The gentle giant, by design
Breed standards ask for a friendly, confident dog that is never timid or aggressive. Getting there is up to breeding, socialisation and training, and with a dog this big, good manners matter more than for most breeds.
The AKC minimum for a dog is 76 cm (30 in); taller is preferred.[2]
What “gentle giant” means
How the main breed standards describe the ideal temperament (paraphrased), and what breed clubs say is typical. Pick a standard to compare.
- A large genetic study of more than 18,000 dogs found that breed explained only about 9% of the behavioural differences between individual dogs.[36]
- So the standards tell you what breeders aim for, not what your dog will be. Genetics, early rearing, socialisation and training all shape the adult dog.[36,32]
- Temperament may even matter for health: in a prospective study of large and giant breeds including Great Danes, dogs their owners described as happy had a lower incidence of bloat. This is an association only, not proof of cause.[38]
What breed clubs say is typical
- Breed clubs describe a gentle, loving family companion whose main asset in training is a wish to please.[6,7]
- Adults are generally calm and not especially active; their exercise needs are moderate.[10,7]
- Clubs also warn that Danes can be aloof or stubborn, though perfectly trainable, and that some need a little more motivation.[7,9]
- They descend from a hunting breed and some have a strong prey drive, so early, calm exposure to cats and small animals matters.[8,9,7]
- Danes are house dogs. Clubs advise raising them indoors as part of the family, not as yard dogs, though a fenced yard is still needed.[6,8]
Living with the size
Even a friendly Dane can weigh as much as an adult person. These everyday situations need planning from puppyhood.
- Many Danes lean their weight against people. Greencross Vets says Danes are known for it, to get attention and affection or to show they feel safe.[11]
- Leaning is usually friendly, but a leaning or bumping Dane can easily knock over a child or an older person. Teach a reliable 'sit' or 'settle' for greetings.[9,10]
- Secure your dog with a crash-tested harness attached to a seat belt, or a secured crate big enough to stand with head upright, turn around and lie down comfortably. For an adult Dane, that is a very large crate.[25,6]
- A cargo barrier protects the people in the car but not the dog, so add a harness. Rules differ between states, so check your state's road rules.[25]
- Never leave a dog alone in a car. Heat stress can kill quickly, even in mild weather.[25]
Alert, not aggressive
- Fear is the most common cause of aggression in dogs. Pain and illness can also play a part, so see your vet first.[15,23,24]
- Don't punish growling. A dog punished for warning may stop warning and bite 'without warning' later.[24]
- Avoid confrontational or pain-based methods (choke, prong or shock collars, physical corrections). They are linked to more aggression and anxiety, not less.[14,23]
- For fear, anxiety or aggression, ask your vet for a referral to a veterinary behaviourist, or a credentialed behaviour consultant who uses reward-based methods.[16,23,17]
In Australia, the ANZCVS Veterinary Behaviour Chapter keeps a list of behaviour veterinarians.[17] Your own vet can refer you.
Healthy watchfulness
What the breed should look like.
- Alert and watchful, yet friendly and outgoing with people in everyday life.[1,10]
- Welcomes visitors happily unless it suspects an intruder.[11,10]
- May be reserved with strangers, but is confident, easy to handle and slow to take offence.[3]
- Never timid, never aggressive.[2,5]
Australian breed profiles describe a dog that welcomes visitors happily but will guard its family against intruders.[10,11]
Signs of fear or over-guarding
From the quietest signals to a bite. The earlier you notice, the easier it is to help. Any of these is a reason to get help.
Early stress signals such as yawning, lip-licking, looking or turning away, ears back, crouching or a tucked tail.[24,14]
Stronger warnings: bared teeth, narrowed eyes, raised hackles, growling, snarling, barking or snapping.[24,23]
Guarding food, toys, resting places or territory from family members or guests.[24]
Mouthing and bite inhibition
Play biting and mouthing are normal puppy social behaviour, rarely meant aggressively.[27] Bite inhibition is a dog's ability to control the force of its mouth. Puppies start learning it from littermates, who yelp and stop playing when bitten too hard.[30] With a Dane it matters sooner: your puppy will grow roughly as much in its first year as a child does in fourteen.[6]
Step 1 of 5
Soften the pressure first
During gentle play, respond to a hard bite with a sharp yelp and let your hand go limp. Praise and resume when your puppy backs off. Don't overdo it: the ASPCA suggests yelping no more than three times in 15 minutes.[30]
Step 2 of 5
Then raise the bar
Once hard bites stop, respond to moderate bites the same way, until your puppy is using almost no pressure at all.[30]
Avoid, and know when to get help
- Don't slap, tap the nose or scruff-shake. Physical punishment can make puppies bite harder.[30,27]
- Don't whip your hand away. It turns your hand into a chase toy.[30]
- Skip aversive tools and 'alpha' methods entirely; reward-based training is recommended by veterinary behaviourists and the RSPCA.[14,21]
Socialisation, week by week
In a study of primary-care vet records in England, undesirable behaviour (most often aggression) caused about a third (33.7%) of deaths in dogs under three years old, more than any other cause.[35] Dogs that are well socialised as puppies are less likely to show fear and aggression as adults.[32,31] Drag to your puppy's age to see what to work on now.
Training priorities
If you only have time for five things, make it these, in this order. Each is far easier to teach a small puppy than a fully grown Dane.
Everyday life
- Enrichment lets dogs use natural behaviours, lowers stress and improves behaviour.[26]
- Mix it up: training games, sniffing walks and new places, puzzle feeders and food toys, snuffle mats and new scents, and time with people and friendly dogs.[26]
- Rotate toys so they stay interesting, count food rewards in the daily ration, and check toys for pieces that could be swallowed.[26]
- Danes need human company. Left alone and forgotten, they can become destructive or anxious.[8,11]
- The RSPCA in England and Wales advises leaving dogs alone for no longer than four hours. Build up to it in small steps, starting with short absences in puppyhood.[29,11]
- Keep departures and returns low-key, and give a long-lasting chew as you leave.[28]
- Signs of distress include barking, howling, toileting indoors, destruction, scratching at doors or escape attempts. Quieter signs are pacing, trembling and whining, so record your dog while you're out.[28,29]
- If you see these signs, talk to your vet. A veterinary behaviourist can create a plan and, if needed, prescribe medication alongside training.[28,17]
- Look for reward-based methods (treats, toys, praise, markers such as a clicker) and a trainer who welcomes questions.[16,21]
- Red flags include talk of being 'alpha' or 'pack leader', lead jerks, and prong or shock collars.[16,14]
- Watch your dog: if it looks stressed or afraid during training, speak up or find another trainer.[16]