Great Dane Obedience & Training Guide

The Great Dane, also known as German Mastiff or Danish Hound, is noted for its giant size, Great Danes are commonly referred to as "The Apollo of All Breeds."

They are one of the tallest dogs and George, the current world record holder, measures 109cm (43 ins) fro paw to shoulder and 22cm (7ft 2ins) from head to tail. The previous Great Dane to hold the record as the tallest living dog was Gibson who was 3 1/2 feet (106.7cm) tall at the withers and 7ft 1ins (215.9cm) when he stood on his hind legs.

Great Danes combine a regal appearance with dignity, strength and elegance and a powerful, well-formed, smoothly-muscled body.

They are gentle giants who are well-disposed towards other dogs, pets and humans

Training Great Danes

Training a Great Dane can be a lot of fun and does not have to be a chore. Like any other breed you will need patience and a positive attitude when training your dog.

Great Danes do not learn commands as quickly as some other breeds so you need to be consistent in everything you are teaching him, including walking on the lead. Like every other breed they need to be walked and must learn quickly to walk on the lead. There are times when you will have to have total control because of their huge size.

Walking your dog for for half-an-hour a day is a necessary part of training, not only to socialise him but also for their health and well-being and to stop him getting bored.

Despite their size Great Danes are not as energetic as you think, a daily walk, some fun playtime and a few longer runs a week once their bones are properly formed will keep your dog fit and happy.

Great Danes are excellent guard dogs and are quite happy living in a house as they are relatively inactive indoor but once fully grown they do require plenty of exercise.

Despite their size these dogs have a gentle disposition and are utterly devoted to their owners and will give them a lifetime of friendship and love.

With proper socialisation Great Danes will play happily with any breed of dog, even ones as tiny as the Chihuahua, without doing them any harm.

When training your Great Dane

• Use simple, clear one-word commands
• Consistency is the key to successful training
• Teach him the five most important basic training commands: Recall or come, heel, sit, stay and down.
• Make sure you start socialisation training when they are young, ideally when they are 3 months old.
• Make sure your dog learns to wear a collar with ID tags so he can be returned to you if he gets lost, and it is a good idea to have him micro-chipped.
• Walk him using a 6 ft lead, not a retractable lead as these are not suitable for Great Danes
• Teach your dog to walk beside you, not in front or behind you.
• Do not allow him to pull, if your dog is inclined to do this use a head halter for training as it increases control without hurting him.
• Make sure you walk at a good fast pace, your dog has long legs and likes to stride out.
• Praise your dog every time he does what you want.
• Always take water for the dog on long walks in warmer weather.