Great Dane afraid of Hardwood Floors

DPU--I think you are Glenmar are basically in agreement here. I'd start with rugs, too. Whatever it takes to make such a large dog (it really hurts to fall THAT far) feel secure. My dog is willing to walk off-rugs now, but like Glenmar's dog, he looks to me to make sure it's okay and he listens so that yes, he doesn't rush it (which means a fall) or plant his feet (which means he pulls a Bambi as they may end up going in all directions).

To me this isn't as much of a training issue as it is a physical concern.

glenmar

I am not aware of the agreement regarding the disclaimer, but I was out of the loop for a bit so don't necessary know everything that's going on.

Amstaffy's direction is in the CM and Fear thread, the link that I previous posted on page 4 and 5.

DPU

Amstaffy's direction is in the CM and Fear thread, the link that I previous posted on page 4 and 5.

 If posting a disclaimer is required for any CM video link should it not be required for any video link? What about personal advice? I advise someone to use a gentle leader, and they choose not to read the instructions is that not also bad? Should I post a disclaimer for any advice given? What about prong collars? What about advice people give in regards to aggressive dogs or resource guarding? All of these have elements of risk should someone not have a lot of experience in reading dogs and therefore could end up causing injury. Even the most simple instruction can lead to injury or harm if not performed correctly. Where is the line drawn on posting a disclaimer? Is it CM? Is he the line?

On topic it is

To the original poster: i your dog stand on the shiny floor, just like in the video, after a few moments he will realize that nothing bad has happened, you need to be calm because he will look at you for reassurance, if he sees you nervous he will think that the shiny floor is actually bad for him, once he sees you that there is nothing wrong with the floor he will start walking on his own, do not feel bad, do not show any sign of being nervous, anxious, etc

The video is there to show you it works, if you rather to do something different thats fine, i'm just giving you my opinion on how I would deal with it 

 One thing that no one has yet mentioned - Great Danes are a late maturing breed, and it is possible that a sixteen month old is just going through a late fear period, and will, as DPU so aptly suggested, develop the confidence himself with a little encouragement (hmm, that's a reinforcer, right?) from his owner.  If the dog is in a fear period, and he is excessively frightened, the possibility exists that he might remain fearful of slick floors.  I also like the suggestion about checking the dog structurally.  Dogs with hip dysplasia or other defects may not look unsound, but actually have pain, or fear due to pain (when their legs splay unexpectedly). 

I strongly urge you to try the method used my Cesar Millan with regard to the Great Dane video who wouldn't walk on the shiny, slippery floor.  I have used this method several times - most recently on my sisters Doberman who would not walk anywhere in their house after they tiled some floors.  He is now walking on them fine and doesn't even remember he used to be afraid.  For anyone who has doubts in Cesar's methods, don't knock it if you haven't tried it.  I have a "rehabbed" dog from a shelter he works with in LA and have met and spoken to him and he is an amazing, compassionate person.  Good Luck!!  Your dog will thank you for your help.

I'm not sure why this thread has popped up again, but I will restate my position from my experience with my dog.  Tyler was in a home where the only way to go outside was to cross a ceramic tile floor.  It was winter, so the floor got wet.  They did not use rugs, but rather forced him to cross that floor over and over again, and laughed about "Bambi on ice".  His fear may have begun with the broken toes on a back paw, or perhaps because he just wasn't very graceful or he was running too fast because he was always being yelled at.......whatever the cause, Tyler sees bare floors as dangerous.  He is literally paralyzed with fear at a new floor.  Because we desensitized him, because we let him work through his fears without rushing, but simply by adding a lot of rugs, he will now look to be for reassurance and proceed slowly, rather than rush and fall.

CM's method might work with some dogs.  I can promise it would have just made Tyler more fearful.

What I saw on the CM show, looked like a GREAT way to get a Dane to bloat. Not smart for a bloat prone breed to stress them like that.

glenmar

I'm not sure why this thread has popped up again, but I will restate my position from my experience with my dog.

I don't have to restate my position but I urge the OP to watch that video several times in order to understand what is truly happening there.   Pay particular attention to how CM is huffing and puffing as a result of the forced applied to make Kane go on the floor.  The risk is great to the dog's health as well as to the humans.  Notice the fear and almost state of panic in Kane.  Notice the fear as Kane is walking on this shiney floor.  In my opinion, CM substituted the fear of walking on shiney floors with a greater fear of being aggressively manhandled.  Irreparable harm to the dog to human relationship. Having many Great Danes with different personalities, this is not how you handle this breed, maybe other smaller breeds but not this breed.   

Thanks to both of you.  I will liken this again to my fear of snakes.  If someone decides to help me overcome my fear by sticking a snake in my face, I am not going to be greatful to that person, but more likely fear and hate them.  I am phobic when it comes to the darned things and even though my dogs don't "think" like I do, I still feel that it is cruel to force them to overcome their fears.

I have a five year old Portuguese Water Dog... it's a breed that, by nature, is afraid of 'anything' that's new or different...so I've become a 'forced expert' on fearful dogs.   And your 16 month old Great Dane is 'just a puppy'...think of him like a five year old child who's really afraid of something. During the 'daytime' sit on the hard wood floor and entice him to play! With small doggy treats in one hand and his favorite toys( or stuffed animal dollies or with his favorite rope which he likes to play 'tug-of-war';) in the other.... start getting him to step onto the wood floor foot by foot...giving him little bits of his treats for each step closer.  Remember...slow and steady, so even he doesn't realize he's doing it.  (And don't 'force him'.... if he's not ready..then, he's not ready... if he steps on the floor only a few inches at first that's okay, too.  Give him a kiss and a treat and act like it was a 'great success'.  Overcoming fears take time... but he's still young... so you've got the time.)

Remember not to 'baby' his fear  (it's like when a mother gets shook up when a child falls down...the child wasn't crying until the mother got upset...then, all of a sudden, the child begins to cry...your dog, like the child, will react to your 'tone of voice'.... so...)  just act like the wood floor doesn't even exist.  And play!  The small bits of dog treats (so the calories don't add up), along with lots of kisses and hugs, just re-inforces the memory of having a good time. Do this each day for 20 to 30 minimum...and his fear will disappear!   

You should have seen me dealing with thunder and lightening...we (my dog and I) would sit together; and every time I saw lightening I would count out loud the seconds before the thunder...then, when he heard it I would smile and laugh and give him a kiss (and sometimes a small doggy treat)..And, in between, we would play catch with his stuffed animal toy..... now, every time there is thunder and lightening he gets one of his toys out and expects us to play.  But he's not scared...and that was our goal!  I've got dozens of stories on overcoming doggy apprehensiveness....even singing and dancing with the vacuum cleaner ....seriously, I'm not proud, but this is what we do for the animal we love :) !

This might sound stupid, the clicker training sounds like it would be worth a try.  I had a dog with a similar problem, and had to butt scoot myself across the floor for her to follow, she would crawl across the floor - but the inital problem was being spooked, doing the splits and remembering that there was some "monster" there became intimidated crossing the void.   I first tried using boots on her - that took some coaxing but seemed to remidy the problem, however boots are easily removed (by dog) and a pain in the rear to keep having to put on.  My vet said to use the mushers wax, just a little dab on all 4 daily and that took the fear of the shiney floors away.    Now some 5 dogs later I have gotten all them used to the wooden and bare floors and we have a carpeted dog area just for them to run and romp.  Thank heavens for burber!   never seems to wear out.    I'm not a pro or  anything, just someone thats been there done that.

Welcome Mischief and thanks for your post.  Since this has happened to me twice already, I am sure it will happen again.  I will get the Mushers Wax to be prepared for the next time.  Thanks.

I just got the dog.com mag. and in it there was this product  called paw wax by shaws if you get the mag. it is on the top of page #39 let me know how it goes we are thinking about buying a house with wood floors and i have a min pin. and puppy doberman. hope it works.

That stuff DOES work and it does a nice job. I have been around many dogs my whole life and none of them were afraid of "slick" floors without a good reason. I just visited a friend and noticed how much more confident her dog was when he was on the carpet. Guess what? He's been like that for awhile and they recently found out he has a bad back, bad hips, and bad elbows.

I use the wax on both my dogs--one because she has a year-old titanium hip I want to keep in tip-top shape and then other because he has bad hips, a bad back, and bad elbows.

It's amazing how much confident (albeit cautious) they are if we go out and they have nothing but slick floors all around. My male dog used to never walk on slick floors, but he does now--much like Glenmar's dog: he watches me and he always has his "wax" on.

You won't regret it!