ChantelleM Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Hi all, I bought home my first little boy; a black Great Dane named Odin. I brought him home on Sunday night (25/03/2012). Since then, he has had free reign, so to speak, of my unit (which isn't very big). He knows to sleep when I sleep at night time, and he knows that when I open the back door, it's for him to eliminate. The problem is I'm back at work, and can only see him on my lunch breaks, so he's alone between 8-12:30, and 1:30-5. I can't leave the back door open, but I'm trying to teach him to hold it until I can come home and give him a break, as he just lets it out if the door is shut, without letting me know. I have been told the best way is crate training, so I'm just looking for some answers to the following: 1. Has anyone got any tips for Crate training a Great Dane pup? 2. He's spent two days without a crate; will this make it harder to train him? 3. He will only be crated when I'm not home, but for when I am; how can I teach him to let me know when he needs to eliminate, and to learn that eliminating is for outside only? ANYTHING you guys can tell me would be awesome, as I'm buying a crate for him after work today. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Chantelle, you will probably get loads more advice if you go to the Dane Thread in the Breed Sub Forums. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 (edited) No expert on crate training...but a puppy crated over 8 hours a day is not having a life teach him to hold it until I can come home and give him a break, as he just lets it out if the door is shut well, yes, of course he will ..he is a BABY , and can not fully control his bowel/bladder ..probably will not be able to for some months yet... crate training is done , AFAIK while owner is at home,and gradually .it is NOT a prison ..it is an aid , a safe place for the dog ..and should be done so there is opportunity to let puppy out frequently . Most puppies can not 'hold' for hours at a time during the day, and should be free to play and chew and rest comfortable. if the backyard is safe, why not leave him outside, with a kennel/bed ? That way he will toilet outside , and be able to play in the sun :) Toilet training involves taking a pup outside every 1/2 hour or so .. rewarding any action ,and getting pup used to hearing a word/phrase which will eventually become a cue to toilet, and which then can be used anywhere, anytime ! :) :) Do you have a corridor/room which you can babygate off ..put down protective flooring and leave pup in ? You can then maybe use a doggie loo, newspaper, or puppy training pads . edit : a crate for a dane needs to be a large one..as he will grow a lot! A crate needs to be large enough for puppy to lie comfortably ..on his side ..legs straight out, and NO part of him touching wire. It also needs to be high enough for him to easily sit up straight, and stand up straight, head high..with no part of him touching wire. he also needs to be able to turn around in it.....without any difficulty.... Edited March 28, 2012 by persephone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minimax Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 You bought a great dane puppy, without research, in a small unit? do you have a backyard or just a balcony? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeimMe Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Assuming he's only 10 - 12 weeks old I would think that you will be needing to just take him out regularly at first. He may not let you know at this stage, so after meals, after drinking, after playing, after napping....and every 1 and 1/2 hours or so in between is a good time to take him out. If he's only young, he won't be able to hold it for 4 hours at a time, so a crate isn't suitable at this stage. He should have a natural aversion to soiling where he sleeps, so by crating him for longer than he can physically hold on and so "forcing" him to eliminate in his crate, you may end up undoing some of the good work that his breeder may have done. You'd be better off making a puppy playpen of some kind or confining him to a laundry or bathroom with a designated area for toileting (pee pads/newspaper/dog toilet) until he's old enough to stay for longer in the crate. Two days without a crate won't make it harder - you can start crate training any time. Just don't throw your dog in, lock the door and expect him to be happy in there. I introduced my pup to the crate slowly over the course of a week by feeding him in there and putting him in it while he was sleeping during the day with the door open and did not confine him in it during the day until about a week after that. I would recommend Ian Dunbar's "After You Get Your Puppy" book to help you. He is a little bit full on about 100% accident proof toilet training (which sure wasn't possible for me!), but generally I found his advice very helpful. Good luck with your puppy. Great Danes are really beautiful dogs :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raineth Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 (edited) You bought a great dane puppy, without research, in a small unit? do you have a backyard or just a balcony? whoa! It is a thorough mis-conception that Great Danes need a huge backyard :) They are very low-energy dogs who are these days bred for companionship. There are many Danes who live in apartments just fine, let alone units. In general Great Danes' exercise needs are very flexible. If you are the type of person who wants to go for several walks a day or go hiking, an adult Great Dane will have no problem keeping up with that. If you instead prefer to go for a leisurely stroll around the neighbourhood they will be happy with that too. I'm guessing you have a small breed minimax? The misconception of Danes needing big backayards usually comes from people imagining that living with one would be like living with their smaller, active, inquisitive dog, enlarged to several times its size, but that's not the case. Living with a small breed is different to living with a giant breed in terms of the energy they give to the house. While many of toy and small breeds are fairly busy little creatures invesitgating all goings on, a Dane is generally a stolid presence in the house. Snoozing the day away in one spot, to maybe occasionally get up and move to another spot to snooze. Ofcourse any puppy is more energetic and mischievous than its older self. To the OP, congrats on your puppy :) Can;t wait for photos ;) I don't think crating him for that period of time would be ideal. Is it at all possible you could get a doggy door installed? Crate training a Great Dane is really no different to crate training any other dog. I really reccommend it. But it can be a big topic. Ultimately you want to take it step by step and make it a very positive and safe place that the pup/dog wants to be in. 2. He's spent two days without a crate; will this make it harder to train him? Definitely not :) I crate trained my two adult rescues (one of which is a Dane) and plenty of other people have too. You can start crate training at any time. 3. He will only be crated when I'm not home, but for when I am; how can I teach him to let me know when he needs to eliminate, and to learn that eliminating is for outside only? Some people teach their dog/puppy to ring a bell, I haven't done that so you would need to ask someone else. But really first of all they need a fairly solid foundation of understanding that toileting is an outside activity before they will attempt to 'ask' or tell you that they need to go outside (usually by waiting patiently at the back door). So take him out regularly, especially after eating, drinking, playing, and napping. Also if you see him sniffing, or circling get him out quick smart. And lots of praise when he gets it right :) Edited March 28, 2012 by raineth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavstar Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 My friend has a Great Dane puppy who is 5 months old & she is HUGE!! Do they even make crates big enough for full grown Great Danes? :laugh: I would be looking at an area of the house that others have suggested that you can block off.. kitchen or laundry? With the crate at one end & pee pads or newspaper down the other for him to toilet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minimax Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 You bought a great dane puppy, without research, in a small unit? do you have a backyard or just a balcony? whoa! It is a thorough mis-conception that Great Danes need a huge backyard :) I was asking more along the "do you have grass" line of things, rather than the literal :p I'm guessing you have a small breed minimax? Yep, a 5 month old Pug who lives in an apartment with a balcony and is pee pad trained, which is why I was asking if she had a balcony, because I was going to suggest pee pads (or similar) if she did. I'm mentally picturing a great dane sized crate and am thinking it would be the size of my bedroom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumof4girls Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 What about make up a run for inside with a toilet area in it. Some people use fake grass :-) Doesn't need to be huge as pups normally sleep most of the day, big enough for a bed and water bowel one end and toilet the other.. Pics please :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lavendergirl Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Chantelle, baby gates are wonderful - you can pick one up second hand fairly cheap. He will be much happier if you put him in a laundry or bathroom with pee pads and a baby gate (not with the door shut). Leave him with some chew toys and a kong to keep him amused. Then you can give some thought about how you intend him to be able to toilet in the longer term. This will depend on the set-up of your unit and access to outside. For example you can buy a temporary panel with an inbuilt doggy door that fits into sliding doors. Lots of people who rent use these. Best of luck - it really is a matter of trial and error :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCheekyMonster Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Lmao im amazed body corporate approved a great dane.... its not good to make a pup hold it so maybe train him to use pee pads? set them up in the toilet area of the unit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwaY Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Pee-Pads won't hold a Dane pee, it's around 300mls+ and gets larger the older they get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Sway, I was wondering about that - big dog would certainly = big pee I wouldn't want to train a dog that size to toilet in the house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwaY Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Many of use these at shows and home 120 x 120cm They have no bottom in them, but you can get a piece of reo and make your own. Others also use the normal black fold up crates, but I find they are long enough, but not wide enough for them to stretch there legs out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwaY Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 You could also buy a second hand door, and put a very large doogy door in it - when you move out put the original door back on. You can get second hand doors around $30-$50. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Many of use these at shows and home 120 x 120cm<br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: verdana, tahoma, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; background-color: rgb(238, 242, 247); ">They have no bottom in them, but you can get a piece of reo and make your own. <br style="color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: verdana, tahoma, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; background-color: rgb(238, 242, 247); ">Do dogs stay in these all day, swaY ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwaY Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 (edited) Many of use these at shows and home 120 x 120cmThey have no bottom in them, but you can get a piece of reo and make your own. Do dogs stay in these all day, swaY ? God no! These are for crate training/feeding/sleeping etc no for all day confinement. Edited March 28, 2012 by SwaY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 (edited) God no!These are for crate training/feeding/sleeping etc no for all day confinement. :) thanks....didn't think so ...I am just envisaging all those long legs getting untangled :p Edited March 28, 2012 by persephone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeimMe Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 300mls of puppy pee? Dear lord....the number of pees that the average pup does in a day...you'd be nearly swimming in it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwaY Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Yep, the pee just keeps going and going and going. The average Dane pup at 8 weeks is already 12-15kg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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