Great Dane breed profile

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Training and intelligence
The Great Dane is an intelligent breed who should pick up training easily. However they grow fast, and by six months you will have a huge dog on your hands, so start training early. Teach them to be controlled and gentle when necessary, and training them not to pull on lead is essential.

Temperament
With their size and serious expression Great Danes can appear very dignified, but are usually big softies who are loyal and affectionate. They love lounging around with their people, and can be serious conmpetition for you r favourite couch or chair! They are particularly tolerant of children, although because of their size they may knock them over unintentionally.

Attitude towards strange dogs and people
Great Danes are usually friendly to strangers, but their sheer size, coupled with that deep-chested bark is an excellent deterent.

Grooming and shedding
The short coat is easy to care for, and a once a week session should suffice. Great Danes don't shed much, but there is a lot of dog to shed!

Exercise
Exercise should be very carefully monitored and limited when the Great Dane is young. Their vast skeleton needs time to grow and settle healthily. When fully grown they don't need a vast amount of exercise, and are then happy to laze at home with - and even better on - their people.

Need for company
They really enjoy spending time and being close with their family, but Great Danes will tolerate short periods of being left, once they are accustomed to it.

General
This is a tall, sturdy dog and the food bills alone will be huge. Great Danes are generally calm devoted companions, although they can be exuberant when young, and their size can make them seem clumsy in the average house. Their size needs to be considered in connection with transport, for example not just will they fit in your car? However you also need to find a solution to the problem that they will very quickly be too heavy to lift, but that developing skeleton must not be jarred by jumping in or out of the car. They are excellent family pets, and well worth the extra effort their size entails.