Great Dane Club of Des Moines

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Reputation check!
Contact your closest Dane club and/or Dane rescue group and ask what they know about the breeder you are considering. Visit the Great Dane Club of America's website - www.gdca.org. for contact names of clubs and rescues. If you can't find anything nearby, just start calling the closest you can find. The dog world is small!

Five Questions You Need to Ask - Before You Buy

Q. What health tests did you perform on the parents?
A. For Danes, look for: Hips OFA or PennHIP; Thyroid panel; Cardiac screening; eye CERF.
Accept NO excuses! An annual vet exam doesn't cut it for breeding dogs. Several genetic issues can go undetected in the parent but appear in pups. And some issues do not surface until later in life. Ask for proof of the test results. If they truly did the tests and they had good results, they'll be proud to show you! Some shady breeders will intentionally mislead buyers into thinking they have completed health tests. Always verify the health testing results for yourself.

Q. Do you have a contract for new owners to sign?
A. Yes. The contract should cover the following basics: Breeder will take the dog back if at any time the buyer can't keep it; spay/neuter requirement for pet puppies not scheduled to be shown; and basic agreement about how the pup will be cared for by new owner. Any health guarantee should be for at least two years. A contract/guarantee is only as good as the breeder that issues it. Guarantees don't replace health testing!

Q. What activities do you do with your dogs?
A. Minimum: Showing
Other activities: Therapy work, obedience, agility and more
Why is showing important to a buyer that only wants a pet? Because showing is the best way for breeders to evaluate their breeding stock by gaining unbiased opinions about his/her dogs. It proves the breeder is putting their money where their mouth is and showing their dogs to their peers. Our breed standard is a blueprint for creating structurally sound Danes, helping keep their bodies strong and able throughout their life. If a breeder doesn't have time or money to show, they don't have the time or money to breed. Ask to see formal "win pictures" of their dogs and/or championship certificates. A win picture should show a full profile shot of the dog, along with their handler and a judge. There will be a placard in the bottom left of the picture denoting what the dog won. You'll want to see a placard that says something like "Winners" or "Best of Breed". Class placements (1st, 2nd, etc.) are nice, but no points towards the dog's championship are won.

Q. To what dog clubs/organizations do you belong?
A. No individual can "belong to" or be "affiliated with" the AKC. If you're told that, RUN.
Most responsible breeders will belong to a breed-specific and/or an all-breed club. Clubs depends on their volunteer members to run shows and other events, so club involvement is a great thing. You can go to the AKC's website ( www.akc.org ) to get contact names for any club to verify this information.

Q. What age can I take the puppy home?
A. No earlier than 8 weeks. The pups need that time for socialization with mom and littermates, not to mention building their immune system. The dam stops feeding them long before they're ready to leave, so just because a pup is weaned doesn't mean they're ready for a new home. Some states have laws forbidding puppies going home before 7 weeks old.

Puppies! What you need to know - before you buy.