Do Great Danes Drool a Lot? Reasons & Facts
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While you might love the look of a Great Dane, do you really want to deal with dripping jowls every time you go to love on them? But is this something you even have to worry about with a Great Dane, or do they keep dry around their mouth?
The truth is that Great Danes do drool quite a bit, but they don’t drool quite as much as some other dog breeds. There’s a lot to sift through here, so keep reading and we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about a Great Dane and how they drool.
Do Great Danes Drool a Lot?
While a Great Dane doesn’t drool as much as a dog like a St. Bernard, it certainly qualifies as a dog that drools quite a bit. This is partly because of the large size of a Great Dane, but it also comes down to their square jowl.
Great Danes simply drool quite a bit, and because of their larger size, it’s fairly noticeable even if it only drools a little.
The 3 Factors That Affect How Much Your Great Dane Drools
While all Great Danes tend to drool some, some factors can significantly impact how much they drool. We’ve highlighted three major factors here:
1. Genetics
This plays a huge role in how much your Great Dane drools. It all comes down to the shape of your Great Dane’s jowl, which comes down to genetics. If their parents drooled a lot, there’s a good chance your Great Dane will drool a lot too.
2. Age
While a younger Great Dane might not drool all that much, as they get older, they’re more likely to drool more. As dogs get older their skin starts to sag a bit, including the jowl area around their mouth. The more it sags the more saliva will escape, increasing the amount your Great Dane drools.
3. Health
There are a lot of potential health factors that can lead to a Great Dane drooling more than usual. Some of them are serious, while others are perfectly normal. Some potential health factors that can increase how much your Great Dane drools include the following:
- Going into heat
- Drool
- Mouth, jaw, or tooth problems
- Stomach problems
- Motion sickness
The 4 Reasons Why & When Do Great Danes Drool?
Great Danes tend to drool quite a bit, but certain activities will increase how much a Great Dane drools. We’ve highlighted four of the activities that increase how much they drool for you here:
1. After Exercising
Dogs pant to cool themselves down, and when they’re panting, they leave their mouths open. Open mouths lead to more drool, so watching a Great Dane drool a bit more after exercising is perfectly normal.
2. When Eating or Drinking
Saliva acts as an active part of the digestive system, so it makes sense that when your Great Dane is eating their body produces more saliva. The more saliva in their mouth, the more that escapes. The excess saliva will also remain in their system shortly after eating or drinking.
3. Sleeping
When a Great Dane is sleeping, they relax their jaw muscles and they don’t focus on keeping their saliva in their mouth. This leads to more drool leaving their mouths. Finally, since a Great Dane will sleep anywhere from 12–18 hours a day, that’s a lot of time for them to drool!
4. When They’re Excited
Anytime a Great Dane gets excited they tend to focus a little less on controlling their drool. Not only that but these heightened emotions lead to an increase in saliva production. Paired with them controlling it less, this leads to a lot more drool overall.
The 5 Other Dogs That Drool a Lot
While Great Danes tend to drool a lot, they’re far from alone in this. Below we’ve highlighted five other dog breeds that tend to drool quite a bit.
1. St. Bernard
A gentle giant, the St. Bernard is one dog breed that drools a lot. In fact, if you had to find a dog breed that drools the most, the St. Bernard might be on the top of the list.
2. Bloodhound
Bloodhounds are great hunting dogs, but there’s no doubt that they drool a lot. They’re also extremely laid back and love to settle their head in your lap. Just be ready for a wet spot when they decide to move on.
3. Newfoundland
The Newfoundland is another giant dog breed that drools a ton. They also have a long coat that sheds a ton, so if you get a Newfoundland be ready to have a mess or two to clean up!
4. Bullmastiff
With long, hanging jowls the Bullmastiff is a notorious drooler. It’s constantly dripping off their jowls and onto any surface under them. If you’re thinking about getting a Bullmastiff, keep a towel handy.
5. Boxer
While the boxer doesn’t drool quite as much as the St. Bernard or the Bullmastiff, a Boxer will still droll quite a bit. In fact, a Boxer drools a very similar amount as the Great Dane.
Final Thoughts
While a Great Dane might drool a lot compared to some other dogs, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider getting one. They have tons of redeeming and lovable qualities, and they don’t drool nearly as much as some of the most notorious offenders.
Great Danes are great dogs, and we know that if you decide to get one, you’ll get over their drooling in no time!
See also:
- Is There Surgery for Dogs With Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome?
- Male vs Female Portuguese Water Dog: The Differences (With Pictures)
Featured Image Credit: Rana Lokos, Unsplash
