The Great Dane is a popular and large breed. This dog breed is thought to be ancient in itself, or at least derived from ancient breeds. For thousands of years, we have found dogs resembling the Great Dane on artifacts!
And yet, despite seeming like royalty, there’s nothing snooty about the playful, family-loving Great Dane. But can a Great Dane live outside? Would this family-loving pooch happily spend time alone? And how can you keep your Great Dane comfortable outside?
What kind of dog is the Great Dane?
Most dogs have a thick, fluffy coat or thick skin, while other dogs have a subcutaneous layer of fat under their skin. These things help protect a dog from extreme heat and UV rays, as well as cool temperatures. This protection keeps most dogs snug and comfortable outdoors, especially large dogs.
The Great Dane, however, has none of these insulating attributes. Instead, dogs from this large breed have a thin coat that only serves to slick precipitation off their body.
You’ve probably seen Great Danes out for their walk in a thick, fluffy coat – this is hardly for fashion reasons! With zero body fat and barely any fur, these regal dogs struggle to tolerate even moderately cool temperatures.
However, the Great Dane is also a muscular, Mastiff dog who needs plenty of space and time for to exercise and run around.
Would my Great Dane be warm enough outside?
As we touched upon, the Great Dane has hardly any fur or body fat. Therefore, the Great Dane struggles to be comfortable outdoors most of the time.
Even with a large kennel’s roof and walls over them, there’s no guarantee that your Great Dane will feel comfortable spending the night outside. They may bark or scratch at the door all night!
Your Great Dane could also use an electric heating pad, or snuggle up with plenty of warm, fluffy blankets. Even then, however, your Great Dane is unlikely to be warm enough.
So, no, your Great Dane is very unlikely to be comfortably warm outside.
Would my Great Dane be lonely outside?
The Great Dane is an active dog that needs plenty of time and space to run around. That being said, the Great Dane also has a thin coat that doesn’t protect them from sunlight or extreme temperatures when they spend a long period of time outside.
On top of this, despite their regal appearance, the Great Dane is also a loyal, friendly and sociable dog. So, it’s paramount to give your Great Dane plenty of interaction every day.
If your Great Dane lives away from the rest of the family, making plenty of time to play Fetch or Frisbee with them and taking them for a long daily walk gives them the stimulation they need and keeps them from becoming lonely. This is generally more difficult if your Great Dane spends most of their time outside.
If possible, a dog flap may be a good idea. A dog flap would allow your Great Dane to spend some time indoors with their favorite people any time they choose. Then, when they fancy a run around, your Dane can duck out to the yard again.
Can a Great Dane live outside in winter?
With their thin coat, many Great Danes are reluctant to leave their warm home at all! Even the allure of “walkies” no longer appeals to them. So, can your Great Dane live outdoors in winter?
Well, yes. As long as you take certain precautions, it’s okay for your Great Dane to live outside in winter. A kennel made from a robust yet breathable material like wood, with a door that flaps shut behind your pooch, will go a long way in keeping your Great Dane at a comfortable temperature.
A large kennel is perfect for keeping your Dane’s food and water bowls inside it to prevent them from freezing over! I’m sure your Great Dane would greatly prefer to sleep indoors with the rest of the gang, however!
Can a Great Dane live outside in summer?
In the summertime, living outside becomes substantially riskier for your Dane. Sure, you now no longer have to suit them up from head to toe for their walks, or worry about their bowls freezing over. But, there are now many pests on the go at this time of the year, not to mention the steep risk of your Great Dane getting sunburn.
If your Great Dane is living outside in summer, make sure they wear a flea and tick collar, or you use a flea and tick spot-on or similar treatment with them. Make sure your Dane’s sleeping area is kept cool and shady, and use a sunscreen made for dogs.
Since you’ll probably have to refill their water bowl more often, consider moving it indoors to make this easier and to keep the bowl pest and disease-free. If possible, drag your Dane indoors regularly to cool down.
Is a Great Dane safe outside?
The Great Dane is a highly sought-after breed. Purebred Danes are very valuable. This, coupled with the breed’s friendly, people-oriented nature, can put some Great Danes at significant risk of theft.
However, Great Danes are also pretty agile and strong. If your Great Dane decides they want to go a certain way during your walks, chances are you end up getting dragged that way, like it or not. Equally, it’s impossible to be exactly subtle if you try to steal a Great Dane.
This agility also means that your Great Dane can easily leave the yard if they want to. As soon as they catch a whiff of a distant barbecue up the street, your Great Dane will be over the fence before you know it!
So, you’ll need to turn your yard into a Fort Knox if your Great Dane will be spending a great deal of time outside unsupervised. Make sure it is impossible to climb your fence and regularly inspect it for signs of digging or other damage.
A lengthy tie-out cable and stake with a harness are the ultimate solution to keep your Great Dane secure, as long as they don’t chew the wire. Even then, many brands of tie-out cable aren’t strong enough for the giant Great Dane.
You’ll also need to make sure others cannot easily gain access to your yard. Keep your gates closed and locked at all times. Some theft-prevention paint or the threat of a security camera may be enough to dissuade potential dog thieves.
But the best solution to keep your Great Dane secure is to bring them inside at night.
Is it cruel to leave a Great Dane alone outside?
We’ve all seen that one dog who’s tied up outside, barking all day. They don’t get walks; they don’t get played with. Forcing your Great Dane to live a life like this is overtly cruel.
However, some Great Danes constantly scratch to get outside, and don’t seem to want to come in. So, if you leave your Great Dane outside, as long as they have access to clean, fresh food and water, sufficient shelter and warmth, have good security, and you give them plenty of attention and exercise, there’s no reason why leaving your Great Dane outside would be cruel.
