Responsible Breeder

Responsible Breeder Checklist

Questions to Ask a Great Dane Breeder

1. What are the negative issues of the Great Dane you are inquiring about? (All Danes have them, regardless of how minimum, and you should always be aware of future issues.)

2. What health certifications do you perform on your breeding dogs, to ensure the health of your puppies (as much as possible)?

3. Will the breeder provide you with health certifications verification before you purchase the puppy?

4. Will a breeder provide you with references or referrals of previous puppy buyers?

5. How often do you breed Great Danes? How many litters a year?

6. How many champions/titled dogs has the breeder produced? Weigh this number against the amount of breedings produced. (Some breeders will have a smaller number of champions because they don't breed quite as often.)

7. What are the health concerns of the Great Dane breed.? i.e. Hip Dysplasia, Bone Problems , heart, eyes...etc.

8. Is the Great Dane breeder a Hobby Breeder, Puppy Mill, Pet Shop, Back Yard Breeder?

9. Does the breeder show in AKC Competitions?

10. Is the breeder involved in any breed clubs, parent clubs, Great Dane rescue, or animal welfare agencies? Will the breeder provide a WRITTEN contract at the time of sale?

Puppy Mills and Pet Shops sell puppies for the SOLE purpose of mass production and income. These litters are not well planned Thus leaving you many chances of purchasing a puppy that may arise with genetic health issues in the future. Great Danes carry genetic health problems and there is no way to avoid some of these issues, but a good breeder is going to study their pedigrees to the best of their knowledge, as to lower the chances of producing some of these issues. Puppy Mills breed what they have on their premises to provide the general public and Pet Shops with puppies, regardless of their health conditions.

Look for a Great Dane Breeder that asks many questions of their puppy buyers....this is an indication they care about their pups and not so much about the money... if they care, you will have a better chance of buying a healthy animal.

Look for a "Hobby Great Dane Breeder." They breed more so for the betterment of the breed...which in the long run will have a good long lasting affect on the breed.

Look for a Great Dane breeder that does health checks such as Penn-Hip or OFPA, cardio & CERF of the parents of the pups.

A Great Dane Back Yard Breeder (BYB) is one who acquired a male and a female and decided they had the combination to provide the public with puppies for a price. They may not know much about the breed, they do not show in any AKC competitions and they won't belong to any breed clubs, rescue groups or animal welfare organizations. 99% of of BYB's do not perform any health certifications, nor do they have any indication of the health situations of their pedigrees.

Look for a Great Dane Breeder involved in dog clubs, rescue groups, dog training programs or animal welfare agencies. These organizations offer breeders the resources of education they may otherwise not have. They can bring many Great Dane breeders together to share information on the health, welfare, & pedigrees where some problems may arise. Thus leaving everyone a little more knowledgeable as to breeding programs, training issues and better understand the plight of the homeless Dane/over population of animals in general. A breeder that shows in AKC functions, is attempting to breed along the standard of their breed.
Thus, trying to keep Great Danes looking like Great Danes.

Look for a breeder that guarantees their puppies with a written contract.

Thanks to Brenda Young (RoyalSooner Danes)