Available Danes in Virginia
Please check out www.MAGDRL.org for all available Danes.
Note: We have evaluated these dogs to our best abilities. MAGDRL and its volunteers can not be held responsibile for any inaccuracies or omissions in dog evaluations. A dog may react differently in each situation.
A "Courtesy Listing" means that we are listing this dog on our website as a courtesy to a third party. The dog is not in MAGDRL's possession.
Disclaimer: You must be an approved adopter to be considered for adoption. We have families going through the adoption process on a rolling basis and we cannot "promise" or "hold" a dog for an family until they have completed the adoption process. But we have lots of great dogs we can match them a family once approved.
A "Courtesy Listing" means that we are listing this dog on our website as a courtesy to a third party. The dog is not in MAGDRL's possession.
Disclaimer: You must be an approved adopter to be considered for adoption. We have families going through the adoption process on a rolling basis and we cannot "promise" or "hold" a dog for an family until they have completed the adoption process. But we have lots of great dogs we can match them a family once approved.
Little John ( LJ )
Little John, who goes by LJ is a happy, silly 2-year-old mantle boy.
When he first came to our little “rehab farmette”, he was very shut down from tragic experiences, and needed careful patience to coax him out of his shell and figure out what makes him happy.
Initially, he trusted pretty much no one, and was very fearful and suspicious. To everyone’s surprise, it took very little time to earn his trust...just 2-3 weeks or so! It was almost like he was relieved to be in a quiet, stable place where he could “stretch out” so to speak and be himself. Our structured environment and predictable schedule have been very beneficial for him. Since then, he has shown himself to be pretty much a normal young dude!
Let’s address the less-positive things about him first before you get your hopes up over this devastatingly handsome fella. 😉
Kids are pretty much a no. We have not had him around small children just yet but will be testing this out soon.
But he has been living with a teenage boy and does not really appreciate the fluctuating moods of a teenager. He prefers quiet, confident energy - or happy easygoing energy.
It’s important to mention the “energy” thing because he’s incredibly sensitive to the energy/moods of the humans around him. The more relaxed they are, the more relaxed he is...he can be suspicious of tension, fear, and especially anger. He is a brilliant mirror of the energy/mood/vibe of the people around him, which is one of the many things that makes him fascinating to watch and know.
The other “potential limitation” is that he is a bit “funky” with alpha type large male dogs within his current personal pack. Seriously nothing outside of any typical 2-year-old self-assured dude, though. Overall, he’s a very confident boy with other dogs, and clearly communicates his personality to them. He pretty much ignores the small old male dog in his foster home, but the older male Cane Corso - a dominant guardian breed - he is in constant “conversation” with. Subtle moves, like standing tall and still with a raised tail while sniffing one another, posturing, etc. The resident dominant male is seasoned with fosters and balanced, so gives him little to no feedback for his efforts - but a more reactive male could be a problem, because there’s no real “backup” in LJ. He’s quite full of himself.
BUT!! Let’s move on to the things that make him a rad dude!
He is actually very balanced in his foster pack, with a 7-year-old male Cane Corso, a 7 year old female Neapolitan Mastiff, and a 13 year old mini Doxie. He really needs little intervention with the male Corso (a lot of that is the balance of that dog for sure, however), and although he will give a proper correction to a dog getting too close to his food or a bone (nothing over the top), he is not jealous of affection, treats being given out, and so on. He’s super respectful of other dogs (or cats) on a bed or space, even if it’s “his” space...he’ll just make himself comfortable elsewhere. He also does not redirect on to his packmates when everyone is escalated & barking at the FedEx guy, a new visitor, or competing for affection from the same. He really is delightfully compatible in a pack - and he meets new dogs well, also! He is confident and curious but doesn’t take much offense if someone snaps at him. He’s keenly aware of the energy of the humans around him when encountering new dogs, though - so staying calm and “indifferent” guides the interaction. We feel he would absolutely be compatible with going to a doggy daycare a few times a week if wanted.
He ignores the farmette’s chickens...he sort of gets a kick of harassing the goats from a distance LOL, as he learned very quickly that one of them is very quick with those long horns. 😉 He also coexists with 2 inside/outside kitties, and 3 barn kitties, quite peacefully. (He’s a really good boy with them, truly.)
Energy wise, he’s generally content to do whatever his people and pack are doing. He’s in a less active, quieter home, so he spends much of his day relaxing. But boy does he love to play outside with his people! He gets silly zoomies and rushes past his person, mouth open, tongue flapping, body hunched up and running like a bunny. He is a lot of fun...and he also loves his walks. He absolutely could be your “go anywhere” dog - he’s a little nervous but settles quickly in the car, and he also has amazing recall when he’s bolting through a wide-open field like WOOOOHHOOOO!!!...he will actually stop and race back to you. He is polite and very calm meeting strangers on leash, as well - as long as you are.
He’s a very, very sweet boy - and also incredibly polite. Many dogs who will ask for affection, press in as hard as they can and sort of end up in your lap somehow - LJ will press his head tightly into your lap, but does not get on the furniture (even if you ask him to) to smother you, and when you say “enough” and indicate you’re done, he backs off and goes to lay down. 😳 ♥️ We admit we don’t see that sort of respect in Danes often!
LJ walks well on leash for his “pack leader” but can be a bit of a puller for others. He has an Easy Walk harness that addresses this well. Interesting side note - his foster mom is disabled and walks rather slowly with a cane. Occasionally he gets excited and will pull just a bit, but an exclamation or stumble will bring him right back into check, and he will continue the walk in a loose heel, with few gentle reminders. His responsiveness lets us know that he would be very compatible in a variety of training options - maybe even as a balance dog.
He really is a delightful fella. He is absolutely trustworthy in the house & does not need to be crated. (I’m sure he would steal food if left out, but we’re a dog house and know better than to leave food out LOL!) Although he’s gotten used to the dog door now in his foster home, he doesn’t need it - he is cool with a regular “I go out 3x/day” thing (he didn’t start actually using the dog door until the second month - before that, it was the typical outside schedule, after meals or after being inside for X amount of hours).
He’s a bright, eager, sweet, affectionate dude who’s just looking for some safe, stable people to call his own. His initial acclimation to a new home will need to go at HIS pace, but other than that, once he settles in, he’s just a silly, fun, happy dude who will do just about anything for you. He’s a wonderful companion and a favorite of all visitors - he needs just a minute to explore the new person and gauge if they’re “safe”, but once that’s established, he’s pretty excited to have guests.
LJ would continue to grow and thrive in a balanced household. We don’t really think the activity level of the household is all that important, outside of the kid factor (that’s a bit much for him). Regular adult guests? He’s down. Somebody brought their doggy to visit? If they are friendly, he is!
He really is quite the awesome DaneDude! Once he settled in, he’s really been one of the easiest fosters his foster home has ever worked with. He is just ...🤙 awesome!
Dogs- Yes
Cats- Yes
Kids - No
When he first came to our little “rehab farmette”, he was very shut down from tragic experiences, and needed careful patience to coax him out of his shell and figure out what makes him happy.
Initially, he trusted pretty much no one, and was very fearful and suspicious. To everyone’s surprise, it took very little time to earn his trust...just 2-3 weeks or so! It was almost like he was relieved to be in a quiet, stable place where he could “stretch out” so to speak and be himself. Our structured environment and predictable schedule have been very beneficial for him. Since then, he has shown himself to be pretty much a normal young dude!
Let’s address the less-positive things about him first before you get your hopes up over this devastatingly handsome fella. 😉
Kids are pretty much a no. We have not had him around small children just yet but will be testing this out soon.
But he has been living with a teenage boy and does not really appreciate the fluctuating moods of a teenager. He prefers quiet, confident energy - or happy easygoing energy.
It’s important to mention the “energy” thing because he’s incredibly sensitive to the energy/moods of the humans around him. The more relaxed they are, the more relaxed he is...he can be suspicious of tension, fear, and especially anger. He is a brilliant mirror of the energy/mood/vibe of the people around him, which is one of the many things that makes him fascinating to watch and know.
The other “potential limitation” is that he is a bit “funky” with alpha type large male dogs within his current personal pack. Seriously nothing outside of any typical 2-year-old self-assured dude, though. Overall, he’s a very confident boy with other dogs, and clearly communicates his personality to them. He pretty much ignores the small old male dog in his foster home, but the older male Cane Corso - a dominant guardian breed - he is in constant “conversation” with. Subtle moves, like standing tall and still with a raised tail while sniffing one another, posturing, etc. The resident dominant male is seasoned with fosters and balanced, so gives him little to no feedback for his efforts - but a more reactive male could be a problem, because there’s no real “backup” in LJ. He’s quite full of himself.
BUT!! Let’s move on to the things that make him a rad dude!
He is actually very balanced in his foster pack, with a 7-year-old male Cane Corso, a 7 year old female Neapolitan Mastiff, and a 13 year old mini Doxie. He really needs little intervention with the male Corso (a lot of that is the balance of that dog for sure, however), and although he will give a proper correction to a dog getting too close to his food or a bone (nothing over the top), he is not jealous of affection, treats being given out, and so on. He’s super respectful of other dogs (or cats) on a bed or space, even if it’s “his” space...he’ll just make himself comfortable elsewhere. He also does not redirect on to his packmates when everyone is escalated & barking at the FedEx guy, a new visitor, or competing for affection from the same. He really is delightfully compatible in a pack - and he meets new dogs well, also! He is confident and curious but doesn’t take much offense if someone snaps at him. He’s keenly aware of the energy of the humans around him when encountering new dogs, though - so staying calm and “indifferent” guides the interaction. We feel he would absolutely be compatible with going to a doggy daycare a few times a week if wanted.
He ignores the farmette’s chickens...he sort of gets a kick of harassing the goats from a distance LOL, as he learned very quickly that one of them is very quick with those long horns. 😉 He also coexists with 2 inside/outside kitties, and 3 barn kitties, quite peacefully. (He’s a really good boy with them, truly.)
Energy wise, he’s generally content to do whatever his people and pack are doing. He’s in a less active, quieter home, so he spends much of his day relaxing. But boy does he love to play outside with his people! He gets silly zoomies and rushes past his person, mouth open, tongue flapping, body hunched up and running like a bunny. He is a lot of fun...and he also loves his walks. He absolutely could be your “go anywhere” dog - he’s a little nervous but settles quickly in the car, and he also has amazing recall when he’s bolting through a wide-open field like WOOOOHHOOOO!!!...he will actually stop and race back to you. He is polite and very calm meeting strangers on leash, as well - as long as you are.
He’s a very, very sweet boy - and also incredibly polite. Many dogs who will ask for affection, press in as hard as they can and sort of end up in your lap somehow - LJ will press his head tightly into your lap, but does not get on the furniture (even if you ask him to) to smother you, and when you say “enough” and indicate you’re done, he backs off and goes to lay down. 😳 ♥️ We admit we don’t see that sort of respect in Danes often!
LJ walks well on leash for his “pack leader” but can be a bit of a puller for others. He has an Easy Walk harness that addresses this well. Interesting side note - his foster mom is disabled and walks rather slowly with a cane. Occasionally he gets excited and will pull just a bit, but an exclamation or stumble will bring him right back into check, and he will continue the walk in a loose heel, with few gentle reminders. His responsiveness lets us know that he would be very compatible in a variety of training options - maybe even as a balance dog.
He really is a delightful fella. He is absolutely trustworthy in the house & does not need to be crated. (I’m sure he would steal food if left out, but we’re a dog house and know better than to leave food out LOL!) Although he’s gotten used to the dog door now in his foster home, he doesn’t need it - he is cool with a regular “I go out 3x/day” thing (he didn’t start actually using the dog door until the second month - before that, it was the typical outside schedule, after meals or after being inside for X amount of hours).
He’s a bright, eager, sweet, affectionate dude who’s just looking for some safe, stable people to call his own. His initial acclimation to a new home will need to go at HIS pace, but other than that, once he settles in, he’s just a silly, fun, happy dude who will do just about anything for you. He’s a wonderful companion and a favorite of all visitors - he needs just a minute to explore the new person and gauge if they’re “safe”, but once that’s established, he’s pretty excited to have guests.
LJ would continue to grow and thrive in a balanced household. We don’t really think the activity level of the household is all that important, outside of the kid factor (that’s a bit much for him). Regular adult guests? He’s down. Somebody brought their doggy to visit? If they are friendly, he is!
He really is quite the awesome DaneDude! Once he settled in, he’s really been one of the easiest fosters his foster home has ever worked with. He is just ...🤙 awesome!
Dogs- Yes
Cats- Yes
Kids - No
Phoebe
Phoebe is a 4 year old Black Dane. She is a shy, sweet, playful girl that would do best in a quiet home. She is super affectionate; she loves to lay with her head in your lap and soak up all the attention. She absolutely lives up to the Velcro Dane.
She is a good listener and loves to play with all the toys. She’s still quite attached to her foster Mom but will come to her foster Dad when he calls her (but quickly comes back to find Mom). She spends her days laying on the bed in the home office. She is very playful in the evenings and does a good job entertaining herself with squeaky toys and bones. She continues to walk well on the leash. Phoebe has started to meet new people and is willing to go over to meet them and wants affection, but still needs a few minutes to warm up. She will initially bark at new people, but she’s just telling us she’s nervous.
She is not highly food motivated, but she does not turn down a yummy treat. She is more interested in being with her people and getting affection. She knows basic commands – sit, down, off and she listens very well. She is interested in the kitchen counters but has not tried to grab anything off them.
Phoebe likes spending time outside and is very happy to greet the neighbor dogs through the fence. She is alert and likes to explore all the interesting sounds she hears. She also gets the zoomies and races around the yard.
We do know that Phoebe has lived with several larger dogs in her previous home but her cat experience is unknown. She is living with an older dog (~55 lbs) in her foster home and gets along with her. Phoebe would like her to play, but the older dog is not interested. She has shown some interest in the resident Chinchilla and some squirrels so we are thinking cats might not be an option at this time.
She is going to make someone so happy.
Update 5-27-21
Phoebe has been in her foster home for about a month and we have been able to see her true personality. She is a wonderful companion, a total sweetheart with a playful / silly side. She might come off as shy initially, but it doesn’t take her long to warm up. She does sometimes initially bark at new people, but this is decreasing on a weekly basis as she is becoming more confident and comfortable. She would still do best in a home that is more on the quiet side, but she will likely adapt to any environment. It took her a few weeks to get acclimated to her foster home, but now she is very fond of both her foster parents and spends time each day in both her foster parent’s offices. She also gets very excited to see the dog walker that comes over during the week.
Don’t let this girl’s cute gray face fool you – she is only 4 and has plenty of playful energy. She goes on walks twice a day, gets the zoomies at least once an evening, and loves going outside to chase a ball (she doesn’t quite get the concept of bringing the ball back). She continues to enjoy getting ALL the toys out and is very good at entertaining herself and her foster parents with her playful antics.
Dogs – Yes
Cats - ?
Kids – 12+
She is a good listener and loves to play with all the toys. She’s still quite attached to her foster Mom but will come to her foster Dad when he calls her (but quickly comes back to find Mom). She spends her days laying on the bed in the home office. She is very playful in the evenings and does a good job entertaining herself with squeaky toys and bones. She continues to walk well on the leash. Phoebe has started to meet new people and is willing to go over to meet them and wants affection, but still needs a few minutes to warm up. She will initially bark at new people, but she’s just telling us she’s nervous.
She is not highly food motivated, but she does not turn down a yummy treat. She is more interested in being with her people and getting affection. She knows basic commands – sit, down, off and she listens very well. She is interested in the kitchen counters but has not tried to grab anything off them.
Phoebe likes spending time outside and is very happy to greet the neighbor dogs through the fence. She is alert and likes to explore all the interesting sounds she hears. She also gets the zoomies and races around the yard.
We do know that Phoebe has lived with several larger dogs in her previous home but her cat experience is unknown. She is living with an older dog (~55 lbs) in her foster home and gets along with her. Phoebe would like her to play, but the older dog is not interested. She has shown some interest in the resident Chinchilla and some squirrels so we are thinking cats might not be an option at this time.
She is going to make someone so happy.
Update 5-27-21
Phoebe has been in her foster home for about a month and we have been able to see her true personality. She is a wonderful companion, a total sweetheart with a playful / silly side. She might come off as shy initially, but it doesn’t take her long to warm up. She does sometimes initially bark at new people, but this is decreasing on a weekly basis as she is becoming more confident and comfortable. She would still do best in a home that is more on the quiet side, but she will likely adapt to any environment. It took her a few weeks to get acclimated to her foster home, but now she is very fond of both her foster parents and spends time each day in both her foster parent’s offices. She also gets very excited to see the dog walker that comes over during the week.
Don’t let this girl’s cute gray face fool you – she is only 4 and has plenty of playful energy. She goes on walks twice a day, gets the zoomies at least once an evening, and loves going outside to chase a ball (she doesn’t quite get the concept of bringing the ball back). She continues to enjoy getting ALL the toys out and is very good at entertaining herself and her foster parents with her playful antics.
Dogs – Yes
Cats - ?
Kids – 12+
Zilla
Hello my name is Zilla. I am 7 years 8 mos old. I am completely housetrained. I am the true Velcro Dane and love to follow my people around the house. I am super sweet and super smart. I am a people pleaser, so I listen very well and crave attention. I feel most comfortable in a house without a lot of chaos, so a home without small children would be best. I am getting a little older so a house without a lot of stairs would also be great. I love being able to go in and out of my crate as I feel this is my safe space.
I get along with other dogs when introduced properly. I am a little shy when first meeting people but I will warm up to you once I get to know you. I have a little bit of a prey drive but it is mostly curiosity and when told to “leave it” I just move on. I am not really sure about cats, I just leave them alone and don’t seem to bother with them. I am a bit of a talker not a barker. I only bark when I feel it is needed to get my people’s attention and even then I pretty much use my “indoor voice”.
I walk well on a leash and do not pull. I don’t do super long walks but I do like to take quite a few short walks during the day.
I do like to counter surf a bit but have yet to snag any food. I am more of a sniffer than snagger.
I promise if you give me my forever home, I will give you all the love and affection you would ever want. I will truly be a great addition to your home.
Zilla came to rescue in January (5).
Update 5/27/2021
Now that I am even more comfortable with my foster parents, I’m starting to show them a little bit more of myself. You may think this is bragging a bit but they think I am pretty awesome!
I like to play with my stuffies and often bring them to my people to throw in the air so I can catch them. Sometimes I will play ball or hide and seek with my foster Dad. I am not very good at hide and seek. Every once in a while I even get the zoomies for about ten seconds or so.
I do well when I am left alone in the house. No accidents and I usually stay in my open crate or lay on my favorite chair.
Sometimes I forget I am a dog and purr like a kitten, especially when you rub behind my ears.
I am getting better and better at this thing you call “heel” when walking on a leash. I stay right by my people’s side.
I am still a super sweet girl and want nothing more than to find my forever home so I can love and be loved.
Dogs – case by case
Cats – no
Kids – 12+
I get along with other dogs when introduced properly. I am a little shy when first meeting people but I will warm up to you once I get to know you. I have a little bit of a prey drive but it is mostly curiosity and when told to “leave it” I just move on. I am not really sure about cats, I just leave them alone and don’t seem to bother with them. I am a bit of a talker not a barker. I only bark when I feel it is needed to get my people’s attention and even then I pretty much use my “indoor voice”.
I walk well on a leash and do not pull. I don’t do super long walks but I do like to take quite a few short walks during the day.
I do like to counter surf a bit but have yet to snag any food. I am more of a sniffer than snagger.
I promise if you give me my forever home, I will give you all the love and affection you would ever want. I will truly be a great addition to your home.
Zilla came to rescue in January (5).
Update 5/27/2021
Now that I am even more comfortable with my foster parents, I’m starting to show them a little bit more of myself. You may think this is bragging a bit but they think I am pretty awesome!
I like to play with my stuffies and often bring them to my people to throw in the air so I can catch them. Sometimes I will play ball or hide and seek with my foster Dad. I am not very good at hide and seek. Every once in a while I even get the zoomies for about ten seconds or so.
I do well when I am left alone in the house. No accidents and I usually stay in my open crate or lay on my favorite chair.
Sometimes I forget I am a dog and purr like a kitten, especially when you rub behind my ears.
I am getting better and better at this thing you call “heel” when walking on a leash. I stay right by my people’s side.
I am still a super sweet girl and want nothing more than to find my forever home so I can love and be loved.
Dogs – case by case
Cats – no
Kids – 12+
Your Donations Make a BIG Difference!
Donations are always welcome, and help us to continue to be able to bring Danes that need our help into our rescue program. Your donations help cover vet costs, transportation, etc. The organization is a DC corporation and has a charitable tax-exemption under the 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Donations are always welcome, and help us to continue to be able to bring Danes that need our help into our rescue program. Your donations help cover vet costs, transportation, etc. The organization is a DC corporation and has a charitable tax-exemption under the 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.