Rehoming a dog comes with a lot of pressure, thoughts and weight. Rehoming a dog isn’t easy, but sometimes it is the right choice.
If you’ve found this blog post, it may be because you are thinking about rehoming your Great Dane.
There are legitimate reasons to need or want to do this; our goal here is not to judge but to help! If you are looking to find a new home for your Great Dane or are considering surrendering your Great Dane to a rescue, read on for ideas and need-to-know information.
1. REHOMING A DOG IS NEVER EASY
Rehoming a dog can make you feel guilty, like you are doing something wrong.
If you have carefully thought through the decision to rehome your dog, you should not feel guilty or bad about the choice.
But, when you are rehoming a dog you should be sure to follow the right way to do it so that your dog is left with the best possible circumstance after it has been rehomed.
2. BEFORE REHOMING YOUR GREAT DANE, CHECK WITH YOUR BREEDER
Sometimes the most simple solution is the one many tend to forget.
Depending on where your Great Dane originally came from, you need to check with your breeder or your rescue first.
Ethical breeders will always have a lifetime return guarantee. They never want to see a dog of theirs end up in rescue at any age, and will take the dog or help you find an appropriate home.
3. THE MOST COMMON REASON FOR REHOMING YOUR GREAT DANE IS TRAINING
One of the most common reasons for surrendering and rehoming Great Danes is because of training issues and their size (which exacerbates training and socialization issues).
Puppy Socialization
Puppy Culture: A Way to Socialize from the Start
Puppy Socialization Guide
If you need to rehome your Great Dane because of issues with training and socialization (including fear, nipping, guarding, lunging, leash or fence aggression and more) be honest with the people who will be taking your dog.
The rescue can provide training resources, the breeder will want to know, and a new home will be much more likely to keep the dog if they know what they are really getting.
It may be easier to find a new home for your Great Dane if you gloss over the fact that he tends to bolt out doors, mark furniture and nip children, but these things are extremely important for the new owners to be aware of.
If training issues are the reason that you need to rehome your Great Dane, that is ok.
Great Danes are not always the right fit for people, and poor breeding practices have led to a number of dogs with serious temperament problems.
It’s ok to acknowledge that you cannot help your dog or may not be the right home. We do however encourage you to consider first working with a highly qualified trainer.
Sometimes it really is just a matter of making tiny changes to your routine and training communications!
E Collar Myths
What is an E Collar?
What is the Difference Between an E Collar and a Shock Collar?
9 Reasons to E Collar Train Your Great Dane Puppy
4. REHOMING GREAT DANES DUE TO AGGRESSION
Aggression and especially bites are serious. A bite can be anything from a little nip to a full on attack with puncture wounds or intent to kill.
Most aggression is based in fear and is typically provoked. Some common and preventable examples are a Dane that bites a child who tried to sit on him, or a Dane that bites another dog over a toy or bone (resource guarding).
What is Balanced Training?
Is My Great Dane Being Aggressive?
Deplorable Dog Training: Sit Happens
What is Great Dane Dominance Training?
Some aggression and bites are based in problems with neurology, training or even physical health.
Great Danes are NOT supposed to be aggressive in any way, so this is a serious fault of temperament (poor breeding practices), genetics, health and environment (training & socialization).
Be very honest with the breeder or rescue about this. What led to the bite? How severe was it?
For many dogs, especially in areas with crowded municipal shelters, a bite history can be a death sentence (even if the bite resulted from an unfair event). If your Great Dane has bit or shown aggressive tendencies, find a 501c3 rescue instead of surrendering to the shelter. Some rescues will not take aggressive Great Danes, but others are equipped to do so. Call around.
If your Dane is from a breeder, let them know about the aggression you’ve seen. Quality breeders don’t want to see aggression showing up in their lines and will want to address it.
5. LACK OF SPACE
It’s also possible that you are wanting to rehome your Great Dane because of health issues or because you no longer have the financial means or housing to support such a giant dog.
If your breeder will not take the dog back, a 501c3 rescue is your best bet.
Keep in mind that health issues can strain budgets and resources; do what you can to help promote rescue and generate donations to them, especially if your Dane may require a lot of care, expense, and medical foster placement.
6. PEER TO PEER REHOMING
After you’ve checked with your breeder and/or rescue, you may be looking to rehome your dog in a direct peer-to-peer situation.
Finding the right home for your Great Dane can help you feel better about the process of rehoming, but watch out!
SOME PEER TO PEER REHOMING CAN BE DANGEROUS
Some people won’t have your Dane’s best interest at heart.
Think the same way a rescue does and be choosy and thorough.
We’ve included some guidelines and best practices below to consider when rehoming your Dane to another person.
If you are rehoming a dog that doesn’t have FULL lifetime breeder support, there is a big chance that your Dane (even with AKC papers) is not necessarily a good candidate for breeding.
What is a backyard breeder? The AKC has 1000’s.
Backyard breeders will look for rehoming posts of intact dogs (not spayed or neutered) so they can buy them for cheap or free and use them in their breeding program.
Breeders: Shady Business
Should I Choose a Breeder or Rescue?
Choosing a Dog From a Show Breeder
What Makes a Breeder Good?
All this does is perpetuate the poor temperaments and health issues that put so many dogs into rescue in the first place.
Even if you are having to move and need to rehome a well-behaved, healthy and wonderful family dog your dog should NOT be bred.
Do NOT rehome your dog to somebody that would breed him or her.
We know of a very ‘popular’ backyard breeder in Missouri who runs a same-named rescue on the side. His ‘rescue’ uses rehomed dogs for breeding. This is an unacceptable practice and extremely shady to boot.
If you are rehoming peer-to-peer, spay or neuter your dog in advance OR require that they sign a spay/neuter contract where they agree to complete the procedure within a certain time frame.
CHARGE A REHOMING FEE
This isn’t about making money on your dog.
It’s about making sure you rehome your dog to somebody who is serious.
When a purebred dog is listed for ‘free’, lots of window shoppers (and backyard breeders) come along. Those are not often good homes for your dog.
If you are uncomfortable collecting this fee, ask the new owners to make a donation to your local Great Dane Rescue. Verify the donation with the rescue before placing your dog.
This fee is NOT about recouping costs you personally incurred while caring for the dog (training, surgery, transportation, breeder fees, registration fees, etc.). All of those are a loss.
At minimum, we recommend charging a $500 fee when rehoming your Great Dane.
BE PICKY
Be choosy about the new owners, even if that means turning people down.
Be thoughtful about the type of home that would be a good fit for your dog.
Is your dog good with children?
Does your dog need somebody who is home a lot?
Does your dog need somebody with training experience and a really tall fence?
Dogs Sitting On Humans and Humans Sitting on Dogs
ASK QUESTIONS! The right home will be willing to answer and prove themselves.
REQUIRE A CONTRACT
We recommend at minimum a simple contract that protects both parties.In the contract, cover at least the following;
- Names & addresses.
- Description of the dog, including color, height & weight, AKC registration, age and breeder information.
- Information on if the dog has been spayed or neutered and had a gastropexy done.
- Spay or neuter requirements
- No breeding allowed.
- Information on where the dog must go if the new owner cannot keep it (will you take it back? Do you want them to surrender to a rescue?
- An outline of communication expectations. Do you want updates and photos? How often?
For the new owners, make sure that you also include:
- Previous veterinarian information & records (including vaccines).
- Microchip # and transfer information.
- Food, so that the dog can transition better instead of switching foods straight away.
If you have a pregnant Great Dane that you cannot keep or don’t know how to help, we highly recommend speaking with a Great Dane rescue. Many are willing to work with you to find homes for the puppies and make sure they are well cared for.
We believe that there is a time and a place to rehome Great Danes.
We encourage people not to judge each other; sometimes rehoming a dog to a more appropriate home and owner is the best thing for it.
JOIN OUR COMMUNITY
Do you like modern positive+balanced off-leash dog training, science-based information, life with Danes, educated ownership and chatting with other like-minded people?
Join our growing Facebook group!
