This article covers everything on how to crate train a Great Dane in a detailed and comprehensive way for Grate Dane owners and lovers.
Danes are beautiful breeds of dogs that can be kept as pets; however, they grow to be huge, so leaving them to run around the house can cause chaos. Danes are great pets, but everyone needs help managing them due to their size and personality. Training and managing adult Danes can be frustrating, so you should start from a young age.
One challenge most Dane owners face is teaching these dogs to stay in a crate. Most of these pets, not only Danes, dislike waiting in crates as they see them enclosed and in limited spaces. Training these Danes to remain in crates can be rewarding. Note that crates are not meant for punishment but for safety and comfort.
What Are Crates And Their Benefits?
Crates are large containers made of wood, plastic, steel, or aluminum. They are safe places for dogs that allow these pets to have their time; You can also use them to keep dogs away from dangerous situations. For Danes, the best crate is a wire crate, which will give them plenty of ventilation.
The benefits of having a crate for your Dane include the following:
1. It is safe
Crates are the safest place for your Danes, especially during emergencies. Imagine having trouble at home, and your Dane runs out of your home into a dangerous place. Having a crate makes it easier for you to gain access to your pet and even carry it out in cases of danger and emergency.
A crate for your Dane gives it a safe place to sleep and relax. When they become tired from playing with their toys, some dogs walk into their crate to rest or relax; this gives the owner confidence that the pet is safe.
2. It gives your dog comfort and safety during transportation
Transporting a sane can be challenging due to its vast size; however, you can easily carry your pet into the vehicle with a crate. You do not have to worry about your Dane running around the car or causing chaos.
In cases of collision or accident, it is doubtful that your Dane will sustain any injury as the crate will act as a safe place.
When traveling by air, you must put your dog in a crate approved by the airline. If your Dane is not used to crates, it will be difficult for the airline to transport it.
3. It is the best place when recovering from illness
When pets are recovering from illnesses or even surgery, they are recommended to stay in a relaxing and safe place; a crate is the best place. The crate will give it enough space to get back its strength and health.
Also, in vet clinics, after any surgery, dogs are kept in a crate for the period they will be recovering. If your Dane is not used to crates, getting it to stay in the space will be difficult.
How To Crate Train a Great Dane
Crate training a Great Dane may be challenging at first, but with some helpful tips, you can succeed. Some tips for crate training a great Dane are:
1. Get the appropriate crate
Crates are made in different sizes and types; getting the right size and style can make your work easier and help you to save money. If your Dane is young, you should get a crate that will be big enough for it when it has fully grown.
You can get a crate with a removable divider that can give you the same space for your pet as it grows. An adult Dane needs the giant crate – XXL, and be sure to get a wire crate that will leave plenty of space for ventilation.
The right crate will make your Dane comfortable; if it is tight and uncomfortable, your Dane will refuse to stay in it no matter how much you train it.
Make sure the crate is very comfortable and devoid of dangerous objects. Place a mat or bedding inside the crate to keep your pet warm. You can keep snuggling toys inside the crate if your dog is not a big chewer.
2. Select the right spot to keep the crate
Dogs like a place of comfort, so their crate should be kept in the right spot. If the crate is kept in an uncomfortable place close to the air conditioner vent, your Dane will find it uncomfortable to stay in.
Keep the crate in a place where your dog will see and interact with people and other pets (if there are any). Remember, crates are not a place for punishment; make them comfortable, safe, and lively. Let your dog feel comfortable, safe, loved, and vibrant in the crate; it should never feel punished or isolated.
It is not advised to keep the crate near the window or door; this gives your Dane access to outdoor views and can encourage it to develop habits and obsession with such places. Leaving your Dane’s crate near a window or door can make your pet bark excessively as it sees strangers and other things.
3. Create a positive association with your dog
Your dog should see the crate positively and never see it as a place of isolation and punishment. Make it see the crate as a place of safety and comfort; if you can achieve this, it can even go inside the crate on its own anytime it needs rest. If your Dane negatively sees the crate, it will always be afraid and may try to resist when you want it to stay inside the crate.
You can start developing this positive association by giving it rewards anytime it enters the crate, these rewards can be treats or its favorite toy. You can even turn this into a game, throw a toy into the crate and allow your Dane to fetch it; when it does, you can reward it with a treat. You can also create a command for entering and exiting the crate. It would be best if you did not give it always treats so that it will not get used to it; you can use the command from time to time till it becomes used to it.
4. Reinforce your Dane
Positive reinforcement is necessary when you are training your dog to do anything. Dogs love it when you praise or reward them, encouraging them to do more. Like humans, when you praise your Dane, it will do more to get more praise from you.
You can say encouraging words when it enters the crate without any command. You can even have a particular song or dance for your Dane, and it will make it happy to join the crate because it knows reinforcement will follow.
5. Start slow
Training your Dane to get used to a crate takes a gradual process; it is not something you can rush and expect results in no time. Rushing the training process will only make your Dane uncomfortable, and it may resist; this can also be stressful and frustrating for you.
Training dogs to do anything requires lots of patience, time, and understanding. It is easier to train a puppy than an adult Dane. However, with training, patience, time, and positive reinforcement, your Dane will love its crate.
If your Dane refuses to enter the crate, do not use force, as this will make it respond negatively or less to your training. The goal of crate training is to make your Dane comfortable entering the crate independently without commands.
6. Potty train your Dane
It is important to potty train your Dane as you are also teaching it to use the crate; you can do this by taking it out for potty any time it is out of the crate; this applies to puppies. Puppies must go to the potty as often as possible because their bladder cannot hold urine for long periods. Older Danes can leave their crate alone when they need a bathroom break.
Take your Dane out for bathroom breaks till they become used to it. Also, anytime you get it out of the crate, you should take it out for the potty to avoid accidents. Potty training is essential as it shows your dog that it can come out for a bathroom break anytime. If your dog feels it cannot come out of the crate for potty or if it messes up the crate, it will find it difficult to enter the crate, leading to negative association.
7. Do not overuse the crate
A crate is not meant for locking or keeping your Dane all day; overusing the crate will only bring anxiety to your dog. Overuse of a crate can also harm your dog’s physical development, it will become laid back. Your dog may be unable to develop his body parts like elbows, hips, and legs due to the restricted space of the crate.
Leaving your Dane in a crate always will lead to boredom and frustration. You should only sometimes force your dog to stay in the crate, even if it wants to. Give it some time to stay outside, play with toys, stretch its body, and interact with people, which will help overall development. Puppies can remain in the crate longer than adult dogs as they will spend most of their time snuggling, you should however bring them out of their crate from time to time.
8. Feed it in the crate
Feeding your Dane inside the crate is one way to reinforce your dog positively; you can give it meals in the crate to reward it when it obeys your command to go into the crate. Giving your dog food in the crate will make it see the container as a safe place comfortable enough to eat; this will reduce anxiety and fear. An anxious Dane will go into a crate when it is hungry.
Feeding your Dane in the crate will also help you train it; since it does not have enough space outside, your dog will teach itself to eat correctly so as not to litter and dirty the crate. You can achieve two things using the crate.
You can start by keeping the bowl of food close to the crate; do this continually while placing it closer until it enters the crate. Good leaving your dog all by itself when you keep food close to or inside the crate.
Bottom Line
No matter how big, You can train a Dane to stay in a crate; this may require lots of time, patience, and understanding. It would be best if you never used the crate as punishment; this will create a negative association and attitude for your dog. Reward your Dane when it obeys your command to enter the crate or goes in on its own. You can also add treats as favorable reinforcement. Make your Dane see the crate as a safe and comfortable place, and watch it love it.
