Life as a Great Dane Owner – The Cost Factor

Are you considering adding a Great Dane to your family? If so, do you wonder how much does a Great Dane cost to maintain? You would be interested to know that Great Danes make for quite huge pets. However, even with their imposing stature, Great Danes are good natured.

They are well known in the canine world for being warm, gentle, affectionate and friendly. These gentle giants are great in homes with children. Bursting with energy, these pets are playful and can keep up with children. Being quite sensitive, they tend to flourish in environments that are non-chaotic or loud, such as where harsh reprimands are issued.

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If considering to keep great danes as pets, there a few costs to consider:

1. Initial cost

To start with, Great Danes cost more that many other breeds. Nonetheless, prices are likely to vary depending on whether you opt to purchase one or adopt. The adoption route is less costly and can set you back up to$400.

Many pet owners get into keeping Great Danes as pets without fully understanding the heavy commitment required of them. In some cases, the pet owners surrender them to rescue groups . If your looking to adopt, getting in touch with any Great Dane rescue group could get you started on the path to being a pet owner.

Buying on the other, can range anywhere from $600 to $3000, if bought from a breeder.

Age is another cost determinant

Generally, younger dogs will cost less than newly matured dogs in their prime. Although puppies cost less, you need to ensure they have all their shots, have a good supply of chew toys, training among other expenses. All in all, puppies might be just as costly as mature dogs in the long run.

2. Feeding costs

To keep their big stature energized, Great Danes have higher food requirements than most breeds. With most dog food costing up to about $50 for a 40 pound bag,your new family member could have an impact on your monthly budget.

Consuming 7 to 10 cups of dog food a day, male great danes are top tier feeders. Bitches consume 6 to 8 cups, which is well above average in comparison to other breeds.

In essence, you would be required to fork over approximately $80 per month in food bills. On occasion, Great Danes also suffer from bloating, which is life threatening. When your pet is afflicted, it can be an anguishing time. Characterised by unsuccessful attempts to vomit,anxiety, and general restlessness.

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This is usually followed by a visit to the vet. It is important then, that pet owners need space out meals to avoid bloating. They also require specialised diets which are low in protein, fat as well as calcium. Serving up meals high in protein, fat or calcium, increases their growth rate, which is in turn results in unhealthy pets.

Accounting for the highest and most recurring cost, it is paramount that your pet's food be top quality. Anything else might not have the correct nutrient mix to keep your great dane healthy.

3. Play space

Due to their playful nature, great danes do not do well in confined quarters or small spaces such as apartments. They need enough room to play and use up their energy.

As a pet owner, you would need to live in a roomy home, probably with some outdoor space or backyard. Though not jumpers, their size impedes a happy stay at a small apartment, simply because they would knock into your stuff.

Their loud barks might also inconvenience other dwellers in an apartment building or intimidate neighbors.

4. Time and commitments

Their ever energetic nature implies that you need to be invested time-wise. To burn off their energy, it is recommended that you strap on their leash and take them out for a walk or jog.

This also helps them keep in shape, which is essential in keeping a plethora of health problems at bay. Aging Great Danes do slow down and do not require as much exercise.

Being incredibly social, great danes would demand your presence most of the time. Pet sitters come in handy for pet owners that keep a busy schedule. This is further aided by the fact that these pets are friendly even towards strangers.

5. Training

Taming some of your pet's mannerisms is crucial. Left unchecked, accidents around the home become frequent and off-putting. A proper trainer must be sought. As earlier mentioned, they do not like harsh correction.

An obedience school with trainers who understands the breed well enough to know of its soft temperament similarly adds to the maintenance cost of a Great Dane.

It is best to pick up training at an early age. This is because, puppies are easier to train than mature dogs, hence the old adage. If you decide to go it alone, there are many resources available.

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6. Health cost

As their age, they become susceptible to a myriad of health problems.Frequent visits to the vets then become important. Common health problems to look out for include heart problems, hip displacement and bone cancer.

Over the counter medication for some conditions such as worms and control of fleas is sold based on your pet's weight. It goes without saying that Great Danes out-weigh many breeds.

Therefore, enquiring how much does a Great Dane cost in reference to general medication, it would probably require higher volumes of medication that other breeds.

In case of injuries or medical procedures, x-rays and surgeries are carried out at higher costs due to a Great Danes size. Surgery for bloating for example, could costs upwards of $1000.

7. General care costs

Their short fur does shed a lot. Regular combing with a good brush with firm bristles ought to keep your Great Dane looking great. At the same time, you could consider investing in a hand held vacuum cleaner to get fur that finds its way onto your sofa.

In regards to baths, Great Danes do not require many as long as combing is carried out frequently to remove fur.

Extreme care is also necessary in storage of toxic substances around the house.With their height, not much is out of reach.

Capable of grabbing items from a kitchen worktop or shelf, it becomes hazardous to leave things unattended. Pantry doors should be shut tight to prevent unfortunate incidences, such as ingesting harmful substances or overfeeding.

As part of on-going costs, boarding costs are considerably higher. For their size, beddings come at a high cost. Their weight also implies that their beddings need to be replaced often.

Do keep in mind however, that in homes with small children, all play with pets should be supervised. When under stressful conditions, canines bite. Great Danes are no different. Having painted a clear picture on how much a Great Dane cost, it would becomes easier to budget for a new family member, an ever loving and loyal, Great Dane.