BRINGING YOUR PUPPY HOME

Congratulations on bring home one of Nick and Megan's Danes! We have invested so much time and love into each and every one of our puppies. We have cared for them day and night since birth and have grown to love each puppy dearly. Beginning at 6 weeks of age we have worked hard on teaching each puppy the  concept of potty training.  Some of you have owned Great Danes your whole life but  for some of you this is your first time bringing home a Great Dane! Listed below are some instructions on how to care for your new member of your family.  You may have to adjust the eating times and instructions to better suit your  lifestyle and schedule.

1. We feed our adult Great Dane twice daily with their supplements in their food. Young puppies under the age of 5 months we feed  three times a day with their supplements. While potty training your puppy I recommend feeding them their first meal at 7AM, lunch at 11AM, and Dinner at 4PM.  Limiting  your puppy to 3 meals per day helps prevent accidents in the house while potty training. Remove food bowl after their last meal at 4 PM  to help prevent your puppy from having an accident in their crate overnight.  Offer the puppy as much food as they want to eat for 10-20 minutes at each meal then take away the food.
2. Allow  your puppy to have unlimited access to water from 7AM to 6PM. Until they are fully potty trained we recommend removing their water at 6pm.
3. We highly recommend crate training as canines instinctively desire a den they can call their own. Crate training is an excellent tool when potty and house training. 

Take your puppy outside after they eat, drink, wake up from a nap, and after playtime. We suggest training them to go potty in one designated spot in your yard.  Choose a 10×10 area in your yard and do not remove puppy's waste from that area for 1-2 weeks unless needed. If you need to clean up the area, leave some until puppy starts going potty in that area by itself. Carry or take puppy out on a leash to the area you have chosen and say, "Go potty." After they do their business say, "Good potty!" Oftentimes young puppies do not fully empty their bladder on their  first pee. They may have to relieve themselves two or even three times before going back inside. This is why so many puppies have accidents in the house right after being taken potty. Take that extra moment to see if they are all done or if they need to go some more before taking your puppy back inside. If its cold they will be in a hurry to get back inside!

1. While potty training make sure their is only enough space for them to stand up and turn around in their crate. If you have a large crate try placing a storage bin in the  back of the crate so your puppy is  not tempted to go potty on one side of the crate. A box will not work! 
2. Your puppy will be teething and wanting to bite everything! Be prepared by having lots of strong chew toys for them and removing  any objects in the home that are a choking hazard.  This is also where crate training can be of assistance if you are not always able to watch them.  If they chew anything that is not their own, remove the item and give them their toy. Praise your puppy when they chew on their toys.
3. Your puppies are currently eating Victor Classic Elite Canine. I recommend keeping them on this food for first 9 months or switching them over to NutriSource Large Brees Puppy Food. We have used both for our puppies and had great results. NutriSource can only be found online or at a local health food store. Victor can be found online and at Tractor Supply. If you desire to change dog food begin by mixing with a ratio of 50/50 then 75/25. This slow change in dog food will help prevent tummy trouble and loose stools. Do not keep them on puppy food unless it is especially formulate for large/giant breeds with appropriate nutrition contents.
4. When your puppy comes home at 8 weeks old he/she will be eating 2-4 cups of dog food per day split into 3 meals. Don't worry if he/she is disinterested in food when they first come home. They will need time adjusting to their new surrounding, routine, and family. Loose stools are common during this transition. By 3 months of age he /she should be eating 3-5 cups per day split into 3 meals.  At 4 months of age they should eat 4-6 cups per day split into 2 meals. 5  months old= 5-7 cups per day
5. Feed your puppy in the same place every day. 
6. Do not suddenly change your puppy's brand of dog food.
7. When you bring your puppy home they will weigh around 18lbs.
8. Some Great Danes can have issues with stress and diarrhea. I recommend everyone to get a can of probiotic such as Probios or First Choice Naturals Probiotic/ . You simply sprinkle it over their food. We buy probiotic in bulk and use it year around to keep their gut healthy and reduce stomach issues.
9. We keep our puppies off the ground in public places until they have all three rounds of shots.  We recommend you do the same. When your puppy comes home they will have had their first round of shots and be getting close to second round. We carry all of our puppies in and out of vet offices and avoid all public places until after third round of parvo.  This includes road sides, other animals, parks, pet stores, and vet offices. If you must take your puppy potty on the roadside be sure to clean their paws. Parvo shots are given around 7, 10,  13, and 16 weeks old. 

More information about Great Danes:

For  more information on how to crate train we highly recommend  reading www.danerescue.net/crate-training-house-breaking-and-potty-training

Never feed your Great Dane one meal per day as this can cause overeating and bloat .

After eating a Great Dane should wait 1-2 hours before exercising. 

Starting at 10 WEEKS of age we strongly recommend giving your puppy Liquid Health Pets K9 Level 5000 Glucosamine Dog Supplement twice a day as directed on the bottle.  Continue giving this supplement throughout their adult life.

Young Great Danes are prone to bone and joint injuries during their rapid growth phase. Strenuous exercise is not recommended with a growing puppy. Moderate exercise during their first 18 months will help prevent adverse affects on their hip and joint development. 30minutes to 1 hour of playtime or walks is sufficient exercise. 

Puppies often think of children at their new siblings to wrestle and chew on. Supervise your puppies with your children to teach and monitor correct behavior. Take their bone . Stick your hand in their bowl and pet their face while eating so they are not possessive of their food. If you expect to have little ones around then your Dane needs to be  very comfortable with having no personal space. This helps prevent aggression from developing especially if small children  are present.

A dog crate that will suit your Great Dane for life should be around 54x36x44.  You may need a smaller crate while they are young puppies. Your crate should be large enough for your Dane to stand, turn around, and lay down. Wire kennels are better than plastic because they are able to look around and feel more like they are in a den than a cage. Great Danes hate being alone so they love to look around and be close to you.

Your Great Dane will be massive in one year, so don't allow them to do anything as a puppy that you would not want a 150lb dog doing.  Establish household rules from day one. When they are small and easier to handle practice regular nail trimming, teeth cleaning, ear cleaning, and bathing so they learn to sit calmly while you care for them.

After the National Bone Disease Survey in Great Danes, it has been found  that a very high quality diet, but one of moderate caloric intake, was the best suited for large and giant breeds. Many large/giant breed formulas on the market are too high in calories and low in calcium which causes uneven growth patterns. Unlike many other smaller breeds of dogs who are finished growing by their first birthday, Great Danes are not finished growing until they are 3 years old. Great Dane puppies need to grow SLOWLY and EVENLY over the course of these three years to prevent arthritis. Puppy food is typically too high in protein , fat, and calories for a Great Danes specific needs. For this reason, choose their large breed puppy food carefully and check nutrition contents to see if they meet the specific needs of a growing Great Dane. When choosing which brand of dog food for your Great Dane puppy here are some criteria to look for:

• contains probiotics
• protein levels 23-26%
• fat 12-16%
• 350-400 calories per cup
• calcium 1.2%-1.5%
• multiple proteins (at least two) in the food so that all amino acid bases are covered
• 68-72 trace or micro minerals