Great Danes are truly beautiful dogs with a ‘gentle giant’ nature. Despite their large size, these animals are incredibly affectionate and peaceful.
It is this reason that they can live perfectly happily in apartments, but there are a few things to consider before bringing one of these beauties into your home.
The first thing you need to know about Great Danes is that they require a lot of attention.
They do not like being left alone for long periods of time, so it is important that you ensure you are spending time with them and giving them a lot of affection.
These dogs are very intelligent and can be quite demanding when it comes to their needs.
They also love to play, which means that you will probably end up spending more time cleaning up after them than anything else.
This does not mean that they cannot be good pets, however; just make sure that you have enough space for them to run around and enjoy their surroundings.
Are Great Danes Good Indoor Dogs?
The answer to this question is yes!
Great Danes are wonderful indoor dogs because they are extremely friendly and easygoing. Their calm demeanor makes them perfect for living in an apartment or house.
These dogs are people dogs, and many will be perfectly happy staying indoors with their owners, curled up with them.
However, if you plan on keeping a Great Dane as an only pet, you should definitely keep in mind that they can become destructive if they feel neglected or bored.
So, if you’re planning on having this dog in your home, make sure that you are giving them plenty of love and affection.
It is important to note that these dogs feel temperatures a lot more than regular dogs, so making sure your apartment isn’t too hot or cold is critical for this dog’s comfort.
Their size does need to be considered when it comes to the indoors.
Although gentle and peaceful, these dogs can grow to around 6 feet tall when they stand on their hind legs, and their ‘happy tails’ can swish around at extreme strengths, so ensuring you have enough space for them is essential for minimizing any risk to your ornaments.
Great Danes are known for their gentle natures, making them excellent family companions.
These dogs are very loyal and loving towards humans, and they will often follow their owners everywhere.
Because of this, they are great for people who work from home.
Can Great Danes Be Left Alone?
It’s safe to say that this dog breed is incredibly sociable and loving, which means they don’t really like to be left alone, as mentioned earlier.
They often crave attention and human interaction, and while this may seem endearing, it can lead to destructive behavior, as mentioned.
However, this destructive behavior tends to be most common with younger dogs, and they can grow out of this.
If your Great Dane puppy displays this behavior when left on its own, it may be worth placing it in a dog crate while you are away.
Are Great Danes Low Maintenance?
If you find yourself thinking that owning a Great Dane would be too much work, then you should reconsider.
These dogs are extremely loyal and loving as well as relatively low maintenance, and if you treat them right, they will return the favor by being loyal and loving towards you as well.
Interestingly, their size works in their favor when it comes to their maintenance. They need a low to moderate amount of exercise – this can be a few walks a day.
Once they’ve had their walks, they will be more than happy being couch potatoes for the rest of their time indoors.
Their coats are short, and apart from occasional bathing and brushing, they don’t need any extra maintenance in this department.
Their teeth should be brushed and nails often clipped, as is the case with all dogs.
Unfortunately, their large size means that they may not live as long as other dog breeds, with some only living till they are around six years old.
However, most will live from 8 to 10 years.
Despite this relatively short life, they are generally healthy dogs.
They are subject to certain illnesses like all dogs, but the one to look out for is Panosteitis, which is a bone disorder.
Their behavior is also pretty low maintenance. They are usually great with other people, children, babies, and other pets!
Do Great Danes Bark A Lot?
Great Danes are very communicative dogs, and therefore will bark a lot.
This will happen when they are bored, hungry, notice something outside, or just want to communicate with their owner or other dogs.
While a Great Dane’s bark is often a mere sign of communication, it is a deep and loud sound that may startle or annoy any neighbors, especially if you live in an apartment.
As mentioned in this article, these dogs are far from aggressive, but that doesn’t mean their bark is an enjoyable noise.
The best way to reduce this barking is to provide it with appropriate training, which should be done as a puppy, so they can grow into their adult life with minimal barking.
Do Great Danes Have To Stay Inside?
Although these dogs can be happy both inside and outside, they are more suited as indoor dogs.
Their short coat makes them unable to withstand extreme temperatures, and they can become anxious if left outside alone for an extended period of time.
This does not mean to say they won’t enjoy being outdoors.
They will happily enjoy their daily walks with you by their side, and if you are completing any gardening chores outside, they may just prod along outside with you.
If there is a sunny spot, they might enjoy basking in that for a little while, but they may begin to feel very hot.
When it comes to the winter, they shouldn’t be outside for too long, as their short coat will not provide them with enough warmth.
The same goes for when it is too hot outside.
They feel temperatures similar to humans, so if you are feeling too hot or cold outside, the likelihood is they are too.
Do Great Danes Chew A Lot?
All dogs need to chew, and Great Danes are no exception.
This is especially common when they are teething, and normally occurs when they are around 5 to 7 months old.
It is crucial that you provide your Great Dane with plenty of chew toys at this stage, and give them positive reinforcement when they do so.
This way they will associate chewing with these toys and not your couch!
Will A Great Dane Destroy My House?
All dogs require training, and there may be some mistakes along the way (accidents in the hallway…chewed-up carpets – if you’re a dog owner these may sound familiar).
However, with adequate training, these behaviors can be controlled.
It is important to note that puppies have a lot of energy, no matter what the breed. However, they aren’t puppies forever, so their hyper energy should pass.
Despite this, all dogs need to take part in some exercise throughout the day.
Luckily, Great Danes only need low-level to moderate exercise throughout the day, and a couple of walks should tackle this!
Bear in mind that as a puppy, they may need more exercise and playtime, but you shouldn’t force them to run too much as this could lead to joint damage.
If your Great Dane puppy doesn’t get enough exercise, it could become destructive and can damage areas of your home.
Therefore, ensuring it has enough mental stimulation throughout the day will minimize this.
Leaving your dog alone for a little while throughout the day should be fine, but if left alone for too long, this destructive behavior will appear.
To reduce any damage to your home, you could place your dog in a crate.
As mentioned earlier, this behavior normally reduces as the dog ages, however, adult Great Danes still don’t enjoy being alone for too long.
Many individuals are under the impression that a Great Dane will destroy a home due to its size.
While this may happen as their tails can swish at great strength, as long as they have enough space to roam, they shouldn’t destroy anything.
Can Great Danes Sleep On The Floor?
While Great Danes can sleep on the floor and many prefer it, providing them with an adequate dog bed will ensure they are comfortable and can prevent future illness.
Because of their large size, these dogs can develop arthritic problems, so having a comfortable and supportive dog bed can improve their long-term health.
You must ensure their bed is big enough for them. These dogs can grow up to around 200 pounds, so making sure it will support them is crucial.
Final Thoughts
In summary, Great Danes are wonderfully peaceful, loving, and calm, which makes them great dogs for apartments.
However, the size of the apartment does matter, as these dogs grow to an extremely large size.
If you are considering bringing a Great Dane into your home, you must ensure you have enough space for it to feel comfortable.
This includes investing in a bed that will support its heavy weight as it sleeps, to reduce future issues.
