Character & Temperament

The Great Dane is a giant with a heart of gold. Her personality is characterized by a strong bond with her family. They are extremely people-oriented and love being close to their loved ones. Learning to stay alone can be a challenge for the Great Dane because he doesn't like to be separated from his family. With the right training, they can learn to stay alone for short periods of time. The Great Dane is generally not particularly sensitive to stimuli, but rather shows a calm temperament, especially in adulthood. However, when it reacts to a stimulus, this reaction can be more violent due to its size and strength. The Great Dane is intelligent but can sometimes be stubborn, which is due to its independence as a hunting dog. When fighting wild boars, the ancestors of the breed ultimately made their own decisions. Their imposing size as well as their strong protective instinct and vigilance make them natural guardians, although they are usually not overly aggressive in their territorial motivation.

What Awaits You

Great Danes are considered calm and sensitive dogs. They are often described as unsafe, so appropriate breeding and socialization is important. Great Danes have a rather short life expectancy.

Housing & Care

Keeping a Great Dane requires space. Due to their size, they are not necessarily suitable as a city dog ​​unless you have a sufficiently large, single-story home and access to large green spaces. It is only suitable to a limited extent for dog beginners, because you should deal intensively with the husbandry requirements and the correct training in advance. The Great Dane is generally tolerant of other pets, especially if they are properly socialized from an early age. They sometimes show amazing patience and care towards children. However, they often cannot estimate their own size and strength, which is why they should only have contact with children under supervision.

Training & Education

Great Danes are intelligent and eager to learn, but training them requires patience and consistency. It's important to start socialization and training early, as an untrained Great Dane can become a real problem with his strength. Your Great Dane needs to learn early on not to be too rough with people and other dogs. Learning frustration tolerance and impulse control is also crucial for the Great Dane to promote balanced behavior. Positive training based on rewards is particularly effective. It is also important not to overwhelm the dog as this can lead to health problems. With interactive retrieval training you can put a Great Dane to good use. She can also let off steam physically, for example by having to pull the dummy out of a pile of heavy objects. You should avoid sports like agility to protect your joints.

Nutrition & Care

Great Danes require a balanced diet based on their specific needs as a large breed. High-quality food with an appropriate ratio of protein, fat and carbohydrates is important. Due to their susceptibility to gastric torsion, feeding should be done in smaller portions throughout the day and should not be played after feeding. In terms of care, the Great Dane is relatively easy to care for. Their fur is short and dense, without an undercoat. They shed moderately, but regular brushing helps remove loose hair and keep the coat clean. The climate in Germany is generally suitable for Great Danes, although they may need shelter in extremely cold temperatures.