Black danes are craaaaazzzyy!

[Jill]

Mr. Jinx is now 6-1/2 months old, and he is still not settling into our family. I am getting kinda sad about it, actually, and we have discussed more than once returning him to the breeder. He is a 24 hour spaz!!!! Regardless of his activities and exercise...we can go for a huge, long uphill walk, he'll play with Jade for an hour in the yard and he is still raring to go! He won't be exhausted! If we're inside, there is no lying down or chilling out. He's constantly getting into things and forcing himself upon us. Just lie down and chill out, buddy!!

He is SO very different from Jade, who has always been super laid back. I find myself going berserk trying to figure out ways to exhaust the dog to no avail. The only time he is relaxed is when he is in his crate. No crying or whining- he just curls up and goes to sleep. I hate that he can't curl up with us and just enjoy being pet on the couch! And I don't want to have him in his crate all the time.

I think he needs medication! I'm joking, but com'on! How much of this is puppy and how much of this is the crazy black gene? <LOL!> It's really hard having two dogs that you have to treat completely differently. I don't think Jade was ever like this. Some days I think "what the he** have I done in getting another dog?!?!"

Ok, I think I'm done ranting now.

[ownedby3danes]

I have a black dane too - and he is definitely higher energy, and was crazy as a pup. I am thinking that Jinx might need more than physical exercise - more mental stimulation and obedience. That helped A LOT with our Bishop.

["The Boys" Mom]

I totally understand you on this one! We adopted Andre at 10 months old and he was waaayyy more needy/active/distracted/destructive/...on and on... than our other 2 boys (who we had from 8 and 10 weeks fyi)
I think part of it, with Andre, was his first 10 months was not good at all, abuse. So he just didn't know what to do with himself in the house. He needed constant reassurance that I still loved him and he wasn't going to be starved etc. I think, despite his past, Andre is just higher energy than my other 2. Of course this was driving us nuts so we just end up doing more with Andre. Simple walks and basic class didn't wear him out. That's how Andre and I ended up doing every obedience class my trainer offered and getting him therapy dog certified. He just needed more to do than the others. He's going to be 3 years old in May and there is hope! He's calmed down, he's super trained, and it's been many months since I last threatened to "trade him in"! GooD Luck, there is hope! 6 1/2 months is still a baby!

[ownedby3danes]

I totally understand you on this one! We adopted Andre at 10 months old and he was waaayyy more needy/active/distracted/destructive/...on and on... than our other 2 boys (who we had from 8 and 10 weeks fyi)
I think part of it, with Andre, was his first 10 months was not good at all, abuse. So he just didn't know what to do with himself in the house. He needed constant reassurance that I still loved him and he wasn't going to be starved etc. I think, despite his past, Andre is just higher energy than my other 2. Of course this was driving us nuts so we just end up doing more with Andre. Simple walks and basic class didn't wear him out. That's how Andre and I ended up doing every obedience class my trainer offered and getting him therapy dog certified. He just needed more to do than the others. He's going to be 3 years old in May and there is hope! He's calmed down, he's super trained, and it's been many months since I last threatened to "trade him in"! GooD Luck, there is hope! 6 1/2 months is still a baby!

I COMPLETELY feel you!! We got Bishop at 9 months old, and he had no manners - we did every obedience class too, and had to be SOOOO much stricter with him, due to his personality.

For Jill: I know it is hard when you have a laid back one to add one that is more demanding. Just don't give up - what worked for Jade just probably wont work for Jinx. He may need more discipline, more training, more attention (and by attention, I don't mean petting, but less freedom). Our Bish has blossomed into a WONDERFUL dane, .... just wanted to give you some hope! Good luck!

[Meatos]

I have a black girl - she's 5 months old now. People have told me that she is the highest energy dane puppy they've ever seen. I don't know if it's because she's black or just because she's got a ton of energy.

I've found that leashing her to me in the house has been a huge help. I work on her commands with her while I'm getting ready in the bathroom, doing the dishes, straightening up, puttering around. Since I started doing this, I've found that she relaxes and is polite. She tries her best to stay out of my way.

I also felt guilty leaving her in her crate while I was home, but I also couldn't trust her to be in the apartment where I couldn't see her. Leashing her to me was a great thing for both of us. I can trust her for the most part (she still gets into things) to be in another room while I'm doing something for several minutes, but there is still room for improvement.

Sounds like your boy needs a lot more work than this, but maybe this is a good start for you guys? I use the Smoochy Poochy No-Escape Leash. It's awesome.

[Devil Dog]

It's not the color black.. you just have a high energy, active pup.

Hold on to him, don't give up and one day he'll hopefuly settle down. When he's an old grey face you'll yearn for these puppy days.

Dee

[Jill]

Thanks to all who have responded.

I won't give up on him, although some days I wish I could. He has *some* endearing qualities. LOL.

We are definitely going to do more with him regarding obedience. We have a hard time deciding if he is high-energy or really dumb. You all probably think I'm an ass for even saying this stuff. Seriously, he makes it hard to love him sometimes! We have been through puppy class and he has retained the information. The problem is he is totally ADD and sometimes can't concentrate. He gets so excited about sticks (ooh, ooh! MOM! A stick! I wanna eat it. Give it to me!), treats (MOM! You haven't fed me in an hour! I need that treat! I'm DYING over here!), rocks, bees and other inedibles. A goat, if you will.

I have tried leashing him to me and it doesn't go well, especially because I have a 21-month old toddler that is following me around too. I have already figured out that Jinx isn't content to lie on the porch in the sun like Jade is- he prefers to be around me and 'up in my business' if you will. Realizing that I can't treat the two dogs the same way has helped tremendously.

I swear Jade slept WAY more than Jinx does, but what do I know? It has definitely gotten better in the last 4 months. At least he and Jade get along really well now. If they were still fighting every day, I would be hitting the bottle!

I really would like to find a decent trainer in my area. Unfortunately the only option is Petsmart. Any other words of wisdom or proverbial lights at the end of the tunnel are most appreciated.

Jill

[ownedby3danes]

Thanks to all who have responded.

I won't give up on him, although some days I wish I could. He has *some* endearing qualities. LOL.

We are definitely going to do more with him regarding obedience. We have a hard time deciding if he is high-energy or really dumb. You all probably think I'm an ass for even saying this stuff. Seriously, he makes it hard to love him sometimes! We have been through puppy class and he has retained the information. The problem is he is totally ADD and sometimes can't concentrate. He gets so excited about sticks (ooh, ooh! MOM! A stick! I wanna eat it. Give it to me!), treats (MOM! You haven't fed me in an hour! I need that treat! I'm DYING over here!), rocks, bees and other inedibles. A goat, if you will.

I have tried leashing him to me and it doesn't go well, especially because I have a 21-month old toddler that is following me around too. I have already figured out that Jinx isn't content to lie on the porch in the sun like Jade is- he prefers to be around me and 'up in my business' if you will. Realizing that I can't treat the two dogs the same way has helped tremendously.

I swear Jade slept WAY more than Jinx does, but what do I know? It has definitely gotten better in the last 4 months. At least he and Jade get along really well now. If they were still fighting every day, I would be hitting the bottle!

I really would like to find a decent trainer in my area. Unfortunately the only option is Petsmart. Any other words of wisdom or proverbial lights at the end of the tunnel are most appreciated.

Jill

LOL - my coworkers have LOVINGLY nicknamed our youngest as GOAT DOG! I completely understand!!! Ronin felt his entire world through his mouth for the first 15 months of life ---- it is starting to get better now! We have used PetSmart Training, but have a wonderful trainer..... if its your only option, maybe the store has two trainers and you could try the other one?

And when Kaiser was a pup, and now he slept/sleeps ALL the time - totally matches what people think when they think "Great Dane" --- Couch potato, gentle giant, atc. . . Bishop on the otherhand can jump about 9 feet STRAIGHT into the air (just like tigger) to jump after squirrels and birds. Night and day!!!! Hang onto him, and vent all you need!!

[bigpup]

Puppies can definitely be tough!! I have a 6 month old black, and he's pretty hyper, but he knows when ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. I would recommend teaching him his "spot." We put an eye screw in the wall with a short leash attached to it, and whenever he is hyper just to be hyper we tell him "go to your spot." We make sure there's a nice juicy bone for him to chew on when he goes there, and we just ask him to be quiet for a few moments. The leash was just in the beginning when he was still learning, now he will just go lay quietly and chew on his bone. We don't ask this of him for a long amount of time, or many times a day since he is a puppy and should be hyper, IMO. But sometimes just getting those few moments of breathing time is a godsend.

[andipanda 1]

I hear your pain. Actually, I live it too. My mantle girl, Zara is my challenge child. I've raised many dogs, trained more than many....and Zara is....a tough one. In just the last hour; she was given a raw beef rib bone after dinner to keep her busy. She gnawed on that, then managed to find, steal and run out the dog door with a stack of paper cups; while we were gathering them from the yard, she located the medication for her ear infection and ran out the open door with that. Daughter and I chased her all over the yard, rescueing the medication, only to find out that there was a pair of newly washed, and now dirty socks in the yard. Oh yeah, did I mention that while daughter had her head turned, Zara grabbed a chocolate dipped strawberry and ran that out the door ? THAT was only in the last hour.....Can't wait to work on the 9:00 to 10pm hour before bed.....

[Zoeys Mom]

I have already figured out that Jinx isn't content to lie on the porch in the sun like Jade is- he prefers to be around me and 'up in my business' if you will.

It's because he's a boy.

"MOM, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH DON'T EVER LEAVE MY SIGHT! OMG, WHERE ARE YOU GOING? I HAVE TO GO WITH YOU! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? I HAVE TO SEE IT!"

Girls are like, "WHATEVER, I'M BUSY."

[LoveMyDanes]

I had to laugh!

As soon as I saw your title, I nodded and laughed! We rescued Sky at 1.5 yrs old. She has been a hard dog to have, to say the least. LOL A very brief review of her history:She had sep. anxiety, tore holes in our walls, ruined floors,crates,blinds,etc,etc. Tore up beds, she throws what we call 'hissy fits' now at almost 8, when we alter her schedule a bit. She's food obsessed and drools puddles when she hears food hit the bowl.I've come so close to wiping out in said puddle, so many times,she can't come into the kitchen until I'm done filling bowls! Did I mention her storm phobia?Oh and when she plays, it's like she loses her mind--she bucks and tosses herself like a rodeo bull and her paws swing out in search of a target--often Angus' poor head. She's on or off--no in between.
I can't count how many times I have looked at her in shock/amazement/WTF and asked "What the hell is wrong with you?!" LOL

Of course, none of this is bc she's black, and it's no fault of her own that she's "psycho" (our term of endearment!)....but your title really fits the 7+ years we've had our craaaaaazy black dane too!

[LoveMyDanes]

Mandi--your description is RIGHT ON!! And why I will probably always have boys from this point on LOL

[MyDaneBaby]

You poor thing - having been spoiled by easy dogs - Jerry (aka the bane of my existence) really makes me nuts some, okay most, days. If he's not knocking all of us over he's whipping us with his tail, stepping on the other dogs, smacking me in the face when I tell him to sit or down etc.....Crating him is no fun because when he decides he's done he screams like someone is stabbing him and still does not sleep through the night.

I figure there has to be an end in sight to the behavior, soon.......

[ZanesMommy]

You poor thing - having been spoiled by easy dogs - Jerry (aka the bane of my existence) really makes me nuts some, okay most, days. If he's not knocking all of us over he's whipping us with his tail, stepping on the other dogs, smacking me in the face when I tell him to sit or down etc.....Crating him is no fun because when he decides he's done he screams like someone is stabbing him and still does not sleep through the night.

I figure there has to be an end in sight to the behavior, soon.......

He still doesn't sleep through the night?? Wow! That'd drive me crazy! Mine will wake me up pretty early, but they do sleep through the night. And as long as I let them up in bed with me, they will sleep for many more hours.