Great Dane Training

The history of Great Danes is unclear with stories varying from the breed originating in Tibet as part of the Mastiff family and others depicting Great Danes originating from the Irish Wolfhound or Greyhound families.

It is clear that Great Danes have been around for a long time as much loved and loyal companions for people. They have been used for many tasks during their history such as guarding castles, pulling carts and participating in battles. They have also been used in hunting due to their speed and intimidating size. Great Danes make good watchdogs and their size alone is enough to scare off any would be intruder. They are known as gentle giants and have a sweet, affectionate nature.

Some Things to Consider Before You Buy a Great Dane

Great Danes come from the working dog family and are used to a lot of physical exercise. They require very long walks (1-1/2 hours every day) and many people take them as companions when riding a bike or jogging. If you are not at home very much and have little time for dog walking you might want to consider a smaller dog breed that requires less attention.

Great Danes are giant dogs and you will need space in a yard for your pup to roam about in. You will need a good strong fence to keep your Great Dane inside. Your puppy will get bored just as easily as any other puppy so you will need to provide it with interesting toys to play with while you are out. If your puppy decides to dig a hole, it will be a big one!

Great Dane Training tips

• Due to their sheer size, it is a good idea to start training your Great Dane pup as early as possible. Any time from around eight to twelve weeks is acceptable.

• You might want to start with basic skills such as teaching your dog to respond to its name when called, being able to sit, come, wait and drop when told to.

•  Leash training is also a good skill to start early, including walking happily and tolerating being tied up.

• Disallowing your Great Dane puppy to jump up at any time is a good practise to get into. Although this may seem harsh to begin with you will not feel good about your dog jumping up on a child and bowling it over. Some serious damage could be done.

• From an early age you will need to let your dog know who is the boss. In the case of large dogs this is particularly important as a large dog with dominance issues can be a serious problem. As cute as it might seem to have your giant puppy taking up all of the lounge room chair, it will be a difficult problem to rectify when your puppy is a fully grown giant. Make sure your giant puppy never sits higher than you or it will learn to believe it is the dominant dog in the pack. You definately don't want this!

• Positive reinforcement for doing the right thing is paramount and timing with treats will really cement your dogs undestanding of when it's doing the right thing.

• Don't use aggression such as hitting or yelling, to scold your dog. All this will do is create fear and your dog will not respond well if it's scared of you. Using a stern voice will help to clarify your dogs understanding and you will find that your Great Dane puppy wants to please you. It will catch on providing you are clear about what you want it to do. Consistency is the key to training any dog.

We strongly recommend Dove Cresswell's video lessons to learn more about training your Great Dane. Click below to try a free lesson now.