This is my Great Dane, called Mocha.
After being a dog owner my entire life, having multiple breeds, and the fact that I currently own a Great Dane of 4 years of age, I am qualified to give my opinion on the dog breed: Great Danes. This review will be particularly helpful for those who are considering bringing a Great Dane puppy into their family. Great Danes are a fantastic breed which require much exercise and attention, in comparison with other breeds which may be considered more self-sufficient; however, Great Danes are ‘gentle giants’ and bring love, cuddles, and affection into my family.
Caring for Great Danes
Great Danes can be a handful. Although they have short fur, they are not hypoallergenic and do shed. This requires daily brushing and vacuuming or sweeping depending on the type of flooring. Their nails grow at a fantastic rate. We usually cut our Great Dane’s nails twice a month to avoid having the dog biting at her nails. Additionally, they are a big breed with a lot of energy. This requires at the very minimum, one long walk per day and multiple adventures into a gated backyard. Although, two or even three walks per day is ideal as Great Dane puppies in particular have a lot of energy and the potential to destroy a neatly organized room. Caring for Great Danes can be time consuming, and requires someone to be home every few hours.
In addition, Great Danes will grow to be big, muscular, and high-energy dogs. Females can grow to weigh anywhere from 120 to 140 pounds. Males can grow to weigh between 140 and 160 pounds. Additionally, when on their hind legs, they can reach a height of over 6 feet tall. A dog this big requires training. It is not enough to teach it to only come to its name. An owner of a Great Dane must ensure that the dog knows that they are in charge. To do this, obedience school is recommended. The Great Dane puppy must learn to sit, stay, and lay down on command. In addition, it will be useful for the puppy to learn to speak or not speak on command. This will help with house training and ensure that when out on a leash, when the dog gets excited, that you as the owner maintains control over the situation.
‘Gentle Giants’: Love, Cuddles and Affection
Despite being a lot of work and requiring a lot of training, Great Danes can be one of the most loving, cuddly, and affectionate dog breeds. Although Great Danes are “huge” they often do not recognize their size and may try to sit on your lap as if they were a lapdog. Although they certainly are not a lapdog, Great Dane’s snuggle close expecting to be pet and loved on. My Great Dane can often be seen snuggled on the couch next to a member of my family and expecting them to pet her. Conversely, my Great Dane may be found on the carpet or floor on her back, expecting a belly rub. Great Danes are loving and affectionate dogs who love cuddles.
Although I did say that puppies are high-energy, can get excited, and require training, as Great Danes age they do calm down and become known as “gentle giants”. Although once a rambunctious puppy who could destroy a room in five minutes flat, with training and maturity, my Great Dane calmed down. Instead of barking at the mailman, she now spends most of her days enjoying a nap. Although she does require a walk or two in addition to multiple adventures to the backyard, she rarely jumps and runs. Whereas a puppy she would jump and tackle a person coming in the door out of excitement, as a mature Great Dane she now wags her tail patiently with a toy in her mouth, waiting to be pet. As a mature dog, a Great Dane, despite its size and energy-level as a puppy, is now gentle, loving, and calm.
A Warning to First Time Dog Owners
A first time owner may be intimidated by the size and force that the muscular dog has. Additionally, due to their size they are often clumsy. In fact, 90% of injuries from Great Danes to children are not from biting or aggressive behaviour, but rather are from clumsiness. Great Danes are like baby deers. They have trouble grasping their size. They may throw a small child against the wall with a swing of their mighty tail in a bout of excitement. This is not a malicious attack, but rather a symptom of immaturity and a lack of discipline. All of this can be fixed with obedience training. Even so, Great Danes can be extremely protective and it may be beneficial for young families to wait until their children are a little older before purchasing such a big dog which requires significant training.
If you want my recommendation, a Great Dane can be a rewarding companion, but buyer beware: Great Dane puppies are a lot of work, but as mature dogs are incredibly loving and gentle. Great Danes, due largely to their size, should not be bought as a spur of the moment purchase. Careful consideration should be paid to factors such as: availability of the owner, time and money to spend on obedience school, patience level, whether you live in a house or condo, and whether you have small children. Great Danes should only be purchased by experienced dog owners who are not intimidated by the thought of training and the extensive time commitment.
Unfortunatly, 45% of Great Danes purchased from breeders are given up to shelters and humane societies due to the family’s inability to train and care for the dog. Please, if you purchase a Great Dane, do so with the information that you will be spending extensive time training and that the dog may not become the sought-after “gentle giant” until they are older. Great Danes are a loving breed, but do require a lot of work; for me, I wouldn't trade Mocha for anything.
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