With a giant body and a personality to match its hard not to notice this giant dog breed. The Great Dane was developed over 400 years ago in Germany, where it was traditionally use for bore hunting (very few other dogs could bring down a wild bore). They were a popular breed for the upper class serving as prestigious guardians for estates and carriages. Now nicknamed the "Gentle Giant", they are known for their calm and gentle demeanour.

They make peaceful, affectionate and loving pets that are easy to live with if you love big dogs!

I would say that this breed would be an intermediate level of experience and education. They are easy to live with if you know what you are doing and have time to dedicate to training and socializing them properly. They are in the mastiff family so are slow growing and maturing, meaning they stay mentally young longer then faster maturing breeds like German Shepherds (for example). They can take up to 2 years to fully grow their massive bodes as well which can be quite delicate when they are young. Extra care must be taken with their diet when they are young, they are best kept lean while growing as their is massive strain on their joints and bones which are growing by the day it when they are puppies. You also must make sure they are getting the right amounts of nutrients as excess or deficiency in certain important minerals and vitamins can contribute to abnormal orthopaedic growth.

Training should be similar to other breeds of puppy and I would always advise a group puppy class to get you started and then seeking further levels of training with a professional as needed. Special care must be taken when socializing this breed as they can be prone to genetic nervousness which can make them difficult to handle given their large size. They also are in the mastiff family and can be protective, I would make sure when selecting a puppy that you seek out a good breeder. A breeder who pays attention to the type of temperament that they are producing and actively works towards it.

Manners can be especially important for these big guys and things like jumping up should be addressed right away. Leash pulling as well can be a big one as many of these dogs will outweigh their owner. Early training with food (the dogs meals not treats) should be part of your daily routine with your dog. Teaching the basics like sit and down but also thresholds (waiting at doorways) should be mandatory to prevent accidents (ie your or someone else getting knocked over). Crate training can be a challenge because of their massive size, I would still strongly encourage that you find (or have one made for you) a large enough crate that can be used for at least the first year. It will make training and management so much easier for both of you.

Please contact us if you need help with your Great Dane.

I always advocate finding a professional if you are dealing with resource guarding. Below I have attached a video about how we deal with it here.