Joan Olson Great View Danes Can we say dishonest - how about liar? Vienna, Missouri

I would like to share my disappointing experience with Joan Olson of Great View Danes as well.  In March 2016, my wife and I agreed to purchase a 4 month old, male, blue Great Dane puppy from Joan.  The dog was purchased as a show-puppy, with the usual show-puppy price of $2,500 (ears already cropped).  Joan started out being very cooperative, constantly in contact with us, and often sending us pictures of our puppy before we were able to make the drive to Missouri to pick him up.

After we picked up our puppy, we should have realized that things were not all they seemed to be with Joan.  Communication dropped off totally, Joan appeared ready to wash her hands of us and this puppy as soon as possible.  We tried to contact Joan regarding past shot records, etc. and we were just given a cell phone picture of her hand-written records.  Joan seemed utterly disinterested in assisting us whatsoever.

Our puppy seemed to be healthy at first, but being novice Dane owners, we mistook an obvious hip issue for what we believed was typical Dane puppy clumsiness.  After four months, we took our Dane to the vet for hip x-rays, only to find out that he had hip dysplasia.  Being told that our puppy had hip dysplasia at such a young age (8 months) devastated us.  We understood from that moment that the quality of life of our dog would be severely affected, and the costs associated with future treatments would be substantial.

Immediately, we informed Joan of the diagnosis of our show-puppy.  Joan appeared immediately defensive, trying to defend her kennel as if she had a canned response to all of our inquiries.  As we clearly could no longer show our Dane with such a genetic defect as hip dysplasia, we asked Joan for some sort of compensation for future treatments, etc.  After all, Joan’s show-puppy contract clearly stated hip dysplasia as a covered genetic defect.  Joan initially told us that we could only return our dog if surgery could not correct his dysplasia.  We didn’t want another puppy, especially from a line that we felt had a tendency towards dysplasia.  But more so than that, we had bonded with our puppy over the past 4 months.  Therefore, we suggested perhaps we could receive the proceeds from the sale of another one of Joan’s puppies in lieu of actually receiving a replacement puppy.  But this too was firmly denied, which really showed us Joan’s lack of responsibility for the genetic defect.  We received zero sympathy and zero economic assistance, despite the fact that Joan clearly took advantage of our lack of experience by selling us a puppy with hip dysplasia as a show-puppy.

Once we realized that the co-ownership relationship was of no help, we then decided to ask Joan if we could have full ownership of our dog.  We agreed to neuter our dog as a condition to Joan transferring full ownership to us.  Joan assured us that neutering the dog would definitely destroy any ability for us to exchange him for another puppy, which really made us question what her plans for a dysplastic puppy would be if returned to her (i.e. breeding? another show-home sale?).  To prove our dog had been neutered, we sent Joan the receipt from our veterinarian.  Because the description did not specifically say “Great Dane” on the receipt, Joan accused us of trying to deceive her.  It took me physically sending Joan a picture of our dog’s incision to convince her that he had truly been neutered.  To Joan’s credit, she kept her word, and we are now the sole owners of our dog.  He is a true member of our family, and despite the fact that he cannot participate in any conformation shows, we wanted to be the sole decision-makers of his future.

It is because we are now the sole owners of our Dane, we feel comfortable sharing our experience without fear of retribution from Joan.  We cannot and will not comment on Joan personally.  We merely want to warn others to not make the same mistake that we did.  We feel that despite Joan’s claim to having a healthy line, there are hidden genetic disorders that she has swept under the rug.  We plan on performing an OFA hip evaluation for our dog once he is two years of age to formally register his hip dysplasia and hopefully notify prospective buyers of the deficiencies in the Great View kennel line.  If Joan lacks the conscience to be truthful, transparent, and supportive of her buyers, then all we can do is publicize our story as a warning to others.

Our dog’s name is Great View’s Remington the Royal Blue (AKC# WS52403302) and his sire and dam are Great View’s Ramses of The Blue Nile (AKC# WS37474804) and CH Great View’s Flashback To A Leprechaun (AKC# WS34674008) 

 I am posting this rebuttal as I would like everyone that reads the Rip-Off report to understand that Joan Olson and her family are very reputable breeders.  They are warm wonderful people who breed excellent quality Great Danes.  I would like to disucss the Great Dane (Zeus) who is the subject of this report.  My husband and I lost our beloved Mastiff after a long four year illness.  Our hearts were totally crushed after he died.  Our home was so empty without his large presense that we just were miserable.  It was so loney without him.  We had discussed and decided to open our hearts to a new family member.  We knew that we could not bring another Mastiff home as we had owned the most fabulous Mastiff ever.

My husband and I decided that we would like to get a Great Dane (Blue).  I started researching Great Dane Breeders as we are definitely large breed dog lovers.  After looking at tons of breeders in several states, (I was not looking for convenience but a great quality healthy dog that we could love and give a great home to).  This is were Joan Olson enters my world.

I loved the look of her web site and how dedicated she appeared to be in raising healthy, well socialized Great Danes.  I called Joan to inquire about her facility and her breeding program.  She was very forthcoming about her facility and her breeding program.  I explained our situation to Joan and we discussed the current litter that she had available.  She asked me to come visit the puppies and see her facility anytime.  She also sent me pictures of the current litter she had.  Joan and I discussed that I would like a male puppy.

Joan then inquired would I possibly be interested in an adult male (Zeus).  My first thougt was no.  I did not want to take on a fully mature male that had already bonded to another family.  I thought it would be better to have a puppy.  When discussing it with my husband, he decided that he liked the idea of a adult male fully trained.  Joan and I then talked about us taking Zeus and she was completely honest that she had tried to place Zeus before (Teresa and David).  She also said that if we were not happy with Zeus or if Zeus was not happy that she would gladly take him back.  We were not charged for Zeus (he was free).  Joan just wanted him to have a good home.  We also decided that we would purchase a female puppy from Joan (Raine).

Well that was months ago, and all I can say is that Zeus is a remarkable animal.  He has been a fabulous additon to our family along with our little girl Raine.  They are the joy of our home.  What was once a sad place is just filled with laughter and love  thanks to Zeus and Raine.  Zeus is an excellent role model for Raine as he behaves beautifully.  Raine actually follows his lead and behaves well expecially since she is only four months old. (She does good for a puppy)

It seems to me that TERESA the woman the Joan tried to place Zeus with before us may have issues.  It appears to me in reading her report the she was jelous of (Zeus and David).  I can't believe from her post that she has ever owned a dog at all.  Most dogs are quite attached to their owners.  She stated that Zeus had separation anxiety.  He has never shown any sign of this since we have had him.  He behaves fabulous in the house when we are gone, he is not destructive in anyway.  He does like to be with his people but then what dog doesn't?  I would like to know how this VET that she took Zeus to could say that Zeus had separation anxiety unless they left Zeus at the vet's office for hours and he experienced this himself.  (Which they did not do)!  Zeus had bonded great with my husband, myself, are kids, grandkids and everyone he comes in contact with. 

I would just like to say that GREATVIEW DANE owners Joan and Nathan Olson are wonderful people that run an outstanding breeding program.  They are truly dedicated to all of their animals and to the families they choose to let raise their high quality Great Dane puppies.  I am truly blessed to have found Joan and her family.  You will not go wrong purchasing/or adopting an adult dog from Joan.  NO one offers a better health guarantee.  Your new puppy will come healthy, well adjusted and loved.  The only thing you will have to do is spend years enjoying and loving your new family memeber.

THANK YOU JOAN FOR ZEUS AND RAINE

GORGEOUS DANES, GORGEOUS FARM AND WONDERFUL, HONEST PEOPLE!!
 
I have to write and say that Joan Olson of Great View Danes and her family are the best dane people in the world! They have an amazing farm, with amazing, spoiled rotten animals! If you go to visit, they are always warm and welcoming and their place is a paradise for their animals. You will be welcomed by their danes who love everyone and are so sweet that you may not want to leave your car door open or you may end up with one jumping in your backseat for a ride!! 

I have been to the Olson's place more than once and it is the most wonderful home! The danes are so gorgeous and every one of them knows that the world revolves around them. Joan and her family are animal lovers and every animal they have is so freindly! The horses and miniture donkeys are always up at the fence to be petted and fussed over whenever company arrives!

Joan is the most honest and caring breeder I can imagine and it is unfortunate that this lady wrote such cruel and false statements about her. She was obviously mad about not getting her way and thought she could try to make up some trouble for Joan. Well, if anyone reads more about the Rip Off Report on the internet, they will find that it is not credible! Anyone who wants to can make up anything about someone and they print it!

Just wanted to set the record straight! Joan Olson is an honest, breeder who knows her stuff! Her farm is really pretty and all of her animals are very healthy and well kept. Her danes are the most gorgeous I have ever seen!!  I have to say that she is a real honest and professional person!

I, Joan Olson am writing this rebuttal regarding the mis-information portrayed
about me by a person who you will see has no reason for her dissatisfaction!
Rip Off Report is an internet company that will place anything and everything
unscensored that anyone wants to write about someone without researching
the truth behind it before posting it permanently on their website.
They will never remove the complaint, but you can pay them
thousands of dollars after it is posted to have it arbitrated...but then even false
opionions will be allowed to remain on the complaint forever...
This is quite a deal for them. At least there is a chance for rebuttal so I hope
you will read mine and get the whole truth!
I would like to start by saying that Teresa and David (her significant other as she
calls him), wrote to me wanting an adult dane. We usually do not place any adult
danes unless they are rescues that we help find homes for. We have four
generations of the same family on our property now and anyone coming to
buy a puppy or visit our home can meet all four generations. We DO NOT
have 15 danes as she so dramatically exagerrated in her report about us.
(Unless you count the litter of 11 puppies that we had here at the time of her visit)
I am appalled that she can label our property as unkempt. We have 17 acres
all of which are fenced and we do have farm animals that are all very well taken
care of. Our place is very well maintained with unbelievably spacious facilities
for all of our animals including our farm animals and our pet danes.
We only raise danes. We definitely are not in it for the money as it is a hobby
to continue this magnificent breed and we both have careers that is our source of
income. We do have our danes best interest at heart in EVERY decision. There
have been times where we spent $3500 to $12000 to save a dane who had a condition
that needed vet care. Money was not a factor in saving the life of one of our babies!
Our facilities for our dogs include most of the time being in our house, but we also
have plenty of time and space for them outside including our front yard that has a
privacy fence all along the road and covers 90,000 square feet of safe room to
play and run. We have another 40,000 square feet of fenced play area for the danes
adjoining the 90,000 sq. ft. foot yard. This is where our dane building is located.
We have intact animals of course so there are times when they need to be seperated
and that is why we have a nice roomy climate controlled building for them. It isn't
feasible to have all of them in the house as well as our rescues that we have from
time to time not to mention we do boarding for anyone who has purchased a
dane from us in the past for only $25 per week. The danes enjoy being able to go
inside and out of their spacious rooms in the kennel which have fresh paint,
clean carpeted areas inside, as well as toys. Also each dog has two large, thick
Dollamur gymnastic mattresses: one inside and one outside their door under
a shady overhang so that they can be together and lounge.
This climate controlled airconditioned building has over 200 square feet of space
for EACH DOG and also a gate for them to go into the 40,000 square foot play area.
All of our danes are house pets and couch potatoes, love to take car rides and
meet new people. We currently have two 3 year old danes here that we are
boarding for past customers and friends in the hopes that they may be returned
to them after her health is restored or if she thinks that she may need us to
place them eventually, we will will do that with their approval. We will be very
particular where they go and will make every attempt to place them together
as they are brother and sister and have been together all of their lives.
Now to address some of the complaints and to clarify our agreement with
the lady named Teresa upon the purchase of Zeus:
First of all, they arrived 40 minutes early for their appointment. We had
appointments scheduled for the other people who arrived to pick up their
puppies. We of course, explained to them that we would get Zeus
our of our house for them to meet just as soon as we were finished
helping our other customers who arrived on time. They said that was
fine and that they would enjoy the view and meet our other danes.
When we were finished helping our other customers pick up their
puppies, we spent over an hour with them letting them get to know
Zeus and answering questions about him. We let them meet Zeus'
mother and his brother and they seemed pleased that all of our danes
were very friendly and outgoing. ( We obviously are proud of our home
and facilities or we would never let all of those people come
to meet our dogs and see where they live!) The man, David was an obvious
dog lover as he enjoyed all of their dane kisses and leans and really petted and
loved on them. The danes loved him too! Teresa on the other hand stood back
and scrutinized every detail of Zues and thought he was "standoffish". He wasn't
standoffish or scared of them. He actually jumped right into their SUV when they
opened up the lid. We explained that Zues was a show dog and had won ribbons
in the past and was never anything but a sweet, big baby and that any dane
being an adult would probably need a month or two to adjust. ( This didn't end
up being a problem with Zeus! He loved them right away!)
We DID provide pages of up to date medical records on him including his rabies
vaccine schedule which Teresa claims she didn't receive. It was a
multi year vaccine expiring in 2014 thus the vaccination date being 2011. It was even noted
on his vet record that he was good until 2014 for rabies!! I even made sure he
had a recent vet checkup before they came which included micro chip/hip xrays
and a thorough exam so that they knew they were getting a healthy dane.
I wasn't even asked to do this and spent over $150 just that morning on him. Is that
something someone who is just in it for the money would do???
Especially since they would be taking Zeus to their own vet in a couple of days.
( They took Zeus to their vet when they got him home and he
received a CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH from their vet.)
I said that if Zeus was not able to adjust to his new home and wouldn't bond
with them, we would take him back. I always have any of my danes young
or old on a contract that they will be returned to me if the new owners cannot
keep them. This way, they never end up in a shelter and we can make sure
they are taken care of. I told them that he would surely bond within a week
or two and at most 2 months. He is such a love and so snuggly and loyal
that I knew he would be a great match for them. I got a message from Teresa
right away the next day after they got him to their house saying that he was
perfect and thanking me for allowing them to have such a sweet, wonderful dog!
Then she said that he was loving Dave and following him everywhere.
She didn't think that a dane should want to be with their person ALL the time
and even follow them into the bathroom and want to be on the couch with them.
If she ws a dane person she would know that this is the most common trait of
the dane breed!! They are PEOPLE dogs and won't let their owners leave their
sight which I cannot believe she thought was a negative trait!
Zeus was raised with all the love of our children and he was always allowed
on the couch so it only came natural for him to try to get on their couch. He could
have easily been taught not to do this if given a chance!
His only fault that they could tell me was that he took a shoe (which he DID NOT
chew up and a couple other items of Dave's that he just wanted to keep with him
when Dave was gone, which he DID NOT chew up either. He was just the most
affectionate, loving boy, did great at the vet, was perfectly housetrained for them.
Went on walks and runs with them and got so excited to see them when they
returned home.
Dave confided to me by phone that Zeus was the BEST dog he had ever been around
and that he was so loving and he was impressed with his loyalty and his intelligence.
He also said in that same breath that he didn't think that he was going to be able to
get Teresa to want to keep Zeus after all because she was quote "jealous of the dog"!!!
I have never in all my years heard of an approximately 55 to 60 year old woman being
jealous of a dog, but she wanted the dog out of the house if he was going to have such
an affection for Dave. I told him that I couldn't believe that they were faulting him after
only two days for being toooo loving and bonded??? Teresa had texted me after
Zeus got one of Dave's shoes which Dave told me later that Zeus did not even chew on
in the least, saying that they "didn't have time to spend with Zeus training him to not take
shoes and that they "couldn't hire someone to take care of that behavior".
What behavior? He took one shoe, ONE TIME and didn't even chew on it! An open floor
plan and a new dog turned loose in it with run of the whole thing and the only problem
he ever caused was displacing one shoe?? I am sorry, but I think that Teresa should have
just gotten a stuffed animal instead of a full grown dane. She had told me that they had a
fenced in yard, but come to find out it was only fenced on three sides. Also, she had a
dane before that she GAVE away because it was scared of storms. I wish I had known
how easily she gave up her other dane.
She explained to her vet that Zeus wouldn't let her husband out of his sight! For those of
you who have never owned a dane, please contact someone who has, because this it
what they are best for.... loving unconditionally. For her to want her money back on a
dane that was bonded "too much" to her husband and was a perfect example of the
loyalty and love that a dane should possess as well as being perfectly
healthy and house, leash and car trained, was ridiculous.
Since she referred to Wal-Mart, I will clarify! I am not Wal-Mart! We are dealing with
living things that may miss out on their chance for their best home by someone else
wasting a part of their lives! Even Wal-Mart won't take back opened CD's and many
other items, but that is beside the point. I DO STAND behind my dogs and will return
a purchase price for a good reason. They both even signed the contract stating the
requirements of the sale and I told them only that I would want to buy him back if he
wasn't happy, healthy or bonding to them, not because of a perfect dog loving their
new owner's too much! He was happy, he was healthy and he was bonded! They gave
me other reasons for not wanting him such as their home wasn't conducive, he was too
attached to Dave etc... I don't feel that she even tried to get to know Zeus and after what
Dave said about her not being able to handle the fact that Zeus was becoming more
attached to him than her, I can see that she just was jealous. Her vet didn't witness any
poor behavior on Zeus' part and gave him a clean bill of health.

I was on my way to go pick up Zeus after they had him for two days per Teresa's demand
because she was so mad about Zeus being too attached to Dave, then while I was driving,
I got a phone call from Dave and he said that he loved Zeus and that he wanted to keep him,
so he had convinced Teresa to try a little to get to know him. Zeus was not indifferent to
Teresa, he was actually loving and wanted to be loved by her, but Dave is the one he bonded
to because Dave gave him more attention. The next morning, Dave
called me and said that Teresa had given him an ultimatum, "she was leaving him
if he didn't give the dog back". I was appalled and said that I would come to pick him up
where ever he wanted to meet me, but that I would not return their money because they
didn't have any reason to return him. Teresa didn't even give the dog a chance.
I had turned down two other homes for Zeus because Teresa had told me that she
wanted him even before she made the trip up to meet him. She said, "Tell the other
people we are taking him!"
Must I say that it is more than a little disturbing that she would say that I am only in this for
the money and call my family of danes a "breeding facility" when I only had the one litter of 8
week old puppies and we introduced them to the spayed grandmothers and great grandmothers
of our puppies! How many "breeding facilities" make a commitment for the life of their breeding
dogs to keep them until death and care for them even in their gereatric years!!! Most will not
want the lifelong expense of a dog beyond it's years of reproduction. That is completely against
everything I believe in. These danes are our family and they deserve pampering forever!
All our danes are fed the best quality food! Feeding $60 a bag food does not show evidence
of being in it for the money, nor does the tens of thousands spent on them for their comfort
and safety! If I was in it for only the money, I would not have taken Zeus to the vet the day he was
going to go to her just to make sure he was fine and I also had hip x rays redone
for her to check to make sure they still showed no signs of hip displaysia!
Nor would I have driven four hours to get him back at their demand.
I would have just said I didn't want him back...let them take him to a pound, it will be more
convenient for me! I would never think of any of our babies not coming home to us! It is hard
find homes where they will get the love, understanding, hugs and kisses that they are used
to having here!!
I would be very happy to have anyone call me or my many references, past customers,
veterinarians and anyone who has been to our farm to get a real picture of what we have
here and what our danes are all about. My danes are our family and we do what is best for
them. I do not know how she could have signed a sales contract and still think that she
can just get her money back at anytime without one shred of evidence that the dog wasn't
perfect!! She said that she read the contract many, many times and she knew what it said
and the health guarantee etc.
I don't know of any business that would even think of returning every purchase price when the
product was perfect and the people just decided after the purchase that maybe their home
wasn't "conducive" for a dane as Teresa told me in her own words! Or that the product
showed too much of the good qualities that the product was know for?? I stand behind all of
my danes, but some restrictions apply and this is one case! Dave I am sorry that you had to
give up the love of your life on four legs because of your jealous two legged friend!
Are you SURE you made the right choice?