Great Danes are big dogs who are also very loving with their human partners. But aside from that, are they capable of following orders? Can they be trained? Is it easy or difficult to train them? We will discuss all of these matters in this article, so you can learn how you can train your own Great Dane or find out if you’d better get a professional to train him.
Are Great Danes Easy To Train?
The Great Dane is regarded as a gentle giant. They are somewhat lively, loving, and adept at interacting with youngsters. They will protect their abode. While Great Danes normally get along with other animals, especially if reared with them, certain members of the species may be violent against unfamiliar canines.
But what about training them? Are they easy to train?
Great Danes are generally regarded to be simple to train, however, some Great Dane enthusiasts believe that a few of them may be resistant when it comes to learning.
The key, however, is to understand that each Great Dane is unique and different characteristics of them will affect how easy or difficult it will be to train them.
Differences in intelligence
By and large, Great Danes are not the brightest dogs in the world, as they rank 48th in canine intelligence out of 130 breeds examined by Stanley Coren, while several tied rankings indicate that Danes are really outsmarted by 87 other breeds.
Additionally, Mr. Coren classifies the 130 breeds into six groups according to their working/obedience intelligence.
Great Danes are classified as having the fourth highest intelligence level (average intelligence), which indicates that they will likely need between 25 and 40 repetitions of a new command before mastering it, and will follow the initial command at least 50% of the time.
Additionally, the AKC rates Great Danes as trainable at 3 out of 5. Danes are still given a five-star rating in the ‘affectionate with family’ area, and this attachment may occasionally manifest as a desire to please, receive pets and praise, and so forth.
Of course, these assessments are breed-specific, and you may discover that your Great Dane is very intelligent and can pick up new orders after just a few repetitions, or that your Dane takes longer than normal to pick up new commands.
Differences in age
Your Great Dane’s age also plays a crucial role in determining how simple he will be to train. It is often far simpler to train a Dane from a young age than it is to begin teaching him once he reaches maturity. That is not to argue that training an adult Great Dane will almost certainly be more challenging.
Training your Great Dane from an early age will provide him with more practice time and will help prevent him from establishing any bothersome or dangerous behaviors. It is much simpler to train the correct behavior from the start than it is to attempt to train out established tendencies later.
Additionally, Great Dane pups are more lively and playful than adults, which means that training sessions may be turned into a daily game. While you’re doing it, you’ll be teaching your Dane proper etiquette and developing a relationship with him.
Differences in personality
Just as IQ differs amongst Danes, so do temperament and personality. Certain Great Danes are very obstinate, which may make training quite tough. Others are zealous in their desire to please you, which you may use as a teaching tool.
If you discover that your Dane is especially obstinate and unresponsive to orders, you may need to be creative with his incentive – you might try his favorite food, toy, or reward, or just shower him with love and devotion. Experiment with several things to see what motivates him to work out.
How To Train A Great Dane?
It is unquestionably preferable to begin training your Great Dane as soon as possible. While you may believe that you must wait until your Dane reaches a particular age before training him, this is not the case.
Even the smallest Great Dane pups can learn simple instructions, and training fosters trust and connection. Additionally, your Dane puppy may successfully learn how to learn from you, laying the groundwork for future training success.
However, starting training your Great Dane at a young age is not always feasible, as is the case if you adopt him as an adult. Fortunately, training late is preferable to never, and your mature Dane can surely still learn proper behavior.
Positive reinforcement
Concentrate on positive reinforcement training strategies, in which you simply ignore negative behavior by withholding your attention and reward positive conduct with praise, rewards, and so on.
However, keep in mind to restrict the additional calories your Dane receives during training sessions, as too many treats might lead him to gain weight. Additionally, provide the bulk of your incentives in the form of genuine dog food and treats.
Consistency
Your Great Dane may need between 25 and 40 repetitions to grasp a new command; thus, be patient, practice often, and provide plenty of chances for your Dane to earn your praise and approval.
Keep your training sessions brief — 15 minutes at a time is a good starting point. If your Dane seems uninterested during a lesson or if you get irritated, call a halt to the training and resume it later.
Get professional help
If you feel your training sessions with your great dane have no result even after trying to do everything you possibly could get a professional to train your dog. It might be that you are doing something wrong without noticing or your dog needs attention from an expert.
How To Train A Great Dane Puppy?
The same tips we advised for training great Danes, in general, will apply to training a puppy. That is because training a puppy will be easier than training an adult. Puppies are more susceptible to creating habits from training.
How To Train A Great Dane FAQ
How To Discipline A Great Dane Puppy?
Early experiences are important for your Great Dane’s social development. At this age, puppies should be socialized and exposed to as many positive life experiences as possible. Additionally, it is critical to seek the counsel of a qualified behaviorist during this time period.
With a bigger dog, the owner should be prepared to give more social training. Your dog will not remain puppy-sized for long and will quickly surpass your strength. This emphasizes the critical nature of early socialization with humans and other pets.
It is critical to begin training your Great Dane immediately. Certain commands are critical for your Great Dane to learn in order to make your life simpler and your dog more controllable once they reach full size. The following commands are listed:
- Sit
- Lay Down
- Stay
- Drop
- Come
All of the instructions given above are critical for controlling your Great Dane. While they are referred to as gentle giants and are not known to be violent, their size may be scary, particularly to those who are unfamiliar with dogs or even to those who are.
Are Great Danes Stubborn?
It would be unfair to call a great dane stubborn. Perhaps you might face some hardships trying to train an adult great dane, but that is just because he is not one of the smartest breeds, and so an adult great dane simply has more difficulty learning.
Now, if you train a great dane from the moment he is a puppy, you will see he can learn many tricks and also how to behave publicly.
Great Dane Puppy Training Tips
When you first begin training, limit yourself to roughly 5 to 10 minutes every day. You do not want your dog to lose interest in a trick, since if they decide to stop before you do, they will not want to continue, and being forced to will simply reinforce their bad sentiments about the trick.
Always conclude the training session on a positive note, as when they make progress or successfully perform the trick. Shower them with praise and affection. This will make training more enjoyable and enjoyable for both you and the dog, as well as more effective.
When teaching your dog these instructions, they will need a reward to ensure they understand what they are doing is proper and to motivate them to continue. While verbal praise is an acceptable kind of reward later in the training process, it is insufficient, to begin with.
Final Words About Are Great Danes Easy Or Difficult To Train
Are great Danes easy or difficult to train? Well, that will vary on many factors. If your great dane is still a puppy, it will be easier to train him, but that doesn’t mean it is impossible to train an adult. Other factors come into play as well, such as his intelligence and his personality. Sometimes you can train your great dane yourself, but other times it is better to call for professional help!