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Ten Tips For Effective Great Dane Training

September 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Great Danes are a giant breed of dog. Due to their size and strength, it is very important to train them starting at a young age. 8 to 12 weeks old is appropriate to begin with the basics that any dog should know; come, sit, stay and no. Your Great Dane may need to know a few commands that your average sized or small dog might not need, like heel, down and gentle as well as socialization training and perhaps crate training. Your Great Dane training should contain these 10 tips.

1. Great Danes (as well as any dog with a deep chest) are prone to a medical condition called bloat or gastric torsion. This can become deadly and it is therefore very important NOT to teach your Great Dane to roll over.
2. Do NOT punish your Great Dane (or any dog for that matter). A simple stern “no” is all it should take if they do something wrong. Yelling, hitting or other negative actions can create what is termed as a “fear biter,” and the ones that usually get bitten are the owners or innocent bystanders.
3. The heel command is necessary for Great Dane training. Your Great Dane will need mild exercise at least once a day and the best way to do that is to go for a walk. To teach your new best friend to heel, begin with the sit command and when they are still and calm, begin to walk, give a gentle tug on the leash and say “heel.” If your Great Dane pulls or gets too rough, come to a dead stop and get them to sit again. Lather, rinse and repeat.
4. Counters and tables are the perfect height for most Great Danes. Commands like off, no and down are important to include in your Great Dane training.
5. Your Great Dane training should account for their sensitive nature. Great Danes can suffer from separation anxiety perhaps a bit greater than other more independent dogs. You can desensitize them by leaving the room and coming back when they are calm. Slowly increase the time that you are gone.
6. Crate training is another good form of Great Dane training that may be useful to keep them from getting into trouble or suffering from separation anxiety. Be sure to get a crate that allows them to stand and turn around in.
7. Don’t forget to praise your Great Dane when they get it right. Positive reinforcement works well with Great Danes.
8. Be patient and consistent when you work your way through Great Dane training. Great Danes are smart and learn things well. They want to please their owners and they will understand what you want them to do, eventually.
9. Give them the proper medical attention that they need. Unhealthy dogs are more prone to behavior problems and it’s not their fault. If your Great Dane is urinating in the house unexpectedly, you may want to take them to the vet.
10. Finally, the Great Dane is an awesome pet for the family or the individual. Your dog training should include socialization as they can be protective and territorial. They need to know how to behave around strangers and other dogs as this breed can be a little aggressive towards them.

Your behavior and attitude toward them is the best way to instill good Great Dane training behaviors. By following these basic instructions your Great Danes true personality will begin to unfold and you will see a marked improvement in your companionship. As your puppy grows, so will your bond. When trained properly, these gentle giants can leave a lasting impression on anyone they encounter.

Lea Mullins presents ten tips on effective Great Dane training. Learn more about Dog Training from TrainPetDog.com.

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Four Giant, Gentle Dog Breeds

September 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

There’s nothing more comforting to have bouncing around the house than a big dog. You won’t have to worry about stepping on them as you do with little, lap dogs. Some people lament having a large dog because they want a dog that’s gentle and who can rest in their lap when they watch television. The good news is you can actually have it both ways. Here are the best gentle giant dog breeds that love to be cuddled:

Gentle Giant Dog – Bernese Mountain Dog

Although the Bernese Mountain Dog usually weighs eighty pounds are more, this is still one of the most gentle and affectionate breeds around. The Bernese Mountain dog has a history of serving as a guardian of the flock, although their aptitude as a property guard dog was limited due to its gentle, trusting nature. Although energetic, this dog breed is content to be cuddled and would crawl into your lap if you would allow it. This breed makes an ideal family dog.

Gentle Giant Dog – Newfoundland

Don’t be fooled by the size of this massive dog that in some ways resembles a bear. This dog loves both people and animals and is a natural with children. Even though a Newfoundland may want to crawl into your lap, you may not be able to handle all 150 pounds of him. Unfortunately, this dog breed doesn’t have a long life span. Being prone to hip dysplasia and various forms of heart disease, their life span is under ten years on average. Be prepared for your Newfoundland to attract a lot of attention from strangers and he’ll love every minute of it.

Gentle Giant Dog – Great Dane

This tall, regal appearing dog might intimidate you with its height, but its gentle manner will win you over. Historically, this sturdily built dog was used for hunting but is now more comfortable serving as a loving pet. Affection and easy to train, this dog is a natural family companion. Although excellent with children, their size can be a bit intimidating even to larger children which make training important to reduce the incidence of jumping and overly exuberant play. Unfortunately, this breed is prone to a variety of health problems including gastric torsion or volvulus with an average life expectancy of less than eight years.

Gentle Giant Dog – Irish Wolfhound

This dog breed has the distinction of being the tallest and largest member of the hound group. This breed has served historically as both a war dog and hunting dog. If given proper socialization, they are both gentle and loving by nature, even with children. Of course, this breed’s large size can make them intimidating to a small child. Plus, this enthusiastic dog can forget his own size when he plays. Thus, it’s important that small children be supervised around an Irish Wolfhound. All in all, this breed can be a loving and devoted pet and family member.

Gentle giant dog breeds can be a joy to have around the house and they adapt extremely well to indoor life. Be careful though that that 150 pound dog may be heading straight towards your lap!

Written by Kristie.Leong.M.D

GratefulDanes.com The show dogs of Blue Ridge Great Danes play in the mountains of Blue Ridge, North Georgia. Starring Chopper, a rat terrier/jack russel mix; Co-starring Ada, Maya and Otto, European Great Danes(deutsche doggen) and Rambo, an American Great Dane; and Keystone and Whopper. No pitbulls were injured during the filming of this video– PLEASE, DON’T SUPPORT DOG FIGHTING. PLEASE, SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SHELTER. God bless, Tom Detko www.GratefulDanes.com tomdetko@gmail.com Music: Poor Man’s Paradise Artist: The Subdudes www.subdudes.com Listen to more Subdude tunes at www.reverbnation.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5

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Great Dane Size Me…

September 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Great Dane. You hear the word, you think big dog but never does it seem that you are quite prepared as you think you are when you actually see one. I have had the front row seat for quite a few surprising encounters in the last year and they always leave me with a definite story to tell in one form or another. It is almost to the point that the normal every day encounters you imagine are becoming the oddity. Charlie is a very happy go lucky Great Dane and only once do I ever recall him showing any aggressive behavior was around my cat Tai at feeding time and Tai thinking he could just reach in for a bite, was instead on the receiving end of a large mouth still partially full of dog food pinning him to the table. Moments later both animals playing, Tai from the counter top where he is pretty much eye to eye with Charlie. Everyone talks about how size doesn’t matter in life but in dog life size definitely matters.

Very regularly am I reminded that life with any other dog would not be the same. From your every day pizza delivery guy, the cable guy, even your co -workers. The first meeting of your Great Dane is definitely one they will not forget. While most are met with amazement rather than fear, there are times when a dog of such size is just way too much to handle. Remember your own energy towards the situation will directly reflect in your dog. Stay calm.

In recent weeks I have noticed Charlie jumping up around joggers and bikers. Now I realize this is quite common in young dogs, something I am sure all dog owners can relate to. However with Charlie instead of him kind of getting up on you he is pretty much jumping up as high as six and a half feet.

For a jogger, biker or even a young adult this is a lot of Charlie to be coming at you. Its one thing to have him greet you at the door with me but yet another to have this huge dog coming towards you bounding along trying to get his play on. Needles to say, Charlie and I will be having some on leash training for a while until he figures out that joggers, bikers and basically everyone is not just there for play. There is a time for fun and a time for appropriate behavior.

While looking for many accessories it is good to note here once again size does matter with a Great Dane. Dog cages, harnesses, collars, jackets and the lot should all be measured or at the very least easily returned and exchanged. In many cases the large or even the extra large does not fit your Great Dane. Recently I found myself just looking for Great Dane dog items specifically. Cages, beds and harnesses usually top the list. Some people have asked me about mini horse blankets for beds or for outside and though the thought has crossed my mind I have not personally seen a Great Dane in a horse blanket. One thing is certain; Great Danes are giants of the dog world, small in the horse world. Maybe something we can all add to our personal web page, or social network page? A Great Dane Super Poke. Served up really big, full of nice and a healthy portion of play. A gentle giant but a giant all the same.

For more information on Great Danes and Charlie visit our web page www.GreatDanesforLife.com or follow our blog at www.GreatDanesforLife.blogspot.com

Charlie David is my Great Dane. His story began long before he was born. When I was young my parents best friends lived on a farm. They owned a Dane named J.D. It was love at first sight for me. I had never seen a dog so large yet so gentle and loving. From that day on I knew I would own one.

 

www.bighoneydog.com / Honey the Great Dane enjoying a Sunday morning “crazy session” with her human!

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