Great Dane Puppy Aggression

Question
I have a 13 week old female great dane puppy. For the most part she is a sweet dog. However, she only does what she wants to do. She will drag on the leash, run away from you when you try to put her in the crate etc... These behaviors are manageable. What is not is every night she comes over to me at the couch, starts barking and nipping at me. I get up and scold her. She get more aggressive. I try to put her outside and she begins to try to bite me as I reach for her colar. She continues to get more and more aggressive as I try to control the behavior or scold her. I have now on several occasions and at the advice of the breeder, put her on her back when she does this, and grasped her mouth shut until she goes limp and submits completely. No matter what though as soon as I let go she comes for me. She only does this behavior with me, not my wife or my 2 year old.

Can you help?

Answer
READ the AKC breed standard for Great Danes!  This is an EXTREMELY YOUNG puppy (a neonate) demonstrating serious problem behavior.  Your "breeder's" suggestions are off the wall; one does not obtain "dominance" by forcing submission, AND NO PUPPY THIS AGE should be demonstrating this behavior at ALL.  You may very well be creating a fear aggression problem in this puppy (I can't see that from here), but regardless of what's causing it, ANY BREEDER of Great Danes who has a puppy this age demonstrating this sort of behavior in its new home should be shocked and appalled and urge you to return the pup.

This puppy requires in person evaluation and management (ONGOING) by a certified applied animal behaviorist.  I have to presume (without placing blame) that you have contributed heavily to this problem, but it still presents a very young dog offering a serious behavior that requires the dog's removal from your home, and either this breeder does not understand this or this breeder has no idea what s/he is doing.  You have a two year old baby in the house!  You think you have problems NOW? Wait a year.  RETURN THE PUPPY and do not acquire another one from that breeder.  Do your HOMEWORK regarding breed selection, how to find a LEGITIMATE breeder and how to manage any breed dog from its introduction in your home.  Dominance should never be an issue in a young puppy (let alone a Great Dane) and you should not be introducing any breed that has dominance issues (usually male of guarding or herding breeds) into a home with a young child.