There is no doubt Buck is a member of the family. He sits with you on the sofa, you have to clear up after his mess and he sometimes drives you up the wall. Because he is a Great Dane, he also eats as much, if not more than most of the family. Fortunately, you love everything about him, including their larger than life appetite. But if he's truly to be part of the family, then why not train him to take some responsibility and use the toilet?
Training your Great Dane to use the toilet actually comes with several advantages. Firstly, you won’t need to take your gentle giant out to go to the toilet several times a day, including in the freezing cold of winter. But also, this type of training could make you social media famous. Who doesn’t giggle when they see a video of a huge dog using a toilet?
Although it may be slightly messy to start with, training your Dane to use the toilet isn’t going to be as complex as you might think. The biggest hurdle is showing them at the beginning what it is you want them to do. However, once they understand, you just need to reinforce the behavior with rewards until it becomes a habit.
If your Great Dane is a puppy then training may be much quicker. Firstly, they have weaker bladders so you’ll get to practice numerous times throughout the day. They should also be at their most receptive. You could see results in just a week. But if they’re older with years of practice going to the toilet on the ground, then you may need up to six weeks. If you get this training right you’re guaranteed to get guests laughing whenever they come around.
Before you can start training, you will need to gather a few items. Treats or small pieces of your dog's favorite food will be required. You will also need toys and a clicker for one of the methods. A step and a plastic tub will also be needed.
You will need to set aside some time each day to take the dog to their new toilet regularly. The more frequently you can practice, the sooner you will see results.
Apart from that, you just need some anti-bacterial spray and patience, then work can begin!