How Smart Are Great Danes? Tips to Make Your Great Dane Smarter

Great Danes are gentle giants that the AKC describes as easygoing and calls the “Apollo of Dogs.” But how smart are Great Danes? They are intelligent dogs of average trainability. In psychologist Stanley Coren’s ranking of working and obedience intelligence, Great Danes placed 48th.

That ranking only measures how fast a breed learns and obeys commands. Great Danes were originally developed to hunt wild boar, which took courage and instinct that an obedience test doesn’t measure.

In this article, we look at what the research says about Great Dane intelligence and how to keep your Dane’s mind sharp.

How to Measure Great Dane Intelligence?

Dr. Coren describes three kinds of dog intelligence. A Great Dane’s smarts can be looked at in these three ways:

Instinctive Intelligence

Instinctive intelligence is the skill a breed was developed for. Herding dogs, for example, are bred to gather and move livestock.

For Great Danes, that original job was hunting boar and, later, guarding estates. Today most Danes are companions, but their alertness and protectiveness come from that history.

Adaptive Intelligence

Adaptive intelligence is how well a dog learns from experience and solves problems on its own. It varies from dog to dog, even within a breed.

For instance, how quickly does your Dane learn your daily routine, figure out where the treats are kept, or work out a puzzle toy? Those are signs of adaptive intelligence.

Obedience Intelligence

What a dog can learn when directed by people is called working and obedience intelligence. On Dr. Coren’s scale, Great Danes ranked 48th, in the average group. Breeds in this group typically need about 25 to 40 repetitions to learn a new command and obey a known command on the first try at least half the time.

That doesn’t make Great Danes less intelligent overall than top-ranked breeds such as poodles. It also doesn’t make them better dogs than breeds that ranked lower.

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?

Why do Great Danes Rank low in Intelligence

Great Danes land in the middle of Coren’s list mainly because the ranking was built from obedience trial judges’ ratings. It rewards breeds that learn commands fast and obey eagerly, like border collies, which ranked first.

Great Danes can be a little more independent, so training takes more repetition. Lack of stimulation and exercise can also make any dog seem less responsive. Here is how to help:

Give your Dog Mental Stimulation

A Great Dane without enough mental stimulation may become bored, anxious or destructive. Daily walks and play help too, because a well-exercised dog is calmer and easier to train.

Give your Great Dane toys and puzzles to keep his mind active. A sturdy stuffable toy, like a large Kong, filled with food is a good challenge. Puzzle feeders that release a piece of kibble at a time also keep dogs busy. Choose toys sized for a giant breed so they can’t be swallowed.

Physical Activity

If you can’t give your Great Dane enough exercise, consider a dog walker or pet sitter. Adult Danes need daily walks and play, but puppies should avoid long runs and hard jumping while their bones are still growing.

A Great Dane that gets enough mental and physical exercise is usually calmer and better behaved.

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How to Tell if your Great Dane is Wise or Dumb?

Every dog is an individual. If your Great Dane does most of these things, he is a clever dog:

He is a master at escaping.
He can solve puzzles.
He knows how to get your attention.
He learns new techniques quickly.
He doesn’t forget commands.
He reacts to your moods.
He notices the signs that you are about to leave.
He learns your household routines.

How to Make Great Dane Smarter?

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.
Exercise with your Dane daily, at a level suited to his age. A daily routine also gives you chances to practice commands.
Give him regular challenges. For instance, use puzzle feeders so he has to work for his food.
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?

There’s no Great Dane-specific study, but research on dogs in general gives an idea. Psychologist Stanley Coren told the American Psychological Association in 2009 that the average dog’s mental abilities are close to a 2-year-old child’s. His review found that:

Dogs can count up to about four or five.
The average dog can learn about 165 words, including signals, and the top dogs about 250.
Dogs can intentionally deceive other dogs and people to get treats.

Great Dane vs Other Smartest Dogs

In Coren’s ranking, the top ten breeds learn a new command in fewer than five repetitions and obey a known command on the first try most of the time. That makes them much faster learners than Great Danes.

But obedience is only one kind of intelligence, so the ranking isn’t a full measure of a dog’s smarts.

According to Coren, the top seven are the border collie, poodle, German shepherd, golden retriever, Doberman, Shetland sheepdog and Labrador retriever.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is Great Dane Talkative?

Some Great Danes are vocal, but most aren’t constant barkers. They usually bark to alert you to visitors or noises, and their deep bark is hard to miss. Generally, they are well-mannered and lovable pets despite their huge size.

Why are Great Danes Good Dogs?

Well-bred Great Danes have an easygoing, friendly temperament and can be good family dogs. Because of their size, always supervise them with small children. With good socialization, most are polite with 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?

Most Great Danes are not aggressive. They are usually calm, friendly family dogs, but they are protective and will alert you to strangers. Because of their size, any aggression is serious, so early socialization and training are important.

What are Great Danes known For?

Great Danes were developed in Germany to hunt wild boar, and the AKC calls them the “Apollo of Dogs.” They are also known for their size and their short lifespan; the AKC lists 7 to 10 years.

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?

No breed is dumb. In Coren’s obedience ranking, the breeds at the bottom include the Basset Hound, Beagle, Pekingese, Borzoi, Afghan Hound, Mastiff, Bloodhound, Chow Chow, Bulldog and Basenji. Many of these are independent hunting or guarding breeds that are simply less eager to follow commands.

Wrapping up

Ultimately, don’t choose a dog breed based on intelligence rankings. Choose based on personality, temperament, size and care needs.

Ask whether a Great Dane’s personality and needs match your life, rather than whether the breed is smart.

Great Danes are friendly, dependable dogs that can make excellent family companions for owners ready for a giant breed. If that sounds like you, a Dane may be a great fit.

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Sources

Dogs’ Intelligence On Par With Two-year-old Human, Canine Researcher Says, ScienceDaily (American Psychological Association release)
Great Dane Dog Breed Information, American Kennel Club