Longevity: Our Physical and Emotional Care Has Doubled The Average Length Of Our Dogs Lives! Nurturing The Physical and Emotional Needs and Instincts of our Gentle Giants and Little Giants Our Gentle Giants Can Live An Average Of 14 To 18 Years!

Because we have been enormously successful in prolonging the healthy, happy lives of our Gentle Giants, we have strict adoption requirements so that our adopters can hopefully enjoy the same amazing success that we have had. Everyone wants their dog to live the longest, healthiest, happiest life, and if you agree to comply with our requirements, you will have the opportunity to love and enjoy a Gentle Giant from us and have your loving canine family member be with you nearly twice as long as you would have otherwise.

Our Gentle Giants and Little Giants are house dogs, not outside dogs. They must live inside your home as a member of your family, day and night, and go outside only to eat, to go to the bathroom, for short periods of play, and to be with you and your family whenever you are outside. At all other times, they must be inside the main living area of your home.

Many people have traditionally left their dogs outside during the day, and brought their dogs in only at night. Their dogs usually live short lives (in the case of Gentle Giants, usually 7 to 9 years). Some people leave their dogs outside day and night, and their dogs usually live even shorter lives.

We cater to the physical and emotional needs of our dogs and they live a lot longer.

For example, we allow our dogs the freedom to go outside whenever they want to, and conversely, the freedom to come back inside whenever they want to. These are the same freedoms that a human has.

So, it does take a little extra effort to pay attention to what your dog is trying to communicate to you. And by doing this, your dog feels that he or she has some say so in their life and they don't give up and resign themselves that they are either “cooped up” outside or “cooped up” inside. This freedom we give them enriches their emotional needs and their spirit, and they are happier. Happier dogs live longer.

Our dogs go outside every few hours (or sooner if they want to). Yes, they frolic and play in between feeding times. You can see that in the many photos on our website. But, after about 15 to 20 minutes, they've had enough and that frolic and play gets old for them and they want to come back into their "den" (figuratively speaking), which is their house (and if you adopt from us, your house).

We say in our literature that a “doggie door” is optional, not required. What isn't optional is leaving your adopted dog outside other than when it is eating, going to the bathroom, briefly playing, or being with you or your family when you are outside.

Our dogs are house dogs, and they must be allowed to stay in your house, or more pointedly, they must be left in your house and not left outside, whether you are home or not.

When we started rescuing Great Danes 11 years ago, our dogs were living an average of 7 to 9 years. Now, along with the many other Gentle Giant breeds that we rescue, we have many of them living an average of 14 to 18 years. A significant attribute of our success in doubling the length of their lives is to nurture their needs and instincts, and living inside has shown itself time and again . . . in fact, thousands of times with the giant breed dogs that we've had living here during the last 11 years, to be a key ingredient, if not the most important ingredient, in lengthening their lives.

Giant breed dogs also need to stay out of the heat. Their bodies do not dissipate heat well, and they can get heat stroke, which can cripple them or kill them.

If someone wants to keep their dog outside, whether it is during the day or at night, whether they are home or not, we will not adopt to them.

Our Successful Feeding and Care Procedures

Our care and feeding program has worked magnificently for the thousands of giant breed and many small breed dogs in the last 11 years here where we could see and experience and tabulate the results first hand. No one else in the country that we know of who cares for dogs has accomplished this or anywhere near this to our knowledge.

It is our love for these dogs and our total commitment to saving, enriching and lengthening their lives that has provided us with the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of these magnificient animals.

That is why we do what we do and why we have (what may seem strict to some people) the requirements that we have. In the end, the dogs we adopt have proven to be living longer, happier lives in their new adopted homes, and that has made their adopters happier because their loving canine companion is with them longer. You can read this first hand in the many emails that we have posted on our website. And, you can see a loving, healthy 16 year old Great Dane named "Princess Leah" that we adopted (please see photo and emails above ).

Our Gentle Giants World Class Canine Cuisine

Gentle Giants World Class Canine Cuisine dog food is now available and we require it or its equivalent to be fed to our dogs (This requirement may be modified if your veterinarian prescribes a special diet while under medical care).  We formulated our Chicken, Rice and Oatmeal Recipe with the highest quality ingredients and with the proper balance of protein and fat content to maximize the longevity of our Gentle Giants and Little Giants (our dog food is excellent for all breeds and for all ages). If you haven't already done so, please see our Gentle Giants World Class Canine Cuisine section of our website for further details. 

We have our dogs living far longer than is traditional for our giant breeds.  Our program for increased longevity combines early spay and neuter, special feeding and care, and our high nutrition, low protein, low fat dog food.  Because our dog food is so nutritious, our dogs can obtain all the nutrition they need by eating less food than with other dog food formulas.  This provides your adopted dog with increased protection against bloat and torsion, a major killer of giant breed dogs.

Included with your adoption fee is one 40 lb. bag of Gentle Giants World Class Canine Cuisine dog food at no charge.  Each bag should last you about one month (lasting 2 to 3 months for our Little Giants).  Thereafter, you can order four bags at a time (a four month supply) as you need it.  The delivered cost to your home is $43.50 per bag (inside Southern California) for a total of $174.00, or $49.95 per bag (outside Southern California) for a total of $199.80, or you may pick up one or more bags from us here at our facility at a cost of $36.50 per bag. The cost for feeding your giant breed dog amounts to about $1.41 or $1.61 a day, considerably less than feeding any of your other family members.

All adults and children living in the same home must attend the adoption appointment.

A comment from a potential adopter: “Our granddaughter will be 18 years of age in four months and will be moving out of the household. We can bring her along if you wish, but it will probably have no bearing on the matter.”

Our response: "Yes, it will have a bearing on the bonding process with your newly adopted dog. The reason that we want your granddaughter here if she is presently living in your home is not to have a bearing on your selection of your dog, but because we require all our adopters to take their newly adopted dog that they adopt from us directly home and NOT introduce it to anyone (other than to the members of their family who were here at the adoption appointment) for two weeks. This is to cement the bonding process. If during the first two weeks that your newly adopted dog is at your home, someone comes to your house, we want you to put your newly adopted dog in another room where it will not meet or see anyone other than you and your wife, and your granddaughter. After two weeks, your newly adopted dog will have properly bonded with you and your family, and you may then introduce it to the world. Leaving your granddaughter at home while she is still living there would foil the intent and success of the bonding process. That is why she must come."

Balanced Complete Nutrition in Our Gentle Giants World Class Canine Cuisine

Increased Nutritional Benefits

• Guaranteed Levels of Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids for a Healthy Skin and Coat
• Contains Glucosamine and Chondroitin for bone, hip, and joint benefits
• Enriched Levels of Antioxidants (Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Beta Carotene) to help support the immune system
• Sequestered Trace Minerals (SQM) for Improved Mineral Bioavailability
• Contains Real Garden Vegetables and Fruits
• No Poultry or Meat by-Products
• Ingredient Specific formula for Dogs with food intolerances
• Naturally Preserved with Vitamin E

Our Unique Procedures For Feeding And Care That Have Proven So Successful For Us

Meet our 45 Different Breeds

Our Available Dogs to Adopt

Adoption Info/Application

14,000 Happy Adopters

Extend the Life of Your Dog Using Our Feeding and Care Program

Learn the proper methods to help your dog live a much longer, healthier, happier life!

Where to Buy Gentle Giants Dog Food