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Despite their very large size, many Great Danes like to cuddle. They often think they’re lap dogs, which can lead to some pretty funny situations. They aren’t picky about their relationships with humans, so they usually bond closely with everyone in their family (and strangers, too).
Of course, their temperament can vary, and some dogs are more affectionate than others. How your dog is raised also matters. If they are well-socialized, they will likely be more loving with their family and strangers. However, Great Danes that were not socialized or cuddled as puppies probably won’t do so as adults.
While there are some genetic predispositions to these behaviors, how your dog is raised affects their personality substantially. However, if you’re looking for a cuddly dog, you typically can’t go wrong with a Great Dane.
How Affectionate are Great Danes?
Great Danes are often incredibly affectionate. They’ve been raised to be companion animals since the late 19th century. Therefore, they’ve been bred for traits that people typically like to see in companion animals. Usually, this includes gentleness and affection. The Great Dane fits into this category and shows many desirable traits.
While the Great Dane was originally bred for hunting purposes, they are rarely utilized for hunting today. They haven’t been used for hunting much since the invention of the firearm when it became dangerous to have dogs hold prey animals in place. Early firearms were much less accurate and deadly than other methods.
After they lost their roles as hunters, they became guard dogs inside the bed chambers of nobility. They were nicknamed “chamber dogs” for this reason. At this point, more affectionate, gentler dogs were chosen for breeding purposes rather than those with hunting skills.
Therefore, the Great Dane’s affection and gentleness have been with them for a long time. However, socialization and training have a significant effect on how they act. Therefore, if you want your dog to be affectionate, it’s essential to show them affection early on. They should also be taught to be aware of their size, which is important for dogs of this size. Training is vital, or you may find yourself with an uncontrollable dog.
Similarly, it’s vital that you consider socializing your dog with others, too. Great Danes are friendly, but they can become fearful of strangers if they are never introduced to them. A scared dog can be dangerous, and it’s wise to introduce your pup to strangers and other animals early on and continue to do so throughout their lives.
Do Great Danes Bond to One Person?
Great Danes aren’t one-person dogs, unlike some large breeds that were supposed to only bond with one person. Great Danes don’t fit into this category, and they can get along with strangers, children, and other pets.
However, dogs that are only around one or two people throughout their puppyhood may only bond closely with those people. Taking your dog to meet new people and animals when they’re young is ideal, and if you need help with training, enrolling in puppy obedience classes can also provide socialization.
Why Do Great Danes Sit on You?
Great Danes are like other cuddly dogs, and they like to sit in your lap. However, their size makes this challenging. If you’ve ever seen funny Great Dane pictures online, you’ll know exactly what we’re talking about.
Furthermore, Great Danes don’t seem very aware of their size, and they often try to do things that smaller dogs do, like sit on laps.
You can train a Great Dane to avoid sitting on your lap, which may be necessary if you have children or the elderly in your home. However, many people find this behavior adorable, and it isn’t necessarily a problem if you don’t mind it.
What are the Cuddliest Dogs?
In the past, dogs were primarily bred for practical purposes, such as hunting or guarding. However, today, most breeds are kept as companions. For the most part, most canines today are bred with these ideas in mind. Dogs are bred for their affection, appealing temperament, and ease of training.
However, not all breeds are as affectionate as others, and some were only recently bred to be companion animals and are challenging to train. For instance, Border Collies are relatively easy to train because they had to be trained for herding, but they are incredibly energetic and intelligent. Therefore, they can be challenging for a first-time owner to control. They need more physical and mental stimulation than the average house provides, and they’re not lap dogs.
Most of the cuddliest dogs have been kept as companion animals for centuries. Most toy dogs fit into this category. Shih Tzus were bred initially for cuddling, for instance. That was their original purpose, so you can imagine that the dog has high levels of affection after hundreds of years of breeding.
Bulldogs were once used for bullfighting. However, that changed a while ago when bullfighting was outlawed in England. The dogs were then kept for companion purposes, and any aggression was quickly bred out of them. Today, they are solely companion animals. Therefore, they are pretty affectionate.
Great Danes are similar to Bulldogs. They were initially bred with hunting in mind. However, they weren’t widely used in hunting after firearms were distributed amongst the nobility. Therefore, they have been kept as companion animals for centuries.
Summary
Great Danes are one of the most affectionate breeds despite their larger size. They love just about everyone and are known for their gentle nature. We highly recommend them as companion dogs if you have the room.
While they are often laidback, their larger size makes them unsuitable for smaller spaces. Therefore, even if you don’t exercise them much, they must still have enough room to lie down and relax. Some apartments may be too small to keep a Great Dane happy and comfortable.
Featured Image Credit: Earl Wilkerson, Shutterstock
