Planning to buy a great dane?
Don’t be deceived by their size and stature, the puppy stage requires a lot more care and attention to be the giant doggo that they are to become in the coming years!
Yes, the initial stages are very crucial for your great dane puppy, and you cannot go wrong in this. You need to pay utmost attention to their diet, fitness and the exercises that you are planning to put them into because that will be what they will carry forward to the rest of their life.
Great dane puppies might seem to you of a very strong build and you might feel that they can take any amount of activity, but that is not the case actually!
In fact, the truth is that if you over exercise in the initial years, it can put stress on their muscles and joints and it can lead to less bone density, weaker bones, pain in joints, and fractures that is going to affect their adulthood.
A maximum of 15 minutes of normal walking is enough for your great dane puppy under 6 months of age and if you are to make them run, it should not exceed 10 minutes. Remember not to put excess strain on their legs because that can lead to bone injuries because their bones are not strong enough at this stage.
Through the course of this article let’s learn more about the exercise and activity needs of great dane puppies and what adverse effects can over exercising have on them…
What is the puppy stage for a great dane?
The puppy stage is generally from 0 to 6 months and they won’t be matured until the age of 18 months!
Your great dane puppy might show rigorous growth from the age of 6 to 12 months, but don’t be fooled by their size. They cannot be put to strenuous exercises until the growth ages close around the age of 18 months.
Types of exercises to avoid in great dane puppies
Let’s first learn about the activities and exercises that you should avoid in the puppy stage of a great dane that can actually hinder their physical growth:
1.) Jogging:
While you jog, your great dane puppy will either run with you or it will leap, both of which are not good for their joints and can lead to pain and put strain in their muscles.
2.) Jumping:
Jumping is another exercise that puts excess strain on the joints and growth plates of great Danes because they usually have longer legs. Too much jumping can in fact, weaken their hind legs and create joint problems in the future.
3.) Running:
Being a puppy, your great dane will enjoy running with you and won’t stop on its own until you command to do so.
They do not have any idea of their strength and power and the problems that they are to be into for the activity. It is you, who has to have the control over them and restrict or limit the activity for their betterment.
4.) Playing with flying disc or catching toys from the air:
This is one activity your great dane puppy will enjoy and you too might be tempted to play with it. But this particular activity will again put stress on their hind legs and can lead to slip discs and joint problems in the future.
Types of exercises for your great dane puppy
Now that you know what not to do with your great dane puppy, let’s learn about the activities that are important for them and their proper growth:
1.) Normal walking:
Your great dane puppy will enjoy walking with you in the morning or in the evening and that is when you can also potty train them. A maximum walk of 10 to 15 minutes is just more than enough for them.
2.) Swimming:
Swimming for 10 minutes is not only what your great dane puppy will enjoy but will also help in building their bones and toning their muscles. After all, who doesn’t love the water!
3.) Limited running without leash:
Leashed running is a forced activity that should be avoided in puppies. But just letting them run while you just run slowly with them is a fun activity for your great dane and will help to build their bones and stamina. But limit the time to not more than 5 minutes.
4.) Playing with a ball in the garden/playground/backyard:
Irrespective of the breed, all puppies live to play with balls and great dane puppies are no exception in this. You can just throw a ball at a short distance and ask your pup to fetch it back to you.
How do you train a great dane puppy to walk on a leash?
Remember you are going to leash train your great dane puppy and not actually make use of the leash to force them to do the activity you want!
For this, you need to get a really long leash to start with, not less than 20 to 30 ft long.
Tie the leash onto your great dane puppy’s neck, but remember you are not going to use it to pull it anyway.
While the leash is tied on to its neck, walk small distances and take turns (right and left) and make sure your pup follows you. If they don’t just give a light pull on the leash just to make it understand that you want him to turn along with you.
Stop after a few seconds and command your pup to sit down while you are at halt. Again command him to stand and start walking. Repeat this activity for 5 to 10 minutes everyday.
This will help your great dane pup to listen to your command as well as be habituated with walking with a leash!
Final statement:
While you want your giant doggo to be playful and active, note that excess activity is not for them and can cause more harm than good to it.
Go slowly in every move and limit the amount of time for pups will not know when it’s too much for them and they will continue having fun limitlessly!
