"You know they only live 8 years?"

[MissFlamingo1]

Does anyone else hear this when telling people you have a dane? "You know they only live 8 years?" I get this ALL THE TIME. It can't possibly be just me. It has happened so much that even my mom said, "Don't you get tired of hearing that?" UHHH YEAH! First of all... they can live far longer than 8 years and why does that matter? Since when does a dogs life expectancy determine the value he has on your life? Or yours on theirs? UH! I love my dane, no matter how long he lives.

[My2Danes]

I hear that too much. It's especially hard when my Dane is already 6.

[Enhanced]

I have heard those sort of comments. I don't like when people volunteer such dismal information. However, I do like to take the opportunity to educate. I make sure to explain that a well bred and well cared for Dane with responsibly bred Danes in its pedigree with the appropriate health testing can easily live beyond the commonly believed 7-8 years many people think that they are doomed to have. I also like to make a point that even a dog with no "pedigree" to speak of with proper care can live a long happy healthy life as well. Its just unfortunate that more often then not our Danes are taken soon from us but most owners know its QUALITY over QUANTITY and seven or eight years with a Dane is like having 20 from most other breeds.

[Meatos]

Someone once told me that when Scarlett was only 6mos. I actually told him off - tried to go the education route, but people can be so senseless sometimes. I don't sit around thinking about my dog's mortality - why should anyone else?

[Moxie'sMom]

It is really annoying when people say stuff like that- as if we do not know what could possibly occur. I usually just say that Mox is a smaller, healthy, well cared or dog so that should give her longevity. Not much else you can do. It is really annoying though.

[DANEger]

I get it too...I just tell them there are advances in medicine/nutrition which I have researched and many danes live longer now. Makes me cringe: would you EVER say that to someone about their kid or loved one who had cancer or somthing?! It's just in poor taste.

Last week, I did have one woman ask to pet Cleo and we got to chatting. She said her friends just lost a dane who lived FOURTEEN years! that warmed my heart.

[Enhanced]

LOL @ Meatos


I talk A LOT so its easy for me to go the educational route...I often get the glazed over bored look from strangers. My poor husband...lol Roman doesn't mind though!!

[Danewillow]

I always say I'd rather have 8-10 years with a Dane than 20 years with another breed. People who don't have Danes just don't get it.

[3XDaneMom]

It's a sad fact that large dogs do not live as long as little dogs. Yes I do get annoyed at times when people like to point out the Avg. life span, and as the owner of poorly bred danes I know my time is on the limited end. But it will not stop me from loving my danes and enjoying them for every day I am blessed to have them.

This also means that most dane people will end up owning many danes in their lives. So if people want to look at the LONG term, just remind them that when you make it to heaven you will be the one with the pack of danes waiting for you.

[Zagari]

Shhhhhh!!!! Don't tell Kaiser! According to those people, he should be dead.

[IwannaDane]

My step-dad tried to give me that as an excuse as to why I shouldn't get a Dane. I told him it didn't matter in the least. It doesn't make a lick of sense to me. It's in poor taste like one of the posters had said.

[Thoenix]

My Castiel is eleven and a half weeks old. We've been hearing from virtually everyone who isn't a dog person (ie, anyone not walking a dog) that they only live, 'like, six or eight years' since he was 8 weeks. EIGHT WEEKS OLD.

I'm sick enough of it that, when education doesn't work (and some people have kept on insisting it even after I explain nutrition and vet care), I ask them a simple question. "Do you believe that children should be introduced to their grandparents?"

The answer is always yes. I respond with the following. "Wow. That's REALLY mean to kids, isn't it? I mean, grandparents are old and just going to die soon, right?" Then I walk away. Because, frankly, if you're going to stand there and act like a jerk and insist my baby is about to die (or, even worse, if you're walking in the same direction as me and insist on walking WITH ME and insisting that my baby is about to die, so I can't escape), I'm going to show you you're a total jerk. And I'll pull off the gloves and send back punches.

[Lacey]

God I know I hate it. Even when I say andross may have a shot at 10 yrs they still say that's a short life. OMG To me 10 yrs is a long time. Heck 10 years ago I was 10 years old that's a long time because I can hardly remember being 10!! Maybe that's just me though.

[zoocrew]

Ugh yes, all the time! They say "oh I could never own one of them they only live 7 or 8 yrs". I tell them our goal is 10 and with today's advances in nutrition and medical care that it is not unsusual anymore to see a dane live to 10-12 yrs provided they are healthy. And I have heard of more than one make it to 14 and 15.

I think part of the problem is that some breed books and internet sites still have the outdated info. Once people find out they are living longer lives............sure they won't live as long as some breeds but long enough.............they are very pleasantly surprised.

[misszeke]

I told someone I planned on getting a dane and they replied "DONT! They're puppies for two years, teenagers for two years and then they slowly deteriorate for two years before they die !!"

Good thing I don't listen to every know-it-all I run into.