Chromadane

CHROMADANE KENNEL PRACTICES & POLICIES:

Much of the following is standard (inclusive) GDCA Code of Ethics policy for those familiar with GDCA breeder's code of ethics. This page is intended especially to acquaint the newcomer (to us/to Danes) with CHROMADANE, and so outlines our own particular practices and the underlying philosophy that drives our breeding program is detailed. The particulars & even peculiarities of CHROMA are outlined below. For all there are some commonalities amongst quality breeders, many such items are going to vary, even between one "reputable" breeder and another, so after you sort out the goats and sheep as to breeders, don't forget to then find someone whose ideas on dogs reflect your own. There are lots of nice enough breeders out there to match up nice enough puppies with nice buyers. But remember buyers, when you are buying a pup, you are buying into a particular breeder's set of beliefs about what the future our our breed should be. So shop wisely! Both for your own satisfaction and for the sake of the breed. Please support the breeders who support the breed you love: look for the breeder who involves themselves in more than the dogs in their backyard. Read the below & consider that a lot of this stuff is standard for anyone concerned for the breed and their litters. Breeders shouldn't be acting like they are offering something special when it's considered standard by others: compare and contrast when shopping? And shop for your Dane baby ahead of time, understanding that responsible breeders don't produce a litter in a breed like this without having a waiting list of screened applicants (committed puppy buyers) in place. Don't be overwhelmed by website or verbal brags and claims, don't buy casually or from people who breed too easily, sell too readily, seem too eager to talk pups, or even who breed with a loving heart but without the education that means they have the knowledge of the breed they need. All our dogs deserve better from us!

We breed for a whole working dog--not exclusively a conformation animal, and exhibit ("show") as part of our assessment of bloodstock--not as the reason for breeding it. Although we didn't originate this idea, we did pretty much coin this term, the working-style Dane, and were in fact one of the first Dane kennels to articulate this as a breeding program concept, & have been a pioneer of the practice of selecting breeding stock only that passed certification/titling level examinations in all three arenas (of conformation, peformance and health). To that end, we are active trainers and handlers, & we keep ourselves up to date on genetics, animal husbandry and other aspects of breeding & training dogs: it's continuing education for a lifetime to do right by dogs if you are breeding them. We stand behind what we breed: all our dogs are "warranted" ("guaranteed") for the whole life of that dog, both in temperament and health, but more importantly we work hard to make sure that we've improved the odds of producing "stable and able" litters by starting the work with a careful and cautious assessment of pedigree and parents involved. As a buyer, you're in better hands with a breeder who is focused on checking the parents, etc. than on promising you if anything goes wrong they will "be" there with a replacement. No one wants a new pup; they want the one they buy to work out.

All reputable kennels breed for "type, temperament & health;" this is the bottom line & basement level of what any purebred dog should have. We emphasize a competitive "all-arounder," a "dual-ring" (performance & conformation) working Dane, & further breed specifically for an athletic, tolerant, stable animal. We specifically select breeding animals based on genetic soundness as a means to help reduce the number of dogs in our breed who carry for or exhibit orthopedic and other genetically-based disease. We challenge our dogs to a rigorous training & exercise program to winnow out any animals not able to withstand a reasonable amount of stress & exercise. All our breed stock is certified for hips, thyroid, hearts, eyes, general health & temperament, and all demonstrate proper breed type (both in body and in mind). All our dogs are home reared, widely socialized with all sorts of animals & people, and all function as active Therapy Dogs in the community, as well as compete in both performance & conformation shows, plus they are (first & foremost!) cherished family companions. We use this process to screen for only the most able & stable animals to incorporate in our breeding program.

 "SOUND, SANE & DANEY": that is our goal--and we have objective certifications to demonstrate our commitment to type, health & temperament--you don't have to take our word for it. This careful testing provides us all routinely with healthy, happy companions, & further gives those interested an opportunity to select dogs who can be "all" to the dogsport competitor who wants to win on a small scale (basic CH & basic performance titles), plus offers the ocassional truly outstanding animal able to go beyond basic titles. But most signficantly--and the real bottom line of this sort of mutli-faceted breeding program--is it's intended to routinely produce puppies with whom we can all expect to share a decade (or more) of a low-maintenance (i.e., no huge vet or training bills), high-happiness life. It takes a good pet to be a good "show" dog, and so that always comes first and should be expected with every pup in every litter.

BUYERS REQUIREMENTS: The buyer has obligations as an owner under our Code of Ethics as well as the breeder. This is from our pet buyer's contract: "The buyer agrees and bind himself/herself to take good and reasonable care of the dog, feed and house the dog properly, control the dog on lead when off the owner's premises and to house and control the dog properly on premises to avoid the loss by theft, escape (running away), or otherwise negligent care. Under no circumstances is the dog to be chained or to ride unsecured in an open vehicle. A solid fence of around five feet is generally required for any area outside where the dog is kept. The dog is not to be jumped above elbow height or to otherwise engage in competition-level agility exercises before 18 months of age. The use of electronics is prohibited without the express written permission of the breeder. The buyer further agrees to notify seller (Chromadane) of any change of address. The buyer agrees the animal purchased will carry the kennel name of "CHROMA" in the registered name. The buyer will otherwise be free to choose the dog's name. The buyer further agrees that the dog will not be sold or given away without prior written notification to the original seller (Chromadane), who shall retain first right of refusal for the repurchase of the dog. It is further understood that failure to comply with the conditions of this contract will result in the animal being returned to the seller (Chromadane) permanently at no cost to the seller, and that AKC registration papers and all medical and other relevant records will accompany the animal upon its return." We encourage, but do not require, all our buyers to do "health checks" on their dogs. These disease screenings are not just for breeders: a buyer learning their dogs heart, hip and thyroid status as an adult benefits them and their dog(s): sharing these results at OFA (which we also encourage) benefits the breed.

Do please note that we expect the dog to be a member of your family, which includes his sleeping indoors, as well as receiving routine care, a family life, and proper training. (This also means there needs to be family home with the dog a good portion of the day.) We will not discriminate against buyers by category, but do reserve the right to refuse sales at our own discretion. We are seeking "active" pet homes who are interested in providing basic training on our dogs and involving them in family and other activities. Competition level actitives are not required, but that you will go out and compete with your Dane is an assest to us of course. If you are new to the breed and/or out of our immediate area, we will want to establish you have adequate support (in the form of breeders & trainers we know) before we are going to sell you a puppy; this is to insure raising your new Dane is a happy experience for both you and the puppy. We DO NOT sell for breeding purposes "borderline" or other 2d rate "breeding stock" such as animal who are mismarks or otherwise do not meet the breed standard, so please don't ask us about "breeder's terms," or "bargain" breed stock, etc.

We typically co-own out our best males to committed show homes to ensure they get the full benefit of living as a cherished pet (& so are not subject to our home full of intact females) & on rare occassion have co-owned a female with another party. We will occassionally sell show-breed prospects with folks with whom we have established trust. If you wish to buy a breeding-potential ("show") puppy from us, we expect you first want to get to know us a bit as we want to get to know you. And naturally we'd expect you to see (with our support of course) that the dog is shown/trialed, is competitive in the ring, is properly assessed for health, type & temperament, & has all the requisite certifications before it is bred--and also demonstrate that you are able to support both the breed and its general welfare by your actions as a competitor, fancier & breeder.

For further information on what is essentially going to be a somewhat extended dialogue between potential buyer and breeder please email us: if we are going to have a dog in common we need to first get to know each other. With every puppy sold, pet or show, the buyer will be expected to stay in touch, and asked to fill out a health/temperament questionaire when the dog is a yearling, then again when mature (3-4 yrs.) and once again as a veteran. I cannot do a good job at this without feedback from my buyers. I'm not as much looking for people to sell dogs off to, as looking for people who want to buy into what I have to offer.

PUPPIES are sold only after they are at least a month old (to be sure they thrive, and so that temperament can be preliminarily assessed). Puppies do not leave us until they are at least 7-8 weeks old (in accordance with the GDCA Code of Ethics), & all carry a 72 -hr. full money back guarantee--as also stated in the GDCA Code. We do NOT sell unborn or neonate (just born) pups; we believe it takes more than color & sex to find the right puppy for your purposes & your family, and that cannot be assessed in the first month of life. We do not ask for reserve monies; when we agree a pup is right for you, that pup will NOT be sold out from underneath you. (Money is not the most important part of the transaction & is the last thing to be discussed, as well as the last part of the "'deal" between us.) We do however maintain a (screened home) waiting list & suggest you consider "calling early" as that list can get rather long between litters. PUPPIES are sold either as non-breeding companions (i.e. pets &/or performance prospects) or as show-breeding prospects. All are matched by temperament and talents to specific homes, so we need to know you to know if we have what you want. Most all who leave here, regardless of color or markings, whether "show quality" or not, leave here as "pet" dogs on limited registration as we generally keep what we wish to grow out and ideally see bred. "Pet" puppies are not poorer quality they are simply less of a responsibility (as you have no obligations to the breed itself with a pet). "Pet quality" in Harlequin litters typically means pups whose primary "fault" is of coloration, as the few properly marked pups are generally reserved as show/breeding prospects.  While we will occasionally make a show mark available to a pet home, please understand that this is only after that puppy has been through our screening process & been designated as a pet (usually between 8-12 weeks of age).  All puppies sold as pets (companions to be cherished!) have stable temperaments and health, and are sold on limited registration (you will be expected to neuter when the animal is 18 months-2 years old & be responsible with the intact dog/bitch until this can be accomplished). The GDCA Code asks for breeders to ensure animals sold as pets are healthy, stable and that they are NOT bred. We comply fully with these requirements as all others in the Code of Ethics. Performance prospects are assessed for appropriate structure and temperament to do the sought-for tasks (i.e. be it agility, obedience, other work, or some combination thereof). Show/breeding prospects demonstrate the potential (in every sense) to be both competitive in the show ring and participate in a selective breeding program. Assessments of these three broad categories of dogs for sale are done with honesty and somewhat cautiously in fact (to overcome the inborn tendency of a breeder to be excited about their own dogs). And assignment to category as well as selection to specific families includes objective assessments of type, temperament and talents, to include outside experts and formalized testing.

PUPPIES leave here having had what is typical for ALL well bred animals: they have had their first shots, been wormed/checked for worms, have been assessed for general temperament & health, are started with leash & house training, crate training and normal grooming procedures. A puppy packet to help you with feeding and care, plus the written contract, registrations papers, pedigree, collar, leash, toys, blanket and a variety of other things we feel a new puppy might want or need come with the dog.   If you cannot drive to pick up your puppy, another option is you fly in & take the pup home around 8 wks. when it is still small enough to be taken on the flight in the cabin with you in a carrier.) We expect to remain in contact with all our puppy buyers and hope to hear from you often. We are there, day & night, for your questions and to help whenever we can. With every puppy sold, pet or show, the buyer will be expected to stay in touch, talking to us at least annually. And all buyers are asked to have the help of their attending veterinarian fill out a health/temperament questionaire when the dog is a yearling, then again when mature (3-4 yrs.) and once again as a veteran. Our dogs are warranted ("guaranteed') against delibitating inherited defect.

Our contract & guarantees are not "time-sensitive" you will note: they won't "expire" while you own your dog. We hope nothing will ever go wrong with any of our dogs, but such an idea is unrealistic when deailing with biological creatures. The focus in such a case will be the support and care of the dog in question and it's potential medical needs, as no loving owner believes that their cherished pet can simply be replaced. Our dogs are typically robustly healthy, happy companion for a decade, which is the expected life-span of a giant dog: this we can document in detail. (Beware of claims of average longevity beyond a decade or health claims that are undocumented--recognize such as the sales tactics they are). The GDCA Code of Ethics expects a breeder to provide the proper paperwork & follow up for every dog sold & we abide by this as well. As we said, we spare no expense in the breeding, care & upbringing of all our dogs: we go to some effort, expense and inconvenience to avoid taking risks in the areas of health and temperament, and we want to place them in homes who will cherish and enjoy them fully.

*If you want to talk to us about our puppies, please contact us and first tell us what you think we should know about you. Serious breeders are happy to talk about the breed & happy to educate, but hesitant to talk about sales until they know to whom they may be selling.*

FOOD, EXERCISE & ROUTINE MEDICAL CARE: Our dogs typically eat BIL-JAC (kibble & frozen) & MERRICK canned food. Puppies in the first year eat a kibble mixture of Select & Senior, while active adults normally eat Select; Senior can be added in or substituted as they age. No supplements are given & no other food is routinely fed. All adults are free exercised in braces (i.e. two at a time, not necessarily on lead though) every day for at least 2-3 miles, & all puppies are given as much fresh air & supervised free exercise as they can take. Wild, mindless running is discouraged & dogs are not allowed to exercise around mealtimes, but proper exercise (calories out) is just as important as food (calories in) in rearing a healthy, happy Great Dane & so is encouraged. Our adults undergo a rigorous cross-training program that is multi-discipline & puppies/young dogs are heavily socialized but moderately exercised. We give a conservative, but standard vaccination program (required by Service & Therapy organization). A conservative vaccine protocol has been our policy always. Pups receive core vaccines (usually at 8, 12 & 16 wks.), and adults are then vaccinated per AAHA & AVMA general recommendations (currently DAPP at a year, then at 3,6 & 9 years of age). Rabies is given as required, Bordatella only when endemic. Neither Lepto, Borrelia nor Corona is needed where we are, but you must always check with regional vets for recommendations. Ivemectin heartworm preventative is given monthly, year-round. Annual or more often fecal checks for 'worms' are routinely done. We expect our dogs to THRIVE on a simple regime of quality kibble, kindness, good exercise, standard medical care & a full family life. We deliberately do NOT raise "high-maintenance" or otherwise "fussy" dogs, & breed only dogs fundamentaly robust. We select specifically for physical vigor and a biddable temperament. So they are "naturally" healthy in the sense they either manage on this simple regime or don't get bred.

SIZE, WEIGHT & COLOR+PRICE & CROPPING: All our dogs are correct to the standard & their appearance is typical for the breed. Dogs are usually 34"-36" & weigh 150-180 lbs., while bitches are usually 31"-33" & weigh 110-140 lbs. Some may be a little bigger, but we do NOT breed for size or other single traits--we breed for the whole dog & focus on routinely obtaining a correct Dane that is athletic & beautiful, fit & sound, healthy & stable, happy & friendly. The same goes to color; all our show-breeding stock is correct to the standard, but we do not emphasize "fashionable" color at the expense of health, type, & temperament. And we do NOT sell dogs based on color requests alone: for all we do try to honor a buyer's request for a certain color or pattern, we work hard to match each pup to a best fit home primarily based on temperament and talents. So if you are not flexible about color, we are not likely the breeder for you. We are focused on producing dogs able to be versatile performers & competitive breed dogs; but dogs also able to stay fit without huge training or vet fees--ones able to be healthy, pleasant companions for a decade or more. And we want to make each sale a "perfect fit" to the buyer's home and needs, so we work to get to know you, to know what suits your family and plans for the puppy.

As to pricing, the range is $3000-$3500 currently for uncropped companions & co-owned young show prospects right now around $3000-$4000. Service dogs may be sold at a discount on the companion price to qualified buyers. I added this in in 2009 when I learned many didn't ask about our puppies, as thought even for pets we would be charging way above the usual price given what we are offering when we actually charge less! We don't compete for the "most costly" puppies, but rather the most carefully screened homes. A select number of the pups are kept by Chroma on full registration & sometimes co-owned with those who wish to join into our general philosophy & who will use our kennel name. The rest are sold outright on limited (non-breeding) registration to screened & matched homes. Many go on to compete successfully, other elect to stay home as fulfilled companions. All are special to us, equal in their essential value. & we value our pet buyers, believe even a first time buyer has the right to a first rate dog. So for all you will find our screening process rigorous, you won't find our prices unreasonable. We let the new owner decide about cropping, be it a show-prospect or a home companion, but if the pup is still with us at 12 wks. it will likely be cropped by then. Cropped and uncropped pups can be equally attractive and many pet buyers these days opt to not crop, given the expense & expertise required. We typically crop the dogs we keep. This is done by an expert under veterinarian care while under appropriate anesthesia. Aftercare is performed by the breeder (a service we offer to local dane owners for free).

The name "CHROMADANE": People often wonder where the kennel name came from. Like many of the names chosen for our individual dogs, it's a double entendre. CHROMA means "colored" (as well as purity/intensity) & we breed specifically spotted, or "colored" Danes. Chromosomes literally means "colored bodies" & since we emphasize genetic health in our breeding program, the idea of "spotty bodies" also implies we never forget about the unseen genetics of the thing. To touch a spotted dog is traditionally thought to bring luck; we feel we've been blessed with our spotty bodies & never want to forget that their general wonderfulness is how we ended up here in the first place. We feel our "take" on Danes is distinctive & the "look and feel" of our dogs is signature. And despite the fact a lot of what has been said and done here first has found its way elsewhere, the "original design" born of focused, personal vision is likely still the best version of that particular idea?

If you have any questions on the breed in general or on our kennel practices in particular, please feel free to email me at: chromadane1@gmail.com