🐾 Why I Started This Site: Protecting the Gentle Giants

Learn why I started this site—to protect Great Danes, educate owners, and support Great Dane Rescue efforts for these amazing Gentle Giants.

When I started this website, my goal wasn’t just to share funny stories or cute photos of Great Danes — it was to help people understand them. Every year, too many of these amazing dogs end up in shelters or surrendered to Great Dane Rescue organizations. Not because they’re bad dogs, but because their owners didn’t know what they were getting into.

Great Danes are often called “Gentle Giants,” and that’s true — but gentleness doesn’t mean low-maintenance. These dogs are whimsical, needy, clumsy, and sometimes downright wild when they’re young. They’re also sensitive, emotional, and loyal to a fault.

If someone doesn’t understand all of that before adopting, it can lead to heartbreak — for both the dog and the family.

🦴 The Problem: Unprepared Owners

People often fall in love with how Great Danes look — majestic, elegant, and powerful. But beauty can be deceiving. Too many new owners don’t realize what kind of responsibility comes with that giant frame and even bigger personality.

If you don’t do your research — if you don’t understand their temperament, exercise needs, and health — adopting a Great Dane can quickly turn into a disaster. Their lifespan is typically shorter than most breeds, averaging 7–10 years, and they need proper care to live those years comfortably.

I’ve seen it happen too many times: families expecting a calm, gentle companion and instead getting a wild, high-energy giant who knocks things over, bounces off walls, and needs constant attention. These dogs grow up fast — both in size and in strength — and without the right preparation, it can overwhelm even well-meaning people.Write your text here...

🌀 The Dual Personality of the Dane

Over the years, I’ve owned and raised several Great Danes — and each one was completely different. Some were laid-back, couch-loving Gentle Giants. Others were wild, full of energy, spinning in circles and running on the walls like cartoon characters.

They all shared one thing, though: heart. A Great Dane will give you everything — their love, their trust, their loyalty — but they also expect your time and patience in return.

If your lifestyle can’t handle both sides of a Dane — the calm and the chaos — then this might not be the right breed for you.

🏠 They Don’t Need a Mansion — Just the Right Mindset

One of the biggest misconceptions about Great Danes is that they need a huge yard or massive home. Not true. They don’t need to run marathons, but they do need regular exercise and attention to prevent boredom and anxiety.

If you’re not willing to help them release energy daily — even with a short walk, play session, or some mental enrichment — frustration builds. Those are often the Danes who end up being rehomed through Great Dane Rescue networks: not because they’re bad dogs, but because no one helped them channel their energy properly.

🚗 Letting the Beast Out: My Time in Alaska

When I lived in a small Alaskan town called Skagway, I had a Great Dane named Elvis. He was big, full of life, and way too energetic for a small town sidewalk stroll. So, we improvised.

I used to take him for “car walks.” I’d drive slowly through town, holding his leash out the window as he galloped beside me — not running hard, just enough to stretch his legs. He loved it. We’d hike, walk, and explore together too, but every now and then, you have to let the beast out.

That’s something every Great Dane owner learns — their energy isn’t something to fight against, it’s something to manage with love and creativity.

❤️ From Breeding to Blogging

I used to breed Great Danes, and it was one of the most rewarding — and most stressful — things I’ve ever done. The hardest part wasn’t raising the puppies; it was finding the right homes for them.

I lost sleep over it. I’d interview people, check references, ask hard questions — because I cared deeply about where those pups would end up. I dealt with scammers and people trying to take advantage of me, and it made me cautious — maybe even too cautious at times. But I’d rather turn someone away than risk a puppy suffering.

That stress, that constant worry, is one of the reasons I stopped breeding. But I couldn’t stop caring about the breed.

Now, through this site, I hope to educate and prepare future Great Dane owners — to make them think twice before adopting impulsively, and to help them understand exactly what life with a Dane really means.

🌟 My Mission

If this website can stop just one person from adopting a Great Dane they aren’t ready for — that’s success. If it helps another person realize they are ready, and leads to a happy, lifelong bond — that’s even better.

Because every Great Dane deserves a home where they’re understood, loved, and treated like the incredible companions they are.

Gentle? Yes.
Goofy? Definitely.
A handful? Without a doubt.
But in the right home, they’re one of the greatest joys you’ll ever experience.