Recall for Great Danes is the difference between you screaming at your Great Dane while they run off at the terrified mailman and you enjoying a nice, peaceful walk.
Coming when called is arguably the most important skill you can teach your Great Dane.
Having off-leash freedom means that your dog will be able to move, explore and exercise without the use of frustrating physical restraints such as long leashes, harnesses and collars.
Does your dog:
Bolt out of doors
Jump fences
Run away
Ignore you when you say ‘COME!’, often blowing you completely off?
Make you chase them
Lunge and pull on a leash
Have to always be on a long leash
This post is for you. We’re going to show you how to take your Great Dane from running away to being completely OFF LEASH!
RECALL FOR GREAT DANES: BUILD A FOUNDATION
Good recall starts with a good foundation.
Use positive reinforcement to teach your dog that when you say ‘COME’, good things happen!
Positive reinforcement means treats, praise, play, fun, games, attention, affection and access to things such as freedom, a car ride or a room they want to be in.
Practice in a low distraction area such as the living room or backyard.
Don’t let your dog off-leash until you know you can count on them.
Incorporate food rewards heavily if your dog is learning.
Never scold your dog for blowing you off; you’ll only teach them to run farther (and faster) away from you next time.
E-Collars work by causing a barely perceptible muscle stimulation that feels like a tickle or a twitch, which is much more gentle than the constant pressure and restrictions offered by a harness or leash.
E-Collar training is one of the most responsible and humane things you can do as the owner of a giant breed dog! Think of it like a walkie-talkie; with it, you’ll be able to communicate even when you are in a noisy environment (the beach) or your dog is far away (on a hiking trail).
Even if you think modern E-Collars are ‘abuse’ (they aren’t) and even if you plan to use ‘only’ positive reinforcement (works for some dogs, not all), we encourage you to read and learn!
We do not stand behind the practice of using cheap shock collars on ‘beep, vibrate or shock’ as an easy-button training method. If you are waving a remote at your dog as a threat so they stop and run away, you’re doing it wrong. The goal is to make your dog WANT to come to you.
Quality E-Collars are typically $175 or more. They are waterproof, rugged and use modern technology.
Cheap shock collars from Petsmart and Amazon are not the same and cannot be used for this.
We use and recommend E-Collar Technologies. The Mini-Educator is a perfect simple easy-to-use collar, while the Easy Educator is great if you have multiple dogs.
The sensation from this collar feels like ants crawling around or a gentle tapping. It does not hurt or punish. This stimulation is so gentle that dogs are enthusiastic and responsive at levels that humans cannot feel.
HOW E-COLLARS WORK FOR RECALL
E-Collars work by giving the dog a tactile cue to return to you.
Instead of shouting COME, your dog will feel the sensation and run to you. It should not make them feel afraid or fearful.
In the introduction phase, the dog is taught through positive reinforcement that the neutral muscle stimulation means treats, praise, play and fun. Because they have a positive association with this new sensation, they are enthusiastic and want to learn!
For dogs that are more interested in the environment than coming when called, the stimulation can be used at a higher level. This higher level will get their attention, exactly how you may have to turn your cell phone up, or how somebody may have to shout to get your attention at a loud concert.
When your cell phone rings, you answer it. The ringing may be mildly annoying but is not painful or punishing. Answering it makes the sound go away, and you are rewarded by the voice of your friend on the other end of the line. A modern E-Collar is a cell phone, a long leash is a land line, and a dog wearing nothing at all is a liability.
GETTING STARTED
We are linking some resources below for you to get started with E-Collar and recall training for your Great Dane! Before you get started, we encourage you to watch as much positive E-Collar content (two trainers we recommend are below) as possible, and work with a modern E-Collar trainer who uses positive methods.
Here is a video of a trainer (Tom Davis, Upstate K-9) using an E-Collar on a client so they can see how ‘shocking’ it is. Fast forward to 2:52 to see that part of the video, especially if you are new to E-Collars or believe they will hurt!
Teaching recall to a dog using an E-Collar with Tom Davis:
Positive-Balanced Great Dane Trainers
Larry Krohn is an expert on modern E-Collar use. All dog owners should watch his content.
Larry Krohn on Youtube, demonstrating the E-Collar on his daughter:
Larry Krohn’s book, ‘Everything You Need to Know About E-Collar Training’
Today we are giving you our detailed, unpaid Halo Dog Collar review! The Halo Collar is a dog training collar that in theory, allows your dog to be off-leash anywhere you go. If you’ve found this popular post on our site, awesome! That means you are a dedicated pet owner looking to safely and humanely get your pup off-leash. We love that!
People are interested in the Halo Dog training collar (and now the Halo 3 for dogs) because it offers something no other device has yet: automated boundaries for your dog using a phone app. Allow me to clarify:
The idea is amazing. Put this Halo Collar on your dog, draw a boundary on a map in the phone app, and the collar will keep your dog inside of the boundary (with some training, of course!).
Imagine the possibilities! This is an idea that many people have asked about but no company had done gracefully yet. Many other similar boundary collars and invisible fences for dogs are clunky, huge, and unreliable. Underground boundary fences can be hard to install (not to mention expensive!). Worse, many other off-leash training fences utilize painful shocks that cause dogs to scream and fear being in the yard.
The Halo Dog Collars are marketed as a modern, more humane, and more effective alternative to traditional invisible shock fences.
The difference between a Halo 3 collar and an invisible fence is huge.
We were DEFINITELY intrigued and know that a lot of Great Dane owners are asking about Halo, Halo 2+, and Halo 3 Collar reviews.
This is our review of the HALO dog Collar by Cesar Milan. Is this a Halo Collar buyer beware, or a Halo Collar buyer buy it? Read on, friends…
Does the Halo 3 Dog Collar Shock the Dog?
The Halo Dog Collar uses tone, voice corrections, and stimulation.
Stimulation is an electrical current that causes the muscle to twitch. Think of this like a tactile sensation, no different than leash tension or touch. When used at low levels, muscle stimulation can be used as a positive tactile communication. This sensation is not the same as ‘shock’ and should not cause negative associations or feelings for dogs that are trained properly to understand what it means.
On the other hand, when used at high levels, muscle stimulation is an aversive sensation that can be used as a correction. However, at low levels, it is an incredible tool that replaces leash tension.
Think of it this way:
Shock = sharp poke with a stick Low level stimulation = gentle leash pressure High level stimulation = stronger leash pressure + squeeze pressure from a collar
Shock (which is intended to be painful) and stimulation (which is intended to be a gentle tactile sensation) are two different things.
While Halo pet collar did NOT pioneer modern stimulation like what is used in E-Collar technologies e-collars, they are using stimulation (not shock) in the Halo, Halo 2, and Halo 3 collar. Modern stimulation collars are the ONLY kind we recommend, so Halo gets 5 stars from us for this!
Halo Dog Containment Systems Reviews – What is the Halo Dog Collar?
The Halo, Halo 2, and Halo 3 Dog collar is an automated E-Collar. It uses sound, vibration, and electronic stimulation to teach and reinforce invisible boundaries. This can keep your dog safe while off-leash!
Imagine this. You create a virtual fence using the Halo App on your phone. In this example, you might draw a map that is meant to keep your dog on your front lawn.
As your dog approaches the boundary of the edge of the lawn, the collar lets the dog know that they are nearing it. If the dog chooses to disregard the first communication, the collar can use stimulation (a form of pressure) to discourage continued movement towards the boundary. It will then reward them for turning away from the boundary (back onto your lawn, yay!).
From what we understand, the user has a lot of control over how corrections are implemented and used. This is very helpful because every dog is different!
The collar will, with training, keep your dog inside of that invisible fence. This could be very helpful technology! We definitely like the concept.
If your dog gets out of the boundary that you set, despite warnings and corrections, a feature it built in that will allow you to find your dog with the included GPS tracker. This is a nice feature.
The Halo collar retails for nearly $1000 (yes, you read that correctly!) but is occasionally seen offered at around $699.
2023 Update: The Halo 3 has been released with updates to the GPS capabilities and overall build.
Is There a Monthly Fee for the Halo Collar?
Yes, there is a monthly fee associated with the Halo Collar app.
We have noticed that it’s something many buyers are VERY surprised by!
The monthly fees to use the required app are an additional cost. Without a paid monthly subscription, the features of the Halo Dog Collar are very limited.
The Cesar dog collar comes in two colors and three sizes; the largest size Collar expands to 30.5″ and may or may not fit a giant breed dog. Measure your dogs neck before ordering!
Now, if you have spent any time on our site, you know that we support ethical, positive, and humane E-Collar use.
We are not going to have any issue at all with the concept of the Halo Collar as an electric training device. Keeping a dog safe by using tactile electric communication is one of the most gentle, humane, and responsible things dog owners can do.
How Well Does the Halo Collar Work?
The idea behind the Halo Collar is that it automates boundary training. It’s kind of like a modern ‘invisible fence’.
The Halo marketing department focuses heavily on this tool easily giving dogs off-leash freedom anywhere you go. How cool would it be to go camping, and be able to keep your pup on your campsite?
It’s important to note that all training devices require diligent training and conditioning. The Halo, Halo 2, and Halo 3 are no exception. Do not expect to put this collar on your dog and be quickly and easily safely off leash anywhere you go.
Because it works on GPS and a phone APP, your dog’s safety relies on the system not experiencing a technical failure of some kind.
As with ANY training tool, it also relies on your ability to follow the training instructions and work with your dog on a regular basis.
If the Halo 3 collar gps system is functioning and you’ve spent time teaching your dog how to respond to the communications from the Halo Collar, it can absolutely work beautifully!
The Halo Dog Collar by Cesar Milan
People are Talking: Real-Life Halo Dog Collar Reviews
Unfortunately, there have reports from people that their smart off-leash dog collar has broken, stopped functioning, doesn’t work, and is cheaply made.
A lot of people on Youtube cite that the original Halo collar is made primarily of weak plastic parts which may fail and leave your dog unprotected. Halo made improvements to their dog off-leash collar with the Halo 2, and we are optimistic that the Halo 3 is a game changer!
JUNE 2022 UPDATE: We’ve read that Halo has supposedly completely fixed and updated many reported issues.
If you are looking to purchase a Halo Collar for your dog, you should in theory feel much more confident in the newer model. We are giving this some time before updating our review with information about the quality and consistency of the newer version.
GPS Automation Failures on the Halo Wireless Fence
There have been some reports out there that the GPS aspect of the collar, on the original and currently updated version, can at times be unreliable. This is largely related to the nature of technology and GPS.
Normally we say to stay away from cheap shock collars….but this device isn’t cheap! We believe that a solid amount of technology and research has gone into this device.
How the Halo Dog Training Collar Works
IF the Halo collar is actually functioning properly with a strong, reliable GPS connection to the ‘fence’ you built in the app, you do still have to work on training.
Don’t be made to believe that this is an ‘easy fix’ to a well-trained dog.
Proper conditioning and training are important with any training tool, including harnesses, so this is to be expected. However, this training should be fun and easy!
The Cesar dog collar functions by using a tone or audible voice and then static (muscle stimulation) to remind dogs to turn away from a boundary.
The company does say you have to train your dog how to respond to the collar, and the app walks you through the process. It’s automated, but not automatic.
Once your dog understands how to respond to the communication from the collar, you should be able to draw a boundary and have your dog understand it, almost anywhere that you go.
The collar will issue sounds, verbal communications, and static stimulation as needed to direct your dog into the boundary.
Is the Halo Collar Worth It?
The price of the Halo Dog Collar is premium, there is no question about that. For some dog owners, this is cost prohibitive. A simple long leash can accomplish a similar thing for much, much less.
As before, we are hopeful that recent updates to their device will give millions of dogs a valuable opportunity to be off-leash! The Halo Collar may be the ideal solution for you if:
You don’t have a fence
You regularly visit people where there is no fence
You like to go camping and want your dog to stay within a boundary of the tent site
You want a simple, user-friendly training tool
You don’t mind automating parts of your off-leash training
You have a dog that likes to learn, likes to be near you and already has a least a basic recall
Your pet is not reactive or aggressive, or has reactivity that is well managed
SUMMARY
Now that you’ve read our Halo Dog Collar review, would you buy one?
Do we think you should buy a Halo dog collar?
Do we believe that the Halo 3 for Dogs is a solid update to what was previously a somewhat unreliable product?
I am optimistic in my belief that the Halo Dog Collar is a great choice for many pet owners. We LOVE that they no longer focus so much on their relationship with Cesar Milan (a very controversial dog trainer), and that they are continually improving their products.
The main reason we’d recommend a HALO collar is for people who cannot build a physical fence around their property and want something slightly more flexible than a traditional invisible fence.
Halo Dog Treats Reviews
Are Halo dog treats legit? Some people confuse the Halo Collar with the Halo dog food and dog treats company.
We do not recommend Halo Dog food, but the treats may be ok!
Great Dane puppies start off small, sleepy and sweet. It’s only a matter of months before they are larger than most dogs (80-100 lbs by 6 months of age) and able to accidentally hurt somebody.
Because they are so large, they also lose their ‘puppy license’ early.
In public, many people may assume that they are adult dogs and have higher expectations of them in regards to their behavior.
WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU SHOULD TRAIN YOUR PUPPY?
A Great Dane puppy that pulls, lunges, runs out of doors and ignores commands is an absolute handful to deal with, and that can all happen before they begin to reach sexual maturity (a whole other ball of wax that includes typical teenage shenanigans, among other things.
Basically put, if you wait until your puppy is 4-5 months old before attending a training class or working on anything other than ‘sit’, you’re in trouble.
THE 5 ESSENTIALS FOR PUPPY TRAINING
Here is our list of 5 Things ALL Great Dane Puppies should know by 6 months of age!
Given that most puppies are already 2 months old when they come home, you have 4 months to install calm, confident behavior. Put that work in now and it will pay off!
POTTY TRAINING
CRATE TRAINING
LEASH TRAINING
BASIC OBEDIENCE COMMANDS
PUPPY SOCIALIZATION
In order to train a puppy, pet parents need to be vigilant with training sessions, create a puppy training schedule, and begin training soon after they bring their new puppy home.
POTTY TRAINING A NEW PUPPY
The first of five things that puppy parents are responsible to help their new puppy learn is potty training.
Potty training requires their puppy to begin learning that they cannot pee and poo inside the house, but rather finding a potty spot outside.
Training your puppy to potty outside is not always as easy as it sounds. Young puppies have natural behaviors and learning impulse control for when and where to potty is something that puppies learn over a few weeks time.
Start training your new pup to go outside to go potty right when you bring them home. House training a new puppy can be difficult, but if you are consistent in your efforts, your puppy will catch on quickly.
Pet parents can potty train a puppy with puppy treats and lots of positive reinforcement. Spend longer periods of time outside with your new pup, if possible. Using food rewards, begin training your puppy where you would like them to potty.
We do not recommend putting your puppy’s nose in their pee while they are potty training as this could confuse them and teach your new puppy that you are the dominant one and they are powerless.
CRATE TRAINING A NEW PUPPY
The second of the five things that all puppies should learn is crate training. Crate training a new puppy is important for several reasons:
It creates a safe space for your puppy to stay when you are not able to supervise them. Puppies have a natural denning instinct and will often seek out a small, cosy space to rest in.
A crate can provide that for your puppy when they are first learning to stay calm and relaxed in your home.
Crating your new puppy will set the puppy’s life up for success by teaching them that not everything in the world is for them to chew on or play with. Puppies are notorious for chewing and getting into things, so crate training can help to manage that natural puppy behavior.
Crate puppy training can also be used as a management tool when company comes over or if there is something going on in the house that is too stimulating for your new puppy. It allows you to have peace of mind knowing that your new puppy is safe and not getting into anything they shouldn’t be.
It is important to start training sessions with your new dog on the leash as soon as possible. Your pup will probably show aversion to the leash at first, but dog’s learn quickly that a leash usually equates to something fun!
Using a food lure, show your dog that you’d like them in a sitting position, then you can put the leash on to your pup.
Show them how to walk politely. If your dog likes to jump ahead, slowly begin training your dog basic manners on the leash.
Never allow a puppy to pull or learn that pulling ‘works’. This may mean adjusting your expectations: puppies do NOT need long walks, so it’s generally fairly easy to avoid practicing poor leash skills.
Loose leash walking is largely a socialization issue: puppies that are generally understimulated (bored), anxious and fearful or over-excited by the environment tend to pull, whine, lunge, jump and try to run.
PUPPY SOCIALIZATION IS RELATED TO LEASH TRAINING YOUR PUP
Put the time in now to reinforce engagement, calm behavior and staying nearby.
As above, calm leash manners are largely related to proper socialization. Confident puppies that are desensitized to the world are much less likely to be pull like a freight train, a behavior that is often driven by anxiety or excitement.
Check out our blog post on Great Dane puppy socialization for more tips! That said. even well-socialized, calm and confident dogs can quickly learn that pulling gets them where they want to go. You still need to train the correct behavior and reinforce appropriate leash skills EARLY and often.
FUN LEASH GAMES THAT CAN BE PLAYED FOR THE ENTIRE LIFE OF A DOG
Reward your puppy for eye contact several times. When your puppy is engaged and interested, turn your back.
When your puppy comes to the front to find you, say “YES!” and give a treat. Turn your back again and take a step away.
The puppy will come to find the treat, say “YES!” and give a treat. Make this FUN! Work up to turning your back and walking all over the house. A puppy that has been taught this fun game will follow you and stay close.
This is early loose-leash walking with engagement (eye contact)! Practice this game in your living room, in the backyard, and on a long leash (15+ feet) in the front yard.
Make it fun, exciting, and increasingly more difficult for the puppy to ‘keep up’ with you! *If your puppy seems uninterested, try playing this game later in a lower distraction area. A boring bedroom for example, and use HIGHER value treats to start. Make sure your puppy has also had enough play time AND nap time.
THE WITH ME GAME – EARLY FOUNDATION FOR HEEL
Some people call it ‘with me’, others call it ‘heel’.
Position yourself so that the dog is on the side you want to build the behavior on (most people choose the left side for the dog). Keep the leash in the hand OPPOSITE your puppy.
Put a high value treat in your fist and hold it in front of your puppies nose. They will sniff and as you walk forward, they will walk with you.
Practice this many times until you can eliminate the ‘lure’ of your fist, take several steps and then reward your puppy for walking next to you. Remember to use a lot of praise directed to your dog all throughout training!
In a matter of weeks, with consistent practice, you’ll be able to walk with your pup, all over your house and turn left or right and your puppy will stay glued to your left side without frequent treats and without lures. Deliver rewards more and more sporadically as the behavior becomes stronger.
Practice this skill everywhere. Indoors, in your yard, in your front yard, in a training class, in a park where children and other dogs are there to generate distractions, at a pet-friendly store.
Start easy and work your way up!
BASIC OBEDIENCE COMMANDS
From the very day your adorable new puppy comes home, reward eye contact and engagement as often as possible. Basic commands can be taught by doing activities where your pup learns that it is fun to stay engaged with you! You are your dog’s advocate. Dogs learn by having fun. Keep training sessions short and get active with training your dog.
TRAINING YOUR PUPPY TO COME
If your puppy comes to you, PRAISE! YES!
The practice of seeking out your attention and your eye contact is VERY important and one that will pay off if you spend a lot of time rewarding it.
THE LOOK AT ME GAME
Have your puppy or dog sit or engage with you.
Say ‘LOOK!’ and hold a treat by your eye. When your puppy looks at you, say ‘YES!’ and deliver the treat. This activity is training your new pup that eye contact is a positive!
As your puppy understands, fade out the treat lure and just point to your eye, then eventually fade out pointing to your eye and just say “LOOK!”.
You want your puppy to automatically make eye contact with youwhen you say the word “LOOK” or when you say their name.
This skill is phenomenally important when you want (or need) to redirect your puppy back to you.
ENGAGEMENT GAME TIME
Toss a treat away from you, just a few feet away.
The puppy will run and grab it, let them have it.
Be energetic and say your puppies name. As SOON as your puppy turns their head back to you, say “YES!” and then reward your puppy with a treat.
Play this game several times in different places. Toss the treat farther away, to the side, etc. Make this fun!
TEACH YOUR DOG TO TOUCH YOUR PALM WITH THEIR NOSE
Teach your puppy to boop their nose to your open palm. This is an excellent ‘alternate’ behavior that can be used to redirect your puppy away from other dogs, people and even barking.
To teach ‘touch’, hold your hand open. Your puppy will probably go to sniff or see what you have. Immediately say “YES!” then offer a small treat.
Practice this behavior for no more than a minute, and then use it often at home.
When your puppy clearly understands that touch always means ‘touch the hand’, you can make the game more complicated by moving your hand into different places.
Between your legs, up high, down low, etc.
If you see your puppy start to focus on something, try the TOUCH command. With practice, you’ll find that it’s a really valuable tool for redirecting your dogs attention away from something and back to you.
PUPPY SOCIALIZATION
Basic commands go alongside puppy socialization. You do not need to attend group classes with your dog to have the perfect pup, although you can certainly get your pup with other puppies if you want to.
To keep your puppy engaged, practice some skills that will help them in the real world.
One of the biggest ‘socialization’ mistakes people make is allowing excited, squealing humans to greet their puppy. This either terrifies the puppy (making them fearful and aloof towards strangers) OR makes them extremely jumpy and wiggly when greeting people because they associate the experience with elevated excitement levels.
Neither version of that is a good look for a 100+ lb adolescent Great Dane!
Practicing calm greetings early are essential for creating dogs that can meet people and go anywhere without fear, nipping, jumping, peeing or other submissive (belly up) & excited behaviors.
CALM GREETINGS GAME TIME
Contrary to popular belief, your puppy does NOT have to meet every person and dog that comes along.
Many people do not like dogs, and some especially do not like large dogs that pull hard to come at them! It’s also true that many dogs do NOT like other dogs, so it’s important to teach your puppy how to ignore dogs instead of pulling to get to them.
One of the most important skills you can teach your puppy is that people and dogs are everywhere, and that’s all there is to it.
BONUS: this is great for socialization!
PEOPLE WATCHING
Sit on your lawn or in a park and just watch people walking by. Watch a variety of people on bikes, carrying children, walking dogs, pushing strollers, etc.
Watch, and use your ‘LOOK’ and ‘TOUCH’ commands to encourage your puppy to focus on you, not on the environment.
Note: If your puppy is fearful OR excited, move farther away from where people and dogs are and keep practicing. You’ll eventually be able to move closer, especially if you are consistently rewarding your puppy for focusing on you.
SAY HELLO TO NEW FRIENDS FROM AFAR
Have a friend stop to greet you from afar. Say hello and have a little chat, but have your friend IGNORE your puppy.
This helps teach the puppy that they will not be greeted by every person or dog who comes along.
Remember to redirect your puppy back to you with LOOK and TOUCH, and back up several feet from your friend if your puppy cannot focus on you.
Over time you’ll not only be able to move closer, but your friend will be able to greet your puppy!
CALM GREETING PRACTICE
It’s much easier to teach calm greetings with dogs that are well socialized (have calmly watched tons of people and dogs walk by) and engaged with you. Keep building that foundation.
To practice calm greetings, keep your puppy on a leash, and have your friend approach.
If your puppy tries to jump and pull, choose one of the following:
Ask for a LOOK or TOUCH, if those behaviors are very strong
Immediately do an about face. You can say ‘uh-oh’ and turn and walk AWAY.
With practice, your puppy will learn that jumping and pulling means they will NOT be allowed to greet people and dogs, and that approaching calmly is the key.
If your puppy has already been allowed to practice jumping and pulling to greet people and dogs, this behavior can be difficult to work with…especially when your puppy is 75lbs and counting!
HIRING A DOG TRAINER
We highly recommend you find a highly qualified trainer to help you if you are struggling!
When meeting strangers, do NOT be afraid to advocate for your dog! Say “I’d love to have you greet my dog, can you please help us?”
You can give them a treat to give your puppy, and tell them that you want your puppy to calmly wait while they approach. They will reward the puppy with a treat and your puppy will learn two things: calm behavior = attention from humans AND food!
Such a great lesson.
GO TO YOUR PLACE
Teaching a puppy to ‘go to a mat’ is easy to do and creates a behavior that can be taken anywhere.
You can use a yoga mat, towel, or elevated surface (KLIMB platform or Kuranda Cot) for this.
If your puppy can calmly lay on a mat and ignore distractions, you can take your puppy anywhere and they will have the mat to keep them calm and contained when needed.
Imagine how valuable this skill could be while having guests over, visiting family, sitting in the vets office or even camping!
This skill is especially helpful for excited dogs that have a hard time settling.
PLACE SKILLS GAME TIME
One of the most simple ways to create early mat skills is to integrate the mat from day one.
Put the mat or elevated surface in the room and randomly leave treats on it for your puppy to find.
This particular version is especially helpful if you want your dog puppy to have a dedicated lounging space in your home.
For creating a more portable mat situation, try this.
Place the towel or cot on the floor. Immediately reward your puppy with a “YES” and treat for investigating.
Then toss a treat AWAY from the mat. Your puppy will chase the treat and then come back. As soon as they come near the mat, sniff it or step on it, say “YES” and offer another treat.
Repeat this game until your puppy learns that coming onto the mat is VERY rewarding.
Add the ‘FREE’ and ‘MAT’ commands.
Say FREE and toss the treat away from the mat. Then when the puppy comes back, say ‘Go to your mat’ and reward the puppy for putting all four paws on the mat.
Work this skill up to the puppy actually laying on the mat. Step away just a bit then reward again.
Gradually you’ll be able to walk away from the mat and have your puppy calmly stay on it until you say FREE.
SOCIALIZATION HOLES AND GAPS
Holes in your socialization and training will become very, very clear when your puppy is around 6-9 months of age. It is around that point where fearful behavior, aggression, barking, pulling, and ignoring recall and other commands can become a real problem.
It’s extremely important to install as many positive, calm skills as possible when your puppy is young!
Even the best training will be challenged by an adolescent puppy; anticipate that at some point, your dog will attempt to defy all of these things that you’ve spent hours teaching.
It is at that point which you need to continue teaching, continue reinforcing, and continue managing behavior so that your puppy has more successes than failures.
VACCINATIONS
We do not recommend waiting until your puppy is fully vaccinated to begin socialization and training!
Training classes should begin as soon as possible. Most trainers will have puppies begin class at 10 – 12 weeks of age; they are well aware of risk and will keep a clean and sanitized facility.
If you are worried about disease, you can hire a trainer to come to your home and teach you and your puppy valuable early skills.
Puppies are so sleepy at first that many people think they have an ‘easy’ puppy.
The puppy does eventually ‘wake up’ but the bad habits and poor socialization skills have already been installed.
This problem paired with the size and power of Great Danes is a big reason that so many end up surrendered in their adolescent months.
Choose only ethical breeders with a lifetime return guarantee (no dogs in rescue, ever) and make sure that you understand the responsibility that comes with owning, and being loved by a Great Dane.
Puppyhood is a time to set your dog up for success in life, not just the next few months.
Chew toys, chew toys, and more chew toys. Your puppy is going to want to chew on EVERYTHING.
Make sure that you have an adequate supply of safe things that your pup can chew on during training. A chew toy could help your pup learn what is right and wrong in regards to chewing.
TRAINING A PUP TO GROW UP INTO A RESPONSIBLE DOG IS NOT ALWAYS EASY
Puppy training tips are everywhere, but ultimately puppy training comes down to owners being willing to dedicate time, patience, and consistency to the process.
You need to be willing to:
Set limits
Create a schedule
Stick to that schedule
Provide plenty of chew toys
Make sure your puppy has plenty of socialization opportunities
Take your pup to training classes
Remember, your puppy is counting on you to help them grow up into a well-behaved, responsible dog. Don’t let them down!
Potty training Great Dane puppies comes with a BIG responsibility. A Great Dane puppy gets big fast, and a big puppy means big pee!
Great Dane puppies are the BEST! That is, until they drop a squat and let loose on your carpet.
Again.
and again.
If you are searching for tips on the potty training process for your Great Dane puppy, you may be struggling. So here you have it: the ULTIMATE guide to housebreaking your Great Dane puppy!
New puppies have very little bladder control, and no clue they need to pee until the pee is actually coming out.
The BIGGEST secret you need to know for potty training you Great Dane puppy is this nearly impossible task: don’t let your puppy make a mistake.
Consider this a fun game where the loser has to clean up poop: you want to avoid your puppy peeing or pooping in the house and practicing that behavior at all costs.
HOW TO HELP YOUR GREAT DANE PUPPY MAKE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF PEE ACCIDENTS POSSIBLE
You can manage this situation and lower the chance of a mistake happening by being diligent.
Here are some ideas:
Make sure your puppy is always being supervised. If you have to keep your puppy on a leash near you, that is ok! The puppy should not have much freedom until they demonstrate maturity. If your puppy walks off and is snooping around somewhere, QUICK! Take her out.
If your puppy cannot be supervised, they need to be ready for a nap and sent to spend time in a crate or x-pen. Dogs naturally don’t want to pee on their bed! Keep crate time no longer than the recommended age between potty breaks mentioned above.
POTTY TRAINING GREAT DANES USING PEE PADS
Skip the expensive and wasteful pee pads. Those literally teach a puppy that peeing indoors is ok, and make potty training take longer. No thanks!
Avoid accidents by skipping the potty pads and instead train your Great Dane to go to the bathroom in a designated area outside the house.
IN ORDER TO POTTY TRAIN GREAT DANES YOU NEED A TRAINING PROCESS
At first, you need to take your puppy out to pee every 20 minutes. Set a timer if you have to. These short spans between potty breaks will quickly grow longer as you learn how long your new puppy can ‘hold it’.
Get ahead of the curve and take your puppy out BEFORE they show signs that they need to pee! By then it’s probably too late.
POTTY TRAIN A GREAT DANE BY TAKING A POTTY BREAK OFTEN
It’s also helpful to automatically take the puppy out to pee after:
a nap
a meal
a play session
a training session
crate time
There are fun and silly ways to make this a good time for everybody. For example, pick a phrase somebody in the house tends to say a lot, or a common word such as ‘TV’ or ‘dog’. Every time they say it, they HAVE to take the puppy out to pee!
USING TREATS
Pet owners of baby Great Danes should begin using treats often to provide positive feedback and good behavior.
Fill your pocket up with treats. Go outside with your puppy. No being lazy here! Get out there, especially if it’s snowing or raining (your puppy will appreciate your confidence!).
Praise when they start to pee and then throw a treat party when they are finished.
Stay outside for a few minutes; chances are your new puppy has to pee again. This too is a quick phase and the puppy will quickly learn to fully empty his bladder. Until then, be patient.
Treat and praise some more.
USING POTTY BELLS
During potty training you can use bells to teach your dog to go to the bathroom outside from a young age.
Potty bells are an amazing tool. This inexpensive item from Amazon can be hung from a doorknob.
Every time you take your puppy out to pee, first ring the bell. Teach the puppy to touch the bell with a nose in exchange for a treat.
Then open the door and go out for the fun pee outside time.
The puppy will learn to use this as a signal to you that they want to go outside.
Gradually add time between required potty breaks. Continue to treat and praise.
Be consistent. One day, your puppy is literally going to go to the door, ring a bell and ask to be let out. Make a HUGE happy fuss about this and let your puppy out!
SHOP BELOW:
USING DOMINANCE
People used to advise puppy parents to take their puppy’s nose to their mess and rub their nose it whenever their pup or dog relieves himself in the house.
This kind of ‘training’ makes the trainer feel powerful and the dog feel powerless, which is a terrible reason for using it as a training method.
Shouting, scolding, correcting and scaring a puppy like this will not only erode trust, but may actually backfire on you when your dog is fully grown.
A puppy that has been taught to associate pee smell with punishment is a puppy who may hide pee behind furniture or in laundry. Ooops.
Puppies have NO idea that pee or poop is ‘gross’, and they have no clue why you’d want them to do that outside. Cut your puppy some slack here and instead train your Great Dane the desired behavior and other basic commands with positive training and patience.
CLEANING UP ACCIDENTS
It’s super important to thoroughly clean any accidents that do happen.
One way to make sure that the pee smell sticks around is to try and bury it with heavily scented carpet cleaners and ‘pet stain’ removers. Those rarely work well and don’t destroy the proteins.
First, clean out as MUCH of the mess as you can. If the area is extra bad, rent a carpet shampooer and rinse the area several times with hot water first.
Once you’ve removed most of the soil, apply a generous amount of Skout’s Honor and allow the flooring to air dry. Re-treat if needed.
It’s nearly impossible to potty train without some hiccups. Every dog is different! Some require MUCH more supervision and time than others. It may be helpful to temporarily put away expensive area rugs. Pro tip there!
TEACHING THE RIGHT PLACE FROM THE WRONG PLACE TO POTTY
This is actually the second piece of the potty training puzzle. A puppy needs to first learn to pee outdoors for reward. With consistency and praise, they also develop bladder control and learn what it feels like just before they have to pee.
Once they learn that they will begin to alert you. It’s not something you can teach, it comes with maturity, time, and finally understanding that all pee and poop needs to be outdoors.
We highly recommend using potty bells! This gives the dog a very clear way to say ‘let me out’. An independent dog is a happier dog, so learning where to go potty and having less accidents will help your pup feel better about their life.
MY PUPPY PEES A LOT. LIKE REALLY, A LOT
Young puppies dribble more than they pee and will usually have to pee multiple times each time they are taken outside. However, excessive peeing and not being able to hold it are signs of UTI.
Chat with your vet! UTI’s are surprisingly common and need to be treated.
Puppies also poop a lot. Sorry, that’s just a fact. They will regulate themselves more as their digestive system matures.
Potty training a Great Dane requires MANY potty breaks outside, and will likely have many accidents inside as well. Training a pup or dog with any skill requires patience and time.
CRATE TRAINING DURING POTTY TRAINING A DOG OR PUP
You can use crate training to minimize the dog from having an accident inside, help your dog feel safe and secure, and to speed up the house training process.
Crate training is an essential part of having a dog, and it can be used in helping raise a successful Great Dane puppy. If you are about to start potty training, you should invest in a large crate as well as an X PEN for play time and baby gates for safety and training for your new dog.
This can be common with puppies that were raised in a puppy mill or with a breeder that didn’t keep the whelping space clean.
Or, you just have a puppy that doesn’t really care! That can happen too, just as some humans don’t mind mess.
In general, dogs do NOT like to soil their bedding or near where they eat, so try the following to troubleshoot.
Make sure the crate is small enough. If the puppy has too much space, they will find room to pee. They should be confined enough that pee would get on the bedding, which they don’t want.
Make sure your puppy has had plenty of opportunity to pee before being put in the crate. It may really just be that your puppy had to go. Reference the rule about about appropriate time between potty breaks based on age.
IT’S RAINING AND SNOWING AND MY PUPPY WON’T GO OUT
It’s not uncommon for puppies to dislike cold and wet weather at first. Be positive and KEEP trying. Bundle up. Put puppy in a jacket. Hold an umbrella. Anything to show the puppy that potty training is NOT NEGOTIABLE.
Plan ahead if you are going to potty train a Great Dane puppy in an apartment. House training in ANY home requires that you get your dogs outside with ENOUGH time that they do not need to panic. Give yourself lots of time in those early days to walk all the way out of the house or apartment so that you avoid pee in the hallways or on you walk downstairs.
WORKING LONG SHIFTS
If you are away from home 8+ hours/day, a puppy may be a difficult choice to have made.
This is the time when it’s worth the expense to hire a dog walker to stop in often, or have your puppy stay with a friend who is home during the day.
Potty training your Great Dane will take much longer if you are away from the house all day and your dog is required to hold it all day long.
Most puppies will resort to peeing in their crate and ultimately will take an enormously longer time getting potty trained.
Some people may recommend that you limit water intake to make potty training easier. After all, a puppy won’t have to pee as much if they don’t drink so much! To that, we say YIKES.
Here are reasons you should NOT limit water when potty training.
The puppy may learn to hoard, gulp, or guard water in the future. Keep in mind that guarding and hoarding is a dangerous behavior, and gulping may contribute to bloat risk.
It’s bad for their kidneys and overall gut function and health to not have access to fresh water at all times.
Puppies need to be well hydrated to be able to concentrate and learn.
A dehydrated puppy is a constipated puppy, which will make housetraining that much more difficult.
A dehydrated puppy is a sick puppy.
Overall, just don’t do it.
LEASH TRAINING A NEW PET IN RELATION TO GETTING THEM POTTY TRAINED
Believe it or not, getting a Great Dane comfortable with their leash is important in regards to training a Great Dane the right and wrong spot to pee.
A good dog will know that they should pee outside and not inside. And, logically, in order to go outside and be successful, Great Danes need to be able to walk on a leash without being too scared, destructive, or anxious.
Here are some tips to get your Great Dane used to their leash:
Start off training your Great Dane with a short leash in your backyard. Let them get used to the feel of the leash around their neck and you walking behind them.
Use treats to get their attention and make sure they are walking by your side and not in front of you. Practice going on short walks around your neighborhood.Make sure to praise them and give them treats when they are doing a good job.
If they start to pull, ask your Great Dane to sit and wait.
Make sure that time spent on leash with your Great Dane is not play time.
Next, train your Great Dane to wait at the door. This is an important step in leash training and will make sure that your Great Dane doesn’t bolt out the door every time it opens.
Leash training any dog is not an overnight task. For more tips on how to train a Great Dane on leash, be sure to check out this blog: LEASH TRAINING
If you have a Great Dane, you know that they are unlike other dogs. They are fascinating dogs who steal everybody’s heart!
Great Danes are fascinating creatures, but like any other dogs, accidents happen and learning something new takes time and consistency.
Use a lot of positive reinforcement, love and time and watch as your dog gets better at the little things, right before your eyes!
Seriously. Potty training takes time, patience and consistency. There is NO easy way out, but the more consistent you are the faster your puppy will learn! Hang in there and have fun with your puppy!
Great Dane puppies are like little gremlins!!!! Even though Great Dane puppy biting is very normal, but can be very hard to handle. If you are ready to learn how to stop Great Dane puppy biting, you’ve come to the right place.
They bite, gnaw, growl, tug, grab your clothes, and dig their tiny little needle teeth into your arms and hands.
YOUCH!!! But your Great Dane puppy is so cute and snuggly too. It can be hard to understand how they can flip a switch and go from cute ball of fur to aggressive beast, but it’s actually nothing to be concerned about!
Many people worry that a biting Great Dane puppy may be trying to ‘be the boss’ or will turn out to be an aggressive dog, but neither of those things is actually true. Read on to learn why it is all apart of the puppy biting stage and how to stop biting in your Great Dane puppy.
Why Do Great Dane Puppies Bite?
Great Dane Puppies bite to learn how to control their jaws, to develop appropriate social skills, and because it’s hard to learn the difference between fingers and chew toys.
Watch a pile of Great Dane puppies play! Puppy bites is what they do to each other! One will wrestle and bite each other while the second one makes as many sounds as it can for a few minutes before the little guy bites back!
When the first Great Dane yelps, they back off for a minute.
The Great Dane puppy that bit learned that the bite was too hard, and both puppies just learned a valuable and important social interaction. These Great Dane puppies are acting as one another’s pet trainers!
Exposing puppies to this natural and proper training is a valuable part of their puppy biting development.
This is an important part of your Great Dane puppy’s development. When a Great Dane puppy isn’t given this time with their litter (until 8 weeks of age) they may have poor bite control.
When you bring your 8 week old Great Dane puppy home, they don’t WANT to stop biting. Like any breed, Great Danes thrive on play, training, toys, and attention. Positive reinforcement is very helpful when it comes to teaching safe alternatives to puppies biting.
Is My Great Dane Puppy Aggressive?
Great Dane puppy bites are completely harmless and come from a place of just wanting to find relief from their energy. It’s RARELY aggression and it’s never related to dominance.
Immaturity though? Yeah that’s a big culprit behind puppy biting!
At first, they don’t know or care about the difference between YOU and the other dogs from their litter. It is completely normal behavior to see a small puppy biting, gravitating to chew toys or having ‘puppy energy’.
All your Great Dane puppy knows is that biting is FUN. Chances are you are actually encouraging the behavior by mistake!
A common mistake many puppy owners make is to believe that their bitey, growly, crazy puppy is trying to dominate or “be the boss”. Nothing could be farther from the truth!
How to Stop Great Dane Puppy Biting
Here is our list of ways to minimize and STOP puppy biting.
You must be consistent and make sure everybody in the family does the same thing.
As always, be sure to speak with a highly qualified balanced dog trainer if you notice your Great Dane puppy act aggressively, bite people excessively, or if you cannot get your puppy to stop biting.
Start implementing these tips:
Remain calm
Be boring and encourage good behavior by demonstrating calmness yourself
When biting starts, cross your arms, turn your back and walk away
Use crates, gates and leashes to prevent the behavior and teach appropriate play
Know the signs: the ‘witching hour’ and being over-tired after long hours of play tends to make puppy biting worse!
Redirect calm puppies to an appropriate chew such as toys, a toy rope, a treat, or a game to play.
Practice training by keeping your Great Dane away from other dogs who might act aggressively
Likewise, encourage your Dane pup to engage with friendly dogs in a safe environment
Put your over-tired Great Dane in a crate with a frozen stuffed Kong toy or treat
Teach a settle/go to mat behavior in order that they practice the training method of remaining calm and to stop biting
Teach your Great Dane the primary skills: sit, down, touch, stand, leave it and wait
Bonus Tip: Teach the “Enough” Command
When your Great Dane puppy is playing with you, calmly say ‘ENOUGH’, then praise and offer a toy or treat.
Enough will quickly become a cue to use in training that implies you want your dane pup to ‘disengage’!
This will allow you to play with your Great Dane so they can practice putting teeth on you (which is good for their social and bite pressure development), AND gives your puppy a new skill that is very helpful when they are bigger.
Always remember that even though Great Danes are incredible dogs, they are still a massive size, even for ‘dane dog lovers’, so it is crucial to begin training at a young age.
While you are learning how to play with your Great Dane puppy, keep in mind that everything you do is either reinforcing (encouraging) or reducing (discouraging) certain behaviors. Think about what you want your Great Dane puppy to be like as an adult.
Common Puppy Biting Training Mistakes
Yelping DOES work to interrupt the behavior, and for most puppies it’s ok to do.
For some puppies, yelping can actually encourage biting! Yelping makes you sound like a squirrel or fun squeaky toy, which may make the puppy more wound up and interested in the biting game.
When a puppy in a litter yelps, they tell the other puppy ‘ouch, too hard‘. Not necessarily ‘STOP, don’t do that again!’. Keep that in mind. Yelping works, but don’t expect miracles or a quick stop to puppy biting.
NOTE:some puppies are frightened by yelping. If your puppy cowers, tucks tail, pin ears or runs away focus on building, no eroding confidence and trust. Sometimes the ‘yelp method’, ‘using loud noise’, ‘or the sharp cry method’ can actually create fear which can create the behavior of puppies biting harder.
#1 – Shoving, Tugging, and saying “NO”
This is a common, natural response to puppy biting!
When you shout, say ‘NO’, tug your clothes, try to run away, and shove the puppy off you actually REWARD the behavior by making puppy biting super fun. OOPS!
Dog’s LOVE to play and a dane pup can confuse you running away as a ‘biting people game’, which may make them want to bite more.
Be calm, boring, indifferent and REMOVE your attention from the dane pup. Walk away. Sigh. Stand still. Turn and walk the other direction. ANYTHING to show the pup that you lose all interest in them when they bite.
#2 – Alpha Rolls & Pinning
Some people will recommend that you pin your Great Dane to the ground until they calm down, and will say that doing so establishes ‘dominance’ with dogs.
We do NOT recommend this.
Alpha rolls are an aggressive form of training that can teach Great Danes (and all dogs) to fear you, fear your hands, and respond with increased aggression, frustration and confusion.
This could result in increased bites, unnecessarily rough play, and VERY frustrated Great Dane owners who are dealing with increased bites or aggressive, fearful and frustrating behavior in their adult dogs.
This outdated method is considered ‘woo’ by actual behaviorists and well-educated dog trainers.
At worst, it’s dangerous and at best, informed dog owners and most professionals are frustrated that people and even some ‘trainers’ continue to perpetuate this misguided concept.
A much safer and more fair alternative is to remain calm, walk away, and provide your Great Dane with a toy or treat.
#3 – Pinching, Tapping, Whacking, Kneeing, and Thumbing
Pinching the puppy, shoving a thumb down his throat, or whacking or tapping him on the nose is the fast track to making sure that your Great Dane is more likely to be resistant to teeth brushing, nail trims, veterinary care and coming when called.
Seriously, don’t do this. We cannot believe we have to say this. Great Danes are a sensitive breed and will have serious repercussions if handled with a human who demonstrates aggressive tendencies.
#4 – Spray Bottles
This method may work, and it’s a ‘quick fix’, but tread cautiously.
Dogs trained with spray bottles may become resistant to spray medication, baths/showers and even being outside in the rain. Plus, like many of the other methods above it teaches your dog to avoid you and run away, NOT engage with you.
If the only way your dog is controlled is if you keep spray bottles around the house as a threat, they aren’t fully trained.
As above, we believe there are better ways to work with your dog.
Good News About Puppy Biting
Puppies outgrow this behavior. Unless you’ve been accidentally rewarding it with a lot of shoving, running, tugging and attention most puppies stop doing it once they are more mature.
You do not have to live with this behavior until it goes away. As above, use crates, gates and leashes to prevent the behavior and separate yourself from a wound-up, biting puppy.
Prevent puppies from practicing this behavior, especially on children.
Spend lots of time teaching and rewarding appropriate behaviors such as touch, sit, down, leave it, and ‘go to your place’.
Warning Signs of Aggression in Great Danes
Some people are concerned that their puppy is actually aggressive because of how rough they bite and play. Playful puppies can bark, growl and be extremely noisy!
Most puppies are not actually aggressive.
Puppy biting is not a form of aggression. However, occasionally a puppy is wired wrong or has deep-seated fear aggression. Here are the warning signs that a puppy is aggressive, not playful.
Low growl
Stiff body, tense
Hackles up
Snapping or biting when a hand approaches their food, toy, or bone
Showing their teeth/grimace
Stiff tail wags or tucked tail
Ears pinned back
Turning the head away before biting
Not showing playful body language (bouncing, bows, loose body, loose tail, fun and cute play barks and play growls).
If you are unsure or are seeing signs that alarm you, seek out the help of a highly qualified trainer.
Puppy Biting & Ethical Breeders
Puppies from ethical, diligent quality breeders and robust well-tempered pedigrees are less likely to develop aggression, are easier to train and will be much more confident and mature when they come to your home!
Puppies that leave their litter prior to 8 or even 10 weeks of age tend to be much more difficult to train. This includes having problems with potty training, puppy biting, overall bite inhibition and confidence.
Do not let your breeder convince you that a puppy is ready to go prior to that point.
Your Great Dane is bored. It’s true. Many Great Danes are bored, and frustrated pet parents see the symptoms as a sign of disobedience or dominant behavior.
This is important. Most people imagine their Great Dane should be a couch potato, content to lounge all day. They kind of are. They do like to lounge! Most will happily park themselves on a couch given the opportunity. They don’t need the same kind of intense working and exercise that a herding dog or terrier might need. But they are still dogs, and I think we all tend to forget that.
Great Dane Signs of Boredom
Imagine a life inside a home. You cannot see friends, watch TV, read a book, work on a hobby or go for a walk. This is the life most pet dogs are living.
A few toys scattered about and a quick 15 minute walk really isn’t fair, nor is it enough.
Boredom is something that plagues many pet dogs, not just Great Danes. All of us get stuck in a routine and forget that our dogs are living their lives alongside us, and have different needs than us, too.
Do any of these common ‘complaints’ accurately describe your dog?
Boredom, frustration, confusion and anxiety are key factors with dogs that are destructive, out of control and difficult to live with. Not ‘Dominance’ or being ‘defiant’ or ‘stubborn’.
Dog Behavior & Boredom Go Hand-in-Hand
SO many difficult behavior problems are minimized or even eliminated when you solve issues related to boredom, anxiety, and a lack of sleep.
Stir crazy, under-stimulated, over-tired anxious dogs are really hard to live with.
Any good dog trainer worth their salt will address most behaviors by first assessing the routine and what kind of access the dog has to appropriate mental enrichment and exercise.
Destruction, digging, chewing, getting into the trash, barking and hopping the fence are all signs that a dog literally doesn’t have any appropriate outlet for the correct behavior.
They are saying, in dog language that they are BORED.
Enrichment Ideas for Great Danes
Are you ready to tackle boredom and common behavior problems?
Even just a few minutes per day can go a long ways here. If you have more time on the weekend, save that for the big stuff. During the work week, compromise where you need to and make up for it later. That’s ok to do!
#1 – Unstructured Walks
Instead of structured walks on pavement, consider also adding unstructured walks that involve sniffing, exploration, and moving naturally on varied terrain such as grass, sand and gravel. (This can help their feet too!)
This DOES mean getting off your property; remember, your backyard is not a novel or interesting environment.
In this situation it is incredibly important that your Great Dane be a calm, gentle, and friendly ambassador of the breed. This is NOT a good activity for Danes that lunge, pull, bark, or are fearful or aggressive.
It’s also important that the stores you visit are truly dog friendly! Only service dogs (who are task trained to assist with a specific medical condition such as seizure alerts or blind navigation) are allowed in most stores. If you are unsure, call the manager to ask in advance, and always err on the side of caution.
Sit at a park on a blanket and watch people and dogs walk by.
Not only is this activity mentally engaging, but it socializes your Great Dane by allowing them to realize that they can be ‘in’ the chaos without being apart of it.
People watching is also a great opportunity for you to work on your obedience training with your dog! By using positive reinforcement, you can teach your dog that engaging with you is much more fun than lunging, pulling, barking, or reacting towards people, dogs, bikes, and children.
Use clicker training and teach your Great Dane a new trick each week.
Clickers are a fantastic tool that work by communicating to your dog the exact moment they do something you like.
Many people think that clicker training means clicking at the dog with the clicker to get their attention. This is completely wrong!
Clicker training starts by teaching the dog that when they hear a click, they get a treat.
Click, treat. Click, treat. Click, treat.
With a little practice, you can then begin to CLICK when your dog completes a behavior such as sit, paw, down, or touch. For example:
Sit, Click, Treat. Sit, Click, Treat.
or
Touch, Click, Treat. Touch, Click, Treat.
The dog learns to ‘work for the click’ because clicks = good things! Clicker training aids in providing your dog with clarity and precision, which means they learn more, faster.
Take a class together. Learn how to stand for the show ring (conformation class), work up to your Canine Good Citizen (obedience) title and then go a step farther into Rally Obedience.
There are MANY amazing sports and obedience classes that you can take through local training clubs that will help you build a better relationship with your dog and possibly even provide you with a fun new hobby.
Here are some ideas:
Basic, intermediate, and advanced obedience
Conformation (how to act like a show dog)
Rally (Obedience course)
Dock Diving (Dive off a dock for a toy)
Scent Work (Learn how to find things by scent tracking)
Agility (Athletic course)
Lure Course (Running quickly after a lure)
Trick Training
#6 – Learn Scent Work with Your Great Dane
This goes hand-in-hand with taking a class, but you can also learn to do this at home with youtube videos.
Scent work is an incredible way to work your dogs mind.
Dogs have an amazing sense of smell and within a few training sessions, most dogs are able to find ‘hides’ (scent) that are just out of sight.
It only takes weeks from that point to teach them to find scent that is well hidden! If you enjoy the process and your dog is good at it, you can even earn ribbons and titles together.
Some handlers are paid very well for dogs that can scent track things such as bed bugs or drugs, and many are even used in search and rescue efforts.
#7 – Fitpaws & Body Confidence Training
Purchase some FITPAWS or other dog fitness gear and learn how to use them to teach your Great Dane better balance, coordination and body awareness.
These are fun and can be used in your living room or backyard. When used under the supervision of a canine rehabilitation specialist, they can also be incredibly helpful for building core strength as well as building strength in the toes and ankles.
Because standing on the FITPAWS is basically a dog trick, using lots of positive reinforcement is key. This will wear out your dogs mind and body!
If you don’t have FitPaws, watch Youtube videos online for dog coordination exercises.
Have your Great Dane eat meals out of a puzzle feeder.
This will slow down their eating, reduce their risk of bloat, provide them with better digestion, and wear their brains out, too!
Puzzle feeders come in so many shapes and sizes. Experiment with what works well for your pet.
If you don’t want to spend money on bowls to clean and wash, you can roll your dog’s kibble up into a towel! They have to forage to get it out and will love ‘working’ for their dinner.
Stuff rubber KONG or West Paw Topl toys, freeze, and let your dog figure it out!
Here are some popular dog Kong or Topl stuffing ideas:
Kibble (hydrate with bone broth)
Peanut butter (take it easy with this one)
Pumpkin
Plain yogurt
Canned dog food
Make sure that you only replace 5% of the normal diet with treats, toppers, and stuffing. Your dog does NOT need a Kong filled to the brim with peanut butter, in other words! Rehydrated kibble is always a good choice, as it’s part of the normal diet and gives you a base upon which you can be creative.
For example, smear peanut butter inside before stuffing it with the canned food or rehydrated kibble, then add a treat for the dog to find in the middle!
Freezing the Kong or Topl before serving will make it last longer, and can be a great activity for dogs that have separation anxiety.
#10 – Play Hide & Seek with your Great Dane
There are many ways to play with dogs, and hide and seek games are perfect indoor activities for those not-so-nice weather days.
You can play hide and seek by hiding in another room or behind a curtain and then rewarding your puppy or adult Great Dane for finding you! This fun game also builds on recall (staying close and always looking where you are), so your dog will have better off-leash skills out of the home, too.
You can also hide toys or treats for your dog to find around the house, and make doing so a fun daily part of the routine.
#11 – Introduce a Flirt Pole to Your Great Dane
For dogs aged 2+, you can introduce a flirt pole.
Flirt poles tap into natural prey drive; dogs love to chase, circle, and ‘catch’ the lure on the end.
However, a flirt pole is an incredible alternative to laser pointers. It results in the same fun behaviors and play, but unlike a laser, the dog can actually ‘catch the prey’ and is less likely to develop obsessive or compulsive behaviors.
Flirt poles can also be used as a reward as part of a positive training program.
Don’t expect any miracles here, at least not straight away.
A dog that has made a habit of chewing up beds and hopping fences is a dog who has made these things part of the routine. Adding a TON of enrichment will help, but many times this also requires thoughtful training and management.
Get creative here! Get ahead of the curve and keep the enrichment activities coming. Work with a highly qualified trainer to change or even eliminate the behaviors that are unacceptable.
Even just one new enrichment activity is bound to get even the most wound up dog to settle more!
If your dog is currently showing signs of boredom and anxiety, don’t stress! Jump in, change your routine and go from there.
Socialization for Great Dane puppies is SO important! Puppy Culture is a dedicated socialization program that good breeders use on puppies from birth onward to ensure that their puppies are stable, friendly, and resilient. Finding a breeder who participates in Puppy Culture is a good thing!
Many people believe that puppy socialization means taking them to the pet store and the dog park. However, doing so can actually cause the puppy to have bad experiences and become more fearful!
This is especially true for Great Dane puppies that may have come from breeders who are not focused on developing sound and stable temperaments.
Good socialization is actually a combination of positive experiences, exposure to different sights, sounds and textures, and a keen understanding of how to utilize small amounts of stress to build confidence and resilience.
Socialization is how you teach dogs to live in our world. They learn to be confident, because they know that everyday things (other dogs, people, sounds, textures) aren’t going to hurt them.
Confident, well-socialized dogs are calm, easy to train and free of aggression, fear and frustration.
What is Puppy Culture?
Puppy Culture is a written protocol for socializing puppies before they leave the litter at 8-12 weeks. Good breeders will use this protocol, even though it requires a LOT of their time.
We talk a LOT about choosing ethical breeders, and this is one reason why!
Quality breeders socialize puppies a lot before they go home with you. This helps keep dogs OUT of rescues and shelters, and helps to make sure that the dog you welcome into the family is positive, friendly and free of aggression.
What is Involved in Puppy Culture?
Puppy Culture goes beyond exposure to grass, tile, and other dogs.
To give you an example of a non-Puppy Culture (but standard) approach, some breeders will allow their puppies to play in the grass outside and be exposed to children or farm animals. They will keep the puppies in an enclosed space and let them poop or pee at will. These breeders may attempt to trim their nails, but will do little else to expose the puppies to handling, experiences, or otherwise.
Puppy Culture breeders, however, will:
Handle the puppies all over, often, and may even employ ENS (a form of early stress that has been shown in studies to increase resilience)
Introduce teeth cleaning, exams, and nail trims early on and often
Introduce crates and early hygienic potty habits
Create times where each puppy is alone and away from the litter
Expose the litter to everyday sounds in the home, including vacuums, hammers, and hair dryers
Work on their engagement with humans and desire to stay close and recall
Use positive methods to work on bite control/puppy biting and prevent resource guarding type behaviors
Create safe obstacles for the puppies to overcome, such as ramps, tires, beams and wobble boards
Have the puppy touch and explore as many surfaces as possible with their paws and nose
Invite puppy lovers over to play with the puppies several weeks before they go to their new homes
Breeders who utilize all Puppy Culture protocols are dedicating a significant amount of time, effort, and love to doing so and the results are incredible!
Pro Tip: When choosing a breeder for your Great Dane puppy, please note that some breeders are relying on buzz words such as “Puppy Culture” and “OFA Health Tested” to generate sales.
However, they are not fully participating in these programs and many of them cut corners. Make sure to ask a lot of questions! Ask for verification of their socialization efforts AND the full health test results (heart, hips, eyes, thyroid which should be published at www.ofa.org)of both parents.
Socialization of Fearful Great Dane Puppies
Fearful or unsure puppies will keep their bodies low to the ground. They may pin their ears back, tuck their tail, and keep their head shrugged or hung low. Additionally, they will shy away from eye contact. When being handled, they may cower, act ‘head shy’ or roll onto their side or back.
Fearful puppies should be socialized as early as possible. Unfortunately, fearful behavior is often the result of unstable genetics, and many fearful Great Danes are plagued with a combination of bad genetics and poor early socialization.
Socialization does not mean forcing your fearful Great Dane puppy to interact with other dogs or humans in situations that they could get hurt- like dog parks.
Socialization of Great Dane puppies means that you are exposing them to new situations and allowing them to learn that these situations are not actually scary.
For fearful puppies, this means going slowly and building confidence through positive experiences.
Socialization of Puppies Who Are Confident
Confident puppies will have their heads up and their ears forward. They are more likely to make eye contact and truly engage with people. They will be interested in tackling obstacles and will have plenty of energy to do just that!
When they are raised with Puppy Culture, they are especially good at maintaining focus and even sitting as a form of ‘please’.
Confident puppies often need more obedience training to prevent them from wandering off out of curiosity for something in the environment. They are often very receptive to positive reinforcement, and love to be trained, too!
The good news is that Puppy Culture satisfies their curiosity and confidence, while rewarding them for engaging with humans and responding to requests to come back and look for direction.
Why Does Puppy Socialization Matter?
Puppies from healthy, well-tempered parents that are properly socialized from birth are more likely to be confident, curious and calm family pets.
For giant breed dogs, this translates to them being easier to live with, easier to handle, and safer around other dogs, people, and situations of all kinds.
Fear and aggression are considered one of the top three risk factors for bloat in Great Danes!
For health reasons, helping Great Dane puppies grow into confident and resilient adults is also incredibly important! Many dogs who experience bloat are fearful, timid, and aggressive.
Installing confidence and a calm indifference to the environment makes training a breeze, too! Dogs that are over-stimulated or anxious about the environment around them will have a much harder time learning and focusing.
A lot of aggression and reactivity is based in fear. The world can be an overwhelming place!
Great Danes are prone to anxiety and aloof, timid, or even aggressive behaviors. But none of that is actually within the written breed standard, and none of it has to be a reality.
Socialize Your Great Dane Puppy
Even if your puppy didn’t come from a breeder that spent a lot of time on socialization or Puppy Culture, there are LOTS of things you can do!
Expose your puppy to a variety of textures; wood chips, sand, blankets, tile, gravel, grass, cement and bridges.
Give them obstacles such as tunnels, ramps, platforms and FIT Paws, then encourage and reward them for being confident and exploring!
Expose them to a variety of people wearing glasses, hats, masks and walking with strollers, bicycles, wheelchairs, canes, walking sticks, snowshoes and skis. Instead of asking those people to pet your puppy, just sit and watch them from afar.
Explore novel environments and encourage curiosity.
