How to Prepare for a Great Dane Puppy

Bringing home a Great Dane pup requires just as much preparation as welcoming home a human baby. In addition to a high-quality, age-appropriate dog food, your Great Dane will need food and water dishes, some treats, a collar and leash, grooming supplies, chew toys, bedding, and a crate that they'll still fit in once they grow up. It's also impawtant to puppy-proof your home prior to the big day. For your pupper's health and safety, move cleaning supplies, medicines, garden chemicals, choking hazards, and breakables out of reach. Because of their size, Great Danes can knock over a lot of things and reach kitchen counters easily. Be sure to secure your yard as well; furtunately, Great Danes are not jumpers, so a six-foot fence will do.

Having a schedule is essential for a couple of reasons: it will make the adjustment period smoother, it helps with housetraining, and it's reassuring to your Great Dane. Dogs thrive on routine and will adapt to their new environment much faster if a consistent schedule is followed. If there is more than one human in the household, figure out in advance who will be in charge of making the vet appointments, feeding the puppy three to four times a day, exercising and playing with them, and taking them outside for bathroom breaks. Your Great Dane pup will need to go potty first thing in the morning; last thing at night; after meals, naps, and playtime; and sometimes in the middle of the night. They will also require daily exercise; a walkie two to three times a day should do the trick.

Your Great Dane pup is now learning to navigate a new world on their own without their mom and littermates for the first time, so make the first week as stress-free as pawssible by keeping things pleasant and mellow. Be patient with your pup as they learn the do's and don'ts of the house and spend lots of time with them to let them know that they're part of the family. Make early socialization and obedience training a priority so that your Great Dane puppy will grow up to be a well-mannered adult!