We actually argued for quite some time about what kind of dog to get. I wanted something ferocious and dangerous, she being the wiser one wanted something that would not kill our children and scare the crap out of the neighbors.

My first recollection of a great dane is not good. As a small child I remember being barked at by one of these giant beast, not a good experience. And, little to my knowledge this jaded me into adulthood. I had for the last 25 years believed great danes to be ferocious killers and I was still scared of them. The realization that they are gentle giants came as a welcome shock, once I realized that they are scary looking but not scary I was easy to convince.

Surprisingly enough shortly after our agreement an old friend called out of the blue and offered us a great dane puppy, free of charge. Wow, these dogs are expensive and we were offered one for free. Talk about meant to be or a match made in heaven. We agreed to pick him up right away.

We named him Klaus and he was a fine little blue merle dane. He had funny markings and his feet were so big he could hardly walk. He was a darling and we fell for him. Having just lost two dogs tragically we greatly appreciated this new great dane puppy and went to work spoiling him with enough love to make our children jealous. We bought him toys, we taught him tricks, we walked him and let him sleep in our bed (not suggested for a great dane).

And for financial reasons we put his vaccinations off for a couple weeks. Not thinking this was a big deal we didn’t give it a second thought. I took him to the grocery store and we took him walking at a local, very busy park.

First, he threw up and we didn’t think much of it, it was after a long hike and it wasn’t all that unusual, but then he started spiraling downhill. He couldn’t control, his bowls, he threw up more, and he looked miserable. I took poor Klaus to the vet and they told me he had Parvo. This is basically a death sentence and the worst part is that it is totally preventable. All you need is to get regular shots. If you can’t afford them from a vet you can get them from a feed store and do it yourself for less than $10.

A couple thousand dollars later, yes we tried to keep him alive, our great dane puppy died 6 weeks after we got him. This lead to a long dark period for my wife but taught us some very valuable lessons. If you get a pet make sure you have the means and the knowledge to take care of them, they are a responsibility and a privilege. We have since had another great dane puppy, but we have never forgotten this painful lesson.

People are often attracted to great danes because they are such fabulous beasts, but a large animal that is really only happy living amongst its owners can become a nuisance if the family is a bad match.

I will be the first to tell you that if you have carpet get rid of it. Expect lunch to disappear if you turn your back for a second, and oh god the poop. God forbid you actually having to clean up an accident inside. They are hard to take care of and they are expensive. Danes are more than many families can handle and for this reason many of them end up abandon and in great dane rescue shelters.

Here are a couple of excellent reasons to get a great dane from a rescue shelter:

Getting a puppy is fun but the joy quickly wears off especially if you have done it before. Getting a house trained dog that is not in puppy phase can ensure that you new pet helps relieve your stress, not add to it.

Getting a rescue dog means that you are helping out. You are making a difference in the dogs life and ensuring that dane will come to a good loving home.

It is cheaper. Great danes can cost $1500 or more, getting one from a great dane rescue shelter will usually cost you nothing more than the adoption fee.

Great danes are very adaptable animals, they usually mesh well with a new family. They are very people oriented and eager to please. They love to play and they love attention. Danes from shelters will usually adapt to a new family very quickly.

Rescue organizations offer a great service for animals, they are a great alternative to kill shelters and pounds, but to keep them open we have to use them. Getting a dog from a rescue shelter is goes a long way to ensure that they will stay open and be able to continue offering their humane animal adoptions. Great dane rescue shelters are a great way to find your next pet.