Newest Member of the Family!!
 

This is Dante. He is the newest member of the KenyanSandBoa family (as well as the Cigar Asylum family through the transitive property). :D

Dante is a 10 week old Great Dane puppy. We have had him for 2 weeks now and he has already put on 7 pounds, with an expected adult weight of 170-180 pounds!! :jd

To say he is a handful would be a HUGE understatement. :r My wife and I are focusing the majority of our time training him, because anyone who knows the Mastiff breed knows that an untrained one is a bad one. I'm planning on updating this thread to track his growth until adulthood.

Dante is planned to be bred with a Blue and Harlequin Dane a couple of years from now...so I'm sure there will be more puppies in our future. :D

The first two pics are from when we got Dante at just about 8 weeks. The last two pics are from last week at 9 weeks. Look at that growth!!

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Too bad they dont stay that small and cute. Congrats brother. He looks like he is going to be a handful!!!

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Congrats!

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

:tpd:

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Congratulations, he's a beautiful dog!!

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

I have always wanted a Great Dane. Lucky you!!

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Awesome looking pooch, that Dante is...Congrats Jim!

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Great Danes are wonderful dogs, they're 150+ lb lapdogs. I still miss my old Dane. He'd walk up to you when you were on the couch and bump you with his head then step back and look at you. Then he'd do it again. Then take about two steps backwards and to the side, jump, bounce off the wall, slide right down between you and the back cushions on the couch, effectively ejecting you into the middle of the living room floor, then he'd just look at you with his eyes saying "What? I just asked you twice to move..."

I remember having to childproof all the cabinets. And that not even stopping him. He's bust right through the little plastic press-down lock things to get into a cabinet full of cans. I guess he thought he could figure out a way to open them. lol.

And the big sloppy doggie kisses they try and slap you with...

Best thing I ever did for my guy was get him on the diet program from Burt Ward (yes, that Burt Ward, "Robin" from the Batman TV series). Who has sunk a ton of funding into research on scientific diets and what exercise programs for Danes are best and his dogs are getting almost double the expected lifespans, my buddy made it to about 16, which was great for a dog his size (170 something).

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

:tu

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

:wo when can I come over and play with the puppy!?!

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

:mh New puppy herf?

Who's bringing a penguin. :tf

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

:tu congrats Jim

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Beautiful Dog, Jim! Congrats & GL!:tu

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Nice :tu:tu

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Beautiful Pup, Jim. Look at the feet on that guy!!!

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

What a beautiful puppy--sure to grow into a beautiful dog!

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

What a great looking dog! Now time for you to take some vids :)

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Congratulations!

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Congrats! Love a GD!

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Congrats Jim. :tu

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Awesome, Jim! We have one ourselves. We call Dudley "horsedog". He's about 175lbs. He's a complete Wuss and afraid of his own shadow. But one bark would scare just about any would be thief off. He thinks he's the size of a chihuahua, and tries to sit on the couch or your lap!!!

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Congrats Jim.

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

I love Mike's Dane Dudley. But I love my Maddie more. :) Have fun with your small horse.

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

That is a nice looking puppy you have there.

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Congratulations, he is a fine looking puppy!!

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Thanks for the comments everyone...I'll be sure to keep this updated. :tu

That's incredible!! I'll have to look into that diet. I have him on Canidae right now which our family has used for years with great success. He had his first vet visit, and the vet tells us "you should really have him on Science Diet". I wanted to just tell to shut the hell up and examine my dog. :D

He's been such a loving dog lately, and I've grown up with oversized lap dogs my whole life, so a Dane was a perfect fit for us.

I may be picking your brain via PM if you don't mind...

You know your always welcome at my place...hell, you're usually there before I get home from work...alone...with my wife. Wait a minute...I don't know if you can come over anymore Bao...:r

Count me in...I've been craving a herf...

I was amazed with the power of the bark of the breeders Danes. They weren't yappy at all...just one or two wall shaking barks. This guys is definitely a snugler...especially with my wife. He thinks he's in charge of the cats, but all it takes is a quick combo from one of them and he comes hauling back to hide between my feet.

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Great looking dog Jim! I've wanted a Dane for sometime now. Maybe after one of mine pass on I will look into one.

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Sure, whatever I can remember I'll be happy to share. I'm sure some things have improved since then too. Like the raw foods that Carlos has recently turned me on to that I've passed along to my brother and his wife for their dog (not a dane though).

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Nice pup! :tu

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Nice little pony you got there.

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Sounds about right on the cats. He was 14 weeks when we brought him home, and they were boss, and they are STILL boss. Hell, when my dad brings his schnauzer over, she's the boss. It'll take until he's about 2 1/2 to mature (at least that's what it took Dudley).

Here he's scooting onto the couch with our 6yr old to watch cartoons:
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5284/...e8312691_z.jpg

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Congrats Jim!:tu

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

He doesn't look so big to me. ;) Congrats! Looking at those paws, he's gonna be a big one!

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

That's awesome. We've noticed Date watches tv too. I grew up with German Shepherds, and they never showed as much interest in the television that this guys does.

Dante definitely recognizes me as the alpha, but he has REALLY been testing my wife. We're trying the "yelp and ignore technique", and I just leave the room with my wife if he gets aggressive towards her so he knows his behavior will not be tolerated. The only time I've scruffed him is if he lunges towards the face because I want to send the message that that is a HUGE no-no.

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

I figured I would update this thread with some recent pictures of the "puppy". :D

As of his last visit to the vet, Dante is now pushing the 100 pound mark at 7 months of age. :jd He is such a loving dog, who just enjoys the company of people. He has successfully scared one pizza delivery guy (little did he know that his back end was wagging with excitement :r), but as soon as he gets the ok from me, he's a big lovable goofball.

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Beautiful dog. Our puppy ash (German Shepherd/Great Dane mix) is 9 months old and she has cleared the 70lb mark. Expecting her to hit 120. Jim, does Dante have the baby Hughy mentality?? Still thinks he is a 10lb puppy??? Ash does, she clears the coffee table with her tail and still jumps into my lap.

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Very nice, congrats!!! Always loved Great Danes just no room for one...lucky you :tu

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Oh yeah...he' a lap-dog. :r:r We've already lost 3 glasses from him taking out the coffee table...he's pretty much the definition of a "bull in a china shop". :D

When we're outside playing, he still comes barreling towards you like he's a tiny dog, and then looks at you like "why did you avoid me?" when you move to save your knee caps. :r

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Have the snakes decided he's too big of a meal for them?

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

LOL Jim. Those shots look ALL too familiar to me. Dudley is LAZY. He literally just lays around all the time. I'm not sure how he's going to do when we move next month. That should be interesting, but I'm sure he'll manage somehow. :)

We're lucky in that he hasn't taken out anything (aside from the dinner he's stolen off my plate on a couple occasions when I wasn't looking. And I feel like the family is safe when I'm not around with him there. he may be sweet and lovable, but not everyone knows that when he barks at a knock on the door or a doorbell. :D

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

:r...yeah...there's no question there. The most interaction I've seen from them is a stare-off every now and then. I think Dante's view is if it's not immediately edible, than he could care less.

I've noticed Dante sitting on the couch like Dudley is doing in that pic you posted. He gets his butt up there, but keeps his front legs on the ground. he even does that in my truck...keeps his butt on the seat but has his head between the two front seats so he feels like he's with my wife and me.

So far I've been lucky with him not stealing food, however, he did steal an ENTIRE stick of butter from the in-laws at Easter dinner this year. :r

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Awesome looking pup!

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

We try to discourage him from doing this on the couch, as he takes up TOO much room! Most of the time, he's laying across the floor like a carcass on the side of the road, and doesn't move, so we have to walk around him. Would be nice if he used his dog beds innstead. LOL

Lubing the chute!!!:r:r:r

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Nice looking puppy. Its hard not to love a great dane. Get him away from the kitchen early!

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

What a great dog, Jim. Those pictures made me smile and laugh.
You definitely have your hands full with him, I'm sure.

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

:tpd: Makes MAC's new dog look really small

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

We have a simililar problem with both our dogs.

I am the alpha, the wife is just a member of the pack who happens to be able to stand up, fill the water bowl and get treats out of the cabinet.:r

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

Sounds like my pup mine is 120 at the 1 year mark. But He knows that the furniture bed etc is off limits. The only problem is he will find something to entertain himself with and noting seems to last long with him.

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

I've noticed that nothing really lasts with him too. He either gets bored with a toy and wants to change it up after a few minutes, or if he has a chew (like a bully stick) he destroys them in no time.

I've been allowing him to chew on rawhide as long as I'm there watching him because I don't want him to eat it. I'll get those massive knot bones so there's no risk of him trying to swallow the whole thing, but those seem to work well. I'll let him chew them until they start to soften up, then I take it away and cut off the soft pieces and let him start from scratch. Once it gets too small I junk it.

He's also come to love the occasional knuckle bone from the butcher...but I've noticed I have to limit him with those because it gives him the runs if he eats too much. :td :D

Re: Newest Member of the Family!!
 

I figured I would post a more recent picture of the "puppy". This is Dante at about 17 months...and still growing. :D