adopting a mix breed, any info?

[BdaBoss]

I am hopefully adopting a german Shepherd/Great Dane mix.
he is 7 months old.
heres what I know about him so far, from spending time with him:
he is very energetic, very playfull.
he gets excited easily but is not hard too calm down.
he is friendly to other dogs, but tends to play rough
he is friendly to adults and children of all ages
he is friendly when around strangers for the first time, but he does not like to be suprised (he is fine with anybody you let in the house, but somebody letting themselves in is a different story).

here's what I want to know:
I'm looking for any information about this particular cross breed. any common health or behavior issues. anything I might need to know. I'm waiting on approval from my landlord, after wich I will be bringing him home from the local shelter

[Karen]

Puppy proof everything, and do not assume something is where he cannot reach it unless it's over your head!

Be prepared to keep him busy - a tired pup is a well-behaved pup. A shepherd mix will likely be smarter than your average Dane (no offense, I love them dearly, but in general they are NOT the rocket scientists of the dog world) so lots of activities, games, and toys, and never, ever, ever let him off leash unless you are in an enclosed space. A Great Dane can cover ground faster than you'd think, so best not to take chances!

It'll be interesting to see which side of the gene pool he favors, but good luck anyway!

[BdaBoss]

Thank You!

[Freedom]

Oh you must share photos! And at 7 months, he still has some growing to do, so plan on posting on here for a long time.

I suggest taking doggie manners classes, the GSD side of him will love it, and will need it too. Find a place which uses positive reinforcement and you will be set.

[IRescue452]

Definately try your local dog club for some classes. Even if he has basic training already its good socialization and structure. My 11 year old dog has always been very well trained so most of her life she hasn't been corrected a lot and I've let little things slide. Now I'm thinking of taking her to another class so she can remember just who's boss. Obedience classes aren't just for teaching puppies the basics and never using them again. They're great little brush-ups throughout life. The one thing I don't like are Petsmart classes. They overcharge from what I've heard ($200 as compared to $75 at the dog club) and I don't like when I see them in the store. They have the owners walk the dogs around the store for like "heel" exercises, but they can't see what the owners are doing right or wrong because they are walking around the aisles in and out of view of the instructor. If you're paying money for classes, go to professional dog handlers. Don't go to a retail store and pay more for a high school dropout who's watched a video on obedience training.

You may want him on glucosamine already since he'll be big. I believe if you wait until a dog is already developing arthritis, its too late to do a whole lot of good with supplements. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Be sure to have him on a good diet too.

[Asiel]

While a Dane/Shepherd might be cute as a pup the end result is nearly always the same. The mix is a recipe for disaster. I''ve seen 4 people adopting these mixes and it never ends well. If you research the two breeds both have the same issues with the backs so putting the two together is asking for huge vet bills and losing your dog at a very early age. Canine Myeolopathy is one of the issures that will wreck havoc with both breeds to only name one. Degenerative disk disease is another issue that will pop up. I have a friend who works for a Dane rescue and he has seen quite a few of these mixes, others also but these are the most common, don't know why.

[Karen]

Also, be prepared to be asked for pictures! What's his coloring?