Great Danes are absolutely friendly and sociable, which makes it good to have them around children. They also have that certain charm and majestic appeal that makes them one of the most coveted dogs to show.
Let me tell you this: Great Danes are the best family dogs you can have. These amazing ‘Gentle giants’ are very friendly and affectionate, loyal and firm, contrary to what they might seem. Great Danes are generally adaptable and trainable, and they are very easy to maintain in terms of their health and grooming needs.
But unbeknownst to many, they are one of the best dogs in terms of temperament and personality. These gentle giant dogs are affectionate and playful, devoted and loyal to their owners.
Great Danes are also always eager to please their owners, making them highly capable at a young age. In fact, they are known as “the largest lapdogs in the world” because they often literally lie on your lap, begging for affection.
When properly socialized, Great Danes would not shy away from strangers and visitors in their homes, but they do tend to be protective when they feel their owners are in danger.
How Good Are Great Danes With People?
Surprisingly, the Great Danes are very sociable despite their height and appearance. They have been bred precisely to be docile, and many call them lapdogs for their habit of putting their heads on their owners’ laps and asking for their attention.
They love interacting with people and are very eager to please their owners, which makes them easy to train as well. Although Great Danes have a gentle temperament, it is best if you expose them early to strangers and other animals to reinforce this temperament.
However, despite their friendliness, Great Danes also make excellent watchdogs. They can get defensive and protect themselves once they feel their family is in immediate danger. This protective instinct, along with their stately stature and fierce voice, will make any potential troublemaker wary of trying to cross the threshold of your home.
How Good Are Great Danes With Children?
Although Great Danes aren’t particularly smart, they make up for it with kindness and temperament. So you don’t have to worry about having children around a Great Dane as long as they have been trained to socialize well.
Aggressive behavior may be present in some Great Danes, but this is not widely reported. However, with its playful nature and large size, be on the lookout for any mishap or accident. Also, be sure to explain to your children how to treat your new Great Dane and how they should handle these gentle giants to avoid aggression in response to abuse.
Remember, never leave your children alone with your Great Dane. Although Great Danes have excellent temperaments, you should never have a laid-back demeanor and allow your dogs to run freely while your children, especially young children, are around.
Some owners report aggression with their Great Danes, usually related to encroachment, fear, or anxiety in a new environment. These are really rare cases when it comes to this breed and often veterinarians will tell you that there is probably something in the environment that is causing the aggression.
Genetically based assault is rare unless your Great Dane was unofficially bred. If that’s the case, then you may have something more to worry about than just aggression.
Great Danes were bred with great care to eradicate aggression and ferocity and sometimes in-breeding and breeding between certain families can cause aggressive tendencies to reappear in the future.
Aggression can be prevented by early socialization with different people, children, and other animals. Careful training and guidance will ensure that your Great Dane remains the gentle giant that he is despite any potentially stressful situation.
How Well Does A Great Dane Get Along With Other Dogs?
Because they were originally bred as a hunting party, the Great Dane breed has a sense of hierarchy among them. Some dogs of this breed tend to exhibit dominant characteristics, particularly with the male gender.
The “alpha male” applies here, but you would probably only notice it if you have multiple Great Danes. Some may act as leaders, while you may notice that others differ from other dominant Great Danes.
Same-sex aggression can also be noticed, especially if you have raised males and females together and more so if one of the female Great Dane is in heat.
How a Great Dane will react to other breeds depends on its individual personality and how well trained it is. An alpha-dominant Great Dane will not pose much of a threat to other dogs as long as its owner has him well trained. Similarly, gentle-tempered Great Danes won’t lunge in if they’re well socialized early on. Taking your Great Dane out for regular walks will help curb his aggressive tendencies toward other dogs.
How About With Other Animals?
Great Danes are huge dogs with cute and playful temperaments. As with other dogs, they will not hurt other animals on their own, unless they are the subject of extreme provocation. Again, socialization is crucial to prevent potential aggressive behavior from arising.