When we got onto the bridge between the two lakes, we saw the most gorgeous harlequin Great Dane (whom I later found was named Yogi) loping toward us. His owners were there and I got to speak with them and learn a lot about Great Danes in general. It turns out that the husband in this family had a mother who is a Great Dane breeder and they educated me.

Great Dane Myth #1

I was under the misconception that Great Danes lived only up until about 9 years old – that it was uncommon for them to live to 15 like other more hardy breeds.

This family told me that it’s not uncommon for great danes to live to 15 years old, that a well-bred Great Dane doesn’t have to die at a young age. The husband’s mother, for example, breeds Great Danes who are known to be from healthy and long-living lines.

Great Dane Myth #2

The Great Dane will be 99% likely to develop hip dysplasia.

It is true that Great Danes are at a higher risk than some other breeds of developing hip dysplasia, but with proper breeding and care this condition can be avoided. When buying a Great Dane it’s very important to find a reputable breeder who tests for things like this. The husband’s mother has her dogs tested before breeding and the vet has apparently told her that her dogs have the best hips he’s seen in years. Another thing I didn’t know is that Great Danes aren’t always born with hip dysplasia.

Sometimes their hips actually get dislocated during birth and a breeder who knows what they’re doing can actually ‘nudge’ them back into place. Also, as Great Danes grow you have to watch where you allow them to sleep and lay. Yogi’s owners told me of a person they knew who got a male and female Great Dane from the same litter. One of them always liked to lounge on a straight bench from puppyhood. The female didn’t. As the male grew, he became too large for the bench and would lounge with his hips drooping off of the bench in an unnatural position for hours at a time. The male ended up developing hip dysplasia and the female didn’t – they suspect that the male’s habit of lounging on the bench in an unnatural position contributed to this.

So yes, Great Danes are more prone to developing hip dysplasia, but through proper breeding and care the risk of this can be minimized to a great extent.

Needless to say I learned a lot from talking to Yogi’s owners. Yogi was 16 months old and already stood above my waist – he was absolutely gorgeous. Unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to take a photo. But I did get some photos of Keeda, which you can find below.