Responsible Ownership of a Giant Breed Dog

Many owners of a giant breed dog will agree, conflicts are common and can occur without warning! Truth is, most people including dog lovers can be quite intimidated by a large, or giant breed dog. After all, big dogs are not for everyone, a large percentage of dog owners prefer small, or medium sized companions. Ever here a grown man scream? One afternoon while walking our Dane in public we approached a middle age man that was unaware we were coming up along side. The poor guy caught a glimpse of our giant breed dog and let out a scream you wouldn't believe! Feeling sorry for the man we apologized then realized, we did nothing wrong! Unbelievably, the sudden unexpected appearance of our Great Dane was a shock in itself. Further bias towards big dogs was evident one afternoon at our local lumber store. Previously witnessing smaller dogs being whisked around in shopping carts, we figured it would be fine to let our Great Dane come along and join the activities. Standing calmly on lead with my daughter, our dog was behaving perfectly. I began to load up the lumber needed for my Saturday afternoon project. Suddenly, we were interrupted by what looked like the entire store security staff! Being told there are no dogs allowed I quickly pointed at a Poodle in a cart further down the isle. After quarreling a bit, we were told, "he's to big" and swiftly escorted out the front doors. Most large dog owners can attest, a giant breed dog like a Great Dane is no more a threat than an ankle biting Chihuahua! More often than not, they are truly gentle soles that want nothing more than to be around people. Unfortunately, their size and appearance is too often fearsome to the average person. Large dog owners often forget the true size and stature of their dogs. Remember, many strangers will panic if your giant companion rushes towards the curb to say hello. Asking in advance, or announcing your visit, will help avoid unforeseen and unexpected conflicts of the dog vs. human variety. Owning a giant breed dog requires proper training and socialization techniques. Special attention should be focused on interaction and behavior around people as well as other animals. Jeff Zitzkat, Copyright