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  • Looking for advice

    I'm currently researching the great dane breed to determine if I really want to get one. I am house hunting and going to be living on my own for the first time (I'm graduating from college and starting med school) so I want a dog to keep me company and give my parents some peace of mind. I've always wanted to have a fawn colored great dane, but to be honest, I don't know if I can afford one. Can anyone give me a cost estimate for the first year? Any advice on the subject would be welcome!
    Sarah

  • #2
    RE: Looking for advice

    Danes can cost anywhere from $50 to a couple grand depending on who you purchase your pup from. There is another thread somewhere on DOL that answers the "costs" questions.

    Considering that Danes are VERY, VERY people oriented, and you're going to Med school, how much time is your Dane going to spend alone?

    Btw, Welcome to DOL!!!


    Nik and crew

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    • #3
      RE: Looking for advice

      A rescue would cost the least up front (maybe $200), but could have behavioral/health issues to deal with in the first year and beyond. Our girl is out of a champion fawn/brindle breeding, pet quality, and she cost $850. In almost 3 years of owning a dane, I think I've easily spent $10,000 on all her needs. 6' cedar privacy fence, crates, beds, food, toys, vet bills (spay, gastropexy & complications, X-rays, gold bead implants, daily medications). Not every dane will end up this expensive, but you'd better plan for it, just in case. Also be sure you have time dedicated to being with your dane. A lonely dane is verrrrry destructive and ultimately, unhappy. Best of luck,

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      • #4
        RE: Looking for advice

        They make good study buddies, though, especially the older, more sedate ones. They do have moderate to high outdoor exercise needs, though and even at four and older require daily walks. Many breeders sell only to folks with fenced yards.

        Quality kibble, flea and heartworms preventatives, and routine vet care add up. About $100 a month would be a ballpark figure.

        Don't see how a med student would have time to raise a puppy, but for a first-time Dane owner who is home off and on during the day (assuming you'll be living close to school), an older or even senior Dane from an established Dane rescue could be an option. They make a wonderful introduction to the breed.

        Many Dane owners have a $3,000 or so "slush fund" for emergency medical care or a line of credit or "dedicated" credit card of a like amount. Because of their size, Dane medications cost the same as humans and diagnostic and surgical expenses are much more than for a smaller dog. Some Dane owners find themselves in the position of having to choose "economic euthanasia" as a result.

        In addition to reading the archives here on DOL and exploring the links, the Dane book to buy is The Great Dane: Model of Nobility by Jill Swedlow.

        Good luck with your Dane research!

        mp

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        • #5
          RE: Looking for advice

          On paper, I paid $850 for Zoey. Her vet bills have cost me $4610.72 to this day. I paid $1250 for Diesel and his vet bills have cost me $1068.76 (although this includes some health testing a pet owner would not likely incur.) As you can tell, Zoey has cost me much more in the long run since she's had health problems (and has some temperament problems also.) It pays to do your research on breeders.

          These figures do NOT include what I've spent on food/treats/bones, toys, baby gates, crates, dog beds/linens, fencing (invisible, since the city I live in restricts physical fencing), obedience classes, showing expenses (which a pet owner would NOT incur), collars/leashes, and a new vehicle for them to fit in!
          Mandi

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          • #6
            RE: Looking for advice

            Sarah,

            There is tons of great info here on DOL. Spend some time reading through the volumes of posts. You'll see this suggested on several posts, but I'll bring it up again - pick up the book, "The Great Dane: Model of Nobility" by Jill Swedlow. You can find it at most any local bookstore or online at places like www.dogwise.com .

            You might also consider getting in touch with some Dane club members in your area to visit about Dane and spend some time around some full grown Danes. Visit the [link:www.gdca.org|Great Dane Club of America] website to find club members in your area.

            Costs can vary. If you plan on purchasing a pup, plan on $800-1200 for a pet fawn puppy. You might consider an adult rescue. Don't know what sort of hours your schooling will bring, but an adult dog will be far less demanding than an adolescent.

            Rescue adoption fees can range from $150-250 and they usually come already spayed/neutered, up-to-date on shots and other medical needs. You would be looking at much less monetary investment if you went with an adult.

            Either way, plan on some basics like a crate, toys, leash/collar, food, bowls, vet needs and other incidentals. A few folks have detailed their Dane owning expenses. If I remember correctly, a gal from your neck of the woods has expenses detailed it somewhere on her website - www.royalsoonerdanes.com/ .

            If you go with a pup, plan on at least 1-2 puppy classes. Followed by a basic training class or two, which would go for the adult rescue as well.

            Although you've probably already given some thought to housing, make sure you will be able to find housing for yourself with a giant breed. Lots of rentals have size restrictions on dogs. Will your housing situation be stable enough over the course of the next 10 years to bring a giant breed into your life right now?

            Another consideration will be transportation. Do you have a vehicle large enough to transport a Dane? Even if you don't plan on going lots of places with the dog, you'll at least at to take them to the vet.

            Regarding vets, plan to have a credit card or savings account set aside for emergencies. While normal shots, like rabies, cost the same for a 5 lb or 150 lb dog, things like surgeries or antibiotics go by weight and will run you substantially higher. Danes are prone to bloat and that emergency can cost you in the neighborhood of $1000-2500.

            Bev
            Bev
            Foto Danes

            Ch Payaso Flighty Star Alliance RN CGC CHIC
            sigpic

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            • #7
              RE: Looking for advice

              Thanks for all the great advice! I know, people here med school and think endless hours of studying, which means no time for a dog. But, with all the technology now most of the first year students at the school I'm going to study from home. On average, I would spend 4-5 hours away from home.
              I am planning on getting one from a rescue, preferably 6 mos or younger, but I am not opposed to an older one. Is it a problem to purchase a dog in one state and move to another? I will be spending May-July with my family in CO before moving to my new home in OK. I was hoping to get the dog at the beginning of May so I would have several months to totally devote time to his/her training. As a student, I obviously don't have a ton of money, so the idea of $10,000 in vet bills is scary! One person wrote that a $100/month for regular expenses is pretty common. Is that a good estimate?
              Right now, I am looking for 3 bedroom houses/condos with 6' fences and decent sized yards. Luckily, real estate is fairly affordable in my area. I will also have one or two roommates who could help with care of a dog.

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              • #8
                RE: Looking for advice

                Oops!!! You just hit a hot button with the roommates helping with the care of the dog.

                You have to make sure each and every one of them, their boyfriends, their chums, and their relatives share your values on dog care. One real easy way to run up those big vet bills is have just one roommate or guest be careless just once with gates or doors, and the dog, a rescue who has not bonded with you over several year's time and who is not used to the new home, gets out and gets hit by a car. Or one person leaves out chocolate or alcohol or a grease-fill scouring pad or spills antifreeze in the driveway.

                One simple thing with a fenced yard to to buy padlocks for the gate and keep the only key yourself. (WalMart has inexpensive sets of two to four padlocks on the same key, so each gate has the same lock.)

                Also, you may want to up the age of the rescue to about three or four. Will still be playful and have plenty of energy, but you don't have to worry as much about chewing and other rowdy, destructive behavior. Are you going to be able to replace the roommate's $200 leather boots that the dog chewed up, for instance?

                mp

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                • #9
                  RE: Looking for advice

                  The advice/recommendations that have been given so far are excellent. I have nothing to add other than to wish you the best of luck! I'll warn you though, once you have a dane, you'll likely always have a dane, or two, or three!!

                  Another option too.. sometimes breeders will place older dogs.. either retired champions or dogs that weren't as competitive as they wanted. A rescue is a great option too...be sure to work with a reputable rescue and get an idea of the dog's temperament to know what you are getting into. A reputable rescue won't place an aggressive animal, but an unreputable one will and then you're in for heartbreak.

                  I would have loved a dane as a 'study buddy' in college but as it was, I had to 'hide' that I had a cat (building didn't allow ANY pets except fish!).

                  Anyways, best of luck!

                  Patti
                  Andre 1/23/2002 - 12/27/2009: I loved you all your life...and I shall miss you for the rest of mine.

                  sigpic

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                  • #10
                    RE: Looking for advice

                    Hello Med Student...this is a little long!

                    I, like yourself, always wanted a Dane and I start Vet school in the fall too. I was dead set on getting a puppy but after much consideration I ended up buying a 17month male and I totally made the right choice for me. At first some breeders wouldn't sell me a pup because I was going to be a student(a vet student of all things) and "too busy with school". It made me smile because none of them had been thru vet school to know first hand, and they recommended that I rescue a senior Dane. I wanted a dog that would keep me busy, and play a lot. While waiting for a fawn litter to be born, I contacted a few breeders in my state asking if anyone had a young adult for sale that they were no longer showing. That's when I got my young man Clint. The breeder and I talked a lot about my situation and the dog's personality, health screenings etc. She brought him over to stay for a two week trial. He did great and I fell in love. He is Brindle with cropped ears, stomach tacked, housebroken, walks well on lead...but still has enough spunk in him to keep me busy. I couldn't ask for a "better fit". If you're ready for the extra work a puppy takes, then go for it, but for me a young adult worked out best. My boyfriend and I live together, but the dog is MY dog. He helps once in a while, but again, like you, it'll be your responsibility not your roomies to excercise/feed/train. I agree that school will be busy, but you can't study all day and all night...you'll burn out. Clint gives me breaks from work and forces me to get daily excercise and that will continue thru school. I've had plenty of vet students tell me to stay involved in activities outside of school bc if you study all the time you'll drop out. Clint is one of my activities. Have you considered a young adult? Good luck, the more research/talking you do, the happier you will be. I promise.

                    Andrea

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                    • #11
                      RE: Looking for advice

                      Sarah,
                      We live in Edmond and adopted a rescue last fall. A young, goofy boy that was 13 mos when we got him. You might go to www.heartlandgdr.org and poke around...that's where we got our boy from, and he is simply the best. And we did NOT have to go thru that "trying" puppy stage. He was crate and potty trained when we got him...the only hang up was he had some commands mixed up...which made him even more loveable! The people in the rescue tend to get together every month or so for something or another...usually at a Petco or Petsmart. It would be a GREAT way to meet some danes and dane people.

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                      • #12
                        RE: Looking for advice

                        >But, with all the technology now most of the
                        >first year students at the school I'm going to study from
                        >home. On average, I would spend 4-5 hours away from home.

                        What about your 2nd year of med school...and the 3rd...and so on? Can you honestly say you'll be available enough for your dog throughout all your years of schooling? That Dane will be with you for the next 7-10 years or so.

                        What if, when you're spending more time with studying...your Dane insists on going to the bathroom every morning at 6:30am? My Dane prefers 6:00 actually..

                        Also, are you willing to accept the large amount of damage your Dane could do to your home/possions? What about your roomies'? How do feel about the very real possibility that your dog, in a moment of boredom, or just wanting to chew (a natural behavior)might destroy their stuff?

                        Expenses seem to be of a concern as well. Even if you already have a fence, already have a great dog, that $100/month figure does not include any extra vet visits. What if your dog gets tapeworms? (the medicine alone can be $40 + vet visit). Or, what if your dog develops an ear infection...or recurrent diarrhea...? Vet visits. Or what if it bloats...a very real possibility in Danes. This requires an emergency trip to the vet for surgery...about $2000.

                        Can you handle any of these expenses if they come up? I know you would love your dog...but would you delay or even not seek treatment if funds were tight? My Dane got a urinary tract infection once...the vet visit, 2 weeks of antibiotics, and lab work (it had to be sent out of state) cost me about $250(admittedly, some vets charge less). Would you delay treating your Dane because for example, the mortgage payment is due, you've got books to buy, and there's nothing to eat in the fridge?

                        Your 'start-up' expenses aren't cheap either. A good crate runs about $200. Leash, collar, toys, bed, etc, etc...you see where I'm going with this?

                        What about obedience training? An ABSOLUTE must for this breed. Requires money AND time.

                        Please don't think me mean in my post. I am of the mindset that if someone wants a dog, they need to put aside the first thing they think of...a cute pup/dog happy to be in their owners presence. They need to research the breed and then think about, and I mean seriously think about, will they/can they handle all the potential issues that come with owning a dog. Owners then find out, because they haven't done their research and seriously considered these things, that they can't 'handle it'. At that point the dog then needs "a good home where it can get more attention", or off to the shelter it goes because it got too big, expensive, destructive, or shed too much. Or sent off to exile in the backyard 24/7.

                        I hope you'll seriously consider the advice offered in this entire thread.

                        Cindy
                        sigpic

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                        • #13
                          RE: Looking for advice

                          Hi,
                          It's been awhile since your last post. I'm curious, did you decide yet, or did the well thought out posts make you reconsider?

                          I'm a new Dane owner myself (april 14th) and loving it. They are so different from other dogs I've owned. So far my expenses are close to that $100 a month average, but I had to have her spayed, and shots. Not your normal monthly reoccuring expenses. My gut feeling is that the $100 average is a bit on the high side. I'll know for sure in a few months.

                          Good luck with your hunt for a Dane.

                          http://www.netcookingtalk.com/forums/ Come for the food, stay for the people.

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                          • #14
                            RE: Looking for advice

                            >My gut feeling is that the $100 average
                            >is a bit on the high side. I'll know for sure in a few
                            >months.

                            Are you just talking vet expenses? Because I spend WAY more than $100 per month on my Danes if we are talking about feeding them and vetting them etc.
                            Mandi

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                            • #15
                              RE: Looking for advice

                              Sarah:

                              Bailey cost us $1200, & we spent almost $2500 on medical expenses in the yr & 1/2 we have had her. She might be out of the norm, as she is a Wobbler dog. This doesn't include food, treats,fencing,etc....

                              I wouldn't have it any other way. Our furkids are our pride & joy. I would rather own a Dane for a shorter amount of time than any other breed for longer amounts of time.

                              Good luck!:7
                              Ruth, in honor of Bailey, Nikki & Tasha. Over the bridge but always in our hearts. Owned now by 11 month old Willow & Cheyenne, our Harl babies

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