I used these shock collars on my Great Danes to achieve Awesome training results

Last Updated/Info Checked on January 26, 2024 by Linda Michaels

The Apollo of dogs, Great Danes, are serious and gentle. But behind their demeanor lie two personality traits that make them hard to train – free thinking and an iron will.

These alone have posed hurdles for me as a trainer when I trained them for leash walking or obedience. It was almost as if I was working with a mixture of a husky and a rottweiler. The single-mindedness seemed to parallel that of a husky and the stubbornness at times beat rottweilers’ will.

Just as with any other breed that listened less during its training, I looked into the world of shock collars to get the best one for Great Danes.

Is Using A Shock Collar An Easy Shortcut?

Using shock collars is by no means an easy shortcut, not at least with giant breeds like Great Danes that drag you like a sled as the user Vraiment says on the Danes Online forum.

When using such training tools, you have to take into account the time needed to get a dog used to it. It all starts with making your pet comfortable with the tool before using it. Then, you learn how to use it properly, ascertain the shock levels needed for your particular pet, and then start training it right on cue.

When I say “right on cue,” I mean you push the right buttons when the dog is about to undergo an undesirable activity, for example, barking, pulling, etc.

You’ll have to follow this practice for a few weeks before you’re confident that it will pay back. In the process, you may have to change your training sessions or the way you approach because Danes can become collar-smart. They stop doing things when the collar’s on and start them again when you’re least suspecting.

When used in the right way, shock or training collars can do wonders. Here’s a list that will make your life easier.

Why Use Shock Collars on Great Danes?

Using shock collars on your Great Danes is a big-time saver. Not to mention, the technology has been derived from a dog’s response to a stimulus right on the cue. What you get in the end are perfect results that last for years to come.

The breed is despite their sizes, they are affectionate, amicable, and brilliant family dogs. But still, here are the reasons you need shock collars for them.

1. Great Danes Love You To The Point of Separation Anxiety

With such a personality, separation anxiety comes naturally. You may have seen your Hulk dog follow you everywhere around your house.

You may have also seen a broken table, scratched sofas, or shards of your favorite vase laying around when you returned from your work. 

2. They Get Distracted Easily

Besides separation anxiety, the dogs love following their noses. It’s in their genes to go hunting. 

So, naturally, they will be distracted by lingering smells here and there.

3. Reduce Training Time 

Training them is not hard at all.

However, the shock collar will reduce the time the dog takes to learn all the nifty details of how to behave around the house or your garden. 

Also, it will contain their hunting inclinations, constant barking when separated, and much more.

Recommended Collar Sizes For Great Danes

Collar Name	Receiver Size	Neck Size	Dog Size	Charging	Stimulation Levels
SportDOG Brand 425X	2.6″ x 1.3″ x 1.23″	5″ to 22″	8 lbs to 120 lbs	50 to 70	1 to 7
Educator Collar	2.7″ x 1.7″ x 1.2″	12″ to 23″	15 to 20 lbs	60 to 72	1 to 100
Dogtra iQ Plus	2.2″ x 1.6″ x 1.1″	10″ to 26″	10 lbs to 120 lbs	20 to 48	1 to 100
Bousnic 2 Dogs Collar	2″ x 1.3″ x 1″	6″ to 30″	5 lbs to 120 lbs	50 – 100+	1 to 99
Flittor	2.3″ x 1.2″ x 1″	8″ to 24.8″	15 lbs to 100 lbs	40 to 168	1 to 16
Dogtra 1900S	2.8″ x 1.8″ x 1.2	10″ to 26″	20 lbs to 35lbs	60 to 72	1 to 127
Lu&Ba	2.36″ x 1.18″ x 0.78″	6″ to 27″	15 lbs to 100 lbs	50 to 100+	1 to 16
PATPET	2.3″ x 1.3″ x 1″	7″ to 27″	8 lbs to 100 lbs	50 to 100+	1 to 16
Garmin Delta Sport XC	2.4″ x 2 x 2.1	8″ to 25″	10 lbs or larger	40 to 60	1 to 36

Let’s discuss each of them in detail.

1. SportDOG 425X Collar

Smaller Receiver And Transmitter

The SportDOG has a smaller receiver as compared to several competitors such as Pet Resolve. The same is true for the remote where there are a few buttons to get the job done. You’ll find the knob on the top handy in selecting the intensity levels with the vibration and beep modes.

However, that arrangement also presents some problems for owners that are not used to programming collar remotes. A few people to whom I recommended the product found it hard to program. That’s the reason why I highly recommend you first read the manual and then start using the device. 

I do assure you that the product will deliver way better when you’ve finally mastered it. The same people didn’t look elsewhere after it.

Learning will help you change the functions of the buttons for your convenience. Not just for that, I suggest you should read the manual for operating the whole thing.  

I like the size of this thing because it can be easily hidden in hand from prying eyes. Great Danes are smart so they may figure out that you’re the cause of all the zaps it’s receiving. 

Collar

The collar is made of nylon. I prefer Biothane but the only thing that leads me to recommend a nylon collar is the freedom to change it for a bigger one. While it fits snuggly on a 22″ neck, you could change it if your dog has the neck of Hulk. 

Using the collar in the specified range of 500 yards has not returned any problems thus far. The response has been consistent but anything above that makes the transmission patchy.

You may see a clear gap in the transmission and reception of the correction you’re trying to do.

Tone and Vibration Suffice

Although there are 21 levels of shock, the tone and vibration should work alone. Just be sure to take things slowly at first. When the dog doesn’t understand these two corrections, zapping should be the last option. 

Overall, the collar has made many people happy to whom I have recommended it. A guy’s Jack Russel didn’t take anything from his previous collars but this one did the charm.

Why Do I Recommend SportDOG?

The product is suitable for outdoor activities. It’s sturdy and even after dropping it a few times, it didn’t break.

What Sets It Apart From Others?

Both the remote and collar are small but they pack power. Their compactness is unmatched.

Strengths:

• Easy to put on and use
• Programmable
• The nylon strap makes it easy to use with large necks
• Remote discourages accidental triggers

Weaknesses:

• No battery level indicator
• Vibration and stimulation work on the same nob positions; this could be confusing

2. Educator Training Collar

Collar Size

The Educator E-Collar has been on the list of my recommendations for the Great Danes and other big breeds such as the Great Pyrenees because of its collar size. It fits well without choking the dogs but at the same time, they are snuggled enough to do the job.

1-Dog System

It comes with a 1-dog system and you can also train more than one dog with its upgraded models. I recommend buying the former in case you got only one dog to stay clear of confusion. For small breeds like Chihuahuas, beagles, and Dachshunds, a multiple-system collar could work but I’m different when it comes to training the breed you own, Great Danes.

Remote

Besides the collar size, the remote has my attention because of its eerie yet wildly practical design. It is shaped in a stop-watch style, which makes it super easy to hold.

The buttons could be remembered easily, thanks to their positions. There’s a stimulation dial that lets you change the levels from 1 to 100. 

You wouldn’t need level 100, trust me. The Great Danes are easy to train as I mentioned earlier. 

But more than this dial, the stimulation boost button comes in handy so often. I’ve had people complain to me about their dog’s incessant prey drive. They chase horses around like they are boars.

Stimulation Boost

There’s also a lot of talk about food aggression and the most exhausting is when they pull on their leash more often than not. 

The stimulation boost passes the general reminder of your command relayed by the momentary boost.

It’s like asserting that you’re the boss and the dog needs to stop what it’s doing. To stop doing this accidentally, the remote has a Mode Button to disable it.

Pavlovian Tone

Besides shock, there is a tapping correction. The tapping is more than just vibration.

That’s why I recommend using this more often than the shock if your dog isn’t the stubborn kind. 

LED

Lastly, in the Biothane collar, there’s an LED for night patrols. This is a 1-dog system with only one charger for charging the transmitter and the receiver simultaneously.

Why Do I Recommend Educator?

Using the remote blindly makes all the difference in the utility of the product.

What Makes It Different From Its Competitors?

The remote’s unique design is its huge selling point. Besides that, I loved how the vibration doubles as a tone. Its tapping sensation works great for large breeds.

Strengths:

• Easy-to-use the transmitter
• Waterproof
• Great battery life of about 3 to 4 days
• Bigger sized collar for bigger dogs
• Easily memorizable buttons

Weaknesses:

• There’s no information to show if the charge is full
• The position of the LED lights could have been better

3. Dogtra IQ Plus

It’s written in the fabric of the training universe that using tools on pups when they are still going through a learning process proves to be fruitful in the long run. It’s the best time to socialize the dog, make it obedient, and beyond.

Now teaching small dogs may seem easy, and it is, but sometimes, they can still be difficult to get around. That’s where collars such as this one come forward for not only correcting odd behaviors but also teaching new ones.

100 Stimulations

The collar has 100 stimulation levels, which should tell you that Dogtra means business with it. And there lies the benefit of it. More stimulation levels mean more control over the shock feature.

However, I haven’t trained any pup past level 3. Come on, they are small and the moment they sense a vibration in their neck out of nowhere, they yelp and come running to you. 

Transmitter

Just like the transmitter of SportDog E-Collar, this one also has a compact and easy-to-remember transmitter. You could nick the pup or apply a constant zap if it doesn’t budge. 

The pager button at the end makes it perfect for differently-abled dogs. Whether yours is deaf or blind, the pager could come in handy in calling it from afar.

This allows you to give supervised freedom to the dog inside a fence. Those little paws could stretch a bit from running here and there without a major threat to the dog’s life. 

Speaking of supervision, if this is your first collar, then I highly recommend that you use it under the supervision of an expert trainer. 

Since dog training could go on for a while, when I’m hired to train a dog, I also make sure that I train the owners as well.

Not to fetch things as they are people, but to show them how they could use the collar in the future. 

Why Do I Recommend Dogtra IQ Plus?

So, with one-handed operation, an ultra-compact receiver, and the promise of robustness, the collar is my recommendation for Great Danes or any other breed of pups.

What Sets It Apart From Its Competitors?

It comes with Dogtra’s longevity promise. Even after a year in use, I didn’t find any major deterioration.

Strengths:

• Extremely well-built transmitter and receiver
• The remote control fits snuggly in the palm
• Nick and Constant buttons provide extra corrections
• Quick response time (½ seconds)

Weaknesses:

• Shutting it down is a bit complex

4. Bousnic Smart Collar

Budget Friendly

Here’s another best shock collar for Great Danes which is affordable too. This collar is budget-friendly but that doesn’t mean that it’s cheap. In fact, it offers similar features as those expensive ones above.

I have tested and tried it on many breeds and the results have been staggeringly impressive. 

The collar is one of those that are suitable for short-term training. Not that it’s not durable, but the fact that as the dog matures it needs better stuff makes it irrelevant in the later stages. 

Stimulations

It brings 16 levels of shock and 8 levels of vibrations in a big receiver. The size of it ensures that the corrections are relayed without a chance of being missed. 

Talking of that, the collar’s nylon strap is 26 inches. It will easily encompass a Great Dane’s wide neck.

An 80 lb dog will wear it without problems. For 150 lbs onward, you may have to expand it and that’s quite easy. 

Two Collars With One Remote

The cherry on top here is that you get two collars operable with one remote.

Normally, many of my clients have more than one dog to train as they usually raise two pups of the same breed. This dual-collar system has made many of them happy. 

I also encourage them to buy this because of the ergonomic yet bulky remote control.

The buttons have raised indications for blind usage but the main highlight is its humongous battery that lasts for 20 days. 

Recharging

You could even recharge the receiver and the transmitter with the same USB cable attached to a laptop.

That’s the convenience most of my clients look for and so do I. What I also look for is a completely charged remote and collar before usage. 

Vibrations Are Enough

Once this device is fully charged, only the vibration and the beep may be enough for your dog as it has been for multiple Great Danes that I’ve trained them with.

Why Do I Recommend Bousnic?

The beep is louder than most collars. So, whenever your dog is passing the thresholds of play and barking, you may not even need to zap it.

What Makes It Different From Its Competitors?

The plastic makes it ultra-sturdy. Just imagine dropping it from the stairs and still finding it intact and working. It happened to me multiple times.

Strengths:

• Comes with two collars
• Easily switchable channels
• Ergonomic responsive remote
• Longer battery
• Louder beep

Weaknesses:

• Not Durable

5. Dogtra 1900S Series

Ergonomic Collar

The Dogtra 1900S is one of the most ergonomic collars you could find on the market. It fits dearly on the dog’s neck as big as the Great Dane. That inadvertently reduces any discomfort that may lead to scarring or chafing. 

Stimulations

The 127 levels of static corrections on the remote work are exactly the same as that of SportDog’s 100 levels in terms of intensity variations. Of course, you won’t go as far as that. Only a few would suffice. 

However, depending on the dog’s capacity, you may have to increase it beyond the perceived threshold. 

In my line of work, I have only gone up to 16 with a stubborn husky and that’s it. Most of the training has been concluded by level 3 at most. 

In situations like those where I didn’t use higher levels of stimulation, the constant correction came in handy. This product has that.

Nick And Continuous

There’s a dedicated button for nick and continuous stimulation. The most stubborn dogs, apart from that husky, have responded to the latter without problems. 

Pager

The 1900S also has a pager. I prefer pagers as the first line of call to any of the correction modes the remotes offer.

We’ve used pagers for ages and they work when the trainer associates it well with a behavior. So, if you’re successful in doing so, the product will stand out better for you. 

I could go on about a lot of good things this collar offers. But one thing that stands out is its hands-free controller.

It’s a tiny button that you can tie to your wrist or hand. It discourages your dog from becoming collar-wise because it may see the remote but not this guy. 

It acts as a pair of second eyes for the dog. You can connect multiple buttons with the same collar.

So, when you’re not aware of the dog’s behavior, one of your family members could correct it by pressing the button. 

But I do have to mention that the learning curve to program the buttons is steep. It may take some time for you to learn it but once you’ve done that, you’ll see how handy it is.

Why Do I Recommend Dogtra 1900S Series?

No product can beat Dogtra in maintaining its range. The signals worked perfectly in my tests even at the fringes of the range.

What Sets It Apart From Its Competitors?

Compared to Educator and SportDog, Dogtra 1900S caters to the needs of owners with stubborn dogs.

Strengths:

• The hands free controller allows hidden corrections
• Handsfree controller plus remote plus receiver increases the range
• Multiple clickers
• The dog is more focused with this collar
• You’re allowed to do more activities than when using the remote
• Recommended for stubborn dogs

Weaknesses:

• The battery on the receiver loses charge faster

6. Lu&Ba E Collar

For Adult Dogs And Pups

This one is also for puppies under training for obedience. But you can use it for adults as well. I highly recommend it for owners with adult dogs and pups.

However, you’ll have to make a few compromises with the adult dogs because I found it a bit inconsistent there. For the pups, you can trust it blindly.

With a single use, you may see their digging, kitty chasing, or unnecessary barking stops for your peace of mind.

Beep Is Louder

The beep is louder than most of the collars. I recommend that you start that with a pup 5 months or older than going for the shock as the first line of correction. 

Starting with the remote, I love two of its most important features. One, it has a keypad lock to discourage accidental shocks or corrections.

Puppies of any breed are blank slates that need learned hands to write on. Therefore, you cannot afford a wrong correction on any occasion.

Separate LED Colors for Functions

The remote has separate LEDs for separate functions to take the correct application even a step further.

At night when you’re out to deliver the dog to its usual business of pooping, the different LEDs may help you in choosing the right function should the dog try to behave differently. 

You won’t even have to worry about losing the remote in darkness as the rubberized non-slip material seems to do that. 

Indoors, in case you choose to let the dog roam around in its safety net, the remote could allow you to transmit your will even through the walls. But try not to immerse it in the water as it’s not water-resistant at all.

Why Do I Recommend Lu&Ba?

I recommend the product for its sheer convenience.

What Sets It Apart From Others?

The simplicity yet effectiveness of features makes the product stand out.

Strengths:

• Built to last longer
• Beep and vibration are better than competitors
• The battery indicator is on the remote
• Separate LEDs and keypad lock discourages accidental shocks

Weaknesses:

• The remote is made for big hands

7. PATPET Dog Collar 

Beautiful Design

The collar will attract you with its beautiful design even if you’re not much into pretty stuff. 

So, if you’re keen on showing off in the public park, what better choice could you have than this one?

The remote control is small. So, if you’re showing off, the people don’t have to see the remote. It’s better for the dog even.

It will start associating the treats and commands with the shock or vibration rather than the remote. 

Whenever someone asks for my recommendation of a collar that leaves space for additional training corrections such as treats, I name this collar. 

16 Stimulation Levels

At night, you could take advantage of the LED screen to choose from one of the 16 levels.

However, you may have to press the tone button to activate the light. That’s a slight bummer that I noticed when using it. 

But thankfully, the remote has a battery indicator for the collar. Also, there are no levels of sound or vibration.

So, you only have a choice in choosing the static levels. 

Extremely Simple To Use

All in all, too few options make it simple to use. No matter how non-techy you are, you won’t have a problem learning how to use the remote. 

Collar

About the collar, the material is plastic. It has a strong build. Your Great Dane won’t be able to get rid of it that easily.

However, it is difficult to put on. Like nylon, plastic isn’t flexible. 

Putting it on the dog fully charged will last longer than you anticipate. You won’t have to untie it every time to charge it per day. 

However, I do recommend that you don’t use the collar 24/7 on the dog. That may lead to complications. 

Dual-Mode

The dual-mode system allows you to correct two dogs at a time.

If one dog is more receptive than the other, then training the stubborn one alone shouldn’t be a problem.

Just take the collar off the good dog and leave it on the bitter one until he is corrected. 

On the stubborn dog, though, you may want to check if the shock is working. Sometimes you may have to reposition the collar to correct a behavior.

Waterproof

The collar comes with an IPX7 rating, which means it will be able to withstand immersion for a few minutes. In my test, the time taken for it to completely give away after immersion was 25 minutes.

Why Do I Recommend PATPET?

Easy pairing is its number 1 highlight. I recommend it to people who don’t want to spend time

What Sets It Apart From Others?

The shock levels are not as hot as in Germin, SpotsDog, or Educator.

Strengths:

• One charger for the receiver and transmitter
• Built to last
• Blind operation
• Easy to operate
• Easy to switch to your desired collar

Weaknesses

• Finding replacement straps could be harder for bigger dogs

Why is my Great Dane not phased by a shock collar? A Thorough Guide

Your dog may be immune to weak stimulations. It’s the breed, really. That’s just one of the reasons why it may not be phased by the collar you have bought.

For example, using the wrong-sized prongs may also pose problems. They may not reach the dog’s skin in the first place. Worry not, however, here’s how to make sure that your product works.

1. Check the prongs

The first thing to do is to use the tester that comes with your collar to see if the stimulations are going through. Connect it with the prongs or contact points and hit the static shock button on the remote. When the lights blind or shine constantly, that’s when you know that the prongs or contact points are working.

2. Put the collar on the dog the right way

The next thing is to make sure that you are using the collar on the dog in the right way. Follow the two-finger rule to see whether the fit is snug. Insert your fingers between the collar and the dog’s neck. You should be able to fit them through with a little difficulty. If not, then you need to tighten the collar a little.

3. Buy a collar with strong stimulations

The products that I’ve listed above have worked for me and the owners of this great dog to whom I recommended them. Buy any of them, and you’ll see that the dog will respond to their beep, tone, or static shock.

FAQs

Now let’s take a look at some related FAQs that will clear your doubts related to Great Danes collars.

Great Danes Collars – The Winner

A Great Dane is independent and strong-willed. It will make your life tough if not trained well. However, doing that with other techniques requires great patience and time. The collars I’ve listed above possess features that serve you well in that regard. 

The one that I recommend, however, is SportDog 425X for its dual-mode training. I have found it to be result oriented for many owners and trainers like me. Do combine treats and calls with the collars and you will thank this trainer for the rest of your life.