If you have a Great Dane, then you know they are a majestically goofy dog. Looking at one, they are the epitome of elegance. But then they move and come at you with that wiggly body and you realize they are just a clown in king’s clothes. While normally laid-back goofs, Great Danes can suffer from stress just like any other dog. The first step to helping your Dane overcome his fears is recognizing when he is feeling this way. The following are a few signs that your Great Dane is feeling stressed or anxious.
#1 – Whining
A stressed Great Dane often whines a lot. If your dog is whining and you know he doesn’t have to go outside to go potty, he may be stressed. He may also bark.
#2 – Tucked Tail
The Great Dane’s long tail is an excellent way to easily see if your dog is stressed. While Great Danes have a pretty low tail carriage most of the time, when they are anxious, they will tuck it even lower. If really scared, it will be clamped down hard all the way down their haunches and curl under their legs.
#3 – Lip licking
Lip licking is a common sign of stress. Your Great Dane may lip lick and yawn if he is feeling anxious. It’s usually a slower lick than when they are tasting something good. He may also do a tongue flick, where the tongue comes out and goes back in without actually licking their lips.
#4 – Furrowed Brow
Thanks to their short hair and large forehead, a wrinkled brow is easy to see on a Great Dane. Dogs (like us!) will wrinkle their foreheads when they are concerned about something. It’s often paired with hard staring in dogs.
#5 – Whale Eye
This is something a lot of dogs will do when anxious, including Great Danes. “Whale eye” is when your dog’s eye bulge and the white around the iris is visible. It will often be accompanied by other signs of stress as mentioned above.
