Teenage years

20 9:01:54

Question
Is there such thing called the "teenage years" for a great dane? I have heard about it but cannot get exact facts about it. We have a 1 yr old 97lb black female who's coat actually looks chocolate brown right now? Im assuming this is normal, why does it happen and how long does it last?

Answer
Dogs are like kids, they go through puberty. Danes suffer with this at 12 - 18 months and like kids have to have a firm hand or they get out of control.

At this time they lose their puppy coat. Fawns look moth-eaten, blacks go brown. The new coat grows through in a few months. Just keep grooming and if it gets really bad a shampoo with a childrens preparation is a help. Just wash the dog on the yard and leave the hair for the birds to pick up for nesting.

Ken