Great Danes are amazing gentle giants that are excellent guard dogs. It can’t be denied that they are the best family pets and friends. But when we talk about smartness, How smart are Great Danes? Well, Great Danes are intelligent pooches. As Stanley Coren says, Great Danes are the 88th smartest dog breed due to their smartness and obedience.
However, Great Danes are also highly intelligent dogs in hunting abilities. This breed can learn anything themselves. The aptitude for hunting wild boars needs a unique intelligence that only Great Danes have. Some people say that Great Danes are not smart dogs. I think they misunderstood Great Dane’s intelligence.
In this article, we will narrate the latest research on Great Dane’s smartness and tell you whether these dogs are smart or not.
How to Measure Great Dane Intelligence?
Great Danes have high instinctual intelligence. Also, they can perform adorable physical feats due to their large size. These dogs are very social, kind and gentle. So, a Great Dane’s intelligence or smartness can be measured in these three ways:
Instinctive Intelligence
Dr Coren tells three types of intelligence in dogs. The first one is instinctive intelligence, which belongs to dogs bred. For instance, some dogs are bred to care for animals by keeping them close in a specific direction, such as herding dogs. So, herding dog intelligence is to do these tasks by learning them from humans for control and direction.
Also, border collies are the most intelligent dogs, but if you give them work to hunt the boars, just like Great Danes. They will not match the intelligence of the Great Danes. So, Great Dane’s instinctive intelligence is boar hunting.
Adaptive Intelligence
That’s obvious; dogs learn many things that they don’t know. According to Dr Coren, a measure a dog can learn is called adaptive intelligence. This talent helps dogs to solve issues and take advantage of the experience. This intelligence is more measurable and will tell you how your Great Dane manages by learning and how he will react.
For instance, how much time will he take to learn the babysitter? Will it take a daily introduction, or will your dog know the routines of being a babysitter? Adaptive intelligence is different in dogs. So, your Great Dane might be abiding in a baby playground or be directed to school in this intelligence field.
Obedience Intelligence
What a dog can learn when directed by humans is called obedience intelligence. According to Dr Coren’s scale, a Great Dane is 48th in dog breeds with obedience intelligence. In this obedience intelligence test, a Great Dane within other dog breeds 25 to 40 repeats to awareness of the commands.
Also, a Great Dane will obey the command about a half time at the order. It does not mean Great Danes are foolish or less intelligent than high-rated dogs such as poodles. It also does not mean that Great Dane is a better dog than bulldogs, ranked lower than Great Dane.
It means that your Great Dane is moderate in learning new commands, and you must have to keep patience. Also, be persistent while teaching your Great Dane new commands and how to be a good family member.
Why do Great Danes Rank low in Intelligence?
There are many reasons why a Great Dame has moderate intelligence on Dr Coren’s intelligence tests. The first objection to why the Great Danes performed poorly is because the obedience trial was significant. We think that Great Dane will make no mistake. It must be an interaction between dog IQ and learning ability.
Though, it is not fair to assimilate a dog intelligence test based on learning and obedience intelligence. A Great Dane is not inconsistent. For instance, border collies are in 1st position for working because they do obedience training with pleasure. That is why border collies perform best. Though, that varies with a Great Dane.
So, here are the reasons why a Great Dane ranks low in intelligence:
Give your Dog Mental Stimulation
If a Great Dane is not having enough opportunities to enhance his mind, he might become destructive, fatigued, and anxious due to repressed energy. While if you give your Great Dane enough exercise, he will be tired out, which makes him obedient. Because a tired dog is calm and does less bark or chew, also, they will be exhausted from a long walk of daily routine.
It would be best if you gave your Great Dane toys and puzzles to keep his mind active. Kongs are the best option because of the filling with snacks or treats that give your Great Dane a fun challenge. Puzzles also keep a dog entertained because these toys throw one piece of food at a time, so dogs try to get all the pieces.
Physical Activity
If you cannot give your Great Dane plenty of exercise, you must hire a pet sitter who can take him on walks and play with him in the parks. This way, your Great Dane will get the exercise and physical activities he needs without affecting you. A happy Great Dane is a well-mannered dog so ensure to keep his body and mind healthy and active.
A Great Dane needs plenty of mental and physical exercise. If he does not exercise enough, he will become destructive and dull. So, give him exercise that makes him tired so that he will behave well.
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How to Tell if your Great Dane is Wise or Dumb?
Many symptoms refer to Great Dane’s intelligence. If you Great Dane do most of these things, he is clever.
- He is a master at escaping.
- He can solve puzzles.
- He knows how to get your regard.
- He learns new techniques quickly.
- He doesn’t forget commands.
- They cuddle or hug you when you are sad.
- They know when you are going far from them.
- They understand to keep them safe.
How to Make Great Dane Smarter?
Follow these tips to make your Great Dane smarter:
- Start socializing your dog at an early age. Take your Great Dane outside daily and allow them to notice the environment that makes them clever.
- Do exercise with your Dane daily. It is necessary when your Great Dane is young, though daily routine will push him to learn new commands.
- Give continuous display to challenges. For instance, use feeding bowls so your dog will use his brain to absorb.
- If your Great Dane show intelligent behavior, give your dog treats to praise him.
- Give your Great Dane training in puppyhood. This way, he will be more trainable and clever.
- Regularly teach your Great Dane new tricks and commands. All dogs can learn new things, so train your Dane with new tricks.
How much Smart are Great Danes than a Human?
A Great Dane’s brain abilities are approximate to a two years old human kid, according to a professional dog’s manners. Here are some exciting realities that make Great Danes compared to humans:
- Danes can count up to 5.
- A Great Dane can learn more than 165 words, including gestures or signals.
- A Great Dane can trick other dogs or humans into getting a prize or reward.
Great Dane vs Other Smartest Dogs
There are the top ten smartest dog breeds worldwide. These dogs can learn commands with less than five repetitions. That means they can learn new commands five times faster than the Great Danes. Furthermore, these smartest dogs will learn a obey commands at the first trial with a better success rank.
These dog breeds are not only quick learners but also obedient to the commands at first. However, these dogs might be smarter than Great Danes and good at learning new commands and obeying. But we think that it is not an accurate depiction of dog IQ.
Some top 10 dog breeds include German Shepherd, Labrador retriever, Rottweiler, Golden retriever, and Poodle. These are the most famous dog breeds in the USA.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is Great Dane Talkative?
Great Danes are very friendly pooches with a lot of temperament. They are highly talkative and love to give their opinion through voice. Generally, they are well-mannered and lovable pets despite their huge size.
Why are Great Danes Good Dogs?
They are bred to have a calm temperament, making them good companions for children. These dogs are amiable, non-aggressive, and playful. Also, they behave well with strangers or guests.
What’s the Personality of a Great Dane?
Great Danes are very cordial and loving with children. Also, you must make room for his massive size if you want or have a Great Dane. Great Dane is not dainty.
Is Great Dane Aggressive?
Great Danes are calm giants. They are well-behaved family pets. But compared to other dog breeds, the Great Dane can become assertive. They are territorial dogs and can ambush with a minimum warning. A Great Dane bite is severe and life-alerting.
What are Great Danes known For?
In ancient, Great Danes are called wild boar hunting dogs. They are also known as the “Apollo of dogs” due to their elegance. Great Danes are also sensitive to health issues like other breeds.
Which are the most Intelligent Dog Breeds?
Some of the most intelligent dog breeds include Border collie, German Shepherd, Doberman, Labrador retriever, Rottweiler, Poodle, Golden retriever, Shetland sheepdog, Papillon, and Australian Cattle Dog.
Which are the Dumbest Dog Breeds?
Some dumbest dog breeds include Basset Hound, Beagle, Pekingese, Borzoi, Afghan hound, Mastiff, Bloodhound, Chow Chow, French bulldog, and Basenji.
Wrapping up
Ultimately, do not choose a dog breed based on their intelligence. All dogs can provide you with the needs you see in a dog friend or buddy. So, select a dog breed on the basis of personality and temperament. It would be best if you asked if the dog’s personality matches with you rather than asking if Great Dane is smart or not.
Do not depend on experts’ perceptions about dogs. You must power your decision lonely about your dog’s smartness. So, Great Dane is a friendly, tolerant, and dependable dog. They are excellent family dogs. Thus, buckle down if you think Great Danes are best for you. Also, Great Danes are the best buddies you can find.
Hopefully, this article helps you a lot. Kindly share it. Furthermore, for any questions, suggestions, or tips, comment below. I’d love to help you. Thanks for reading!
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