Whether you are looking for the resident couch potato, a companion, a show dog or even a breeding dog, it is important that you are confident your dog comes from a reputable breeder who will stand behind his dogs. You will not find such a place in a local newspaper advertisement or on the board at your nearest supermarket. Start your search where you will see breeders with healthy dogs - at a dog show.

A dog show is the best place to learn about the Great Dane. Other Dane owners are more than happy to share tips with you, and there are many breeders represented by their dogs. There are several ways to find dog shows, the easiest being through a local Events Calendar that will list all the shows in your area. A quick Google search will help you find one. It is easy to find directions to the show in the same way, and it is a good idea to find out what time the show is on for Great Danes.

Should you be serious about showing your future Dane, then decide exactly what you are looking for. Search for pictures of winning show dogs and start getting a feel for which "styles" you prefer within the breed, and whose lines appeal to you most. It is likely that you will see many of these dogs at a few shows, where you can meet them and decide if you like them as much you did their pictures. You will become familiar with many breeders and you can begin to look at where your new puppy will come from. Start talking with the breeders you like and ask them if you can visit their kennels.

Get a copy of the illustrated breed standard for the Great Dane if you are new to the breed. Study it and take it with so that you can compare the dogs you see at the shows. If you know someone who is knowledgeable about the breed, ask them to come with you and teach you about temperament and the correct conformation. You will feel more confident choosing a puppy once you have learnt a thing or two. Your best chance of finding a great show prospect, or family pet, is in finding a breeder who cares about the breed and concerns themselves about where their puppies will spend their lives.

1. Breeders

There are several traits that reputable breeders have in common. Firstly, they care more about the welfare of the Great Dane than they do about making money selling them, and they will not breed more than one or two litters a year. They will always screen their dogs for health problems such as hip dysplasia, cataracts, von Willebrand's disease, thyroid function and heart health. You want them to ask you every conceivable question when you enquire about buying a puppy. They will ask you why you want a Great Dane; if your garden is suitably fenced; if you can financially afford an emergency surgery; if the dog will live inside the house with the family; and very often for references. Some of them will even insist on visiting your home before they will be comfortable selling you a puppy. When you come and meet the puppies, you will need to bring every member of your household along. Lastly, the breeder will insist on a sterilization contract if they have not sterilized the puppies themselves, or a limited registration on puppies sold by you in writing.

By now, you are hopefully advised about the health and growth problems afflicting many Great Danes. Expect some form of health and temperament guarantee on your new pup. Breeders offer this, but they all do so differently. You must at least have a forty-eight hour health guarantee, allowing you to take the puppy to your veterinarian for a full general check-up. A breeder should not allow a puppy to go home with you before the age of eight weeks, some at only nine or ten weeks of age. Avoid all breeders that release their pups before seven weeks old.

Your new puppy will have had at least one parvovirus vaccination by the time it is ready to go home with you. This usually happens when the dog is around six weeks old. The puppy should not have internal parasites. At eight weeks, your pup will have had a five-in-one (DHLP) vaccination as well. These records, with the products used, will be given to you along with a pedigree, a blue application slip to register your dog with the kennel club and a written health guarantee.

A responsible and caring breeder will insist that you stay in touch with them. You are able to phone them about any questions that you might have, no matter how trivial they are. Should you ever need to place your dog elsewhere, they will want you to call them first - regardless of how old the dog is. They will likely wish to buy the dog from you, or be involved in the process of placing the dog in an appropriate home. Most of these breeders become upset when they lose track of one of their puppies.

The breeder will question you in detail if you want a puppy from one of their litters, you need to do the same. There are questions that you need to ask to help you decide if you want a dog from them, or not. You need to get an idea of what concerns the breeder about their dogs, so that you know if they will offer support during the lifetime of the dog. These questions are:

• Do you screen your dogs for health problems? If so, which ones?
• Do you insist that the stud owner do the same?
• How many litters do you have yearly?
• How often does your bitch get bred?
• Do you check temperament?
• Do you give health and temperament guarantees in writing? What are they and how do they work? (This is in your sale contract which you will read before buying).
• What problems have you had in your breed line? (If the answer here is "none" and the breeder has had a few litters, then immediately look elsewhere).
• Do your dogs get shown? (This is not important, but if a breeder is trying to improve each litter, then the conformation competitions at shows will be of a high interest to them).
• Are complete details of vaccinations, worm history and feeding instructions provided?
• Will there be help available to you after the sale should questions arise? If yes, what help?
• Do they crop the ears? If they do, are complete after-care instructions provided?

If the dogs are happy, healthy and clean, if you have met the bitch and you are comfortable with the breeder, then go ahead and buy. Trust your instincts.

2. Choosing your Puppy

You have visited the breeder a few times, and are confident with your choice. Whether it is a pet puppy you have decided on, or a show dog, the relationship you have built with the breeder is very important. You will have questions that need answers and must feel free to ask.

While visiting, you might see a few puppies you like. Perhaps you already know which pup will go home with you. The final decision is yours, although the breeder will help you in making a good choice. You want a friendly and outgoing puppy. The recluse in the corner steals your heart perhaps, but it will probably grow up being shy. Pick the puppy that best suits your lifestyle. Watch how they react to their litter-mates, people, and to you. Depend on the advice of the breeder if you are unsure of your ability to choose correctly. Breeders have experience with matching the right temperament of the puppy to that of the prospective owner. The goal in choosing a puppy is to make sure it is going to the correct home. This is the only way that a relationship between the owner and the dog will be a lasting and happy one.

If you are buying a Great Dane as a pet and companion, then conformation is not important. However, if you are looking for a show quality dog, the breeder will often not sell the puppy with the best conformation as these dogs are the reason they breed. They will keep the puppy so that it can grow into a show contender and bring prestige to their blood lines. Often, a well-bred litter will have several dogs with show potential. If you are looking for a show dog then there are others to choose from, and with the breeder guiding you, and your own knowledge, you can take home the best puppy for you.