Dog Training School
For a Great Dane, the ideal dog school combines consistent, non‑violent training with a lot of understanding for a very large, sensitive dog.
Basic attitude of the dog school
The ideal dog school for Great Danes has a specialization in, or demonstrable experience with, large/XL breeds and the safety aspects that come with them. It clearly rejects any kind of coercive tools, choke chains, leash jerks and “dominance” methods. Its focus is on positive reinforcement and a calm, structured atmosphere instead of “action courses”. It also takes time for individual topics and allows clearly defined one‑to‑one issues.
Dealing with size and strength
- Early training of loose‑leash walking and impulse control, because an adult Dane cannot be controlled by strength alone.
- Small groups, enough space and stable ground so that a Dane’s body can move safely.
- Targeted management of dog‑dog contacts so that a rowdy youngster can learn to communicate politely and delicately.
Socialization and everyday suitability
Offers that deal exclusively with “everyday suitability” are also important and therefore relevant for you. Is there a realistic way of paying attention to today’s dog world? It is up to you to open your eyes from the very first day.
- Well‑thought‑out puppy/young dog program with controlled stimuli (people, children, traffic, vet, city).
- Deliberate promotion of calmness instead of hyping up: waiting, resting, polite greetings, relaxed staying home alone.
- Reliable recall and everyday‑relevant cues (sit, down, stop, “stay”) as mandatory for large dogs.
- A comparable environment to your real place of residence.
Species‑appropriate activity for Danes
- Offers for joint‑friendly activities (nose work, search games, dummy work, tricks) instead of wild power agility.
- Consideration of growth spurts: no overstraining of puppies/young dogs through jumps or long‑lasting physical exertion.
- Promotion of mental work and bond so the Dane does not turn into a passive couch giant.
Actually, you should visit a dog school without a dog, long before a puppy moves in, and do so with a clear focus on your future acquisition. This allows you, much more relaxed than with a puppy in your arms, to take a very close look at what is on offer. Are the trainers educated, do they even know Great Danes? Can they read and understand the body language, stress signals and sensitivity of a Dane? As a beginner, this is not easy for you to observe, because you can hardly recognize it.
Is there a transparent philosophy you can follow? Or opportunities to sit in on classes before booking a course? The willingness to coach the human must exist not only in theory.
Basic attitude
The ideal dog school for a Great Dane combines consistent, non‑violent training with a lot of understanding for a very large, sensitive dog. It should have clear experience with large/XL breeds and their safety relevance, reject coercive tools, choke chains, leash jerks and “dominance” methods, and instead work with positive reinforcement in a calm, structured setting. Important basics include early loose‑leash training and impulse control so a grown Dane stays manageable, small groups with enough space and safe ground, as well as well‑managed dog‑dog contacts and a thoughtfully designed puppy/young dog program with controlled stimuli such as people, children, traffic, vet and city. Everyday training should emphasize calmness: waiting, resting, polite greetings, relaxed alone time, plus a reliable recall and practical cues like sit, down, stop and “stay”. Suitable offers focus on joint‑friendly activities like nose work, search games, dummy work and tricks, without overstraining growing dogs physically. The trainers should be well educated, able to read a Dane’s body language and stress signals, follow a transparent philosophy you can understand, allow you to observe classes and show a clear willingness to coach the human in everyday management.