Great Danes need training! - Being a Giant Breed, this is one breed that does require a good level of training so that it can be a good Canine Citizen!

There are many different ways to train a Great Dane as there is any breed. There isn't a one method fits all approach when training a dog, you need to try different methods to see which one your Great Dane responds to.

Great danes are not stupid, they're no Border Collie, but they are more than capable of learning basic-advanced levels of obedience if the time and patience is put into them.

An adult Great Dane is just as trainable as a Great Dane puppy, some people find it easier to train adult dogs especially when it comes to toilet training.

There are thousands of Great Danes competing in Obedience, Agility & other performance sports every year, their size alone shouldn't be used as an excuse not to partake in these activities or receive training. Click here to see Great Danes in Action.

If you do not have the time to train a Great Dane or the funds to bring in a qualified Behaviourist/Trainer if and when necessary then this Breed may not be suitable for you.

A Great Dane can and will excel at basic obedience if you give the dog the opportunity.

Meet Honey! Honey is a New Zealand Great Dane who is pretty much World Famous now through her Blog. Honey Excels in many different aspects that involve her being a good Canine Citizen.

Honey was trained largely via a Clicker which shows that you do not need to use brute force to train a big dog nor do you have to weigh more than your dog to control it.

Is your Dane in need of training?

If you answered YES! Then you need to be prepared to put in the time everyday to help your dog become a calm and happy canine.

One of the first steps that should occur before training is ensuring your dog understand the pack structure in your home and that you understand what pack structure actually is and how to achieve it.

Showing a dog its' place in the pack does not need to include any physical harshness, after all, we are talking about a Great Dane....if a 80kg Great Dane doesn't want to do something you're unlikely to get it to do what you want it to do!

You need to have the dogs respect first. A dog who performs obedience commands for you does not necessarily respect you.

Please head to our Great Dane Leadership page to learn more.

How to start training your dog

First of all you need to decide on what method you would like to try first, there are pros and cons to each and your dog will respond differently to each as well.

1) Obedience Club
A great cost effective way to train your dog, although some of the trainers may not have enough knowledge in modern training concepts, class can be repetitive & boring for both the dog and owner and owners of others dogs may not be so responsible and your dog may be rushed at or attacked by another dog.

If you're prepared to watch out for these types of irresponsible owners you can still make obedience club work well for you. To check out an obedience club, go and watch a session without your dog and see what you think.

Some Obedience Class trainers have over 20 years experience in canine training and are wonderful teachers who will go above and beyond to help you and your dog.

Your Council Dog Ranger or local Vet should be able to provide you details of your local club, although don't be afraid to travel to go to a club further away if you have heard good things about them.

2) Delta
Delta training clubs are about purely positive training methods (no corrections or punishments) if you're looking at joining one of these clubs you should talk with an instructor before going to a class to see if they feel your dog is suitable for a class situation or whether you may need some one on one training first. Head to the Delta website here

3) One on One with a Private Trainer / Behaviourist
This is a more expensive way but can target yours and your dogs problems quickly and you don't have the distraction of other dogs to unsettle your dog whilst it is learning. When choosing a Private Trainer / Behaviourist either go by word of mouth recommendation or select a qualified & accredited individual, there are many people out there claiming to be Trainers & Behaviourists without the skills to back it up.

You can visit the NDTF website to find a qualified & accredited Trainer / Behaviourist in your area.

Great Dane Private Rescue NSW reccomend the following two Behaviourist/Trainers:
K9 Pro - Click here - All Behavioural/Training challenges.
Craig Murray - 0408 113 874 - Specialising in Aggression.

Great Dane Rescue QLD reccomend the following Behaviourist/Trainer:
Jenny Golsby - 0414 575 727 - qualified Jan Fennell Dog Listener - e-mail

4) Do it yourself
If you're looking for a challenge and are prepared to research different techniques and programs this could be a good opportunity for you.

Be aware, if you go about this the wrong way you may add to your dogs current problems, so research before hand is definitely the go!

There are many dog training videos on YouTube that you can benefit from. Click here to visit one of those trainers and view their many videos.

Regardless of what method you decide to use, all dogs should have a consistent program that their owners use at all times at home. NILIF is a fantastic and easy to use method. NILIF translates to Nothing in Life is free - this means the dog has to work for what it wants, including affection. Click here to learn more about this fantastic program.

Aggression
If your dog is showing any form of Aggression, get in a qualified & accredited Behaviourist ASAP. Do not try and handle aggression yourself. Different types of aggression are handled in different ways i.e. Fear Aggression v Rank Aggression and if you handle it incorrectly you can make the situation much worse.

It is recommended that you do not adopt a dog with known aggression unless you are a Trainer/Behaviourist yourself and are happy to take on that liability.

The liability of having a Great Dane with an aggression issue is very serious, it could wind you up in Court, having your dog put to sleep and God forbid your dog may seriously injure another person, do not put yourself or your dog in that situation, there is no place in society for aggressive dogs that are not effectively controlled by their handlers.

Puppy Training
It is important that puppy owners understand the developmental stages of puppies so they can adjust their training throughout the puppies developmental periods.

Puppies need a tonne of socialisation between 8-12 weeks of age, take them everywhere with you, you can carry them as their feet shouldn't touch the ground out in the general public at this age as the puppies vaccinations aren't completed yet.

Have them meet your friends nice dogs that are vaccinated in their or your home. Your aim is to have your puppy have lot's and lot's of positive experiences in this developmental period as what they learn here will stay with them forever.

If you're not sure how to socialise your puppy please contact your Breeder or Local training club.

Puppy Schools
Some puppy schools are fantastic and some are not so fantastic. If you are going to a puppy school at a Vet Clinic ensure that the person running the class is actually experienced to do so and isn't just a individual who likes puppies, not all Vets and Vet Nurses have Behaviour & Training qualifications, this may sound harsh but this is a critical development period and if something goes wrong at puppy school this can stay with the puppy for the rest of their life.

Avoid puppy schools who have uncontrolled free play. Free Play is where all the puppies are let go to play with one another, however there will always be bossy puppies that can damage your puppies confidence, there will also be different sized puppies, a Great Dane puppy jumping on a Maltese puppy is not ideal. The trainer should manage free play very carefully.

If you're not happy with your puppy pre-school, leave and ask for your money back.