Great Dane Grooming

The phrase "Great Dane grooming" is basically synonymous with the word "easy." These big dogs don't require too much care for their short-haired, double-layered coats. The coats do shed some (especially during shedding season), so they'll need frequent brushing during that time--but otherwise the Great Dane (GD) is pretty easy to care for in the grooming department.

Here you'll find plenty of details on maintaining the Great Dane coat, including info about brushing and bathing. You'll also learn about caring for these big dogs' paws, teeth, and ears. Plus you can find out more about ear cropping--and learn exactly why shaving a Great Dane's coat is never a good idea.

Overall Great Dane grooming doesn't take too much work--and their short-haired, double-layered coats won't take up much of your time either. GD's coats shed seasonally (moderately for most of the year, and more heavily in the spring and sometimes fall shedding seasons), so they'll need brushing 2-3 times per week most of the time, and daily during shedding season. Some owners like to also use de-shedding tools during these shedding periods to help collect dead hairs.

Unless the dog gets especially dirty or stinky, baths are only necessary every 2-3 months. Haircuts aren't required at all.

And while it's easy to learn how to fulfill your Great Dane's basic grooming needs yourself, taking the dog to a professional groomer at least once is a good idea. The groomer can give the dog a nice makeover, and provide tips on how to groom a Great Dane at home.

Caring for your GD's coat will also require the use of a few Great Dane grooming tools: a bristle brush or grooming glove, a de-shedding tool, and canine shampoo will all be great to have.

Your Great Dane brush should happen at least twice per week. Brushing your GD will help remove any dead hairs, and it'll rid the coat of excess dirt, dust, and debris. During shedding season, these big dogs' hair will fall out as fast as you can clean it up, so daily brushing will be best. A lot of people find that using a de-shedding tool (like a Furminator or a Kong ZoomGroom) during shedding season will help the shedding process along.

The best brush for a Great Dane is a medium-tooth bristle brush. Some prefer to use grooming gloves instead; the rubber, textured slip-on gloves, they say, both collect dead hairs and stimulate the coat's natural oils.

How to brush a Great Dane: first wet the coat with water mist from a spray bottle. Then starting at the shoulders, go through the entire coat section by section with the brush or glove, moving in the direction of hair growth. (NOTE: If you're also using a de-shedding tool, use that first, then follow it with the brush or glove.)

Do Great Danes smell? While not especially known for their "doggy odor," these dogs can get smelly if not bathed periodically--especially if your GD spends a lot of time outdoors, where it's more likely to roll in dirty or stinky things! That said, bathing a Great Dane will generally only need to happen every 2-3 months.

It's also important to use canine shampoo, as the kind made for humans can irritate a dog's skin. Great Danes are known for having sensitive skin, so using a hypoallergenic shampoo, one that's free of artificial scents or dyes, is recommended. The best shampoo for a Great Dane includes hypoallergenic offerings from brands like Earthbath, Rocco & Roxie, and Pro Pet Works. All these will make your Great Dane smell clean and fresh.

And as you can imagine, due to these dogs' size, it'll be good to set set aside an hour or more for Great Dane bath time!

How to bathe a Great Dane: first give the dog a good brushing. You can bathe your GD in the bathtub--but if the tub is not spacious enough, an outdoor plastic pool using a garden hose will work. Wet the coat thoroughly, then apply a generous portion of Great Dane shampoo to the dog's back. Lather well, working downward and outward as you go. (And don't forget the legs, underbelly, and tail!) Clean the dog's face, head and ears with a washcloth, then rinse the coat until the water runs clear.

Towel-dry the coat, and finish with another quick brush-through to make the coat look clean and neat.

To put it simply, Great Danes don't need--and can't even get!--haircuts. Their short-haired coats, though double-layered, just aren't long enough to be cut any shorter than they already are. Even so, some people think that shaving their GD's coat shorter will help reduce the shedding. This simply isn't the case. Since it's the undercoat that sheds, unless the dog is shaved bald--which is never a good idea!--the undercoat remains and the dog will still shed. A shaved Great Dane will be more susceptible to heatstroke and sunburn, and the coat will be completely uneven when it grows back. So to anyone thinking of shaving their Great Dane: put those clippers away!

Ear cropping, on the other hand, is a cosmetic procedure that is possible--and acceptable to most people. Some people frown upon a Great Dane with clipped ears, as they say the surgery is unnecessary--but many others love the look! Several Great Dane ear crop styles exist, and are in part determined by whether owners plan to show the dogs.

Ear cropping is a medical procedure performed by a veterinarian, usually while the dog is still a puppy. (In fact, many vets refuse to crop a dog's ears once it is older than 16 weeks.) The procedure, while not too complicated, does involve a good bit of aftercare, including keeping the ears taped for several weeks, cleaning them regularly to prevent the formation of scabs, and several followup vet visits.

The most popular Great Dane ear cropping styles, from shortest to longest:

• Battle Crop: Less than one inch. Extremely low crop that provides very little protection from dirt, debris, and insects.
• Short Crop: 1-2 inches. Leaves about one-third of the original ear flap.
• Show Crop: 2-4 inches. Makes the ear flap tall and narrow, and gives the dog an "attentive" look. Most popular for show dogs.
• Long Crop: Five inches or more. Leaves about three-fourths of the original ear flap; often too long to stand fully erect.

Your Great Dane will need its paws maintained more carefully than smaller breeds will. Due to its sheer weight, a GD is more likely to injure its paws than, say, a 10-pound Toy Poodle. Care for these dogs' paws in the following areas:

• Nails: If Great Dane nails click on hard surfaces, it's time for a trim. And the best nail clippers for Great Danes? The same ones you use on yourself! The Great Dane nail clippers will need to be the larger ones, though, that are used on human toenails. How to cut Great Dane nails: use the clippers to cut each nail as close to the toe as possible. Make sure you don't cut into the nail's "quick" (the blood vessel running through it), as doing so can make the nail bleed and be painful.
• Toe Hair: If the hair between your GD's toes gets too long, it'll collect dirt and debris and can even get infected. Use a small pair of scissors to cut the hair short if needed.
• Paw Pads: Because they take the brunt of the dogs' weight, Great Danes' paw pads often become dry, cracked, and tender--especially if the dog walks a lot on hot asphalt or snow and ice. Apply commercial paw pad moisturizer (available at pet stores or online) to your GD's pads weekly, to keep them soft, moist, and healthy.

Your Great Dane will also need care in these areas:

• Teeth: Just like a human's, Great Dane teeth need regular brushing to reduce plaque and tartar, and to help minimize that Great Dane bad breath! Brush your GD's teeth 2-3 times per week with a regular toothbrush--but be sure to use canine toothpaste (available at pet stores or online), as the kind made for humans can make dogs sick if they swallow it.
• Ears: If not cleaned periodically (and especially if the ears are cropped), a Great Dane's ears can collect dirt and debris, and even get infected--which could lead to hearing loss. It's good to clean your GD's ears monthly with canine ear cleaning solution. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions, but the usual process is to squirt a generous portion of solution into the ear canal, then close the ear flap (or if cropped, fold the outer ear down) and massage the outer ear for a few seconds to work in the liquid. The dog will probably shake its head vigorously--this is normal--then use a cotton ball (never a Q-Tip!) to wipe out any excess solution.