Great Dane Training

Great Dane Training is a big responsibility and if not trained it may develop unacceptable behavior. For your Great Danes own protection and safety, every dog should be taught, at the very least, to recognize and obey the commands come, heel, down, sit, and stay. Doing so may save the Danes life and in less extreme circumstances will certainly maker her better behaved and a more pleasant Great Dane for you and your family.

If you are patient and enjoy working with your Dane, study some of the excellent books available on the subject of obedience and then teach your Great Dane these basic manners. If you would prefer to work in a group setting you can find Great Dane training schools in your area.

Great Danes Body Language

You must remain calm and confident in your attitude. Never lose your temper and frighten or punish your Dane unjustly. Watching your Great Danes body language is crucial when it comes to supplying her physical and emotional needs. By observing your Danes tail or ears you will be able to learn what she is thinking or how she is feeling. Study and learn your Dane's body language, and you will improve your ability to provide for them. Learning the signs of aggression or fear is very important. By recognizing the signs early you will reduce the stress of your dog. Signs of fear include:

• A lowered stance
• Tail that is tucked underneath the body
• Dilated pupils
• They turn their head away and look aside so that the whites of the eyes show
• Hair raised or standing up off their body

If your Great Dane shows any of these signs, she may be nervous or intimidated. The training session may have been too lengthy, with not enough breaks, praise or affirmation. Stop for the day and try again tomorrow. Remember, you should keep your training sessions from 10-15 minutes, and then have a break. Your dogs main mission is to please you so do not make it to hard for her. Dog training is more than an exercise in learning and understanding for a dog. It is an exercise in learning and understanding for you, too. There is a lot you can learn from your experiences with Great Dane training, it is not just about discipline but the irreplaceable bond you will be creating with your dane. For Free Puppy Training Tips this is a website has a lot of free tips.

Danes also tend to bark out of fear, especially when they feel they are trapped or cornered; barking helps them put distance between themselves and the object of their fear. Aggression in a Dane is extremely dangerous; if you are in the company of other people or animals you should always watch your Great Dane and the dogs around you for these signs of aggression:

• Lowered head
• Ears pinned back close to the head
• Intent and narrowly fixed eyes
• Lips drawn into a snarl with teeth showing
• Straightened tail

You should not have these problems out of your Great Dane but you will now know the signs to look out for in other dogs. If you see another dog with these signs remove your dog from the hostile situation. The signs you will see most often in a Great Dane is confidence and playfulness. These signs are:

• Very erect stance
• High, slowly wagging tail
• Pricked up or relaxed ears
• Pupils will be small and they will have a direct look without the whites showing
• Playful bow or pawing at the air

Even when play becomes intense, relaxed eyes and lips, light barking, and even what we sometimes see as a grin, indicates that your dog is still just having a good time. Learn the little gestures, postures, and habits that will give you access to the thoughts and needs of your Dane companion.

5 Positive Reinforcement Commands

One of the first things you need to do when training Danes is remain calm and confident in your attitude and demeanor. Never lose your temper and frighten or punish your Dane unjustly. Do not scream or yell just use a strong voice. Be quick to lavish praise and give rewards each time a command is followed correctly. Make it fun for your Great Dane; you will get better results when your pet enjoys training and she will be eager to please you by responding correctly. Repetition is key to success but do not over do it.

• Come:

  The recall command. Start with your Dane on a long leash outside in a small fenced area or in a room where there are few distractions. Call your dog’s name. When he looks at you, offer him a treat so he will approach you. Give him the treat and praise him. After he successfully approaches you a few times, say his name, then “Come!” and offer the treat.

  Eventually he will learn that “Come!” means you want him to approach you. Remember, when your dog comes to you he must always get something good, either a treat or a toy, and praise. Tip: If your pup has just done something wrong and you call him to you, you can not punish him for what he did wrong because he will think you are punishing him for coming to you.

  
  
• Sit:

  Sit Can save your dog’s life. Teaching “Sit” to a dog who has just pulled off a leash can save his life. Start with you dog in a standing position. Show him that you have a treat and move your hand from his nose toward his tail. His eyes should follow your hand and his bottom will move downward, ideally into a sitting position (If not, place your hand on his rear end and gently press down until he lowers into a sitting position) then say “Sit!” while giving him the treat and praising him. Repeat several times a day until he understands what you want him to do.

  
  
• Down:

  Down may preserve your sanity. An unruly dog can be tamed by teaching the “Down” command. To begin, start with your dog in a “Sit” position. Show him that you have a treat in your hand, put it near his nose, and slowly move your hand down to the ground and then along the floor in front of him.

  His head should move down toward the treat and then follow your hand along the floor which will cause his body to lower. If he does not lower his body then reach up and push his front legs back so he will automatically lay down. Say “Down” and give the treat. Keep repeating this exercise over several times a day until he understands what you are asking him to do.

  
  
• Up:

  Up Prevents jumping. Want to help prevent a dog from jumping on you and guests? Teach him to jump. Start by showing him a treat and patting your thighs or chest lightly and encouraging him to jump up on you. When he does, give him the treat and praise him.

  Add the cue “Up” once he understands what you want. The “Up” command is also great for getting your dog into the car, up stairs, or onto the bed. Teaching “Up” turns an undesirable behavior into a command that gives your dog a reward. There is no reward for jumping up at will, only for jumping up when asked. You dog will figure this out in a very short time, provided you don’t reward random jumping up.

  
  
• Stay:

  Advanced training. “Stay” is advanced training for dogs who have learned other basic commands. Start with your dog in a “Sit” or “Down” position on a mat or small rug. Ask him firmly to “Stay” and hold your hand up, showing him your palm as if to say “Stop”.

  After three seconds, call him to you and treat him, then return him to the mat and ask him to “Sit” or “Stay” again. In subsequent sessions, keep doing this until you get up to 30 seconds, then a minute, then until you can go around a corner. Keep working and praising. This can be a tough one, but a very rewarding one also. One Great Dane I know would hold a "Stay" position for over an hour. I would not try this (I am only including it for your information).

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