Behavioural Traits
The Great Dane is commonly referred to as the gentle giant, due to its very large size and its friendly disposition. They are known to be spirited, courageous, friendly and dependable dogs and make good family pets.
Generally speaking Great Danes are good with children however care must be taken due to their large size. An excited Dane could knock over a small child and hurt them without meaning to, making proper training a must.
Due to their history as hunting dogs some Great Dane lines have a higher prey drive then others so they must be supervised around small animals, however the majority of them are friendly to other dogs and household pets.
Generally speaking Great Danes are good with children however care must be taken due to their large size. An excited Dane could knock over a small child and hurt them without meaning to, making proper training a must.
Due to their history as hunting dogs some Great Dane lines have a higher prey drive then others so they must be supervised around small animals, however the majority of them are friendly to other dogs and household pets.
In the past Great Danes were used as guard dogs and although today they are mainly just companions, they still make excellent watch dogs and can be protective when needed, although in general they tend to be very friendly towards strangers.
Despite their large size this breed does not require an extremely large amount of exercise. Their needs can be met with a nice long walk, a run in the park or a good game of fetch in a large yard. They have a moderate level of energy but some, especially younger dogs, can be quite excitable.
Despite their large size this breed does not require an extremely large amount of exercise. Their needs can be met with a nice long walk, a run in the park or a good game of fetch in a large yard. They have a moderate level of energy but some, especially younger dogs, can be quite excitable.