A friendly breed in a very large body
In general, yes. The typical Great Dane is people-oriented, affectionate, and more inclined to lean against a new person for attention than to warn them off. Breeders describe the Dane as a gentle giant, and most well-raised adults match that description at the door, in the park, and at the vet. Friendliness in a dog this size needs managing, though. A Dane who rushes forward wagging, rises up to investigate a face, or plants a huge paw on a visitor's leg is being sociable, yet the stranger on the receiving end may feel frightened or knocked off balance. The question is rarely whether a Dane likes people. It is whether he has been taught how to show it politely.
Why individual Danes differ at the door
Early experience shapes the adult response. A Dane puppy who met many kinds of people calmly, without being mobbed or passed around, usually grows into an adult who takes visitors in stride. A Dane who was under-socialised, startled by strangers looming over him, or encouraged to bark at the door can become watchful or nervous, and nervousness in a giant breed deserves respect rather than dismissal. Rescue Danes may arrive with unknown histories, so read the dog in front of you: a relaxed body, soft eyes, and a wag that moves the whole rear end suggest welcome, while freezing, hard staring, tucked posture, or growling mean the stranger should not approach. Never force a greeting to prove the breed is friendly.
Teaching greetings that work at this scale
Practise with cooperative visitors before you need the skill with a delivery driver. Keep your Dane on a lead, ask the visitor to wait and let the dog approach, and reward four paws staying on the floor and a calm sniff followed by looking back to you. If excitement builds, step the dog away, let him settle, and try again at a distance where he can think. Teach a solid place cue so your Dane can go to a bed when the door opens, watch the arrival, and be released to say hello once coats are off and everyone is seated. Children meeting a Dane need the same structure: no hugging around the neck, no climbing, and an adult managing the lead, because a friendly lean from a dog this heavy can topple a small child.
Strangers out on walks need a different plan
Away from home, the challenge flips. Strangers often rush at a Dane because he is striking, reaching for his head while their own dog pulls toward him. Give your Dane an out: cross the road, step behind a parked car, or ask cheerfully for space while you feed treats for staying beside you. A Dane who loves people can still dislike being crowded by unfamiliar dogs while on a short lead, so separate the two greetings and decline the dog-to-dog one when the setup looks tight. Joggers, cyclists, and people using mobility aids can also startle a young Dane simply by moving oddly at his eye level, so reward calm watching of anything unusual during adolescence rather than assuming a friendly breed needs no exposure work.
Setting the household up to succeed
Consistency matters because everyone your Dane meets will improvise unless they have been told the plan. Grandparents, dog walkers, and regular guests should all know to wait for the seated greeting, avoid pushing him off when he leans, and call you if he seems worried rather than coaxing him closer. Writing those preferences down where the whole household can see them prevents the mixed messages that undo training fastest, and KinsLe Family Sharing lets relatives you select open his profile for themselves, instead of that profile sitting with a single household member.