Lifelong Support 24/7/365

Lifelong Support

Welcome to our family

We offer lifelong support to all our puppy buyers, which begins with the puppy picking process. The picking process does not occur until the puppies are seven to eight weeks of age, but buyers do not actually pick their puppy – we choose him for you. During these first weeks of their lives, we carefully watch these puppies develop in energy and temperament so we can find the correct fit for you and your family. We used to let buyers choose puppies, but have found that the hour you spend with them during a visit is nowhere near as valuable in making the right match as the eight weeks we spend getting to know them. This also gives us a chance to get to know you better through visits prior to picking! While visiting us, you will be asked to complete a two-page puppy interview questionnaire, which is one tool we use to help us make the best possible puppy match. Our picking process creates an opportunity for us to help you make the right decision on the perfect puppy for you.

Our puppies go home at nine weeks of age. Sometimes cropped puppies have to stay a little longer so we can take stitches out and tend to aftercare. You should know that we are never in a rush for puppies to go home – if it is better for you and your family to have the puppy stay longer, that arrangement is fine with us. Once the puppy is at home, we offer 24/7/365 support. It’s not unusual for us to be woken in the night by a distraught owner seeking advice. In our experience, owners appreciate having someone to call, and we try to always be available. We also offer a two year health guarantee (including congenital health) that covers up to the price of the puppy.

Farm Walks
Another aspect of our support system involves farm walks, of which we hold anywhere from 6 to 8 a year. The walks involve a fun day with the Dantry family, great farm-raised (and potluck!) food, and the chance to catch up with litter mates. Imagine strolling through our 100+ acres of fields and bush with dozens of Danes! It’s a great social day that usually ends with tasty barbeque, sleepy dogs and plenty of learning for all of us. If you’re considering adding a Dantry Dane to your family, we encourage you to come out and see them in action!

We began hosting the walks so we could see our puppies grow and have the chance to learn from one another. It’s an excellent time for us to help with any issues you may be experiencing with a supportive crowd of dog owners. The walks also let new and prospective puppy buyers experience interacting with our Danes at many ages and from many different environments. Our breeding program has benefited greatly from these meetings as we see how each litter develops in temperament and structure.

Boarding
We offer boarding to all our puppy buyers at a reasonable rate. Dogs that board with us do not stay in a kennel; they run and play around the farm with the rest of the pack and come in and out of the house as they please. They are crated with plenty of blankets and pillows at night. Boarding is also a great opportunity for your dog to learn social intelligence among a balanced pack. The biggest issue we seem to have with boarding is that the dogs are rarely in a hurry to go home!
Training
Puppies go through many changes, much like children do. They experience stages… and we are here to offer you the tools you need in each stage of the puppy’s behavioural development. You are always welcome to come out for lessons or if we/you feel that your dog could benefit from being around our dogs for a while. A dog that needs stability can benefit tremendously from integration into a balanced pack.

From time to time we have taken dogs for a period of time to break a bad habit or unlearn an unwanted behaviour (e.g., dog aggression, jumping up, or leash walking issues.). Your dog will be socialized in our pack to learn confidence and manners. We’ve raised over 20 Great Danes of our own, and they’ve become balanced, calm, polite dogs who love to teach. We then work with you to develop the tools you need to create a well-functioning pack in your own home!

We have learned over our years of seeing it in action that a vast amount of problem behaviours stem from giving affection to dogs at the wrong time. We have also retrained red zone (highly aggressive) dogs from other breeders with great success, who now live as balanced and stable pack members.

Later Life Stages
As you approach the later stages of your long journey with your dane companion, we continue to offer support and resources, health and otherwise. The friends you meet through our walks (and the forum participation) and our own personal Dantry family are all here to comfort you when it’s time to say goodbye to your cherished family member. We certainly understand loss and grieving and can help you through this difficult time.