Working · Germany
Great Danetemperament, daily life and costs
An immense, usually gentle house dog whose calm manner does not make the practical scale disappear.
Origin & original purpose: Developed from large European hunting and estate dogs to pursue boar and later guard homes.
- They usually live
- 7–10 years
- Roughly, per year
- €2200–3800
Life with a Great Dane
What people love about them
- Forms a meaningful bond with the right household
- Brings the original working character into everyday life
- Can thrive when its real needs are planned for
Things to weigh up honestly
- Your home, car or budget cannot comfortably fit a giant dog
- You cannot manage drool, strength and very high veterinary costs
- Bloat, heart disease, joint disease and a short lifespan deserve frank discussion.
What they're like
Some breeds shed less than others, which people with allergies sometimes find easier to live with. But no dog is completely allergy-free, and reactions vary from person to person.
A typical day together
- 07:00
Morning Routine
A walk of 23–34 minutes before the day starts properly. Not a dog that needs puzzles — company and routine matter more.
- 12:00
Midday & Independence
Midday is the hard part — they'd rather not be left for long stretches, so most homes need a plan for it.
- 17:30
Evening Energy Burn
A longer outing later on — 45–68 minutes across the day in total — then settling down with you.
- 21:00
Decompression & Care
A quick brush once a week is usually enough
Estimated daily active commitment: ~1 hours
What they ask of you
- Exercise
- 45–68 min a day
- Your time
- 6–9 hours a week
- Walks, training, coat care and play together
- Space
- Really wants space — a garden and room to move suits them far better
- Coat care
- A quick brush once a week is usually enough
- Typical yearly cost
- €2200–3800
- Food, insurance, routine vet care and grooming. Illness and emergencies come on top.
- Lifespan
- 7–10 years
- The whole of that time is the commitment, not just the puppy year.
What a year with this dog costs
An honest estimate, built from this breed's size and coat. Adjust the two things that really move the number, and you'll see the range change as you go.
Where you live
Insurance included
Professional grooming
- Food
- €795–€1,210
- Routine vet care and insurance
- €875–€1,370
- Grooming
- €50–€140
- Equipment and consumables
- €245–€450
- Buffer for the unexpected
- €235–€635
Your likely year
€2,200–€3,805
about €183–€317 a month
Real costs vary by country, by the size and appetite of your own dog, and by their health. Illness, dental work and emergencies can sit well above this range, which is why the buffer is here at all.
Best suited for
- An ordinary, active week — a decent walk morning and evening
- People who have lived with a dog before
- Family homes with children around
- Anyone who wants a dog close by, most of the day
Important things to consider
- Finds long days alone genuinely hard
- Strong on the lead until loose-lead work is solid
- Struggles in hot weather — summer walks need rethinking
Health considerations
Bloat, heart disease, joint disease and a short lifespan deserve frank discussion. Choose health-tested parents and know the signs of gastric torsion.
A poor match if…
- Your home, car or budget cannot comfortably fit a giant dog
- You cannot manage drool, strength and very high veterinary costs
- A short average lifespan would be too hard to accept
Key trade-offs
- Calm indoors, enormous everywhere else
- Moderate exercise, very high lifetime cost
Questions people ask before committing to a Great Dane
- Is a Great Dane good with children?
- Yes — a Great Dane is typically patient and easy-going with children, as long as the dog gets rest and children learn to respect it.
- Can a Great Dane live in an apartment?
- Possible, but demanding. A Great Dane in a flat needs long daily outings and real work on settling quietly indoors.
- How much exercise does a Great Dane need each day?
- Plan for around 60 minutes of real activity a day, split into more than one outing, plus something that uses its head — scent games, training, or a proper sniffing walk.
- Does a Great Dane shed a lot?
- Moderate shedding all year, with heavier periods in spring and autumn. Brushing a few times a week makes a real difference.
- Is a Great Dane a good first dog?
- Possible for a determined first-time owner with good help — a trainer from week one, and realistic expectations.
- How long can a Great Dane be left alone?
- Around 2 hours at a stretch once fully grown and gradually trained for it. Longer days need a dog walker, day care or someone dropping in — and a puppy needs far shorter stretches at first.
- What does a Great Dane cost per year?
- Budget roughly €2200–3800 a year for food, routine vet care, insurance, grooming and everyday kit. Country, size and individual health move that figure quite a bit, and a single unlucky year can cost more.
These answers come from the same trait numbers used everywhere on DoggMatch — no marketing, no guesswork.
Read more before you decide
The guides that matter most for this breed, written in plain language.
Compare with similar breeds
Side by side on exercise, coat, time alone and cost — the things that decide how the week actually feels.
- Great Dane
Bullmastiff
English Mastiff
Rottweiler
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