FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are you located?
- We are located in Stevens Point, Central Wisconsin.
How much do you charge for a puppy?
- Each of our puppies from one litter are priced at $2,500.00. We do not charge differently based on sex or color; Every puppy will always be the same price. We may charge differently for a litter depending on: the parents of the litter, any additional testing they've had done, or if the parent has been proven in working events or in the ring, or even if we endure an emergency situation.
Unless otherwise advertised, each puppy is $2,500.00.
Why are your puppies so expensive?
- The price of our puppies is reflective of the amount of work it takes to produce quality litters. The price for each puppy covers or includes the following:
AKC Registration Fees $33 with basic enrollment package, no add ons. *If you'd like to purchase a pedigree or other add ons, the price difference in packages will be added to the total price of the puppy at the buyers expense.
$250.00 WAITLIST Deposit *non-refundable
$250.00 HOLD Deposit *non-refundable
Microchipping and LIFETIME enrollment in the AKC Reunite program
All age appropriate vaccines and Deworming schedule
Veterinarian Wellness Check(s)
ENS & ESI / Superdog Training & Tactile Stimulation
Started on crate and litter training for easier potty training
24/7 Lifetime Breeder Support - I am available 24/7/365 for questions, concerns, and emergency advice or support for all Puppy Owners
2 Year Genetic Health Guarantee
Health Tested Parents
- Every puppy also goes home with a Puppy Pack including:
Canvas tote bag with Simko Danes logo
2-3 Gallon ziplock baggies of current food being fed.
All Health information and Registration papers in personalized folder
Blanket with moms scent
Litter substrate to aid with potty training
A few toys, treats, a new collar, and possibly other goodies.
The remaining balance of $2,000.00 will be due at pick up
What if I don't want all the "extras"?
- The price of our puppies is not dependent on what you think should or should not be included. There is no option to not include AKC Registration, the puppy pack, or any of the other things our puppies go home with. Please do not even ask if this is an option.
How do you accept payment?
- We accept both the WAITLIST & HOLD DEPOSITS in the form of Cash, Venmo, or Certified Bank Check. We accept FINAL PAYMENT of $2,000.00 the day of puppy pick up in the form of Cash or Venmo ONLY if picking up in person. If transporting a pup we accept FINAL/TRANSPORT PAYMENT of $2,000.00 + transport costs via Cash, Venmo, or Certified Bank Check anytime UP TO 2 weeks prior to the pup leaving our care. If payment is not received prior to 2 weeks before the puppy should need to be transported, the sale of the puppy will be void and DEPOSITS, will be forfeited. This is because when transporting, routes, pick up times, and the transporters time is all taken into account. Any monies above non-refundable transport costs, or deposits, on cancelled sales will be refunded.
Do you remove Dew Claws?
- No, we do not remove any of our puppies' Dew Claws. A dog's Dew Claws serve a specific and important purpose. Just like De-Clawing a cat is similar to cutting off the first knuckles of a humans hand, removing the Dew Claws on a dog is similar to removing a humans thumb. There are tendons and muscles that attach to the Dew Claw. They aid in movement and strength while running and completing turns, the dogs ease and ability to hold things for chewing such as bones or sticks, and when digging, among other things. Dogs who's front Dew Claws are removed may experience atrophy of the muscles and tendons as well as arthritis later in life, among other complications.
Do you crop your puppies' ears?
- We prefer to leave our litters natural eared, unless specifically requested by a family for a pup to be cropped. Then, I am happy to have our trusted vet crop them, at the expense of the buyer. Or, I can make recommendations, as well as provided resources to find a Vet that does provide Ear Cropping Services if the buyer would like to arrange cropping services themselves.
Do we dock our puppies' tails?
- No. It is not in the Breed Standard to dock a Dane's tail. I have heard of docking a Dane's tail as a pup to avoid Happy Tail later in their life however, we do not condone what we call "Preventative Amputation/Docking". If a Dane were to develop Happy Tail as an adult, and require amputation to promote healing, then those are two different scenarios and we would recommend it for the adult. (Yes this question has actually been asked.)
Can I come visit the puppies and see where they are born?
No. We used to be open to visitors when someone would inquire about it. With the dangers Breeders and their families are facing nowadays, we have since changed our policy on visitors. With the theft of dogs & puppies, Breeders being assaulted, and their properties being broken into, on the rise across America, we have had to become more protective than ever of our homes and programs, and the safety of our families and animals. Visitors also bring the risk and possibility of disease contamination. Parvo, Kennel Cough, Coccidia, and Giardia, among MANY other Diseases or parasites can be tracked in unknowingly on the shoes or clothes of visitors. This could have devastating effects on a Breeding Program. The potential to infect the entire facility and even lose entire litters is too high to allow visitors.
What if I'm worried you are a SCAM?!
We understand that with the amount of scammers looking to take advantage of unknowing puppy buyers, people are trying to be extra careful prior to sending any money or making such a large purchase. We welcome you to reach out with any concerns! I would be happy to do a video chat or FaceTime call, or even send you a picture of todays newspaper with your word of choice written on it; Whatever you would feel necessary in order to trust that I am indeed a real person, and I am not here to scam anyone out of anything. My only goal is to produce quality puppies and place them in quality homes.
What Health Testing do you do?
We perform the recommended screenings for the breed set forth by the Great Dane Club of America (GDCA) in participation with the Orthopedic Foundation of Animals (OFA) CHIC Program. These recommended tests include the following:
Hip Dysplasia - OFA Examination or PennHIP Evaluation
Eye Examination - Eye Examination by a boarded ACVO Ophthalmologist
Autoimmune Thyroiditis - OFA evaluation from an approved laboratory
Cardiac Evaluation - One of the following
Advanced Cardiac Exam. Exam must include an ECHO
Congenital Cardiac Exam by board certified cardiologist. Exam must include an ECHO
Basic Cardiac Exam by board certified cardiologist. Exam must include an ECHO
"The breed specific list [above] represents the basic health screening recommendations. It is not all encompassing. There may be other health screening tests appropriate for this breed. And, there may be other health concerns for which there is no commonly accepted screening protocol available." - OFA website
We also do as much additional testing as we can. We will frequently test our breeding stock for things like Elbows, Shoulders, Patellas, Dentition, and more. We believe the more testing done, the better.
We also DNA test (and color test) each of our dogs through UCDavis VGL. This ensures our breeding stock is free from IMGD - Inherited Myopathy in Great Danes, as well as DM - Degenerative Myelopathy. Color Testing our stock ensures we will not produce pigment deletion in our pups which can also be known as Double Merle (DM) {not to be confused with Degenerative Myelopathy (DM).} Double Merle can cause some loss of eye sight to complete blindness and some hearing loss to complete deafness.
FMCs
Frequently Made Comments
"You must make a lot of money off of your dogs with the price of your puppies."
This is something I hear about the breeding world quite often. I feel like this is something that needs to be said; Respectable Breeders in general do not make money "off of" our dogs. We spend countless time, endless energy, and a lot of money in order to prove our dogs, get them health tested - which we often may have to travel quite a distance to, raise them with quality care, and yes hopefully produce a litter from them. That of which is never guaranteed. A dog may fail out of a program and not be of quality to breed, which is then seen as a loss to the breeder.
If we do produce a litter of puppies, the work is not done there. We then spend the first two weeks living by the side of the whelping pen; Making sure mom is doing the things she needs to do, not squishing a pup accidentally, everyone is getting to nurse and gaining weight, etc. The remainder of the time our pups are with us before going to their forever homes, we spend cleaning, feeding, more cleaning - LOTS of POOP, doing a curriculum to ensure our pups are ready for the world, Vet visits, updating our social media and website constantly, and so much more. The price of our puppies reflects the amount of work put into producing quality litters. Many breeders will barely break even on one litter. If there are "extra funds" after factoring in everything it takes to make a litter possible, it almost always goes right back to the dogs. If not directly to the dogs, often it goes to improving the program or facility - still for the dogs.
We do what we do for the love and preservation of our breeds and to build great relationships with our puppy owners!