by Marcy Kennedy

Created on: January 17, 2009

"She's been teething on what?" the veterinarian asked.

I sheepishly stroked the top of my 40-pound puppy's head. "Bricks. She dug them out of the ground somewhere."

It wasn't my first experience with the eccentricities of raising a puppy that weighs more than most grown dogs and it wouldn't be the last. Fortunately, as a veteran Great Dane owner, I can pass on a few helpful tips for training a Great Dane puppy to the first-timers out there.

TIP #1 REMEMBER HOW BIG YOUR PUPPY WILL BE WHEN FULL-GROWN

Dogs are creatures of habit, and once they establish a routine, they don't like to break it. Consequently, before you allow your puppy to do anything because it's "cute," consider if it will still be "cute" when he weighs 175 pounds.

Example 1: As tempting as it is to let your puppy crawl into your lap for a nap when she only weighs 30 pounds, that habit becomes much less endearing when she tops 100 pounds and can't understand why she's no longer allowed to snuggle on top of you. A better alternative is to teach her from the start to cuddle up beside you or to rest her head on your lap.

Example 2: Again, those blue eyes can be almost irresistible. But if you reward your puppy for begging by feeding table scraps or whatever you're snacking on, you'll regret it. A full grown Great Dane can steal food off a table or counter without jumping or reaching. (They're sneaky and masters at snagging the food without your notice.) They also have no qualms about pushing their face into yours if they want food.

Example 3: If you teach your puppy to "shake a paw," he or she will try it one day with a small child and knock them off their feet. This could cause unintentional injury to the child. Great Danes do not realize how large they are.

TIP #2 USE THEIR INTELLIGENCE TO YOUR ADVANTAGE

Because of their high degree of intelligence and amiable personality, Great Danes can be trained to do certain small tasks that make their owners' lives easier. As long as you make the training into a game, your Dane puppy will look forward to the sessions.

Example 1: If your dog has toys, you know how frustrating it can be to trip over them and be constantly putting them away. You can train your puppy to "collect" her toys on command and put them away for you.

Example 2: My current Great Dane lives in the house. Because I don't want her to bark to let me know she wants out or back in, I installed a bell inside and another outside the back door. She was 3 months old when I set up the bell system, and she mastered

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