Scooby-Doo and Marmaduke are two of the most well-known Great Danes. Everyone loves them so much that you might consider getting one. But have you thought about the cost of owning one? While your family may love owning a Great Dane, your wallet will be telling a different story.
1. FOOD: This is probably one of the bigger costs of owning a Great Dane. Larger, active dogs do require more food however Great Danes don’t require as much. As puppies, they do consume a lot of food and tend to be more active. As the Great Dane enters adulthood, they begin to consume less food and are more docile. On average, most owners feed them around four cups of food per day.
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- 1. FOOD: This is probably one of the bigger costs of owning a Great Dane. Larger, active dogs do require more food however Great Danes don’t require as much. As puppies, they do consume a lot of food and tend to be more active. As the Great Dane enters adulthood, they begin to consume less food and are more docile. On average, most owners feed them around four cups of food per day.
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- 2. OBEDIENCE CLASS: It’s important to enroll your Great Dane into obedience classes as a puppy. They can easily knock a person over if they try to jump on them. You’ll want to teach your puppy to not pull on his leash and to not jump on people. As he gets older (and taller) you’ll want to teach him to not put his front leg onto the kitchen counter and steal food.
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- 3. VET BILLS: A trip to the vet is going to cost you a little bit more. Simple procedures, like spaying/neutering are going to be expensive. Great Danes are prone to certain ailments, such as hip dysplasia and hypothyroidism, due to their larger size. This can result in more vet appointments to help treat these ailments.
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- 4. MEDICATIONS: Great Dane’s require higher dosages of medication, and this can add up pretty quickly. It’s a good idea to buy pet insurance which can greatly help with paying for medications as well as vet bills. If your Great Dane does develop an illness, the medication to treat it can be expensive.
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- 5. BOARDING: If you need to board your Great Dane, be prepared to pay a little extra. Chances are the boarder may need to create space in order for your Great Dane to be comfortable during his stay. The boarder may also factor in the cost of having to take care of a larger dog for a few days. 6. Taller Fence
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- 6. TALLER FENCE: As a dog owner, you should have a fenced in area for your dog. As a Great Dane owner, you should make sure that your fence is tall enough so your dog can’t jump over it. This can become a bigger cost if you need to replace an existing fence.
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- 7. LARGER CRATE: It’s important that your dog’s crate is big enough for him to walk around in. With that being said, a crate for your Great Dane is going to be pretty large.
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- 8. SHEDDING/GROOMING: Great Danes shed just like every other dog. The catch is that there’s more hair to shed. You’ll need to invest in lint rollers or learn how to make sweaters out of dog hair. Expect higher prices when taking him in to get groomed. They will need to use more shampoo and time in order to groom your dog.
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- 9. ACCIDENTAL DESTRUCTION: We all know how large Great Danes are and while they’re known as the gentle giant, they aren’t always as graceful. A wagging tail might knock a lamp over or he might create a hole in a wall during playtime. You will need to keep in mind that these are accidents and that your dog didn’t do this on purpose. You may need to keep breakable items out of reach or invest in sturdy décor.
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- 10. AFFECTION: Great Danes love receiving affection from their owners, whether it’s in the form of a belly rub or a brand new toy. Your Great Dane is going to need a larger bed than most dogs, which can be a bit pricey. You will need to buy larger treats and dog bones as ones made for smaller dogs will be too little.
