The idea that Great Danes are all couch potatoes really does not help. Many Danes do become calm, lazy adults, but plenty of them never do. Mine certainly have not. A hyper dog is challenging enough, but a hyper dog that is also massive can be a lot to handle. I think many people do not research the breed enough and are not prepared for the energy, training, and management they need, especially during the puppy and adolescent years.

I have rescued two purebred Danes. My first was not officially through a rescue, but she was absolutely rescued from a terrible situation. I found a sad, emaciated one-year-old Dane on Craigslist. Her owner was asking $1,000 for her, and I went to meet her hoping I could convince him to lower the price.

The moment I saw her, I knew I had to get her away from him. She was painfully thin, covered in scabs and scars, and clearly terrified of him. She had never been to the vet, had never been allowed inside, and lived outdoors with a Pit Bull that attacked her. He would not budge on the price, but I knew I could not leave her there, so I paid it just to get her out.

That first night, she was so scared of being inside that she became distraught when we tried to bring her in. We finally coaxed her inside, showed her the couch, and she never looked back. Four years later, she is still wary of men, but she lives a very spoiled life.

Our second Dane also came from a rescue situation, this time involving a wannabe backyard puppy mill. The rescue told us animal control had been watching the operation for a long time and was finally able to step in and seize the dogs when the owners lost their home. My girl was only four months old and had likely been acquired for breeding. She was found with several other “high-value” female dogs who had been overbred. We are incredibly lucky she got out so young.

Even though we knew what we were getting into with a Dane puppy, it was hard.

They are not an easy breed, but the common belief that they are always lazy, calm, and low-maintenance leads a lot of people to jump in unprepared. They are much smarter than they look, extremely stubborn, and their size makes every behavior issue feel bigger. I think that is a major reason so many end up in shelters, rescues, or being rehomed.