. She LOVES her crate, particularly in the winter. She can walk in and curl up (we leave the door off unless traveling) during winter months and stay snug as a bug in a rug while anything outside of her crate is chilly and leaves a great deal to be desired. We don’t actually use her crate much, but when we do it is her haven.
While I’m sure all of this is more than anyone really wants to know, for those that are geeks like myself and think this is cool stuff, there are numerous online sites. My particular favorite, Dog Logic, can be found through the link up in my Stuffage menu.