Are Great Danes Good For First Time Dog Owners?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Their drool and size might be daunting, but

Danes are excellent companions for first-time owners and apartment dwellers

. Energy Level: Low-medium, Danes need to stretch their legs a few times daily but otherwise are very relaxed in home. Coat Type: Short and easy, Great Danes don’t require much upkeep.

Are Great Danes low maintenance?

Despite their towering size,

Great Danes are comparatively low maintenance pooches

. Their size can actually be a benefit, making them one of the few low maintenance outdoor dog breeds, as opposed to small dogs that may need to be kept indoors for safety reasons.

Are Great Danes easy to own?

The Great Dane is sweet, eager to please, people-oriented,

easy to housetrain

, and responds well to training using positive reinforcement. Like many giant dogs, Great Danes are short-lived. Great Danes require a lot of space. Even though they make great house dogs, they need a lot of room just to move around.

What is the calmest dog to have?

  • English Bulldogs. It’s easy to write these hefty pups off as lazy, but English Bulldogs welcome the frequent exercise they need in order to stay trim. …
  • Great Pyrenees. …
  • French Bulldogs. …
  • Bichon Frises. …
  • Greyhounds. …
  • Scottish Deerhound. …
  • Golden Retriever.

Why you shouldn’t own a Great Dane?

This is a massive dog, and the breed does have some pretty prevalent health issues. This can mean some enormous vet bills.

This breed is very susceptible to bloat, which is when the stomach turns over on itself

. Bloat is life-threatening, and it requires emergency surgery.

Are Great Danes destructive?


Great Danes can easily destroy anything they choose to

– all Dane owners know this. If your Dane is being destructive (and is not teething or suffering from separation anxiety), it means he’s bored. Too much energy and not enough outlets equals a nice chew fest.

Are Great Danes cold natured?

With short coats and lean builds,

Great Danes are sensitive to frigid temperatures

. Your gentle giant can handle a winter chill for the length of a walk around the block, but she needs a big, cozy dog jacket if your wintry excursions last more than a few minutes.

Can Great Danes be left alone?

All Dogs should always be supervised when around children. Most of the time Great Danes are couch potatoes and have short periods of activity and require a couple of short walks a day along with a period of off leash time to run and play in the yard. However,

some Danes can be destructive when left alone

.

Do Great Danes chew a lot?

Training your Great Dane not to chew on things in the house is important to both protect your valuables as well as keep your dog safe. Unless you nip problem chewing in the bud fast, you will find that these large dogs can be quite destructive.

Chewing can lead to: Damaged furniture, rugs, flooring and even drywall

.

Are Great Danes hard to train?

So, are Great Danes easy to train?

Great Danes are fairly easy to train

since they are generally quite lovey-dovey and eager to please their owners. They aren’t the most intelligent dogs and they can be stubborn, but with some patience and consistency, Great Danes can be trained into well-behaved gentle giants.

What is the sweetest dog breed?

  • Labrador Retriever. Advertisement. …
  • Greyhound. …
  • Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. …
  • Golden Retriever. …
  • American Pit Bull Terrier. …
  • Old English Sheepdog. …
  • Irish Wolfhounds. …
  • Collie.

Do Great Danes shed?


Like most dogs, Great Danes will shed

. And despite sporting a single coat, they’re classed as moderate to heavy shedders. While their coats shed less fur than double-coated dogs, the Dane is the largest breed in the dogdom. As such, more dog means more potential for shed fur.

How do you pick a calm puppy?

  1. Talk to the owner. Ask about appetite and eliminations. …
  2. Observe the litter mates in action. Do they all play together or is there a quiet one that retreats to a corner? …
  3. Survey their overall appearance. Do the puppies’ coats shine? …
  4. Watch them move.

Are Great Danes nice?


Great Danes are considered gentle giants

. They are moderately playful, affectionate and good with children. They will guard their home. Great Danes generally get along with other animals, particularly if raised with them, but some individuals in the breed can be aggressive with dogs they do not know.

Is it better to get a male or female Great Dane?

Female Great Dane Overview

Since

female Great Danes mature faster than males

, they are thought to be easier to train. You can hold their attention longer during training sessions. They’re calm, loving, and affectionate dogs that do well with children and are gentler during play than males.

Are Great Danes safe?


Great Danes are great family pets that can do well in the right environments, as long as they have enough space to move around

. While they can be protective and somewhat stubborn, Danes can do well with most families that have had dogs before.

How do you discipline a Great Dane puppy?

The best way to discipline your Great Dane is to

firmly tell her no and then withhold what she craves most: your attention

. On the flip side, reward her for good behavior right away. Positive reinforcement is one of the most effective training techniques!

What’s it like owning a Great Dane?

As stated, Great Danes are

highly social and want to do right by their owner

. If they’re spending a lot of their lives alone, they don’t get to spend it being sociable and interacting with the people they love. More so than many breeds, Danes can become very anxious when left by themselves for extended periods.

What are the pros and cons of Great Danes?

Is a Great Dane an outside dog?


Great Danes adapt very well to indoor living and can even adapt to a large apartment, so long as they have plenty of opportunity to get outside

. If you let them, they’ll enjoy snuggles on your lap as much as any toy breed.

How fast can a Great Dane run?

Top Speed:

30 mph

Great Danes can push their bodies but they aren’t very good at running long distances. It’s important to provide them with plenty of water and breaks when running long distances. A fully-grown Great Dane can reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour.

Are Great Danes smart?


Great Danes are average intelligent dogs

. And according to Stanley Coren, they’re ranked the 88th smartest dog breed for their obedience & working intelligence. But what makes the Great Dane a highly intelligent dog is their hunting instincts and ability to learn for themselves.

Are Great Danes inside dogs?


Great Danes are people dogs

and are quite happy curled up on their bed within the vicinity of their family. A Great Dane can live as an outside dog but cannot be people deprived. They will seek the company of their humans and if it is not available, may show signs of anxiety or destructive behaviour.

Can Great Danes sleep on the floor?


As long as your dog knows that they are safe and taken care of, they can sleep just fine on hard flooring and pretty much anywhere and everywhere

. This reason may seem an odd one but many dogs are actually soothed by the vibrations they feel while laying on hard flooring.

Do Great Danes lick a lot?

These gentle giants are prone to separation anxiety and obsessive behaviors like licking and chewing at their skin. For this reason,

Danes are one of the most common breeds that can have acral lick granulomas

– chronic, self-inflicted areas of hair loss and reddened skin.

Diane Mitchell
Author
Diane Mitchell
Diane Mitchell is an animal lover and trainer with over 15 years of experience working with a variety of animals, including dogs, cats, birds, and horses. She has worked with leading animal welfare organizations. Diane is passionate about promoting responsible pet ownership and educating pet owners on the best practices for training and caring for their furry friends.