They can be very protective of their people

I've known several of them, neat dogs. They can vary a bit by size. The largest one I've known was a harlequin that was about #185.

Lisa

I saw one that was up for adoption, very skittish. Tall but didn't look so heavy. Kinda like Marmaduke.
As we say frequently in the trees forum; very short lived with a number of health problems.

The ones I've met have been precious.

Funny thing, all 4 experiences were due to my adventures in real estate:

1. I went to another agent's Christmas party on a dark rainy December night, way out in the country.
There are no streetlights in the country, so it gets very very dark anyway.
Add December, rain, & a starting time after dark, & honey, it's dark out there.
I found the house, got out of the car, "felt" my way toward the house...& 2 big invisible somethings came up & sniffed me.
I could feel their body warmth & their warm breath, but I couldn't tell exactly where or what they were.
Calves?
wrong time of year, & usually calves stick close to their mothers. & calves don't approach quietly.
So I started talking, & one of them got close enough for me to touch, which is when I discovered that they were black Great Danes.
I worked my way awkwardly through the black night to the door, accompanied by my more graceful entourage.
When I knocked on the door, the host was astonished to see me.
"Nobody else came to the door", he said, "they all sat in their cars & honked until I came out & got them.
They were scared of the dogs."

2. Once when I made an appointment to show a house, the listing agent's instructions included "Sherlock the dog is friendly. He may be inside or outside."
all of which I forgot of course...
until the buyers & I had been all through the house & I opened the back door & came face to face with a big friendly blue merle Great Dane looking me right in the eye!

3. A seller had a "house dog", 6 month old Dane named Dino, named after the Flintstones' pet.
The entrance hall or foyer was a long, narrow, deep affair, very nice for grandfather clocks & such, & it also had some really impressive acoustics:
Every time I rang the doorbell, Dino would galumph into the foyer & woof at me, & the front door, the walls, & the windows would reverberate!

4. A builder & his wife had always had 2 miniature or toy poodles (can't remember the difference).
When their current pair started getting older, they would begin to dread the inevitable heartbreak, so they would get 2 puppies, & they'd have 4 dogs for several years, until the oldsters passed on.
When I had to deliver papers to them one week-end, the wife asked me to come after lunch on Saturday, as she was going to be away that morning, picking up 2 new puppies.
I was met by the 2 elderly poodles...& 2, as you say, huge Great Dane puppies.
I looked at the wife, a petite older lady, maybe 5'2" or 5'3", perhaps 100 lbs sopping wet, in astonishment.
She said, "Sylvia, I know I'm crazy, but I don't care. I've always wanted Great Danes, & I'm 65 years old, & I decided that today's the day."
The Danes, even at, what, 10 or 12 weeks, were already bigger than the arthritic little poodles!
& they were *puppies*, gangling, clumsy, impulsive, but she had already taught them, that first day, that they must be careful around the old guys.

They were all lovely dogs, gentle, goofy, endearing, lots of personality, lots of love to offer.
They brightened their owners' lives,
& it still makes me smile to remember them.

A Great Dane used to live next door. He seemed nice enough, but what I remember most about him was that every time he went out back to do his business, he would leave a five-pound load that would stink up the whole neighborhood. And I mean that literally. To me, that's a good reason not to have one. They may be fine dogs, but there are plenty of other nice ones that don't have such an impact on the environment.

I've met some lovely ones over the years. There is one at the dog park I frequent who frightens me a little though: In an effort to encourage me to play, he grabbed my forearm in his giant jaws and gently led me on a romp. I found this very disconcerting!

In general, what I know about their personalities endears me to them strongly... but the short lifespan is a dealbreaker as far as ever considering adding one to my household.

Years ago an acquaintance decided to breed Great Danes. The first litter had eleven pups! One of the puppies would back up to the couch and sit on your lap. You haven't lived until a Great Dane has sat on your lap.

I owned one, and as mentioned they're big lovable, lanky pups. Never seen one with a mean streak..........doesn't seem to be in their nature.

They think they're lap dogs, that the sofa is theirs and, as susan described, love sitting in your lap. The only 'destruction' I saw was in the yard during games of chase. Whenever she'd put on the brakes and make a quick turn two feet of sod disapppeared............. but only if the lawn was damp/wet!

I have a dane and also volunteer with dane rescue. Most danes are true couch potatoes and live up the their 'gentle giant' reputation. They're intelligent and love their families. Regarding the 'poop' issue - if you feed a good quality food, or raw feed, their stools are small and firm. You really do get used to their size, too. And they make great apartment dogs!!

Here is a link that might be useful: great dane rescue

When we adopted our akita Alex we would take him on trips to the dog park to see his foster mom. One day we were going through the first set of gates, not even had chance to take the leash off yet and we were atacked by 2 full grown Great Danes. Alex tried to hide between our legs hence wrapping the leash around the 3 of us and himself. The guy who owned these 2 huge guys was screaming don't you know the park rules NO LEASHES . The only thing I could do was grab my baby and say don't you know how to keep your beast under control?I'm a bigger sized gal but Marla the foster mom is only about 115 and 5'6 could you imagin what they would have done to her had we not pushed her away.

I had 2 females Callie and Sabrina, Callie just passed on Friday and it was like loosing my best friend. The BEST lap dogs ever!! LOL. I couldn't have asked for more gentle sweet dogs if I tried. Best watch dogs, won't let anyone in but once they are they tend to sit on there lap!!

In 9 years I never had a 5lb. poop!! Good food good health good poop!!

Great dogs to have if you like them big 135 and 125 lbs.

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Beautiful dogs, Ronnie. So sorry that you just lost Callie. It's terribly hard to lose them. I lost my baby boy, Tibby, in March....I miss him very, very much and I often cry for him.

Hugs to you and Sabrina... I'm sure she's missing her buddy, too.

Silly