As a Great Dane owner, your sanity depends on your well-trained dog to avoid injuries and keep you from going crazy. It might be daunting to think of teaching a lot of large dogs.
So are Great Danes easy to crate train?
Due to their friendly nature and wanting to please their owners, Great Danes need little time and effort to train.
Great Danes aren’t the brightest or most trainable dogs, and they may be rather obstinate, but with time and effort, they can be molded into obedient, friendly giants.
In this post, we’ll discuss some of the elements that affect a Great Dane’s trainability, provide advice on how to train your Great Dane effectively and address some of the most often-asked concerns about the breed.
Why Some Great Danes Are Harder to Train Than Others: Factors to Consider
When determining how simple and fruitful your Great Dane training will be, there are several factors to consider.
1. Cognitive Ability
Among the 130 dog breeds examined by dog intelligence specialist Stanley Coren, Great Danes ranked a lowly 48th. Due to many tied ranks, however, 87 other species outsmart the Danes.
The average number of times they need to hear a new command before fully understanding it is between 25 and 40, and they’ll comply with the initial instruction at least half the time.
Of course, these studies are generalizations for the breed, so your Great Dane may be more or less intelligent than the typical dog and need more or fewer repetitions of a command than the average Dane would.
2. The Trainer
Finally, the success (or failure) of your Great Dane training will depend heavily on your attitude and approach as the trainer. Training your dog is a skill that can be learned; thankfully, many tools are available to help you do so.
To have a well-trained Great Dane, you should keep training sessions simple and consistent. It would be best if you had a lot of patience since Great Danes are only sometimes the best students. You and your Dane must enjoy training sessions; if you become irritated or dread them, you may want to rethink your approach or see an expert.
3. Age
How old your Great Dane is also makes a big difference in how simple he will be to train. In most cases, teaching your Dane from puppyhood forward will be considerably more straightforward than beginning later in life. An adult Great Dane may be more challenging to teach, but it doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
It is far simpler to teach the appropriate behavior from the start than to attempt to train out entrenched tendencies; therefore, start training your Great Dane as soon as possible after he is born.
Puppies of the Great Dane breed are more active and lively than the adult version, turning training sessions into daily games. While doing so, you will strengthen your relationship with your Dane and teach him proper etiquette.
4. Size
Physically guiding, maneuvering, and restraining a 30-pound Great Dane puppy may be much simpler than a 150-pound adult. The Great Dane’s rapid development means that the dog may become unmanageable.
Training your Great Dane to walk on a leash without pulling from an early age will give you a better chance of success if and when he starts to hurt. You might be carried off your feet if an adult Dane pulls firmly on the leash.
Training a Dane that weighs 100 pounds or more may be challenging, so a smaller pup will have an easier time learning human skills like utilizing stairs and riding in a vehicle.
5. Personality
Personality and temperament are as different from one Dane to the next as IQ. Certain Great Danes are particularly tough to teach due to their obstinate nature. As a trainer, you might take advantage of other people’s strong desire to please you.
You may need to be creative with your incentive if you notice that your Dane is especially resistant to following orders; for example, you might try using its favorite toy, food, reward, or just showering him with loads of love and care. Explore several options to find out what motivates him to work out.
How to Crate Train a Great Dane Puppy: Step-by-step Guide
Let’s take a look at some practical advice for training your Dane.
1.Use The Right Training Tools
Proper equipment may simplify training your Great Dane, such as a quality collar, leash, rewards, etc. A tasty treat, or if your Dane is more toy than treat-driven, some exciting playthings. The best leash to get is a sturdy one that is around 6 feet in length.
Steer wary of retractable leashes since the continual strain might encourage your Dane to tug on the leash. They typically need to be more vital to support a Great Dane’s weight without breaking.
2. Employ the Services of an Expert
Finally, if your training sessions are going nowhere and your Great Dane still needs to understand fundamental instructions after hundreds of repetitions, it may be time to bring in the experts.
You may take your Great Dane to an organized obedience class with other dogs or hire a “personal trainer” who will work one-on-one with you and your dog.
Naturally, a group class is often the cheapest alternative, and while it gives fantastic socializing possibilities, your Great Dane will have to concentrate extra hard to shut out the distraction of so many pals while learning the instructions. Obedience lessons often meet once or twice a week for a few weeks, and there may be a variety of tiers available.
While the increased cost of private training sessions is understandable, some people find the increased concentration and attention worth the investment.
Also, you may tailor the instructions your Dane learns to suit your needs; this is especially helpful if you want your Dane to do specific tasks, such as acting as a guard dog or picking up a unique ability.
3. Commence Early
Training your Great Dane will go more smoothly if you start while they are young, as discussed above. Many people mistakenly believe that Danes need to be at a particular age before they can be trained effectively.
Great Dane pups as early as eight weeks old may learn obedience instructions, and training itself fosters trust and closeness between owner and pet. Moreover, your Dane puppy may pick up on your teaching style and learn from you efficiently, laying a solid foundation for future training.
However, it’s only sometimes feasible to begin teaching your Great Dane from a young age, such as if you adopted him as an adult.
Even while it’s never too late to train a dog, it’s never too late in training an adult Dane. Remember that your Great Dane may be set in his ways and need more time and patience than usual to prepare fully.
4. Reinforce with Love
The Great Dane should never be physically or emotionally abused as a form of discipline. Positive reinforcement training methods, in which you ignore negative behavior by withholding attention and reward good conduct with praise, rewards, and so on, should be prioritized.
However, remember that giving your Dane too many sweets during training sessions will lead to weight gain. To avoid giving him an upset stomach, it’s best to reward him with real dog food and treats instead of human foods like lunch meat or peanut butter.
5. Maintain Consistency
Consistency is critical when it comes to teaching your Great Dane. Remember that it may take your Great Dane up to 40 tries to fully internalize a new command. To help him along, be patient, practice with him often, and give him plenty of opportunities to earn your praise and approval.
Keep your workouts brief; 15 minutes is an excellent starting point. You should stop training for the day and try another time again if your Dane isn’t showing any interest or if you’re feeling irritated.
How Practical is Crate Training for Great Danes?
Crate training is essential to caring for a Great Dane, as it is with any dog, regardless of breed, size, or temperament. A crate is a significant investment to ensure your Great Dane’s safety while you are not around.
Are Some Dogs Impossible to Crate Train?
When a dog has a history of being afraid of kennels, it might not be easy to start crate training. Treats are sometimes enough to overcome the stress of being abandoned in a small space. Their anguish may even have separation anxiety underpinnings.
At what Age is it too Late to Crate Train a Dog?
Even if a dog has never seen a crate, it doesn’t mean it can’t be trained. The trick is to take things gently. Without prior introduction and conditioning, no young or old dog will feel at ease when confined in a crate.
