Dog's ages

[donny27]

What is the average life-span of Great Danes

[lankeela]

Although there are exceptions the majority of Danes would only reach about 9 or 10. They are a breed that ages very quickly, and a Dane over 7 is an old dog, and some do not make it past 7 or 8. They are also very susceptible to bloat, and a lot die young because of this.

[quaigmire]

Mine lived to be 8.

[supergran]

Hi Lankeela, you answer quite a few questions on any animal ,,just out of interest do you work with animals.

[lankeela]

Not as such any more, I work on a pet food stall on markets and at shows, but I run a showdog training class, I judge at dog shows at all levels and also judged abroad this year, I have had many animals especially dogs over the years, doing obedience, agility and showing, but now have just seven Lancashire Heelers and four Giant African Land Snails. I have bred a few Heelers and a couple of litters of German Shepherds, and used to train pet and competition dogs at obedience and agility classes and had a horse for 28 years until he died aged 34. I was also a part time groom in a point to point stable. I managed a boarding kennels, and have done lots of kennel relief work, home pet sitting (before it became fashionable!) and have worked in greyhound kennels and at tracks. and had my own trainers licence for a few years, also doing rehoming for the Retired Greyhound Trust. I like to help people with their animals, nothing pleases me more than to offer advice and find it has worked. Only today I helped a young man to stop his GSD bitch pulling, simply by showing him how to put her collar on the right way - he had a check chain on wrong and she was choking on it. I think he thought I was a right interfering old bat, but when it worked he was amazed. He even bought her some pigs ears! I also like to learn from others, and find this group very interesting, and if there is anything I either don't know or am unsure about, I go away and look it up.

So do I get the job?

[supergran]

I'm really impressed with you Lankeela. What an interesting life you have, Ive always had GSD's , my one at present is 2yrs old , Ive always been interested in animals and nature . Yes and you do get the job !

[lankeela]

When I was at school, I always said I wanted to be a vet or work in a zoo. However when it came to careers advice I was shunted off to the local technical college for a course in office work, which I did for many years, with the evenings/weekends being used to indulge my love of animals. How I wish someone had actually listened to me, as although the wages helped me to keep my own animals I feel those years in offices were wasted when I could have been doing something I really wanted. If you have kids that love animals, please encourage them to find out what they can do rather than tell them to get a 'proper job'.

[darlingnc]

sorry for high-jacking, but what breed is a GSD please?

[supergran]

answer to darlingnc = a GSD is a German Shepherd Dog.

Lankeela , my mum who is 85 yrs old wanted to be a vet but her brother who was older had to have the education , so mum had to leave school at fourteen and go into a factory but her love for animals has never left her .Mum always encouraged us with animals and nature , we grew up sort of in the country and when any injured animal or sick animal was found people used to fetch it to mum, we had loads of creatures mum made better, in turn my love for animals followed, I brought my children up the same as I was brought up and my daughter become a veternary nurse, money was'nt that good but she loved it, shes since married and is a full time mother. Ihave two wonderful grandchildren of which my grandson has wanted to be a vet for the last two years, bless him he has a long way to go and I hope it lasts, he is seven years old in November.

[cruella]

Anyone with a problem or needs advice with animals, lankeela is the one to ask!
She really does know her stuff.

[lankeela]

Thanks for that, but I feel it is really more a case of knowing where to find the answers, and tend to save any links or sites that have information. I am also on several 'doggy' groups and there are many topics discussed and you learn from other people's situations.

Sorry donny if we have taken over your thread!

[supergran]

yeh sorry donny, are you thinking of getting a great dane ?

[donny27]

Many thanks to:- Lankeela; Supergran; Cruella for all your answers