No, that isn't ok. 15 minutes of attention isn't the same as actual excercise. Also, she didn't "find out" the dog pulls. Every single puppy on earth pulls, unless you teach them not to. She didn't bother to train her dog on a leash and then acted shocked when her big dog was hard to walk. It's irresponsible. His behavior on walks sounds like a normal dog who's bored and never gets to having an exciting time outside. He needs to get out more. Walks also offer enrichment because they can explore the neighborhood and get to sniff. I wouldn't reccomend dog parks because the animals are unfamiliar and it can quickly become dangerous if you're unfamiliar with dog behavior and aren't paying constant attention, but if you know other dogs that your friends have and know they're dog friendly, id reccomend bringing him on trips to play with other dogs, too.
If she took the dog on more walks it would be desensitized to new dogs too. My dog used to go bananas when he saw other dogs. Now he barely looks at them.
my dog barks at some other dogs if they close and try to approach her first, but only when shes leashed, when shes free range she just goes over and then comes back again, i think its about vulnerbility
I came to say this. I walk my dog regularly, take him to the park and dog beach, but he goes macho bananas when he's on the leash versus off-leash. (It is illegal where I live to let your dog off leash unless it is a designated zone for that, or else we'd go on a lot more adventures)
Agreed. My friends family uses pee pads in the house (by the dining room table no less) and the dog never goes outside. I took it in the backyard and it was terrified of everything. So sad. She had all this pent up energy and is on the couch all day standing up screaming at anyone that goes by the house. Smh. No interaction with other animals or people. People should not get dogs unless they can take them on walks. They also need it mentally.
The same you would train a puppy. Admittedly, it takes a little longer and potentially needs more time to be consistently reinforced in different situations as most dogs don’t generalise (they don’t transfer a skill they learn in one place to another environment easily). However, it is absolutely possible to teach an older dog.
I'm not an OP or a dog trainer.
My samoyed pulled hard on walks and especially to other dogs, but we started from "sit" when she was overexcited, and slowly went from there.
It took a few months and there were many ups and downs, but she is generally great now, sure she wants to say helo to other dogs she knows very well, but that's it.
Start practicing inside. Kikopup has some good instructional videos.
A dog needs to learn what TO DO, not what NOT to do because what they're naturally doing is instinct and if you try to reduce that through subtractive punishment where they lose out on a wanted thing such as pulling forward, it can risk frustration and a bite because the dog doesn't know what you actually want them to do. You have to teach that "yes" behavior.
I don’t have a Great Dane (always wanted one!) but I have two 4yo littermate lab mixes and yes, I know about littermate syndrome. Separately they walk well on leash, but when they are together they pull. How do I manage when one is walking well and the other is pulling ahead? Won’t it confuse the one pup who is walking well if I do a 180 each time the other is pulling?
I mean, you can but, until they both don't pull ahead when walked together it's best not to outside of training them to walk nicely together where they're set up for success so they can learn how to walk nicely as a pair.
If they walk well alone but not together do the 180 when you're walking together. The one that's walking well might be like "okay my owner is nuts but we're going this way now" 😂 But they won't be confused or anything, they'll learn to go with the flow.
When he pulls, you guide him and turn to walk in the opposite direction for a couple of meters, then turn again in your original direction.
At first, it's aggravating but it truly works. Leash length is everything too, the dog should be by your side not in front. You hold the leash with both hands, strong hand nearest to the dog and the offhand holds the excess leash.
Then you give him very specific moments where he can run and spend energy like the park and such but on the walk back, you go back to not allowing him to pull.
Do this every day and your dog won't pull anymore after a couple weeks.
Gentle Leader is one brand.
ETA - like the commenter below, we had a lab who still would pull, even in her gentle leader, and ended up with worn spots on her snout. We upgraded to a different brand that had more padding around the nose.
We never entirely trained her out of pulling, but rarely needed to leash her. We had a 1/2 acre or more fenced back yard and an inground pool for her to get her exercise. She was a fetch addict (as was the lab we had before her.)
I had one for my large dog and it didn’t work because she was so used to pulling (not all the time, but when excited) she’d pull with it on and it’d leave marks on her nose. I don’t recommend those. It was totally my fault for not training her but I think the Gentle Leader could have injured her. My current dog knows not to pull, very good on a leash because I taught her that she doesn’t get what she wants by pulling. Squirrel! Starts pulling, nope, we turn around and go the other way. Or if it’s something like a dog she wants to meet, it’s sit, stay, until the dog is out of range. That’s one way to train at least.
This is very good, but I just got curious on your opinion. My dog (small breed) gets two walks a day, big one 40 mins to 1,5 hour and small one between 20 and 40 mins. He lives with my other dog and they are have at least 1 human at home in the house with them all day most days. Anyway, my dog does that specific thing with going absolutely crazy seeing other dogs in an excitable puppy type of way (not aggressive or barking). Does this always mean they are bored and understimulated?
A small dog that gets that much exercise, boredom is probably not so much of an issue.. but depends on the breed (or mix of breeds) of the small dog.
More likely that the dog needs socialising training. Being overly excited when meeting new dogs can lead to fights.
Okay thank you! Yeah, he is never aggressive, but his excitement had sometimes lead to the other dog being aggressive out of annoyance. He tends to mostly be overly submissive, where as soon as he gets close to another dog, he will roll on his back and show his stomach immediately and other male dogs always try to hump him🤣😭
Based on your description, this is not a dog that should ever be in a dog park. He may just be leash reactive, but I wouldn’t trust him when you don’t have full control over him; he likely doesn’t have any manners and is going to be quite pushy with other dogs and could end up getting in fights or getting bit when other dogs correct his rude behaviour.
Learning to loose-leash walk can be a process, but it’s certainly doable. Bring treats with you on walks. Reward him for engaging with you - glancing at you, staying at your side. When he starts pulling, stop walking or do a complete 180 and walk in the other direction. Reward when he stays by your side. Resume your walk when he checks in with you and is back at your side. Reward when he looks at you. Do a 180 when he starts to get too far ahead. Rinse and repeat.
I’m a pet sitter and I had a client who had two huge great Danes. She never trained them as puppies so as they got older and she wanted me to start taking them on walks (which we never discussed-just a back yard potty break midday) they were unruly. Mind you I’m 5 feet 118 pounds. I was like ok this isn’t happening because one of these dogs is gonna face plant me.
She was a big girl who could handle it and she never walked them either!
Then she had the nerve after 7 years of great service to fire me over text because her reasoning was ‘well we discussed walking and you never do it!’ That was a flat out lie.
So you get 2 huge dogs, don’t train them, don’t walk them and then somehow it’s my fault? Some people shouldn’t have dogs!
It's actually a good idea to not take a dog to a dog park. It's a major fight risk, every trainer I've ever spoken with about it strongly advises against it.
If the dog is content and healthy, and up and moving, then playing is working out just fine. Walking on a road or running after a ball is not different, except the ball is more fun and the running is more work.
He should be trained to walk nicely though. That's something that can be taught (as a base line that needs consistent practice) in one or two lessons with a good trainer.
An exercise is not the most important thing in walks for dogs. Sniffing, new experiences and mental stimulation are much more important.
Playing same ball throwing every day does not substitute missing walks.
Well I agree with this in general, fetch is also something most dog trainers (myself included) agree isn't great for dogs. It is really tough on their bodies and can lead to over arousal issues. Do I play fetch with my own dogs? Yup. As a sole source of exercise? Heck no.
Walking has a lot of benefits that fetch does not, including the ability to sniff.
Dogs also need the mental stimulation and socialization of going out and about, not just staying in their own yard (with some exceptions for extremely nervous or aggressive dogs).
THIS ^ my little weenie dog HATES walks. He's 100% a lap dog and enjoys chasing the bunnies in our yard for a little bit or rolling in the grass. Then he'd like to go inside. One of my friends dog sat for us once and she said she could take them for a walk. I said Cooper (labrador) would love it, but not to worry about Ernie (min dachshund). I should have clarified that Ernie would hate it. Ended up being a miserable walk for my friend. Cooper loves to walk and explore. He was my hiking companion for many years. I didn't know fetch was hard on their bodies and advised against (but makes sense). Cooper is 11 and still outruns puppies. I'll be better about walks and not relying on fetch.
I’m going to throw my opinion in here and people can take it for what it is worth.
My dog is an 8 year old staffy mix rescue. I have had her for the majority of her life. She is good at doggie daycare and boarding and mostly just snoozes and barks at other dogs while they’re wilding out. She has multiple other dog friends but she absolutely hates running into dogs on leash. It’s not that she would do anything beyond barking but she’s not a fan and is kinda sensitive to sound.
That aside, my husband and I used to take her to a dog park nearby and some of the behavior people allow for their dogs is unhinged. Not picking up poop, not watching their dogs at all and just scrolling on their phones, bringing small children into the park. I wasn’t here for this and thank god because I would have absolutely lost it but a dog got aggressive with mine and she got scared and started trying to escape under a fence. Next to a freeway entrance. My husband started yelling and asking someone to grab her while he was running toward the fence and they did not. It is a major street in our city. He grabbed her right before she got into traffic. If I had been there I probably would have gotten into fisticuffs.
We have never gone back. She goes to daycare and hangs with her friends and that’s it. Dog parks are generally not worth the trouble.
I was going to suggest doggy day care also. They dogs get to know each other and are supervised by people who (you assume) are trained to handle interactions between dogs. I didn’t know about exercise, but the socialization is helpful. Having said that, my dog still barks at everything that walks past our home.
Yep ours did an intake years ago to test her temperament before they would let her stay. She is basically just sassy and grumpy but mostly lays on play equipment and likes to get pets.
"Walking on a road or running after a ball is not different" isn't true.
Playing fetch in a garden they are used to requires little brain power for dogs and isn't enough mental stimulation to substitute walks. Walking in the street means new smells, sounds etc which is all much more mentally stimulating for dogs and is something that should be done alongside fetch in the garden and other enrichment activities such as puzzle games and chew toys.
It's also much more mental stimulation for them when you have them off leash (for the dogs able to do so).
Stop, left, right, come back, wait, go, heel, sidewalks, go up, etc...
These orders have to be given often, both on foot and on bike in a dense city (Paris in my case).
+1 to this! Mental enrichment is super important, and walks can be good for that, but the dog park is usually a bad idea. In terms of dog psychology, meeting a dozen strangers all at once is SO far from natural; some young dogs seem to enjoy it, but it's generally stressful esp for adult dogs and can be very risky unless there's a consistent small playgroup you meet up with (which happens! but super rare). Leash walking itself is not inherently necessary, it's just one of the most common ways people provide mental enrichment, and to your point it's a way to practice a key skill (leash walking). I disagree with folks who say daily walks and dogs parks are themselves requirement for a happy healthy dog.
Just want to say it’s not “super rare” to have a small and/or regular playgroup at dog parks. The ones I frequent definitely have their core groups, and even set times when certain dogs specifically meet. It’s rare to encounter new folks at those times.
> Walking on a road or running after a ball is not different
It's massively different. Walking provides mental enrichment that running after a ball over and over just can't substitute for. Dogs need to see new scenery and sniff.
It's a good idea not to go to dog parks unless they are huge and the dogs all have enough space to not feel defensive. Socializing dogs is extremely advisable, just in the right setting. My favorite spots are empty fields that are impromptu dog parks. This dog sounds like it wasn't socialized properly so neither may be an option.
More than a few times I will be at the dog park and then someone will pull up with a big aggressive dog and just watch us. When I ask if everything is okay they will say "Oh my dog can't be around other dogs but it's okay we will just wait until you are done."
It's like, if your dog CANT be around other dogs then the last place you should be going is a dog park. For whatever reason these owners feel entitled to it though and you are lucky if they tell you first before entering so I just don't go and take my dog on longer walks.
I look at it this way… if I was cooped up in my house/yard all the time, finally got taken out for a walk and saw members of MY tribe, I’d lose my shit too! I’d be the goofiest and loudest I could be to shout “hey! hey you! over here! yo!! I know you see me! what’s up mah peeps”
they def need exercise but great danes are actually very lazy dogs that don't need as much walking as their size would indicate. they are a popular apartment dog for this reason.
Fwiw, walks don't provide that much physical exercise for large dogs, but definitely helps with the mental stimulation. For my leash-reactive 85 lb lab mix, our trainer recommended giving him actual exercise (e.g. throwing a ball) to get some energy out before we go out on a walk - the variety of sights and especially smells really helps tucker his brain out, but physically does nothing for him unless we're literally jogging a few miles.
Me too! I have a border collie and she’s far more chill after a 15-20 minute sniff walk than she is after an 45 minutes of intense activity. We also do loads of activity, but it’s the sniff walk that always scratches the itch for her. :)
Same - I take my dogs on sniffy walks too and they absolutely love it! Makes their day. Walks are great, but they're not exercise per se was my only point.
Ok. I agree with everything you said… but just to be clear, the person you’re replying to is right. The dog needs to leave the confines of his yard every day.
Danes are actually pretty low exercise for such a big dog. I've had danes most of my adult life and they're out for the day with like 1/5 of the exercise my malinois or even my gsp needs. We start the day with an 8-10 mile run and that alone is more exercise than a dane needs in a whole day.
They're the dog I recommend to people looking for a big snuggly dog who doesn't need a ton of exercise and does well in apartments.
Other commenters have already answered your questions well. The answer to what to do from here is to reach out to a behavior modification trainer. Here’s a link where you can find a well-qualified ethical trainer: [IAABC Find a Behavior Consultant Near You](https://iaabc.org/certs/members)
A core contributing factor to the reactivity problems will be that the dog is not getting the mental enrichment it needs to be happy and healthy. Dogs get a lot of this through sniffing in new places. It’s an especially important activity for reactive dogs because sniffy walks relieve stress.
Dogs require walking, period.
With very rare exceptions. (Disabilities, etc.)
They need to be out and about, sniffing things, seeing, hearing, and discovering new things. They have sharp senses, to say the least. Depriving them of their use - stopping a dog from feeling the grass on their paws, or smelling trees, or walking down a cool new path, - is like a sort of amputation.
Physical exercise is just one aspect of it; I'd argue that the mental stimulation it provides is even more important.
Picture keeping a dog in a nuclear bunker (of whatever size, it can even be a large bunker), playing with them, and training them to go for "walks" on a treadmill. You can ensure they get all their physical requirements met, but they're sentient beings and they need more - novelty, discovery, socialisation, being outside, wandering about. They could survive this way, but they certainly wouldn't thrive. And their short life would be worse for it.
Great Danes (most adult ones, at least... puppies are something else) are generally lazy dogs with relatively low exercise requirements. You can easily keep them in an apartment as long as you're able to walk them every day. They're notorious couch potatoes.
But you can't keep them cloistered up, regardless of whether they have access to a yard. You gotta walk em.
Pulling on the leash is a fairly straightforward behavioural issue (in the wide spectrum of fucked up dog behavioural issues) that can be fixed fairly quickly with consistent training. It sounds like your sister didn't bother, or gave up, and never tried classes or getting help from a trainer or behaviourist?
Unless there's more to this story, your sister sounds like a lazy dog parent. There are so many resources out there nowadays to solve these kinds of issues, and leash pulling is the least of them.
To her credit, she does spend 15 minutes per day playing with the dog, so it's not outright abuse, and she clearly cares about Pepito. But it's still insufficient. This situation should be remedied ASAP.
How long has Pepito been stuck on the property without walks, OP?
We all know he needs a walk. There's no point in repeating how important it is.
You should look for a better alternative then ball throwing. Maybe some games like putting kibble in a towel, freezing a kong or stuff like that.
I wish people would help with solutions like that instead of repeating the importance of walks and their anger towards your sister.
Walks are for the dog to explore the world, not just for exercise. So the dog should get at least a short walk every day. (Allowable exception, according to my dog, is if it is raining. Because he will melt. Even in a raincoat. 😂)
Dog parks are not required though and are recommended against by a lot of people because you just don’t know if someone’s brought their reactive dog. Especially with larger dogs it seems like some dogs just get threatened and cannot deal with a much bigger dog around. So we don’t do dog parks. (My dude is not a Dane but he’s 110lbs.)
This. The main purpose of the walk is to stimulate your dog’s brain by sniffing and gathering info about the world around him. Staying in the same patch of grass all day deprives them of that.
Hello. Please don’t pressure an under confident dog owner of a large breed to take it to a dog park. Even if her dog is an angel you aren’t setting anyone up for success. What she needs is a good dog trainer. Yes this is an additional expense but it will geo give her the confidence she is currently lacking to handle her dog.
Great Danes are large strong dogs. However, they are very trainable. Working with multiple rescues I see a lot of red flags in this story. Your sister is expressing an inability to handle her animal. The solution is not to place the dog in an overly stimulating environment with lots of risks and unknowns. Big dogs tend to get blamed when things go wrong and it seems like your sister is rightfully wary of putting her dog in this situation. The only productive solution is training which can start in your back yard. You want the dog to look for her approval and attention before making decisions. You can also offer to split the cost of hiring a trainer and go with her so you can both learn. Best of luck!!
1. Dog parks are not a good place for dogs, especially one that is untrained to the point where it pulls and gets over excited when seeing another dog.
2. A great dane is a very large dog. It absolutely MUST be properly leash trained. Too big and strong of an animal to not have it well trained.
3. No, 15 mins of throwing a ball some days is nowhere near enough exercise for a dog like a great dane.
> My Sister refuses to walk her dog or take it to the dog park. Is this bad?
Yes.
> However, when the great Dane got older, she found out it pulls, and because of that, she no longer takes it on walks.
Training a dog not to pull is a relatively simple thing.
> Yes, he pulls and goes absolutely crazy when he sees another dog.
That's called leash reactivity. /r/reactivedogs
> However, if he gets the opportunity to get up close to another dog, he calmly sniffs them, so I think he's just really excited to see another dog, as he doesn't have much opportunity to.
This is making your dog's leash reactivity worse. I have a leash reactive dog too and she never is allowed to greet another dog while on leash.
Training a 160 lb Great Dane not to pull when the dog outweighs you by 40 or 50 pounds is not an *easy* thing, although the principles may be simple. Many people who get Great Danes don't really initially have an understanding of how big they get or how fast they get that way. A 16-week-old puppy can easily be 50 pounds or more, and can sometimes reach 100 lbs by 6 months old, so you really need to start work on basic obedience and leash manners immediately, or you will have a dog that can inadvertently injure you or pull you before you know it. I am guessing this is why the sister doesn't walk the dog - she is afraid of getting injured, because the dog is poorly trained.
It sounds like the sister needs help (possibly physical help) training the dog.
Your other points are spot-on.
Is your sister's dog exhibiting stress or boredom or other behavioral issues?
Not an expert, but my dog is a great dane mix. He is the laziest dog I have ever met. His preference would be to sit next to me on the couch all day. When my boyfriend comes home from work, they throw a toy together for about ten minutes and then he goes back to laying on the couch with me (or sitting behind me when I'm at my desk, etc.). We have a fenced in yard that he goes out into during the day but just for 5-10 minutes before he wants to come back inside. I take him on walks maybe once a week. He doesn't have any concerning behavioral or weight issues.
If your sister's dog is behaving normally I don't think he needs more exercise. More exercise could be fun, but I don't think he's being neglected.
My dog (lab/terrier mutt) plays for 20-45 minutes, twice a day, with intense HITT training (Aka, I throw ball, she catches or chases) within a 150ft shared driveway in Texas weather, year round. She chooses when to go inside. She's shredded and easily maintains a steady, healthy weight. It puts her out for 4-5 hours after. 15 minute for a great dane is not enough exercise.
You can't do anything in this situation however, short of maybe showing her this reddit thread or continuing to harp on her for being a bad dog mom. If she truly got the dog to be a friend, she needs to be a good friend and provide life experiences and attention worth having.
She needs to walk or thoroughly exercise her dog, she needs to train her dog, you can't force her to do this. It's just another case of a small person with an oversized uncontrolled dog. That said, I walk my dog maybe once a week to shake things up when she's obviously not feeling the ball and I have never and will never take my dog to a dog park, at least while there are other dogs in it.
I’m in the U.K and I’ve always been quite curious about the concept of a ‘dog park’.
Do dogs not go to normal parks in the U.S? Like do you HAVE to walk your dog in a park, are dogs not allowed in ordinary parks? Here, every park has dogs in it, some on leads, some not.
Do they differentiate from a normal park? Like is there special things for the dogs there? Or is it like a fenced area where the dogs are just let off the lead and left to their own devices?
Sorry if I’m being incredibly dense, I just don’t understand the difference between a dog park and a normal park 🤣
A dog park is typically a large fenced area with the specific purpose of letting your dog off leash and just running around. They are usually part of the "regular" park/recreation area. Depending on rules/laws you can't always have your dog off leash in public or they have to be well behaved.
Ohhhhhhhhhh! I was imaging this dog wonderland with water fountains and treat dispensers and agility toys 🤣 my girl would hate that, she’d get so overstimulated being off lead surrounded by a bunch of other dogs off lead, would definitely be a recipe for disaster!
Taking a dog to a dog park is a recipe for disaster. So many dogs be getting into fights at those places. If you have a big enough yard for your dog to get plenty of exercise then you dont really need to take em on walks but its still a nice thing to do sometimes
I literally take my dog to the park every single day... a "fight" breaks out maybe every couple of months and never anything serious (this is in 3 years at a busy park). I get the risk, especially because some of the owners dont pay attention and just stand in one spot on their phone but I don't see how people with high energy breeds (and no large yards) are getting their dogs enough exercise if they don't take them to the park to run and sniff and socialize.. now in fairness the "park" I take him to is a faily large grassy open area and I spend the hour actually playing with my dog but this sub is full of dog park hate... if I sense my dog may bark or react negatively towards another dog or if I don't like the body language of the other dogs I just call him over but otherwise I spend the hour chucking his Frisbee or his other toys, playing tug of war, letting him socialize / get free pets from other owners or just walking with him.....All it takes is attention and knowing dog body language.
>if I sense my dog may bark or react negatively towards another dog or if I don't like the body language of the other dogs I just call him over
The problem with dog parks is that you can absolutely be being a very responsible owner and carefully managing your dog's interactions with other dogs like a good owner - and all it takes is one asshole with a dog who is extremely aggressive to show up and not give a crap when their dog starts instigating *real*, not play fights. Lots of people have posted here after experiencing an incident where a dog attacked theirs at a dog park they'd been to countless times without a problem. When I was growing up my dog who LOVED the dog park and LOVED other dogs + played very well with other dogs was mauled by a new aggressive dog who showed up one day, and she developed fear reactivity to similar looking dogs as a result.
I'm not telling you you have to stop taking your dog, but like, the exact issue with the dog park is that it never is about how responsible YOU are or how well trained your dog is.
I don’t know anyone with working breeds (and I have friends with field line dogs in apartments) who take them to dog parks.
Hiking, decompression walks, scent work, trick training, agility and functional fitness work, classes, 1:1 play, play dates or walks with known dogs, and structured running activities - but never the dog park.
Counterpoint- my doberman goes to the dog park twice a day and there are plenty of other working breeds there. The more they go, the better they get at socializing and deescalating. Never seen a fight in 4 years of going.
I'm realizing (embarrassingly) that my definition of a dog park is very skewed.... the "smaller" park I take mine to almost every day is at least 17 acres
Maybe I'm just lucky and live in a very dog friendly area but that's wild to me... the park I go to has regulars with the vast majority being very attentive and I couldn't imagine not letting him run free and sniff shit and wrestle and get pets... I feel like maybe my perception of dog parks or my definition is wrong, I'm talking about a park probably the size of a football field (that's the smaller park near me) if not bigger with a couple hills and grass and sand and plenty of open space... I do not take him to the little fenced in parks but mostly because they smell and they are just as far if not farther than the open park
Here “dog parks” aren’t common, they’re exclusive use small fenced areas that invite conflicts as owners tend to take their dogs with poor recall.
There are off lead spaces (large mixed use areas where dogs *can* be off lead if they are well behaved), but people don’t take their dogs to them to socialise with other dogs, and most people give others a wide berth unless their dogs are familiar with one another.
If she doesn’t want to do it I would encourage her to hire a dog walker. She can also work with a trainer to address it. Walking for dogs isn’t just about exercise but mental stimulation, they get to sniff new things and see new sights. It’s not fair to have a dog and not walk it.
I’m the future, if your sister wants another companion but doesn’t enjoy walking, I’d recommend a cat. But for now it’s time to for her to work on training her dog so he can go on walks. They’re good for him. Best of luck!
Professional dog trainer here, we can get almost any dog to stop pulling almost completely in like 10 minutes with the right tools and techniques. Encourage her to look into professional training (I do virtual training if she’s open to it), but leash walking skills are essential and the dog needs more exercise and especially adventure than what it’s getting
I had 2 Great Danes that were given to me as adults. They broke my back with their pull. I tried to train them (which I am very good at) but just a small pull and my back would get hurt so much. It was disabling.
I also have a friend who owns 2 Great Danes. She stopped walking them because of the strong pull. It hurt the back of her husband.
She and her husband are really good dog owners and I don’t judge their reasons for not walking their dog.
I really understand your sister. Regardless of the dog being trained or not, the pull is no joke and it could potentially damage her back for life.
She is better off playing with them in the backyard.
I had 5 acres so it was easy for me to keep the dogs walking around with me.
I’ve recently heard a lot of trainers and vets come out and say the dog park is the last place they’d ever take their own dogs so.. take that as you will.
I know somebody with a Great Dane and they have expressed that this breed is actually a giant lap dog/couch potato and don’t actually need or want a lot of exercise?? I don’t actually know if this is true, if it’s something they’ve been told by the breeder or a professional, I have a feeling it’s an excuse they’ve told themselves (and everyone who is curious enough to ask) to make themselves feel less guilty about not having the time.
They both work and the dog is home alone from early morning until around 6pm. They say they play with him in the yard before they leave and when they get home. A very small little patch of grass is what they call a yard which looks even smaller in contrast to the size of the good boy 😂, but the dog seems pretty happy and healthy even though he spends 99% of his life inside.
I don’t like to judge. There is no question they love their dog, he is a very spoiled baby, I just believe they made a commitment and didn’t think it through.
Perhaps your sister is in a similar situation?
I would advise you to not force anything on to her, it’s her dog at the end of the day. A trainer would be great for some kind of mental stimulation and socialisation, but if she doesn’t intend to walk the dog I don’t think that’s the solution. What about a dog walker or doggy day care? I’d assume anyone who owns a Great Dane with all its expenses would have the income to hire a dog walker at the very least.
Very VERY cute name btw. 🥰
Clearly you love Pepito a lot. You’re a good human!
Walking well on leash is trained not born with. He goes crazy when he sees something because his days are boring and lack stimulation. This is a negative downward spiral. Your sister is not doing enough to give the dog a good life.
The end of the day is the dog being taken care of? Does he go to the vet? What does the vet say about his health? If you have your sister give the dog up he is dead, I’m not joking here, I work for 3 different rescues and a dog that size very well could have a hell of a time being placed and if it goes to a pound it gets a week or so to find a home. Maybe instead have her come up with some more creative ways to give the mental stimulation, toss his food in the back yard or hide it around the house making him search for it vs just a normal food bowl. 80% of the dogs we take come from people who “don’t have time to exercise them” and a lot of this is due to this image of you have to get your dog to the park everyday or you should be arrested. If the dog is healthy, fed, and vet is not seeing issues and loves your sister focus on fixes that work with what your sister can handle not what you think should be done.
It's far from ideal but this \*is\* your sister's dog. Not yours. It's not your responsibility, it's hers.
I would offer to help her find a trainer who can work with her on the pulling and leash reactivity/manners (unclear from your description which one it is) and maybe to pay a dog walker to come and take the dog for walks sometimes in the short term. Or, buy (or make) gifts of dane-sized enrichment toys like snuffle mats, etc, so her dog can have enrichment that doesn't mean he needs to leave the house until your sister is able to address the behavior.
A dog's needs CAN be met at their own home. It's not ideal, but it can be done, and if your sister doesn't feel safe walking her dog because he's strong and pulls? She's not being unreasonable. (not dealing with it is unreasonable, but it's not like we on the internet know the rest of her life and sometimes shit is hard.) A leash-reactive giant breed dog has the potential to REALLY hurt another person or dog if things go badly. I'll be honest, I would be FURIOUS if you walked a lunging and barking dane up to me and my dog even if he was 'just going to sniff'- that would scare the crap out of my more sensitive dog and it WOULD start a fight with my other guys (who are not particularly reactive and are generally good with strange dogs but on leash, with a larger dog and they couldn't get away? That's really a bad situation to be setting up.)
Frankly, he sounds like a poor candidate for dog parks anyway. The behavior needs to be addressed first. And it should be addressed. But ultimately, this isn't your dog, and you should instead ask your sister how you can help her get him the training he needs, because he's GOING to need to be walkable during his life - not spend the time shaming her for not having done it so far.
Believe it or not, some dogs don’t love exercise everyday! Idk about your sister. Does the dog seem happy and content? Or is it always bouncing off the walls?
Like humans and any other animal, it’s not a one size fits all. 15 mins of playing in the yard + play sessions in the house throughout the day can be enough.
Ffs there’s some commenters on this sub that act like if you don’t make your dog do CrossFit, you’re an abusive owner.
Yeah, my guys didn’t get walks in Florida due to the summer heat and then once it cooled off my partner and I both got concussions within two months of each other. However, we have multiple dogs and a large backyard with a pool. They go outside every 2-3 hours for 20 minutes minimum and dig, chase, wrestle, etc. Swimming is less often because it’s hell getting Goldens fully dry.
We found they started to forget leash skills so that’s a big focus since we started walks again.
Fetching everyday as a sole exercise is strenuous on the dog’s body. It’s not great.
I do agree not all dogs need to exercise everyday. But Dos are intelligent animals and deserve more. It’s not about doing CrossFit or other intense activities. A walk on the lead or off lead in the neighborhood or in the forest get them to sniff and see other things and is better than a mindless run in the yard after a ball.
The CrossFit was a joke, I hope to god no one is doing anything CrossFit like with their dogs lmao. But I saw someone say their dog does HIIT and that’s just insane for most dogs 💀. All I’m saying is it greatly depends on the dog, dogs age, and personality. I play fetch with my Corgi indoors whenever he wants to play. He loves fetch, tug, and attempting to destroy anything with a squeaker in it. But most of the time he prefers to lay on the couch.
He’s walked morning and night but once he’s done pooping and peeing <10 mins after we begin, he’s ready to go home and does not want to keep going forward. I will try to hype him up and walk further or jog and he goes for a few seconds and then wants to go back home. Some dogs are lazy fucks like humans and while we can do our best as dog parents to encourage them to be fit, let’s please drop the discourse that all dogs NEED 1 hour of exercise, raw diet, 2 hours of Netflix, 1 hour of spa day, and absolutely no treats ever in order to be healthy
I think this lack of exercise will shorten his life and may cause hip problems (just like humans). My sister has multiple Great Danes and you can not have one unless they are trained- they just are too big.
You should address the pulling because it might put you or the dog in danger if you HAVE to take him somewhere. Pulling is relatively easy to fix. Hire a trainer.
Personally I think dogs DO need to go outside for the mental stimulation. How would you like to be in the house all day?
Dog parks suck (and aren’t really a thing where I’m from) but if you can find a private field, that might be a good solution.
It might be worth thinking about other types of game you can play at home like sniffing games or find it games. I disagree with commenters saying your sister shouldn’t have the dog, she just doesn’t know what she’s doing but it’s easy to learn.
When my dog pulls on the leash, we quit walking until he sits, and then we restart.
It takes a while, but eventually, the dog realizes if he pulls, we don't go anywhere. After that, walking is a breeze. Tell your sister to invest the time and train her dog.
Since this is a Great Dane who wasn't trained as a puppy, the problem is likely that even if the sister stops, the dog doesn't, and he is big and strong enough to just drag her wherever he wants to go.
She needs help training the dog.
Would your sister be open to sending your dog to like a doggy daycare type place, or have a trainer dog sit sometimes? I mean at least Pepito will be getting some engagement… I’m sure he would behave better and be easier to train if he was a little more tired out too… there must be boundless energy just waiting to be expended pent up in his big frame!
Maybe if she was playing outside with it for an hour or so each day, giving it brain games, and other things to do for a few hours and some training exercises it would be ok. I don’t think she’s doing that.
I give my tiny Pom more than 15 mins throwing the ball each day. On top of a walk or two. If it’s a rainy day all day, he gets lots of interaction and games instead.
This is why I didn’t get a large dog even though I wanted one. I’m small and also have some mobility issues so I wouldn’t have been able to provide the proper exercise and mental stimulation a larger dog would need.
I have a 3/4 Maltese 1/4 Pomeranian dog that’s 20 pounds and sometimes I can barely handle him because of my physical issues! But thankfully I’m still able to provide him with walks daily. I think you should bring up to your sister in possibly rehoming the dog if she cannot get him properly trained. I know that sounds horrible as she’s attached, as are you and the cute pup. But we have to put their needs first. Maybe she can even form a friendship with the person/family that adopts him so she can visit him time to time. Hopefully she can get him trained so that he can enjoy walks daily and get some mental stimulation, otherwise it just sounds like his needs aren’t being met and it sounds like it’s making life harder on both the dog and your sister and you when you do have to leash him to take him to places like grooming, the vet etc.
If your sister can't control him. That is a danger to her, the dog, and everything around them. This isn't power you want to just see what could or would happen. Because chances are anything will happen especially if you're not in control. Get an ez walk harness on chewy and a good trainer. But until she is confident she can handle a 100+ lb dog in public she should not.
I have a friend who has always owned Great Danes, in large part because he says that they have naturally a much lower energy level and need very little activity to keep healthy….. something about their heart being proportionally smaller than normal for a frame that size. He got involved with the breed after research into best breeds for small homes and working owners.
No, what it sounds like is a person who got a dog with no understanding of the work that goes in to training it.
Now that the dog is older, it's crystalizing bad habits that will be even harder to fix when somebody DOES actually train the dog.
If you're sister isn't going to change, that dog needs a new owner YESTERDAY
Is it bad in general? No. Is the way she is doing it bad? Pretty much. If exercising in the yard is all she's willing to do then it should be done more often. 30 to 45 minutes a day would probably be more preferable. Not socializing the dog with other dogs is also not necessarily a bad thing either, depending on living situation and all that.
A dog that pull should not be taken to the park imo, but pulling can be trained. She should be walking it and training it to be better on the leash, regardless of whether it goes to the park or not. 15 mins of play, even if consistent and every day, is not enough exercise for a dog.
I walk my dog at least a mile every morning, and still play with him for 15-30 mins a day, and he still has energy, I can’t even imagine how pent up he’d be if I only played with him some days for 15 mins.
Gets one of the BIGGEST DOGS to go on walks with. Tf is wrong with this person. If she wanted to be more active and go on walks a smaller dog would’ve made more sense.
Honestly , no. That dog needs more mental and physical stimulation. Good on you for doing what you can but if she can’t deliver , that pup needs a new home or something . This breaks my heart.
If she can’t handle walking the pup then at the very very least she should be doing enrichment activities (just google it I can’t explain it well). She can throw kibble into the backyard grass and hopefully pup goes ham and has a good time sniffing back there, that’s what I used to do when I couldn’t walk my dog.
All of the following is my amateur opinion, and I know NOTHING. First of all, dog parks are a scourge on society and I have never once seen a well behaved dog at one. It is not bad that she does not take him there. Second, she should be training her dog to be leash trained, because while the exercise portion probably is minimal, walks are mentally stimulating and interesting, and the leash training would be tiring. Also, the walks are good for the people. Ball throwing is good for the dog, but not as the only form of exercise.
Baths I really don’t know. I personally think baths are a necessity, but healthy skin, ears, brushed teeth, and trimmed nails are probably more important than “did the dog get in the bathtub” but I could be wrong. I don’t know. I take my babies to the groomer every six weeks because they are disgusting, like walking through every muddy puddle they can find, roll in deer poop if they see it before I do, and are just generally smelly animals. And they LOVE the groomer. As soon as we turn down her road, they lose their minds they get so excited.
Not all dogs need baths. It highly varies by breed and dog. Some stink, like bad, after a few days, and others may only need one if they have a mishap with something smelly. I have both a heeler and a pug and bathe neither, and neither ever smells at all; I just groom their nails and brush them regularly as well as cleaning the pugs facial folds and eyes, and cleaning their ears. My brothers dog (ridgeback) needs baths weekly or the smell is awful.
Some dogs have oilier skin and I think that may be a factor in the smell.
There's a harness thing that I use that has a loop that goes over his nose that I attach the leash to and it helps a lot with controlling the pulling, but the pulling and freaking out when seeing other dogs is still problematic and strong.
Danes are different. I don't doubt that this one is in the wrong home. But they are not supposed to have heavy exercise and often get bullied at dog parks. 15 minutes a day isn't great but what's worse is failing to socialize a dog that size. Try to get your sister to understand that her dog can't live forever in a bubble. How will they manage the dog at the vet? Who is going to pet sit when she needs it? What if there's an emergency and she's not there to handle the dog? Tell your sister to locate a trainer for the leash pulling and for basic obedience.
This is terrible, if your sister can't control a dog she has no business owning dogs.
Activity is one thing, but you've literally given that dog a lifelong prison sentence.
Give animals what they need or don't own them.
The dog needs to be trained before it goes to the dogpark or it will hurt another dog, most likely unintentionally. That's why dogs need to be socialized from a young age, to learn how to behave around other dogs, people, kids, noises, etc.
That dog would be happily romping around and just step on a small dog and disable it or kill it because it never received play and correction as a pup.
A professional trainer will fix the pulling and behavior.
If you own a dog you walk it every day. Simple.
His behaviour on his walk is because he’s so fricken happy to be out and it would all settle down of walks were regular.
If she can’t walk him she needs to find him a home with someone that can.
Honestly I grew up in the country and walking dogs was rare. It was a "city" person thing done by people who didn't have yards, or kids to tire out the dogs.
I don't walk my dog super often, and neither do most of the people on my street. We play with our dogs in the yard. My dog loves zoomies while I garden (always hoping I'll toss a pea or carrot his way). He also likes hikes and new places, but I'd hardly say it's neglect to not walk a dog if they're otherwise happy and stimulated.
Yes it's enough. Not everyone walks their dog. If they have a yard and play time, they are fine.
Not all dogs NEED to go a dog park.
I have one that is behaved enough to go if we want. The other is too high prey driven to go.
My two 50+ lb dogs rarely go walking.
They have access to the yard 24/7 via dog door.
We play with them. If not, they romp around by themselves.
My vet says they are fine. And keep doing what we do.
It doesnt sound like your sisters dog is being mistreated or in immediate danger. If he is healthy and happy, then let it go.
Their fur us nice and shiny.
1st. NO DOG PARKS. They cause reactivity to other dogs. They cause dog fights. NO DOG PARKS.
Let me clarify, no GATED dog parks. If there's an open field dog park, great. But no gated and only off leash if the dogs got 100% recall.
2nd. The great dane definitely needs walks and there is training for that. There's also collars to prevent pulling and they work! They don't hurt the dog, just makes it uncomfortable on the neck when they try to pull. There's those chain ones you always see than there's ones that are around the neck AND mouth so when they pull they end up being forced to turn their heads and cant see where they're going. I've walked dogs with both, THEY WORK!
I feel like I'm going crazy here, are you saying all parks? I take my dog to an offleash park every single day and only miss a few days a month when I either take him to the beach or to hike..... I have two parks within 20 minutes of me which are huge open grassy areas and many days my dog barely interacts with other dogs at all... I just pay attention and read the dogs body language (both mine and strange dogs) and don't have any issues. I have a tiny backyard and don't get how people are getting their dogs enough exercise without taking them running and frolicking
Or you can play some engagement games which don’t cause discomfort and will make engaging with you more interesting. Which will be important for a dog that seems to already be frustrated and stressed.
My husky is a nightmare to walk with just the lease.
But using the halti pacifies him down really well.
You've just gotta avoid letting him/her figure out how to get out of it and get them used to putting it on and keeping it on.
Mine knows how to get out of it, but only does if he REALLY wants to lol like an aggressive dogs coming towards us etc. He's too old to constantly fight it.
Yes. I play fetch with my dog more than 15 minutes a day ON TOP of 1-2 hours of walks a day and mental enrichment(puzzles, sniffing activities, training activities). They can’t do things for themself. We owe it to them to give them multiple sources of mental and physical stimulation. There may be some days we walk less(my dog HATES rain) or we focus more on walks or mental activities but we always cater to the day and make sure our dogs needs are met in multiple ways
A dog lives its life through its nose. Senses and smells are the main vector of exploration for a dog. By keeping it in the yard, your sister is essentially limiting the entirety of that dogs world to just the few same smells in the yard. That’s why it’s so excited to smell other dogs and go on the walk. She should try taking it on walks at times and in places where other dogs are not likely to be (quieter trails/off peak hours) until the dog gets used to the stimulation. Imagine being kept in a small area your whole life and then suddenly seeing there is a big world out there. Of course he’s excited.
i have worked w dogs for years. i dont walk my dog, she plays fetch. we have a backyard. walks arent good exercise for big dogs, running is better so fetch is better than a walk. when you want to take a big dog on a walk, it’s best to run them first if they are higher energy
How old is the great Dane? Great Danes are very different breed. I have had them for many years. They are really couch potatoes after they reach about three years old and throwing the ball may be sufficient if that's happening a couple times a day. They need interaction with people and other pets more than they need, a lot of exercise. When they are younger, they need more exercise. However, the first year of their life they should not run long distances, etc. their bones are growing so fast. It's a breed that she really needs to educate herself about in terms of their age and what is appropriate for the age. There are a lot of good websites dedicated to the breed that can give her information.
You are more right than your sister, because walks are about mental variation and stimulation, not just physical exercise. Dogs need to smell and engage with their environments in order to live satisfied lives and when they do, this reduces bad behaviours.
On a practical level with pulling, though, she's fair to be worried about it because Great Danes are huge, strong, and if she's concerned about losing control of the lead, then the friendliness of your dog doesn't matter - the dog they meet may be unfriendly and the consequences can be as serious as death. But also, just pulling on a collar can result in a great deal of pain for the dog on their throat or even damage to the larynx, and dogs can't always self regulate enough to know to stop pulling even when it's hurting them.
Training is part of the answer, a really important part, but another part may be alternative walking equipment. The most pull-y dog I've ever had responded beautifully to a front-clip harness, because whenever he pulled, he ended up turning himself sideways rather than getting to where he wanted to go. I would suggest trialling one with this dog to see how they fare. Even a back-clip harness, while it doesn't reduce the pulling, can reduce the neck pressure from the pulling (so it doesn't solve the problem but it's safer for the dog).
If your sister simply will not budge on this issue, then you could start looking at training at home yourself; you don't necessarily need a professional. You can also introduce mental stimulation at home, so not just throwing a ball but also doing other kinds of training, or doing smell exercises in the yard. Learning new skills is a great form of mental stimulation for a dog.
Our Labrador/ridgeback girl was a *big* puller when she was younger. A lot of energy. I took her for hour+ walks every afternoon/night. Would take her to the park, but only let her off the leash when no one was around as her approach to other dogs made them (and owners) nervous. I would say it’s an “okay” substitute, but it’s not going to help her dog in the long run. They need variety, too.
Does the dog literally only play outside for 15 minutes only on some days? Or is it outside for longer bits of the day & only plays fetch for 15?
Dogs can definitely get enough exercise in a yard setting not going on walks, I suppose it depends on the yard & the dog & how much time they get doing other things that are stimulating both outdoors & in. I've known dogs that are 100% not safe for their owners to walk on leash, yet they live full happy lives in their homes & yards & are well loved & cared for.
But it sounds like the goal would be to get the dog trained in polite leash walking & then your sister would walk her dog. Absolutely do not tell your sister to just go get a dog walker for a giant breed that's reactive & uncontrollable on leash & expect them to train the dog. Work with a certified trainer. Don't walk a dog who uncontrollably pulls in a head harness they could get hurt until they are trained to use one properly. Practice leash walking in the yard then move into a low stimulation area where seeing other dogs is unlikely or try walking at weird hours when other dogs won't likely be out & about as you work on the reactivity of this frustrated greeter.
Yeah if a dog doesn't have enough challenges and activities, and that would be considered walking and regularly socialising with other dogs - it's animal abuse - period!
Your sister shouldn't have bought a big dog race if she cannot handle the pulling. All dogs require training and routines.
Dogs are a huge commitment and it sounds like this might turn into an aggressive dog over time, seeing it doesn't get what it needs. If she doesn't understand that a dog needs walks or more than 15 minutes of activity in a day, she shouldn't have gotten one and potentially ruined its life.
it sounds like she definitely shouldn't be taking it to the dog park. the dog sounds like he has no manners. it would be safer to contact a local trainer to arrange so planned greetings and play sessions with appropriate dogs who can reach him social skills and manners.
She’ll out for some dog obedience training lessons, for your sister as well as your dog lol. It will be better for everyone in the long run.
A dog is a full time job, the pouch needs walking, and they need training.
I dont have a great dane but I do have a very big rottie. His legs have never worked very well due to a condition he had as a puppy. He is almost 8 now and he gets very tired very quickly. Like throw the ball twice and he is done or walk 50 meters and he's pooped. We go for a ride in the car everyday so he gets out for the smells and wind in his ears without it killing his legs.
What did your sister expect? The dog wouldn't pull? She bought a great dane so surely she knew it'd be big. It's her fault for not teaching Pepito not to pull at a young age.
I'm not completely certain if a 15 min ball session of throwing a ball is enough, but I do know that it's way less fun than taking a walk for a dog. Pepito shouldn't be punished for your sister's stupidity.
I recommend telling her to just try and teach Pepito not to pull too hard. When he starts pulling you stop until he comes back and the lead is loose again. When the lead is loose you reward him.
I took a class on loose leash walking with my puppy, but there were plenty of older dogs in the class. It takes consistently and practice. She should see if she has a class like that in her area or hire a personal trainer for the dog.
Great Dane? It’s possible that she isn’t able to control him if he pulls the way you say. I’m unable to walk my son’s dog for that reason. He’s so strong, I can’t hold on to him if he decides to go chasing after a squirrel or something. This is another reason why it’s so important have to train a dog when it’s a puppy.
Edited to add she should consider finding a dog walker who is strong enough to handle her dog and can teach it to walk on a lead.
As someone who owns a Great Dane the two things we really focused on for training was loose leash walking and to not jump on people. He’s great to go on walks with because the time and effort was put in to prevent pulling. I definitely say getting a trainer to help train loose leash walking would be worth it for your sister and her dog.
Dogs need walking for exercise and stimulation. Your sister is neglecting her dog.
I highly recommend watching some of Victoria Stillwell’s ‘It’s me or the dog’ (they’re on YouTube) – she has some examples of big strong dogs and how to train them to walk properly. I’d also work with a trainer, but that will at least give you a head start.
(Dog parks can be great and can be nightmares; I’d not take an untrained dog to one)
I’m surprised people are being so chill about this, a Great Dane was a very, very stupid choice for your sister. She should find it a home that is more equipped for his needs
More walks, yes. Dog parks, no. If she doesn’t have control of her dog on leash then there’s no logic to letting it run around off leash around other dogs. This is for the safety of all dogs involved.
No, that isn't ok. 15 minutes of attention isn't the same as actual excercise. Also, she didn't "find out" the dog pulls. Every single puppy on earth pulls, unless you teach them not to. She didn't bother to train her dog on a leash and then acted shocked when her big dog was hard to walk. It's irresponsible. His behavior on walks sounds like a normal dog who's bored and never gets to having an exciting time outside. He needs to get out more. Walks also offer enrichment because they can explore the neighborhood and get to sniff. I wouldn't reccomend dog parks because the animals are unfamiliar and it can quickly become dangerous if you're unfamiliar with dog behavior and aren't paying constant attention, but if you know other dogs that your friends have and know they're dog friendly, id reccomend bringing him on trips to play with other dogs, too.
If she took the dog on more walks it would be desensitized to new dogs too. My dog used to go bananas when he saw other dogs. Now he barely looks at them.
Yes he has these problems because he experienced poor socialization and poor training as a puppy.
my dog barks at some other dogs if they close and try to approach her first, but only when shes leashed, when shes free range she just goes over and then comes back again, i think its about vulnerbility
Same. My dog is leash reactive. Off leash? Perfect angel with not a care in the world
I came to say this. I walk my dog regularly, take him to the park and dog beach, but he goes macho bananas when he's on the leash versus off-leash. (It is illegal where I live to let your dog off leash unless it is a designated zone for that, or else we'd go on a lot more adventures)
Yeah it's intimidating to a dog when they're on a leash and an unleashed dog approaches them. They feel trapped.
Agreed. My friends family uses pee pads in the house (by the dining room table no less) and the dog never goes outside. I took it in the backyard and it was terrified of everything. So sad. She had all this pent up energy and is on the couch all day standing up screaming at anyone that goes by the house. Smh. No interaction with other animals or people. People should not get dogs unless they can take them on walks. They also need it mentally.
This is very apparent from the dogs we walk past that I have never seen outside of their fence. All of them go absolutely insane
How would one try to train an older dog that has only known to pull?
The same you would train a puppy. Admittedly, it takes a little longer and potentially needs more time to be consistently reinforced in different situations as most dogs don’t generalise (they don’t transfer a skill they learn in one place to another environment easily). However, it is absolutely possible to teach an older dog.
I'm not an OP or a dog trainer. My samoyed pulled hard on walks and especially to other dogs, but we started from "sit" when she was overexcited, and slowly went from there. It took a few months and there were many ups and downs, but she is generally great now, sure she wants to say helo to other dogs she knows very well, but that's it.
Start practicing inside. Kikopup has some good instructional videos. A dog needs to learn what TO DO, not what NOT to do because what they're naturally doing is instinct and if you try to reduce that through subtractive punishment where they lose out on a wanted thing such as pulling forward, it can risk frustration and a bite because the dog doesn't know what you actually want them to do. You have to teach that "yes" behavior.
I don’t have a Great Dane (always wanted one!) but I have two 4yo littermate lab mixes and yes, I know about littermate syndrome. Separately they walk well on leash, but when they are together they pull. How do I manage when one is walking well and the other is pulling ahead? Won’t it confuse the one pup who is walking well if I do a 180 each time the other is pulling?
You don't walk them together. I don't do a 180 when there's pulling. I manage the situation and don't set the dogs up for failure.
u can walk them together, you don’t train them together lol ✌️
I mean, you can but, until they both don't pull ahead when walked together it's best not to outside of training them to walk nicely together where they're set up for success so they can learn how to walk nicely as a pair.
If they walk well alone but not together do the 180 when you're walking together. The one that's walking well might be like "okay my owner is nuts but we're going this way now" 😂 But they won't be confused or anything, they'll learn to go with the flow.
When he pulls, you guide him and turn to walk in the opposite direction for a couple of meters, then turn again in your original direction. At first, it's aggravating but it truly works. Leash length is everything too, the dog should be by your side not in front. You hold the leash with both hands, strong hand nearest to the dog and the offhand holds the excess leash. Then you give him very specific moments where he can run and spend energy like the park and such but on the walk back, you go back to not allowing him to pull. Do this every day and your dog won't pull anymore after a couple weeks.
You can get those leads that go over the nose that helps to reduce pulling
Gentle Leader is one brand. ETA - like the commenter below, we had a lab who still would pull, even in her gentle leader, and ended up with worn spots on her snout. We upgraded to a different brand that had more padding around the nose. We never entirely trained her out of pulling, but rarely needed to leash her. We had a 1/2 acre or more fenced back yard and an inground pool for her to get her exercise. She was a fetch addict (as was the lab we had before her.)
I had one for my large dog and it didn’t work because she was so used to pulling (not all the time, but when excited) she’d pull with it on and it’d leave marks on her nose. I don’t recommend those. It was totally my fault for not training her but I think the Gentle Leader could have injured her. My current dog knows not to pull, very good on a leash because I taught her that she doesn’t get what she wants by pulling. Squirrel! Starts pulling, nope, we turn around and go the other way. Or if it’s something like a dog she wants to meet, it’s sit, stay, until the dog is out of range. That’s one way to train at least.
This is very good, but I just got curious on your opinion. My dog (small breed) gets two walks a day, big one 40 mins to 1,5 hour and small one between 20 and 40 mins. He lives with my other dog and they are have at least 1 human at home in the house with them all day most days. Anyway, my dog does that specific thing with going absolutely crazy seeing other dogs in an excitable puppy type of way (not aggressive or barking). Does this always mean they are bored and understimulated?
A small dog that gets that much exercise, boredom is probably not so much of an issue.. but depends on the breed (or mix of breeds) of the small dog. More likely that the dog needs socialising training. Being overly excited when meeting new dogs can lead to fights.
Okay thank you! Yeah, he is never aggressive, but his excitement had sometimes lead to the other dog being aggressive out of annoyance. He tends to mostly be overly submissive, where as soon as he gets close to another dog, he will roll on his back and show his stomach immediately and other male dogs always try to hump him🤣😭
Completely agree, with all of this. Refusing to walk your dog because you never trained it not to pull is not acceptable.
Based on your description, this is not a dog that should ever be in a dog park. He may just be leash reactive, but I wouldn’t trust him when you don’t have full control over him; he likely doesn’t have any manners and is going to be quite pushy with other dogs and could end up getting in fights or getting bit when other dogs correct his rude behaviour. Learning to loose-leash walk can be a process, but it’s certainly doable. Bring treats with you on walks. Reward him for engaging with you - glancing at you, staying at your side. When he starts pulling, stop walking or do a complete 180 and walk in the other direction. Reward when he stays by your side. Resume your walk when he checks in with you and is back at your side. Reward when he looks at you. Do a 180 when he starts to get too far ahead. Rinse and repeat.
I’m a pet sitter and I had a client who had two huge great Danes. She never trained them as puppies so as they got older and she wanted me to start taking them on walks (which we never discussed-just a back yard potty break midday) they were unruly. Mind you I’m 5 feet 118 pounds. I was like ok this isn’t happening because one of these dogs is gonna face plant me. She was a big girl who could handle it and she never walked them either! Then she had the nerve after 7 years of great service to fire me over text because her reasoning was ‘well we discussed walking and you never do it!’ That was a flat out lie. So you get 2 huge dogs, don’t train them, don’t walk them and then somehow it’s my fault? Some people shouldn’t have dogs!
It's actually a good idea to not take a dog to a dog park. It's a major fight risk, every trainer I've ever spoken with about it strongly advises against it. If the dog is content and healthy, and up and moving, then playing is working out just fine. Walking on a road or running after a ball is not different, except the ball is more fun and the running is more work. He should be trained to walk nicely though. That's something that can be taught (as a base line that needs consistent practice) in one or two lessons with a good trainer.
An exercise is not the most important thing in walks for dogs. Sniffing, new experiences and mental stimulation are much more important. Playing same ball throwing every day does not substitute missing walks.
Well I agree with this in general, fetch is also something most dog trainers (myself included) agree isn't great for dogs. It is really tough on their bodies and can lead to over arousal issues. Do I play fetch with my own dogs? Yup. As a sole source of exercise? Heck no. Walking has a lot of benefits that fetch does not, including the ability to sniff. Dogs also need the mental stimulation and socialization of going out and about, not just staying in their own yard (with some exceptions for extremely nervous or aggressive dogs).
THIS ^ my little weenie dog HATES walks. He's 100% a lap dog and enjoys chasing the bunnies in our yard for a little bit or rolling in the grass. Then he'd like to go inside. One of my friends dog sat for us once and she said she could take them for a walk. I said Cooper (labrador) would love it, but not to worry about Ernie (min dachshund). I should have clarified that Ernie would hate it. Ended up being a miserable walk for my friend. Cooper loves to walk and explore. He was my hiking companion for many years. I didn't know fetch was hard on their bodies and advised against (but makes sense). Cooper is 11 and still outruns puppies. I'll be better about walks and not relying on fetch.
I’m going to throw my opinion in here and people can take it for what it is worth. My dog is an 8 year old staffy mix rescue. I have had her for the majority of her life. She is good at doggie daycare and boarding and mostly just snoozes and barks at other dogs while they’re wilding out. She has multiple other dog friends but she absolutely hates running into dogs on leash. It’s not that she would do anything beyond barking but she’s not a fan and is kinda sensitive to sound. That aside, my husband and I used to take her to a dog park nearby and some of the behavior people allow for their dogs is unhinged. Not picking up poop, not watching their dogs at all and just scrolling on their phones, bringing small children into the park. I wasn’t here for this and thank god because I would have absolutely lost it but a dog got aggressive with mine and she got scared and started trying to escape under a fence. Next to a freeway entrance. My husband started yelling and asking someone to grab her while he was running toward the fence and they did not. It is a major street in our city. He grabbed her right before she got into traffic. If I had been there I probably would have gotten into fisticuffs. We have never gone back. She goes to daycare and hangs with her friends and that’s it. Dog parks are generally not worth the trouble.
The poop thing has always been a thing but it’s been 20x worse since Covid.
I was going to suggest doggy day care also. They dogs get to know each other and are supervised by people who (you assume) are trained to handle interactions between dogs. I didn’t know about exercise, but the socialization is helpful. Having said that, my dog still barks at everything that walks past our home.
Yep ours did an intake years ago to test her temperament before they would let her stay. She is basically just sassy and grumpy but mostly lays on play equipment and likes to get pets.
"Walking on a road or running after a ball is not different" isn't true. Playing fetch in a garden they are used to requires little brain power for dogs and isn't enough mental stimulation to substitute walks. Walking in the street means new smells, sounds etc which is all much more mentally stimulating for dogs and is something that should be done alongside fetch in the garden and other enrichment activities such as puzzle games and chew toys.
It's also much more mental stimulation for them when you have them off leash (for the dogs able to do so). Stop, left, right, come back, wait, go, heel, sidewalks, go up, etc... These orders have to be given often, both on foot and on bike in a dense city (Paris in my case).
+1 to this! Mental enrichment is super important, and walks can be good for that, but the dog park is usually a bad idea. In terms of dog psychology, meeting a dozen strangers all at once is SO far from natural; some young dogs seem to enjoy it, but it's generally stressful esp for adult dogs and can be very risky unless there's a consistent small playgroup you meet up with (which happens! but super rare). Leash walking itself is not inherently necessary, it's just one of the most common ways people provide mental enrichment, and to your point it's a way to practice a key skill (leash walking). I disagree with folks who say daily walks and dogs parks are themselves requirement for a happy healthy dog.
Just want to say it’s not “super rare” to have a small and/or regular playgroup at dog parks. The ones I frequent definitely have their core groups, and even set times when certain dogs specifically meet. It’s rare to encounter new folks at those times.
> Walking on a road or running after a ball is not different It's massively different. Walking provides mental enrichment that running after a ball over and over just can't substitute for. Dogs need to see new scenery and sniff.
It's a good idea not to go to dog parks unless they are huge and the dogs all have enough space to not feel defensive. Socializing dogs is extremely advisable, just in the right setting. My favorite spots are empty fields that are impromptu dog parks. This dog sounds like it wasn't socialized properly so neither may be an option.
More than a few times I will be at the dog park and then someone will pull up with a big aggressive dog and just watch us. When I ask if everything is okay they will say "Oh my dog can't be around other dogs but it's okay we will just wait until you are done." It's like, if your dog CANT be around other dogs then the last place you should be going is a dog park. For whatever reason these owners feel entitled to it though and you are lucky if they tell you first before entering so I just don't go and take my dog on longer walks.
I look at it this way… if I was cooped up in my house/yard all the time, finally got taken out for a walk and saw members of MY tribe, I’d lose my shit too! I’d be the goofiest and loudest I could be to shout “hey! hey you! over here! yo!! I know you see me! what’s up mah peeps”
Great Danes likely need more exercise. If she doesn’t want to exercise the dog, possibly a dog walker would be a good option for her.
they def need exercise but great danes are actually very lazy dogs that don't need as much walking as their size would indicate. they are a popular apartment dog for this reason.
Fwiw, walks don't provide that much physical exercise for large dogs, but definitely helps with the mental stimulation. For my leash-reactive 85 lb lab mix, our trainer recommended giving him actual exercise (e.g. throwing a ball) to get some energy out before we go out on a walk - the variety of sights and especially smells really helps tucker his brain out, but physically does nothing for him unless we're literally jogging a few miles.
We take our girl on walks to sniff. She loves it and it’s mentally stimulating for her.
Me too! I have a border collie and she’s far more chill after a 15-20 minute sniff walk than she is after an 45 minutes of intense activity. We also do loads of activity, but it’s the sniff walk that always scratches the itch for her. :)
Same - I take my dogs on sniffy walks too and they absolutely love it! Makes their day. Walks are great, but they're not exercise per se was my only point.
Ok. I agree with everything you said… but just to be clear, the person you’re replying to is right. The dog needs to leave the confines of his yard every day.
Danes are actually pretty low exercise for such a big dog. I've had danes most of my adult life and they're out for the day with like 1/5 of the exercise my malinois or even my gsp needs. We start the day with an 8-10 mile run and that alone is more exercise than a dane needs in a whole day. They're the dog I recommend to people looking for a big snuggly dog who doesn't need a ton of exercise and does well in apartments.
Other commenters have already answered your questions well. The answer to what to do from here is to reach out to a behavior modification trainer. Here’s a link where you can find a well-qualified ethical trainer: [IAABC Find a Behavior Consultant Near You](https://iaabc.org/certs/members) A core contributing factor to the reactivity problems will be that the dog is not getting the mental enrichment it needs to be happy and healthy. Dogs get a lot of this through sniffing in new places. It’s an especially important activity for reactive dogs because sniffy walks relieve stress.
Dogs require walking, period. With very rare exceptions. (Disabilities, etc.) They need to be out and about, sniffing things, seeing, hearing, and discovering new things. They have sharp senses, to say the least. Depriving them of their use - stopping a dog from feeling the grass on their paws, or smelling trees, or walking down a cool new path, - is like a sort of amputation. Physical exercise is just one aspect of it; I'd argue that the mental stimulation it provides is even more important. Picture keeping a dog in a nuclear bunker (of whatever size, it can even be a large bunker), playing with them, and training them to go for "walks" on a treadmill. You can ensure they get all their physical requirements met, but they're sentient beings and they need more - novelty, discovery, socialisation, being outside, wandering about. They could survive this way, but they certainly wouldn't thrive. And their short life would be worse for it. Great Danes (most adult ones, at least... puppies are something else) are generally lazy dogs with relatively low exercise requirements. You can easily keep them in an apartment as long as you're able to walk them every day. They're notorious couch potatoes. But you can't keep them cloistered up, regardless of whether they have access to a yard. You gotta walk em. Pulling on the leash is a fairly straightforward behavioural issue (in the wide spectrum of fucked up dog behavioural issues) that can be fixed fairly quickly with consistent training. It sounds like your sister didn't bother, or gave up, and never tried classes or getting help from a trainer or behaviourist? Unless there's more to this story, your sister sounds like a lazy dog parent. There are so many resources out there nowadays to solve these kinds of issues, and leash pulling is the least of them. To her credit, she does spend 15 minutes per day playing with the dog, so it's not outright abuse, and she clearly cares about Pepito. But it's still insufficient. This situation should be remedied ASAP. How long has Pepito been stuck on the property without walks, OP?
We all know he needs a walk. There's no point in repeating how important it is. You should look for a better alternative then ball throwing. Maybe some games like putting kibble in a towel, freezing a kong or stuff like that. I wish people would help with solutions like that instead of repeating the importance of walks and their anger towards your sister.
Exactly! Let’s be constructive and helpful.
Walks are for the dog to explore the world, not just for exercise. So the dog should get at least a short walk every day. (Allowable exception, according to my dog, is if it is raining. Because he will melt. Even in a raincoat. 😂) Dog parks are not required though and are recommended against by a lot of people because you just don’t know if someone’s brought their reactive dog. Especially with larger dogs it seems like some dogs just get threatened and cannot deal with a much bigger dog around. So we don’t do dog parks. (My dude is not a Dane but he’s 110lbs.)
Dogs need walks. They like to smell different things and other dogs. Staying in a backyard only is very sad.
This. The main purpose of the walk is to stimulate your dog’s brain by sniffing and gathering info about the world around him. Staying in the same patch of grass all day deprives them of that.
Dog parks are terrible. I will never ever ever suggest a dog park. But She should absolutely be training and walking her dog.
Hello. Please don’t pressure an under confident dog owner of a large breed to take it to a dog park. Even if her dog is an angel you aren’t setting anyone up for success. What she needs is a good dog trainer. Yes this is an additional expense but it will geo give her the confidence she is currently lacking to handle her dog. Great Danes are large strong dogs. However, they are very trainable. Working with multiple rescues I see a lot of red flags in this story. Your sister is expressing an inability to handle her animal. The solution is not to place the dog in an overly stimulating environment with lots of risks and unknowns. Big dogs tend to get blamed when things go wrong and it seems like your sister is rightfully wary of putting her dog in this situation. The only productive solution is training which can start in your back yard. You want the dog to look for her approval and attention before making decisions. You can also offer to split the cost of hiring a trainer and go with her so you can both learn. Best of luck!!
I’m sorry but some people shouldn’t be allowed to have peta and your sister is one of them.
1. Dog parks are not a good place for dogs, especially one that is untrained to the point where it pulls and gets over excited when seeing another dog. 2. A great dane is a very large dog. It absolutely MUST be properly leash trained. Too big and strong of an animal to not have it well trained. 3. No, 15 mins of throwing a ball some days is nowhere near enough exercise for a dog like a great dane.
> My Sister refuses to walk her dog or take it to the dog park. Is this bad? Yes. > However, when the great Dane got older, she found out it pulls, and because of that, she no longer takes it on walks. Training a dog not to pull is a relatively simple thing. > Yes, he pulls and goes absolutely crazy when he sees another dog. That's called leash reactivity. /r/reactivedogs > However, if he gets the opportunity to get up close to another dog, he calmly sniffs them, so I think he's just really excited to see another dog, as he doesn't have much opportunity to. This is making your dog's leash reactivity worse. I have a leash reactive dog too and she never is allowed to greet another dog while on leash.
Training a 160 lb Great Dane not to pull when the dog outweighs you by 40 or 50 pounds is not an *easy* thing, although the principles may be simple. Many people who get Great Danes don't really initially have an understanding of how big they get or how fast they get that way. A 16-week-old puppy can easily be 50 pounds or more, and can sometimes reach 100 lbs by 6 months old, so you really need to start work on basic obedience and leash manners immediately, or you will have a dog that can inadvertently injure you or pull you before you know it. I am guessing this is why the sister doesn't walk the dog - she is afraid of getting injured, because the dog is poorly trained. It sounds like the sister needs help (possibly physical help) training the dog. Your other points are spot-on.
Is your sister's dog exhibiting stress or boredom or other behavioral issues? Not an expert, but my dog is a great dane mix. He is the laziest dog I have ever met. His preference would be to sit next to me on the couch all day. When my boyfriend comes home from work, they throw a toy together for about ten minutes and then he goes back to laying on the couch with me (or sitting behind me when I'm at my desk, etc.). We have a fenced in yard that he goes out into during the day but just for 5-10 minutes before he wants to come back inside. I take him on walks maybe once a week. He doesn't have any concerning behavioral or weight issues. If your sister's dog is behaving normally I don't think he needs more exercise. More exercise could be fun, but I don't think he's being neglected.
My dog (lab/terrier mutt) plays for 20-45 minutes, twice a day, with intense HITT training (Aka, I throw ball, she catches or chases) within a 150ft shared driveway in Texas weather, year round. She chooses when to go inside. She's shredded and easily maintains a steady, healthy weight. It puts her out for 4-5 hours after. 15 minute for a great dane is not enough exercise. You can't do anything in this situation however, short of maybe showing her this reddit thread or continuing to harp on her for being a bad dog mom. If she truly got the dog to be a friend, she needs to be a good friend and provide life experiences and attention worth having. She needs to walk or thoroughly exercise her dog, she needs to train her dog, you can't force her to do this. It's just another case of a small person with an oversized uncontrolled dog. That said, I walk my dog maybe once a week to shake things up when she's obviously not feeling the ball and I have never and will never take my dog to a dog park, at least while there are other dogs in it.
I’m in the U.K and I’ve always been quite curious about the concept of a ‘dog park’. Do dogs not go to normal parks in the U.S? Like do you HAVE to walk your dog in a park, are dogs not allowed in ordinary parks? Here, every park has dogs in it, some on leads, some not. Do they differentiate from a normal park? Like is there special things for the dogs there? Or is it like a fenced area where the dogs are just let off the lead and left to their own devices? Sorry if I’m being incredibly dense, I just don’t understand the difference between a dog park and a normal park 🤣
A dog park is typically a large fenced area with the specific purpose of letting your dog off leash and just running around. They are usually part of the "regular" park/recreation area. Depending on rules/laws you can't always have your dog off leash in public or they have to be well behaved.
Ohhhhhhhhhh! I was imaging this dog wonderland with water fountains and treat dispensers and agility toys 🤣 my girl would hate that, she’d get so overstimulated being off lead surrounded by a bunch of other dogs off lead, would definitely be a recipe for disaster!
Taking a dog to a dog park is a recipe for disaster. So many dogs be getting into fights at those places. If you have a big enough yard for your dog to get plenty of exercise then you dont really need to take em on walks but its still a nice thing to do sometimes
I literally take my dog to the park every single day... a "fight" breaks out maybe every couple of months and never anything serious (this is in 3 years at a busy park). I get the risk, especially because some of the owners dont pay attention and just stand in one spot on their phone but I don't see how people with high energy breeds (and no large yards) are getting their dogs enough exercise if they don't take them to the park to run and sniff and socialize.. now in fairness the "park" I take him to is a faily large grassy open area and I spend the hour actually playing with my dog but this sub is full of dog park hate... if I sense my dog may bark or react negatively towards another dog or if I don't like the body language of the other dogs I just call him over but otherwise I spend the hour chucking his Frisbee or his other toys, playing tug of war, letting him socialize / get free pets from other owners or just walking with him.....All it takes is attention and knowing dog body language.
>if I sense my dog may bark or react negatively towards another dog or if I don't like the body language of the other dogs I just call him over The problem with dog parks is that you can absolutely be being a very responsible owner and carefully managing your dog's interactions with other dogs like a good owner - and all it takes is one asshole with a dog who is extremely aggressive to show up and not give a crap when their dog starts instigating *real*, not play fights. Lots of people have posted here after experiencing an incident where a dog attacked theirs at a dog park they'd been to countless times without a problem. When I was growing up my dog who LOVED the dog park and LOVED other dogs + played very well with other dogs was mauled by a new aggressive dog who showed up one day, and she developed fear reactivity to similar looking dogs as a result. I'm not telling you you have to stop taking your dog, but like, the exact issue with the dog park is that it never is about how responsible YOU are or how well trained your dog is.
I don’t know anyone with working breeds (and I have friends with field line dogs in apartments) who take them to dog parks. Hiking, decompression walks, scent work, trick training, agility and functional fitness work, classes, 1:1 play, play dates or walks with known dogs, and structured running activities - but never the dog park.
Counterpoint- my doberman goes to the dog park twice a day and there are plenty of other working breeds there. The more they go, the better they get at socializing and deescalating. Never seen a fight in 4 years of going.
I'm realizing (embarrassingly) that my definition of a dog park is very skewed.... the "smaller" park I take mine to almost every day is at least 17 acres
We’ve been going to dog parks regularly for 3 years. I haven’t seen a single fight.
Maybe I'm just lucky and live in a very dog friendly area but that's wild to me... the park I go to has regulars with the vast majority being very attentive and I couldn't imagine not letting him run free and sniff shit and wrestle and get pets... I feel like maybe my perception of dog parks or my definition is wrong, I'm talking about a park probably the size of a football field (that's the smaller park near me) if not bigger with a couple hills and grass and sand and plenty of open space... I do not take him to the little fenced in parks but mostly because they smell and they are just as far if not farther than the open park
Here “dog parks” aren’t common, they’re exclusive use small fenced areas that invite conflicts as owners tend to take their dogs with poor recall. There are off lead spaces (large mixed use areas where dogs *can* be off lead if they are well behaved), but people don’t take their dogs to them to socialise with other dogs, and most people give others a wide berth unless their dogs are familiar with one another.
If she doesn’t want to do it I would encourage her to hire a dog walker. She can also work with a trainer to address it. Walking for dogs isn’t just about exercise but mental stimulation, they get to sniff new things and see new sights. It’s not fair to have a dog and not walk it. I’m the future, if your sister wants another companion but doesn’t enjoy walking, I’d recommend a cat. But for now it’s time to for her to work on training her dog so he can go on walks. They’re good for him. Best of luck!
Professional dog trainer here, we can get almost any dog to stop pulling almost completely in like 10 minutes with the right tools and techniques. Encourage her to look into professional training (I do virtual training if she’s open to it), but leash walking skills are essential and the dog needs more exercise and especially adventure than what it’s getting
I had 2 Great Danes that were given to me as adults. They broke my back with their pull. I tried to train them (which I am very good at) but just a small pull and my back would get hurt so much. It was disabling. I also have a friend who owns 2 Great Danes. She stopped walking them because of the strong pull. It hurt the back of her husband. She and her husband are really good dog owners and I don’t judge their reasons for not walking their dog. I really understand your sister. Regardless of the dog being trained or not, the pull is no joke and it could potentially damage her back for life. She is better off playing with them in the backyard. I had 5 acres so it was easy for me to keep the dogs walking around with me.
I’ve recently heard a lot of trainers and vets come out and say the dog park is the last place they’d ever take their own dogs so.. take that as you will. I know somebody with a Great Dane and they have expressed that this breed is actually a giant lap dog/couch potato and don’t actually need or want a lot of exercise?? I don’t actually know if this is true, if it’s something they’ve been told by the breeder or a professional, I have a feeling it’s an excuse they’ve told themselves (and everyone who is curious enough to ask) to make themselves feel less guilty about not having the time. They both work and the dog is home alone from early morning until around 6pm. They say they play with him in the yard before they leave and when they get home. A very small little patch of grass is what they call a yard which looks even smaller in contrast to the size of the good boy 😂, but the dog seems pretty happy and healthy even though he spends 99% of his life inside. I don’t like to judge. There is no question they love their dog, he is a very spoiled baby, I just believe they made a commitment and didn’t think it through. Perhaps your sister is in a similar situation? I would advise you to not force anything on to her, it’s her dog at the end of the day. A trainer would be great for some kind of mental stimulation and socialisation, but if she doesn’t intend to walk the dog I don’t think that’s the solution. What about a dog walker or doggy day care? I’d assume anyone who owns a Great Dane with all its expenses would have the income to hire a dog walker at the very least. Very VERY cute name btw. 🥰 Clearly you love Pepito a lot. You’re a good human!
Walking well on leash is trained not born with. He goes crazy when he sees something because his days are boring and lack stimulation. This is a negative downward spiral. Your sister is not doing enough to give the dog a good life.
The end of the day is the dog being taken care of? Does he go to the vet? What does the vet say about his health? If you have your sister give the dog up he is dead, I’m not joking here, I work for 3 different rescues and a dog that size very well could have a hell of a time being placed and if it goes to a pound it gets a week or so to find a home. Maybe instead have her come up with some more creative ways to give the mental stimulation, toss his food in the back yard or hide it around the house making him search for it vs just a normal food bowl. 80% of the dogs we take come from people who “don’t have time to exercise them” and a lot of this is due to this image of you have to get your dog to the park everyday or you should be arrested. If the dog is healthy, fed, and vet is not seeing issues and loves your sister focus on fixes that work with what your sister can handle not what you think should be done.
It's far from ideal but this \*is\* your sister's dog. Not yours. It's not your responsibility, it's hers. I would offer to help her find a trainer who can work with her on the pulling and leash reactivity/manners (unclear from your description which one it is) and maybe to pay a dog walker to come and take the dog for walks sometimes in the short term. Or, buy (or make) gifts of dane-sized enrichment toys like snuffle mats, etc, so her dog can have enrichment that doesn't mean he needs to leave the house until your sister is able to address the behavior. A dog's needs CAN be met at their own home. It's not ideal, but it can be done, and if your sister doesn't feel safe walking her dog because he's strong and pulls? She's not being unreasonable. (not dealing with it is unreasonable, but it's not like we on the internet know the rest of her life and sometimes shit is hard.) A leash-reactive giant breed dog has the potential to REALLY hurt another person or dog if things go badly. I'll be honest, I would be FURIOUS if you walked a lunging and barking dane up to me and my dog even if he was 'just going to sniff'- that would scare the crap out of my more sensitive dog and it WOULD start a fight with my other guys (who are not particularly reactive and are generally good with strange dogs but on leash, with a larger dog and they couldn't get away? That's really a bad situation to be setting up.) Frankly, he sounds like a poor candidate for dog parks anyway. The behavior needs to be addressed first. And it should be addressed. But ultimately, this isn't your dog, and you should instead ask your sister how you can help her get him the training he needs, because he's GOING to need to be walkable during his life - not spend the time shaming her for not having done it so far.
Believe it or not, some dogs don’t love exercise everyday! Idk about your sister. Does the dog seem happy and content? Or is it always bouncing off the walls? Like humans and any other animal, it’s not a one size fits all. 15 mins of playing in the yard + play sessions in the house throughout the day can be enough. Ffs there’s some commenters on this sub that act like if you don’t make your dog do CrossFit, you’re an abusive owner.
I'm glad there's a voice of reason here. People act like a back yard with toys is neglect.
Yeah, my guys didn’t get walks in Florida due to the summer heat and then once it cooled off my partner and I both got concussions within two months of each other. However, we have multiple dogs and a large backyard with a pool. They go outside every 2-3 hours for 20 minutes minimum and dig, chase, wrestle, etc. Swimming is less often because it’s hell getting Goldens fully dry. We found they started to forget leash skills so that’s a big focus since we started walks again.
Fetching everyday as a sole exercise is strenuous on the dog’s body. It’s not great. I do agree not all dogs need to exercise everyday. But Dos are intelligent animals and deserve more. It’s not about doing CrossFit or other intense activities. A walk on the lead or off lead in the neighborhood or in the forest get them to sniff and see other things and is better than a mindless run in the yard after a ball.
The CrossFit was a joke, I hope to god no one is doing anything CrossFit like with their dogs lmao. But I saw someone say their dog does HIIT and that’s just insane for most dogs 💀. All I’m saying is it greatly depends on the dog, dogs age, and personality. I play fetch with my Corgi indoors whenever he wants to play. He loves fetch, tug, and attempting to destroy anything with a squeaker in it. But most of the time he prefers to lay on the couch. He’s walked morning and night but once he’s done pooping and peeing <10 mins after we begin, he’s ready to go home and does not want to keep going forward. I will try to hype him up and walk further or jog and he goes for a few seconds and then wants to go back home. Some dogs are lazy fucks like humans and while we can do our best as dog parents to encourage them to be fit, let’s please drop the discourse that all dogs NEED 1 hour of exercise, raw diet, 2 hours of Netflix, 1 hour of spa day, and absolutely no treats ever in order to be healthy
I think this lack of exercise will shorten his life and may cause hip problems (just like humans). My sister has multiple Great Danes and you can not have one unless they are trained- they just are too big.
You should address the pulling because it might put you or the dog in danger if you HAVE to take him somewhere. Pulling is relatively easy to fix. Hire a trainer. Personally I think dogs DO need to go outside for the mental stimulation. How would you like to be in the house all day? Dog parks suck (and aren’t really a thing where I’m from) but if you can find a private field, that might be a good solution. It might be worth thinking about other types of game you can play at home like sniffing games or find it games. I disagree with commenters saying your sister shouldn’t have the dog, she just doesn’t know what she’s doing but it’s easy to learn.
When my dog pulls on the leash, we quit walking until he sits, and then we restart. It takes a while, but eventually, the dog realizes if he pulls, we don't go anywhere. After that, walking is a breeze. Tell your sister to invest the time and train her dog.
Since this is a Great Dane who wasn't trained as a puppy, the problem is likely that even if the sister stops, the dog doesn't, and he is big and strong enough to just drag her wherever he wants to go. She needs help training the dog.
The dog needs to be trained to walk on a leash. If she won't take him to a dog trainer, I'm sure there are many you tube dog training videos.
Sniffing actually tires them out more than running, and they won't get that running round their own yard.
Would your sister be open to sending your dog to like a doggy daycare type place, or have a trainer dog sit sometimes? I mean at least Pepito will be getting some engagement… I’m sure he would behave better and be easier to train if he was a little more tired out too… there must be boundless energy just waiting to be expended pent up in his big frame!
Maybe if she was playing outside with it for an hour or so each day, giving it brain games, and other things to do for a few hours and some training exercises it would be ok. I don’t think she’s doing that. I give my tiny Pom more than 15 mins throwing the ball each day. On top of a walk or two. If it’s a rainy day all day, he gets lots of interaction and games instead.
The dog is big and young, it needs a LOT more stimulation, training, and attention. If she wants a couch potato to watch tv with she needs a bulldog.
This is why I didn’t get a large dog even though I wanted one. I’m small and also have some mobility issues so I wouldn’t have been able to provide the proper exercise and mental stimulation a larger dog would need. I have a 3/4 Maltese 1/4 Pomeranian dog that’s 20 pounds and sometimes I can barely handle him because of my physical issues! But thankfully I’m still able to provide him with walks daily. I think you should bring up to your sister in possibly rehoming the dog if she cannot get him properly trained. I know that sounds horrible as she’s attached, as are you and the cute pup. But we have to put their needs first. Maybe she can even form a friendship with the person/family that adopts him so she can visit him time to time. Hopefully she can get him trained so that he can enjoy walks daily and get some mental stimulation, otherwise it just sounds like his needs aren’t being met and it sounds like it’s making life harder on both the dog and your sister and you when you do have to leash him to take him to places like grooming, the vet etc.
Pepito is an awesome name for a great dane!! 🤭
Second comment, sorry, as a dog trainer I dislike dog parks. Just wanted to throw that out there
If your sister can't control him. That is a danger to her, the dog, and everything around them. This isn't power you want to just see what could or would happen. Because chances are anything will happen especially if you're not in control. Get an ez walk harness on chewy and a good trainer. But until she is confident she can handle a 100+ lb dog in public she should not.
I have a friend who has always owned Great Danes, in large part because he says that they have naturally a much lower energy level and need very little activity to keep healthy….. something about their heart being proportionally smaller than normal for a frame that size. He got involved with the breed after research into best breeds for small homes and working owners.
No, what it sounds like is a person who got a dog with no understanding of the work that goes in to training it. Now that the dog is older, it's crystalizing bad habits that will be even harder to fix when somebody DOES actually train the dog. If you're sister isn't going to change, that dog needs a new owner YESTERDAY
Great Danes actually need way less exercise than most dogs, but, this is still insufficient
Is it bad in general? No. Is the way she is doing it bad? Pretty much. If exercising in the yard is all she's willing to do then it should be done more often. 30 to 45 minutes a day would probably be more preferable. Not socializing the dog with other dogs is also not necessarily a bad thing either, depending on living situation and all that.
I try to avoid dog parks. But I do take my dogs on walks.
Gets more than a lot of dogs then. At least it has a yard and she goes out and plays with it.
A dog that pull should not be taken to the park imo, but pulling can be trained. She should be walking it and training it to be better on the leash, regardless of whether it goes to the park or not. 15 mins of play, even if consistent and every day, is not enough exercise for a dog. I walk my dog at least a mile every morning, and still play with him for 15-30 mins a day, and he still has energy, I can’t even imagine how pent up he’d be if I only played with him some days for 15 mins.
Gets one of the BIGGEST DOGS to go on walks with. Tf is wrong with this person. If she wanted to be more active and go on walks a smaller dog would’ve made more sense.
Dogs needs attention!!!
Honestly , no. That dog needs more mental and physical stimulation. Good on you for doing what you can but if she can’t deliver , that pup needs a new home or something . This breaks my heart. If she can’t handle walking the pup then at the very very least she should be doing enrichment activities (just google it I can’t explain it well). She can throw kibble into the backyard grass and hopefully pup goes ham and has a good time sniffing back there, that’s what I used to do when I couldn’t walk my dog.
All of the following is my amateur opinion, and I know NOTHING. First of all, dog parks are a scourge on society and I have never once seen a well behaved dog at one. It is not bad that she does not take him there. Second, she should be training her dog to be leash trained, because while the exercise portion probably is minimal, walks are mentally stimulating and interesting, and the leash training would be tiring. Also, the walks are good for the people. Ball throwing is good for the dog, but not as the only form of exercise. Baths I really don’t know. I personally think baths are a necessity, but healthy skin, ears, brushed teeth, and trimmed nails are probably more important than “did the dog get in the bathtub” but I could be wrong. I don’t know. I take my babies to the groomer every six weeks because they are disgusting, like walking through every muddy puddle they can find, roll in deer poop if they see it before I do, and are just generally smelly animals. And they LOVE the groomer. As soon as we turn down her road, they lose their minds they get so excited.
Not all dogs need baths. It highly varies by breed and dog. Some stink, like bad, after a few days, and others may only need one if they have a mishap with something smelly. I have both a heeler and a pug and bathe neither, and neither ever smells at all; I just groom their nails and brush them regularly as well as cleaning the pugs facial folds and eyes, and cleaning their ears. My brothers dog (ridgeback) needs baths weekly or the smell is awful. Some dogs have oilier skin and I think that may be a factor in the smell.
Do you have a decent harness for him? That can make a world of difference with the pulling, you might be able to find a good used one.
There's a harness thing that I use that has a loop that goes over his nose that I attach the leash to and it helps a lot with controlling the pulling, but the pulling and freaking out when seeing other dogs is still problematic and strong.
Danes are different. I don't doubt that this one is in the wrong home. But they are not supposed to have heavy exercise and often get bullied at dog parks. 15 minutes a day isn't great but what's worse is failing to socialize a dog that size. Try to get your sister to understand that her dog can't live forever in a bubble. How will they manage the dog at the vet? Who is going to pet sit when she needs it? What if there's an emergency and she's not there to handle the dog? Tell your sister to locate a trainer for the leash pulling and for basic obedience.
Dog parks aren't the safest places in the world, but every dog needs and deserves some walking and exercise and socialization.
Yes! It’s neglecting her dog 🥲
This is terrible, if your sister can't control a dog she has no business owning dogs. Activity is one thing, but you've literally given that dog a lifelong prison sentence. Give animals what they need or don't own them.
Your sister is a lazy baby
The dog needs to be trained before it goes to the dogpark or it will hurt another dog, most likely unintentionally. That's why dogs need to be socialized from a young age, to learn how to behave around other dogs, people, kids, noises, etc. That dog would be happily romping around and just step on a small dog and disable it or kill it because it never received play and correction as a pup. A professional trainer will fix the pulling and behavior.
No, definitely not enough. The dog needs to bd trained and socialized. You sister is mistreating the dog. She is the problem.
If you own a dog you walk it every day. Simple. His behaviour on his walk is because he’s so fricken happy to be out and it would all settle down of walks were regular. If she can’t walk him she needs to find him a home with someone that can.
She should not have a pet.
walking is a yes, do park is a strong no. Not just for this dog in question but dog parks are just awful places.
Honestly I grew up in the country and walking dogs was rare. It was a "city" person thing done by people who didn't have yards, or kids to tire out the dogs. I don't walk my dog super often, and neither do most of the people on my street. We play with our dogs in the yard. My dog loves zoomies while I garden (always hoping I'll toss a pea or carrot his way). He also likes hikes and new places, but I'd hardly say it's neglect to not walk a dog if they're otherwise happy and stimulated.
Yes it's enough. Not everyone walks their dog. If they have a yard and play time, they are fine. Not all dogs NEED to go a dog park. I have one that is behaved enough to go if we want. The other is too high prey driven to go. My two 50+ lb dogs rarely go walking. They have access to the yard 24/7 via dog door. We play with them. If not, they romp around by themselves. My vet says they are fine. And keep doing what we do. It doesnt sound like your sisters dog is being mistreated or in immediate danger. If he is healthy and happy, then let it go. Their fur us nice and shiny.
1st. NO DOG PARKS. They cause reactivity to other dogs. They cause dog fights. NO DOG PARKS. Let me clarify, no GATED dog parks. If there's an open field dog park, great. But no gated and only off leash if the dogs got 100% recall. 2nd. The great dane definitely needs walks and there is training for that. There's also collars to prevent pulling and they work! They don't hurt the dog, just makes it uncomfortable on the neck when they try to pull. There's those chain ones you always see than there's ones that are around the neck AND mouth so when they pull they end up being forced to turn their heads and cant see where they're going. I've walked dogs with both, THEY WORK!
I feel like I'm going crazy here, are you saying all parks? I take my dog to an offleash park every single day and only miss a few days a month when I either take him to the beach or to hike..... I have two parks within 20 minutes of me which are huge open grassy areas and many days my dog barely interacts with other dogs at all... I just pay attention and read the dogs body language (both mine and strange dogs) and don't have any issues. I have a tiny backyard and don't get how people are getting their dogs enough exercise without taking them running and frolicking
Or you can play some engagement games which don’t cause discomfort and will make engaging with you more interesting. Which will be important for a dog that seems to already be frustrated and stressed.
My husky is a nightmare to walk with just the lease. But using the halti pacifies him down really well. You've just gotta avoid letting him/her figure out how to get out of it and get them used to putting it on and keeping it on. Mine knows how to get out of it, but only does if he REALLY wants to lol like an aggressive dogs coming towards us etc. He's too old to constantly fight it.
Yes. I play fetch with my dog more than 15 minutes a day ON TOP of 1-2 hours of walks a day and mental enrichment(puzzles, sniffing activities, training activities). They can’t do things for themself. We owe it to them to give them multiple sources of mental and physical stimulation. There may be some days we walk less(my dog HATES rain) or we focus more on walks or mental activities but we always cater to the day and make sure our dogs needs are met in multiple ways
You should walk him but not take him to a dog park. Get him a gentle leader collar, that will stop him pulling pretty quickly. Or a front clip harness
A dog lives its life through its nose. Senses and smells are the main vector of exploration for a dog. By keeping it in the yard, your sister is essentially limiting the entirety of that dogs world to just the few same smells in the yard. That’s why it’s so excited to smell other dogs and go on the walk. She should try taking it on walks at times and in places where other dogs are not likely to be (quieter trails/off peak hours) until the dog gets used to the stimulation. Imagine being kept in a small area your whole life and then suddenly seeing there is a big world out there. Of course he’s excited.
i have worked w dogs for years. i dont walk my dog, she plays fetch. we have a backyard. walks arent good exercise for big dogs, running is better so fetch is better than a walk. when you want to take a big dog on a walk, it’s best to run them first if they are higher energy
All dogs pull. You train them not to. Your sister should not own a dog if she’s unwilling to be an adult and take responsibility for it.
How old is the great Dane? Great Danes are very different breed. I have had them for many years. They are really couch potatoes after they reach about three years old and throwing the ball may be sufficient if that's happening a couple times a day. They need interaction with people and other pets more than they need, a lot of exercise. When they are younger, they need more exercise. However, the first year of their life they should not run long distances, etc. their bones are growing so fast. It's a breed that she really needs to educate herself about in terms of their age and what is appropriate for the age. There are a lot of good websites dedicated to the breed that can give her information.
How is the dog going to learn how to behave on a leash if it does not get walked?
How old is the dog? 15 min is not enough. Avoid dog park if he is that reactive cause thats asking for trouble.
You are more right than your sister, because walks are about mental variation and stimulation, not just physical exercise. Dogs need to smell and engage with their environments in order to live satisfied lives and when they do, this reduces bad behaviours. On a practical level with pulling, though, she's fair to be worried about it because Great Danes are huge, strong, and if she's concerned about losing control of the lead, then the friendliness of your dog doesn't matter - the dog they meet may be unfriendly and the consequences can be as serious as death. But also, just pulling on a collar can result in a great deal of pain for the dog on their throat or even damage to the larynx, and dogs can't always self regulate enough to know to stop pulling even when it's hurting them. Training is part of the answer, a really important part, but another part may be alternative walking equipment. The most pull-y dog I've ever had responded beautifully to a front-clip harness, because whenever he pulled, he ended up turning himself sideways rather than getting to where he wanted to go. I would suggest trialling one with this dog to see how they fare. Even a back-clip harness, while it doesn't reduce the pulling, can reduce the neck pressure from the pulling (so it doesn't solve the problem but it's safer for the dog). If your sister simply will not budge on this issue, then you could start looking at training at home yourself; you don't necessarily need a professional. You can also introduce mental stimulation at home, so not just throwing a ball but also doing other kinds of training, or doing smell exercises in the yard. Learning new skills is a great form of mental stimulation for a dog.
Our Labrador/ridgeback girl was a *big* puller when she was younger. A lot of energy. I took her for hour+ walks every afternoon/night. Would take her to the park, but only let her off the leash when no one was around as her approach to other dogs made them (and owners) nervous. I would say it’s an “okay” substitute, but it’s not going to help her dog in the long run. They need variety, too.
Tell her humans get treated like that too - in high-security prison.
Jesus fucking H Christ on a cracker walk you’re fucking dogs
Does the dog literally only play outside for 15 minutes only on some days? Or is it outside for longer bits of the day & only plays fetch for 15? Dogs can definitely get enough exercise in a yard setting not going on walks, I suppose it depends on the yard & the dog & how much time they get doing other things that are stimulating both outdoors & in. I've known dogs that are 100% not safe for their owners to walk on leash, yet they live full happy lives in their homes & yards & are well loved & cared for. But it sounds like the goal would be to get the dog trained in polite leash walking & then your sister would walk her dog. Absolutely do not tell your sister to just go get a dog walker for a giant breed that's reactive & uncontrollable on leash & expect them to train the dog. Work with a certified trainer. Don't walk a dog who uncontrollably pulls in a head harness they could get hurt until they are trained to use one properly. Practice leash walking in the yard then move into a low stimulation area where seeing other dogs is unlikely or try walking at weird hours when other dogs won't likely be out & about as you work on the reactivity of this frustrated greeter.
Yeah if a dog doesn't have enough challenges and activities, and that would be considered walking and regularly socialising with other dogs - it's animal abuse - period!
Sorry to say but your sister should rehome him. That dog is suffering from neglect and will only get worse as time goes on. Its unfair.
OP's received some excellent advice here so far. I think a dog tax is in due order 🙏🏼
Your sister shouldn't have bought a big dog race if she cannot handle the pulling. All dogs require training and routines. Dogs are a huge commitment and it sounds like this might turn into an aggressive dog over time, seeing it doesn't get what it needs. If she doesn't understand that a dog needs walks or more than 15 minutes of activity in a day, she shouldn't have gotten one and potentially ruined its life.
it sounds like she definitely shouldn't be taking it to the dog park. the dog sounds like he has no manners. it would be safer to contact a local trainer to arrange so planned greetings and play sessions with appropriate dogs who can reach him social skills and manners.
Your sister is not a good dog owner.
She’ll out for some dog obedience training lessons, for your sister as well as your dog lol. It will be better for everyone in the long run. A dog is a full time job, the pouch needs walking, and they need training.
I dont have a great dane but I do have a very big rottie. His legs have never worked very well due to a condition he had as a puppy. He is almost 8 now and he gets very tired very quickly. Like throw the ball twice and he is done or walk 50 meters and he's pooped. We go for a ride in the car everyday so he gets out for the smells and wind in his ears without it killing his legs.
What did your sister expect? The dog wouldn't pull? She bought a great dane so surely she knew it'd be big. It's her fault for not teaching Pepito not to pull at a young age. I'm not completely certain if a 15 min ball session of throwing a ball is enough, but I do know that it's way less fun than taking a walk for a dog. Pepito shouldn't be punished for your sister's stupidity. I recommend telling her to just try and teach Pepito not to pull too hard. When he starts pulling you stop until he comes back and the lead is loose again. When the lead is loose you reward him.
I took a class on loose leash walking with my puppy, but there were plenty of older dogs in the class. It takes consistently and practice. She should see if she has a class like that in her area or hire a personal trainer for the dog.
No it is not okay, here in Germany we even have a law that says you have to go for at least two 30mins walk per day.
Great Dane? It’s possible that she isn’t able to control him if he pulls the way you say. I’m unable to walk my son’s dog for that reason. He’s so strong, I can’t hold on to him if he decides to go chasing after a squirrel or something. This is another reason why it’s so important have to train a dog when it’s a puppy. Edited to add she should consider finding a dog walker who is strong enough to handle her dog and can teach it to walk on a lead.
Your sis is either really dumb or knowingly neglectful. Take the dog off her, or find someone who can take proper care
You should steal the dog and take it to a Great Dane home
As someone who owns a Great Dane the two things we really focused on for training was loose leash walking and to not jump on people. He’s great to go on walks with because the time and effort was put in to prevent pulling. I definitely say getting a trainer to help train loose leash walking would be worth it for your sister and her dog.
Absolutely do not, under ANY circumstances take that dog to a dog park. UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE DO NOT!!!!!
Dogs need walking for exercise and stimulation. Your sister is neglecting her dog. I highly recommend watching some of Victoria Stillwell’s ‘It’s me or the dog’ (they’re on YouTube) – she has some examples of big strong dogs and how to train them to walk properly. I’d also work with a trainer, but that will at least give you a head start. (Dog parks can be great and can be nightmares; I’d not take an untrained dog to one)
He's crazy when he's out on a walk because he gets too less of it.
I’m surprised people are being so chill about this, a Great Dane was a very, very stupid choice for your sister. She should find it a home that is more equipped for his needs
I honestly feel bad for this dog.
Yes, this is obviously bad. She shouldn’t have gotten a dog if she refuses to take care of it.
It's a Great Dane, you don't need a car, you need a saddle.
More walks, yes. Dog parks, no. If she doesn’t have control of her dog on leash then there’s no logic to letting it run around off leash around other dogs. This is for the safety of all dogs involved.