white danes need to be euthanized ?

Question
After being sent a link to a past question in which you recommended that a potential adopter *not* adopt a deaf white dane and that furthermore, they should be euthanized at birth -- I must ask, why must a deaf *rescue* dane not be given the same chance at finding a home like any of the other hearing rescues ?

While I noticed you have bred, and do judge -- how many deaf or sight impaired danes have you actually worked or lived with ? Owning and having bred harls in the past, as well as heading a rescue here in the US - I have a totally different perspective, and experience. While I understand the decision to cull at birth lies solely with a breeder, once a dane ends up in rescue -- it deserves NO LESS of a chance than any of the other homeless dane, in my opionion *and* experience. The adopters of many of the deaf and sight impaired danes we have placed have been extremely happy with them - enough to actually wait and adopt a second with similar disabilities. I hate that we need to rescue our breed at all, but unless a dog or animal is suffering - I see no reason to PTS. And I say this having lived with and trained/re-homed many, many deaf and/or sight impaired whites (not to mention well over 1,000 danes that were not deaf/white). Just another opinion for readers to consider.

Answer
For most of the people I get questions from, training a great dane with no hearing difficulties is about their limit if not beyond it.  Having a dog that size which is not properly controlled is a danger to everyone around.  It cannot be let off the lead to run free in case it runs into the road, it cannot hear a child approach and if awakened suddenly may snap, if it is not looking at you it cannot see hand signals and will not respond to being called back.

Coping with a blind dog is totally different.

In the UK most responsible breeders will euthanase deaf dogs rather than risk pet homes having problems.

I have not raised deaf danes or any deaf dogs but I know harlie breeders who have had this problem and that is the course they take and vets will often recommended it.

There is a big enough problem with rescue danes without adding to the problem of deaf dogs in unsuitable homes and unless I know the home I will always recommend new owners not to have a deaf dog.  The training will probably be beyond most of their capabilities and we could well end up with an unhappy dane.

It is not just white danes that can be deaf.  Any white dog can have the same problem, ask any dalmation breeder.