Who has a Great Dane???? or a German Shephard? (pitbulls, border collie, how much)
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If you do I wanted to know if they a good dog to have since I am a single. I do have my family over alot for visits and stuff. Also are there great dogs when you need protection. Like for an example if someone breaks into my house will the great dane/ german shephard will be brave enough to chase them off? Are the vet bills high? how many cups of food a day would you feed?
firstly, i would never EVER rely on ANY dog unless specifically protection trained to attack/back up the bark...dogs are instincutal creatures and survival instinct says flight vs fight, most will put up a good show and even bite if backed into a corner, but most untrained dogs will not actually give chase or hold an intruder...theyll bark grown and bite if cornered but once the threat leaves the space the dog wont feel the need to chase him down the street ect.
dogs are also not bullet proof and most serious home invadors that artnt dtered by the sound of a barking dog are armed...
the good news hwoever is typically a dog doesnt need to bite/chase a person off, most criminals will avoid a home with even the sound of a barking dog, they dont want the hassel, the extra attention ect a barking dog brings...
not to mention any LARGE dog is going to have a big intimidating bark and should be enough to deter anyone.
now of the 2 breeds i have more reacent experience with danes and im not sure id reccomend them or a first time owner...
danes SHOULD be gentl giants, but there certinaly intimidating.
danes are however mastifs, and if not properly trained and socilized they can be incredibly dominant and sometimes quite agressive dogs...they need constant training.
they are also increidbly expensive short lived dogs, even when very well bred...
you not only have the added expense of a true GIANT breed, risks of pano and HOD as a puppy, neutering (which should include a pexi) is a small fortune and EVERYTHING has to be giant which means a giant price tag.
i call danes heart brea hounds...once youve owned one no dog will ever be the same, but i just cant handle all the pain of loosing a dog so relitivly young...
GSDs are probably the breed id suggest for someone looking for a visualy initmidating easy to train inteligent dog...they are used as police dogs not because they will attack but because they take to training increidbly eaisly, they are quick learners and eager to please and incredibly dedicated dogs.
get a rescue or find a GOOD breeder ebcause this breed is also prone to some health issues (hips are particularly tricky wiht GSD's but compared to a dane there long lived and relitivly "healthy"
they are both amazing breeds, i just think if your looking for a visual deterant when alone but generally good social dogs if no threat is present a GSD would be the better choice.
especially if food and vet bills are a concern...
in terms of food, cost and how much will depdn on what your feeding...
there are plenty of good foods on the market and plenty of bad ones...
but the less fillers (corn, soy, wheet ect) in a food, the less waste the body produces and therefore the less food the dog needs to eat.
for example a dane may beed 8 cups of pedigree, 6 cups of purnia, 4 cups of diamond naturals or 2 cups of merrick before grain...
itll also depend on the age of the dog (a growing puppy eats more) and the individual dog...while doing dane rescue i met danes who would gain weight on anything more than 2 cups a day, and danes who woudl LOOSE weight on anything less than 8 ect...every dog like every person is different.
Both breeds are great dogs for single people and families. As for "protection" you should be the one protecting your dog. Any dog will lay down it's life for it's owner but no dog cannot outlast a bullet if someone breaking in has a gun. It is your job as an owner to protect your property and your dog.
Any large dog is deterrent from break in's but to "chase off" someone would take actual training. You would need to put in the time and money for that type of training and carry a good deal of insurance if you are going to have a guard dog on duty.
As for feeding these large and giant breed dogs, would depend on what brand of food you are feeding them. If you go with cheap food, you will have to feed them more and remember with cheap food that has a lot of filler, you will be picking up more poop. The better foods have less filler which means less to clean up. Feeding goes by weight and that would depend if you have a male or female. Males weigh more. All you need to do is look on the dog food bag. (Have you got your own place, yet? When will you be moving out or will you be living with your mom and will she still be breeding the small dogs? Will you be feeding your dog what she feeds her dogs or will you be feeding your dogs something different? How do you plan on feed them separately?)
Also, giant breeds do not live as long (as a FYI). The smaller the dog the longer they live. Giant breeds (such as Great Danes, mastiff etc.,) just don't live as long.
As far as vet bills, the larger the dog the larger the bill.
Ask any dog trainer--you need plenty of experience raising and training a German Shepherd; their brains are wired in a slightly different way than happy-go-lucky family dogs, just like Border Collies. But if you team up with a good dog trainer and do a couple of obedience classes in your neighborhood, and read up on GSDs, you could have a great first-dog experience with a GSD.
IMHO a Great Dane is a terrible idea for a first dog...
GD .... Lazy couch potatoes! Eat Sleep & Lick you to death! Think Maraduke LOL Adv age about 8 yrs! Eating machine! GSD Tons of energy Needs odedience training. Well others have said it all.
How about a Greyhound? You could Rescue! They are like Great Danes LOL
Ask any dog trainer--you need plenty of experience raising and training a German Shepherd; their brains are wired in a slightly different way than happy-go-lucky family dogs, just like Border Collies. But if you team up with a good dog trainer and do a couple of obedience classes in your neighborhood, and read up on GSDs, you could have a great first-dog experience with a GSD.
IMHO a Great Dane is a terrible idea for a first dog...
when i was a kid i had a german shephard, he was very loveable but at the same time he was very protective
umm I have to ask.. do you want real protection? or a warning? reason I ask is if your given warning wouldnt you get out of the way/ reach of an intruder? SO if thats what you really want get a small dog .. yappy Chi's or "hear a leaf fall barker breeds" would do you better in terms of safety.. AND its easier to get housing with a small dog vs a large breed as many places have a weight limit on what sort of dog you can have .. I prefer big dogs and bullys but they arent what most folks ( Landlords ) will alow so MAYBE a cute and acceptable ankle biter would be a better choice.. .. just say'n of course .. ..
umm I have to ask.. do you want real protection? or a warning? reason I ask is if your given warning wouldnt you get out of the way/ reach of an intruder? SO if thats what you really want get a small dog .. yappy Chi's or "hear a leaf fall barker breeds" would do you better in terms of safety.. AND its easier to get housing with a small dog vs a large breed as many places have a weight limit on what sort of dog you can have .. I prefer big dogs and bullys but they arent what most folks ( Landlords ) will alow so MAYBE a cute and acceptable ankle biter would be a better choice.. .. just say'n of course .. ..
My thoughts too.
You've got a lot more to consider than whether they will chase someone down and fight.
Are you renting or do you own? If you're renting you need to check with a landlord to see what you can own. If you own, have you checked BSL laws in your city and town. And do you live in OH? If so, that throws more stupid BSL in the mix. Are you in a house, townhouse or an apartment / condo?
What is your lifestyle like? Are you very active or more of a couch potato? How much experience do you have training dogs - both the basics like housebreaking and sit / down / stay and the more important socialization and such? If you're active, do you plan on taking the dog with you?
Is there a reason you're looking for protection? Are you going through a relationship ending with someone that's violent? Do you live in a very bad neighborhood? Is there a reason someone will be breaking into your home to do you harm? Or are you just concerned because you're single and are afraid someone will break in? If that's the case all you need is ANY breed of dog. Studies and research have shown that a barking dog of any size and any breed is all it takes for a burglar to move on. They're looking for an easy place to get into and rob and they want it as quiet and fast as possible. Unlocked doors and windows and homes with no dogs or alarm systems are the easiest targets. Get an alarm system sticker - even if you don't have an alarm - and put it in your front window and signs in your yard if you're in a house. Then any dog barking at the dog will be enough to keep anyone out of your house unless they're specifically targeting you.
If you're in a violent relationship that's ending or feel that your safety could be threatened by someone that would have a reason to break in, go buy a gun and take a safety course. Unless you've got about 6 grand to drop on a highly trained dog, a gun is your best friend. And even if you have the money for the dog, as a previous poster stated, a bullet will neutralize the dog. It's your job to protect you, and if you are a pet owner it's your job to protect them as well. I've got 17 dogs in my house now including a GSD and many, many pitbulls and pit mixes. I know that one of them would go after anyone that broke in - I saw her do it when someone here helping us decided to let himself in - but it's my job to protect this house and every living thing in it. That's where my best friend who I call Ruger comes in.
Shepherds require a great deal of attention, in that they are highly intelligent and active. They cannot be left at home all day long without any stimulation or they get bored quickly and may be destructive. Ours loved to play ball, go for walks with us, anything outside. They also require frequent brushing due to their undercoat which is thick. They shed constantly.
They are very obedient when properly trained; ours even reacted to silent hand signals. They will let you know whom to trust and who not. Be sure you can handle a big dog. Even at only 85 pounds, they can take you for a surprise run if they see a squirrel darting across the yard.
They are loyal and lovable and catch on quickly.
Danes, I'm not sure about, but they seem lovable as well.
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