Are you looking to add a puppy to your home? If yes, you might be wondering, “Is a Great Dane a good family dog?”
Of course, the answer to this question largely depends on the shape and size of your family. After all, every family is unique and will look different.
But generally speaking, yes.
Written by Jen, proud owner of a 3-year-old Great Dane/Poodle mix named Luna, who is her once in a lifetime “heart dog.”
Jen specializes in the care and training of large dog breeds. She particularly enjoys working with Great Danes (for their big, goofy natures) and Poodles (for their intelligence).
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Great Danes make wonderful family dogs. Let’s find out why everybody – including parents, children, and even little babies – fall totally “head over paws” in love with these gentle giants.
Great Danes have easygoing temperaments and loving personalities
Firstly, Great Danes have some of the best personalities around.
In the dog world, there are 197 breeds officially recognized by the American Kennel Club and of these, the Great Dane receives flying colors when it comes to family friendliness.
In fact, under the category titled Breed Traits & Characteristics, Great Danes score an incredible 5 stars on the “Affectionate with Family” scale.
They are devoted, friendly, and sweet natured dogs.
Nothing really bothers a Great Dane.
So long as their humans are happy, a Great Dane will also be content.
Plus, who doesn’t adore slobbery Great Dane kisses every day?
They are happy to live in a house or apartment
Next, Great Danes make excellent family dogs due to their flexible living requirements.
It may surprise you to learn that a Great Dane has no trouble living inside an apartment – provided they get enough daily exercise, that is.
According to Great Dane Care, this breed is a good choice for urban living situations.
Why?
Well, because Great Danes are not barkers.
They much prefer snoozing lazily on the couch.
They also don’t shed too much.
This is great news for families who live in smaller apartments or condos and worry about noise and keeping small spaces clean.
Active enough to keep up with sports, games, and busy family events
Grab the snacks, load up the car, and hit the road!
Does this sound familiar?
If your family is made up of “weekend warriors” who are always on the go, then a Great Dane could fit in perfectly with your busy schedule.
Great Danes are okay both spending time alone at home for a few hours or joining in the fun.
But remember, despite their long legs, Great Danes activity requirements are moderate to low.
So, a walk around the block before sitting at the sidelines of a children’s soccer game is perfectly acceptable.
And as Danes Online points out, be sure to have a big enough car to fit your Great Dane, if your family travels often.
We’re talking a van, truck, or SUV.
Do you have children? Great Danes are tolerant of kids and other animals
Speaking of children, Great Danes make fantastic family dogs for those with little ones.
Historically, Great Danes were used to hunt wild animals, like boar.
Over time however, they got away from being a working breed and slowly transitioned towards being a pet.
Nowadays, Great Danes consider themselves members of the family – a role they take very seriously!
Your Great Dane will be a playmate to children, watch over them as a protector, and truly be a “gentle giant” around babies and toddlers.
Another bonus: Great Danes are usually good with other animals.
All About Great Danes explains that though Danes still have prey drives, if they are raised around other animals (like cats, hamsters, birds, etc.) and taught to be tolerant, a Great Danes wouldn’t hurt a butterfly.
For these reasons, Great Danes make good family dogs.
They require lots of attention, thrive on affection, and of course will demand more of… well… pretty much everything due to their enormous size, including food, treats, toys, veterinarian costs, etc.
But for the right family, nothing beats the love of a Great Dane!
Photo by Theresa.