With most breeds, a training mistake is an inconvenience. With a Great Dane, a training mistake becomes a 150-pound problem that can injure people. The stakes scale with the dog's enormous size, which is why the eight mistakes below matter more for this breed than almost any other.
1. Waiting to start training
The most dangerous mistake. A Great Dane puppy grows fast. Behaviors you don't address while the dog is 30 pounds become unmanageable at 150. Training must start at 8 weeks. Owners who wait until the dog is "older" wait until it's physically impossible to correct course.
2. Allowing jumping
A jumping 30-pound puppy is cute. A jumping 150-pound adult can hospitalize someone, especially children or elderly people. Four-on-the-floor must be trained from day one, before the dog has the mass to cause injury. Never reward jumping with attention, even in the tiny puppy.
3. Over-exercising during growth
Great Dane joints don't finish forming until 18-24 months. Running on hard surfaces, stairs, jumping, and high-impact play before maturity cause permanent joint damage in giant breeds. Stick to flat-ground walking and gentle play during the growth period. The exercise mistake here causes lifelong orthopedic problems.
4. Skipping leash training
A Great Dane that pulls can drag an adult off their feet or break free entirely. Loose-leash walking must be installed while the dog is small enough to manage, ideally solid before 12 months. A front-clip harness is essential equipment. Owners who skip this end up unable to safely walk their own dog.
5. Allowing leaning to become knocking-over
Great Danes lean affectionately on people. Endearing at 40 pounds, dangerous at 150. Decide your boundary early. If you allow leaning, accept that the adult dog will lean its full weight on you and guests. If not, train an alternative like sitting beside you.
6. Using harsh methods
Despite their size, Great Danes are gentle and emotionally sensitive. Harsh handling produces anxiety, and an anxious 150-pound dog is genuinely difficult to manage. The breed responds to calm, confident, reward-based training. Corrections damage the gentle temperament that makes the breed special.
7. Underestimating the food and space reality
Not a training mistake exactly, but it affects training: Great Danes eat enormous amounts, need space, and have short lifespans. Owners overwhelmed by the practical scale of giant-breed ownership often neglect training. Be prepared for the reality so you can commit to consistent training.
8. Ignoring counter-surfing potential
A Great Dane can reach kitchen counters, tables, and most surfaces without effort. Food left out is food taken. Management (don't leave food accessible) plus "leave it" and "off" training are essential. The breed's reach makes prevention especially important.
What works with Great Danes
The breed is gentle, trainable, and wonderful, but the size means training mistakes have outsized consequences. Start early, prevent jumping and pulling before the dog has mass, protect growing joints, set clear boundaries on leaning, and use reward-based methods. Do this and you have a magnificent, manageable gentle giant.
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Related: How to Train a Great Dane · Leash Pulling · Recall Training