SierraDanes screens for healthy hips, hearts, eyes, thyroid, and for the absence of vonWillebrands Disease. Danes with any known genetic health problem are eliminated from my Breeding Program. Both parents must have an oustanding temperament to ensure the breed's reputation remains as loving and loyal as it is intended to be. This helps ensure you will get the finest quality companion or show prospect for your family.
SierraDanes Fans have learned about my breeding program since 6/1/01
International Champion Nuttree Sierra Snowdancer
Sierra-Starz Mountain Shadow began his show career
at 2 years of age. We forge ahead to the coveted AKC championship title - hunting for only five single points!
Shadow is available to stud and has been selected
for the Nuttree Great Danes' Breeding Program.
Sierra (left) with her littermate
Ch. Nuttree's Virginia Snowball
pictured at 9 months at the
Soaring Gull circuit in Virginia Beach.
Snowball lives with the Prontos at the
Nuttree Great Danes home.
See their lineage in the pedigree:
Last updated: 8/10/2009
Thank you to my friend, Kristine Travis at Janus Danes, for creating Laney's "comic strip"
Video clips of her "going to ground" are coming soon!
& of commitment ...Any Dane selected to continue the SierraDanes line will have to show its potential through a variety of ways. Health, temperament, structure are the resounding themes you will hear at SierraDanes. A good pedigree is important and so is the desired AKC championship title. But it goes beyond that... Can a dog produce his or her type? What did the parents & grandparents produce? Did they have the health, temperament, & structure necessary for consistency? What health problems did other breeders face when using the chosen stud?
So much research goes into planning each and every litter before the actual breeding takes place.
I don't always have puppies or plans for breeding. I may be focused on finishing a dog for a length of time before I consider which breeding partners are next. I may stay away from the ring a few years to nurture the Danes in my home or to help support puppy families in their new addition. I may decide I need double the puppy love with more than one litter in a year... it's all about listening to my heart. Whether I have litters planned or not, I welcome your questions on if a Dane is right for you or if you are having problems with a Dane you purchased or rescued somewhere else.
Why does it take so long to plan for a litter? Danes need TIME to mature -- physically, structurally, and emotionally before asking them to create future generations. This is a slow process and perfection doesn't happen at a moment's whim. Of course, in a world with no values, we could mass-produce Danes so pups would always be available. Eeek!... playing the odds with Mother Nature can be quite risky!
Once the dogs are mature (about 3 years of age), they will be assessed on health, temperament, structure, strength of their genes, what they can offer the breed in the long run, and how what they produce will continually improve the SierraDanes line - and the breed itself. Only then will "potentials" become actual "producers." If a potential doesn't pass the muster, they become beloved pets and spend their lives on the couch keeping me warm & keeping a smile on my face.
Zorro Shadow Rosie Chief Jolie
The BOING! Danes do everything "large!" Mine are no exception. One of their traits is the "BOING!" where they jump up & down to get your attention. Some have perfected the pogo-stick/back feet method, while others use all four feet with a rolling BOING! See the different "styles" of the Danes below...
HOME SWEET HOME - Here, Laney has a project she's been working on for quite some time. She thought she'd have a race with me as I was building the "Dog Mahal." Laney dug this hole in a matter of weeks. It measures 12 feet long, and at a 45 degree angle, goes about 4 feet deep. She "goes to ground," curls up for a bit while the other dogs bark at her, then she turns around INSIDE the hole and comes out for a peek. NOTE: Laney is an Adult Dane.
Many people who've never owned a Dane before can't fathom owning a houseful of Danes. Afterall, if you've heard the thunder of ONE Dane running fast through the house, you'd know to get out of the way! It can be quite crowded in a house with EIGHT dogs - most of them Danes - underfoot. In this case, they certainly do need a space that's dog-friendly and built just for them with all the cleaning details in mind.... it's called the Dog Mahal!
In October 2002, my father and I built a room specifically for the Danes all by ourselves. Next to breeding Danes, this had to be the most incredible thing I have created in my life. It took several months, and in February 2003, the dogs moved in. Their suite is highly-insulated, air-conditioned, carpeted... it even has a back deck, stained poplar beam, a stained cedar shelf, ceiling fan, a queen AND a twin bed, and cable TV! (Now I have to make MY house look as good!)
Each pen has a swinging divider which makes cleaning a breeze. The shelf in the corner holds a television (their favorite channel is SoapNet!). The electric outlets are 5 feet off the ground, away from curious, bored tongues. The pen floors are elevated 4" and constructed of flexible plywood, finished with commercial vinyl tile for maximum comfort under their bedding . Out of view are the A/C, beds, & storage shelves.
The building has cedar shingle accents, architectural roof shingles, a roof vent, gutters, three windows, and doors with the miniblinds between the glass. Screened storm doors for maximum ventilation during our wonderful Indian summers are on the To Do List.
SierraDanes Lois Lane
SIERRADANES
Welcome to SierraDanes. I breed quality Great Danes for companions and competition.
As a member of the Great Dane Club of America, I follow the Color Code of Ethics and breed color-pure FAWN & BRINDLE DANES. My life is inspired by loving, showing & breeding my dogs. Health, temperament, and structure are the goal of the SierraDanes' breeding program. If the three aren't there, I don't breed. My foundation began with
"Sierra"
from Nuttree Great Danes. Having been in the dog fancy since the early 1980's with Gordon Setters and Great Danes, I did much research and study about the Great Dane before beginning my foundation in 1999.
It plays in Window Media Viewer and is an MPG file. Simply RIGHT CLICK your mouse and "Save Target As" to your computer. It will download in less than a minute and you can laugh along with me at the rotten antics of my pack! If you need a decoding device (if you can't see the video) CLICK HERE to follow additional instructions.
