Great Dane breakthroughs

Princeton with one of his best friends, a Corgi/Border Collie mix

My Great Dane Princeton has had some breakthroughs lately. At age 1-1/2 years, he finally got the message that mouthing is wrong! He was trying to get our food, so I was trying to make him to back off by holding my hand infront of him. In the midst of the conflict, he mouthed my arm -- and then he instantly looked guilty and crouched down, before we could even say, "Calm down." This is the first time ever that he seemed sorry for any misbehavior! He's really learning.

He’s very smart -- so smart that he figured out how to open the gate to the backyard! Recently I let him out in the morning and went back to sleep as usual. Then my honey woke me up: “Princeton’s loose!” Fortunately our neighbors saw him on the street, rang the doorbell, and helped round him up. Now we have to keep the backyard gate locked with a padlock!

There they go! Princeton likes being “herded.”

Great Dane plays football

Princeton loves his new football

My Great Dane Princeton’s new favorite toy is a REAL football! He can actually fit it into his enormous mouth!

Princeton loves mouthing things with his big old mouth. Finally we found a toy big enough for his huge mouth, and he LOVES it.

Does anybody know where to get GIANT toys suitable for Great Danes? This football was not built to stand up against dog teeth.

Now almost 17 months old, Princeton is getting A LOT better about not mouthing the many tempting things that he’s not supposed to mouth -- especially my arms and small children. When I say “Leave it,” he usually listens. If not, I get his attention with a squeaker toy that I carry at all times when we’re out -- a great tip from our new trainer.

He’s also learned what it means to “CALM DOWN” -- although it often takes a while. I’m learning how to stay calm, too. We keep practicing.

Princeton opens wide to fit his football in his giant jaws

“Let’s play football!”

Great Dane pup dances with lemon

Here’s a fun video of my Dane pup Princeton dancing with one of his favorite toys -- a lemon!

This was actually taken about a month ago. He’s even bigger now! But he still loves lemons.

His obedience training is going well. But it keeps me busy enforcing rules and practicing “sit” over and over. (He knows the command, but he doesn’t know how to obey it EVERY time, even when HE doesn’t feel like it.)

This Dane pup will play with ANYTHING!

Princeton was so cute -- barking at a trowel on our patio and pouncing on it as if it was alive! I managed to catch it on video.

Then I caught him attacking the trowel again about a week later on the video below. He’s already gotten bigger -- now he can carry the trowel in his mouth for a few second. Don't miss his fearsome growl. When he was still with his breeder, she warned us, “Whenever we hear a particularly vicious sound -- it’s Princeton!”

You can visit Princeton’s YouTube channel to see more videos of him.