Year old great dane training question

Question
We have recently become owners of a year old female great dane. She come from a home of one adult female. We are a full family, me and my husband and our three young daughters. She loves me and appears to only listen to me. she does not listen to my husband nor even let him touch her. I have tried to do a training class with other dogs but she is so skiddish that she would not do anything with me or the trainer. when ever I want to even put a leash on her she runs and hides and crowders to the ground. I am unsure of what I should do to help train her. she is a great dog and i would hate to have to get rid of her because of behavior issues. Pease help!!!!

Answer
I suggest getting a trainer to come to your home to work with you. Check out http://www.betterdog.com and look at their list to see if there is a trainer near you. A good trainer will take the time to earn your dog's trust and if s/he is

To help her warm up to your husband have him take on feeding responsibility and make her sit and watch while he gets the food ready. He can even feed her from his hand though you may have to let her get really hungry before she'll be willing.

It is important that you get her used to the leash because you will need to use it for just about everything you do with her. Sit down with her with the leash in your hand and play, pet and feed her treats. Make her sit and stay and put the leash on her when she'll accept it and then continue to feed her treats, pet her and play with her (whatever games she likes) with the leash dangling. Then take hold of the leash and just sit there and hold it. Pet her, play with her and feed her treats but keep her near you by using the leash. Once she's accepting of this, walk around with her with the leash, praising and petting her all the time. (This should go on over the course of several days as she accepts the leash, not all at once.) Once you can walk around with her holding the leash begin a daily positive obedience training program with her on the leash rewarding her obedience with treats and praise and take her for daily walks. She will soon associate the leash with fun obedience training, treats and walks and respond to the leash with eagerness.

Also maintain pack leadership for all members of the house. You can find tips on doing that at http://www.thegooddogjournal.com/2009/02/whos-boss-establishing-pack-leadership....