Dog breeders are crossing two different parent breeds to create puppies with the best qualities of both parent breeds. These adorable puppies are called hybrid dogs or designer dogs.
At first, cross-breeding was to make tiny dogs that could be taken with their owners everywhere.
Now, this has developed into large and giant breed dogs mixed with breeding the size down a bit and getting some unique dogs with great features.
What is The Catahoula Great Dane Mix?
This mixture of a hybrid dog has one purebred Catahoula Leopard Dog and one purebred Great Dane for parents.
Great Danes are a giant breed of dog, and Catahoula Leopard Dogs are a medium to large dog breed.
The result will be large dogs when they mature, but they could be even 8 inches shorter than a Great Dane when fully grown. Learning about the two parent breeds can help you to decide if this mixture would make a good pet for your family.
The puppies from this mixture may be called a Catahoula Great Dane Mix or a Great Dane Catahoula Leopard Dog Mix.
Catahoula Leopard Dog History
This breed of dog was first discovered in Louisiana, and he is believed to be a mixture of a Mastiff and a Greyhound.
They were known, historically, as war dogs, and when they were left with local Indian tribes, they mixed with wolves and French Beaucerons too.
Catahoula is a Choctaw name that translates to “sacred lake.” In the past, this breed was used for many jobs, such as bay dogs, stock dogs, watchdogs, guard dogs, tree dogs, and companion dogs.
Some people still use the Catahoula for hunting dogs today, or they may just be family dogs.
Great Dane History
The Great Danes are initially from Germany. They were bred to be very large and heavy to hold down wounded prey–which was generally huge wild boars that were vicious until their handlers arrived to finish the prey off.
They could work tirelessly with aggression to prey and then go home at night and snuggle with the family and owners as a companion dogs. Today, Great Danes are considered family dogs that are guardians and protectors.
Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Get a Catahoula Great Dane Mix
Since the result of a medium to large dog and a giant dog will make very large dogs when they mature, you need something bigger than a small apartment, condo, or house.
Both parent breeds were bred to be active working dogs, and a new hybrid dog will need a lot of exercise.
Both parent breeds of dogs are very intelligent but can be stubborn at times. If you’ve never had a dog before, this may not be the best choice for a novice owner, as the Catahoula Great Dane Mix can try to be the pack leader instead of letting you be the leader even at a very young age.
You will also need to set aside time every day to train your new puppy as he will need to learn basic obedience immediately.
He will grow so fast that you could swear he gets bigger by the day, and sizeable dogs must be able to mind correctly.
Reasons Why You Should Get a Catahoula Great Dane Mix
Both parent breeds have similar personalities of being hunters, guardians, and protectors. When they perceive that they are working, they are very serious, but afterward, when they retire at home, they are some of the most affectionate dogs ever. Great Danes think they are lap dogs even at maturity and well over 100 pounds.
If you have a home with a secure backyard and an extra-large doggie door, your Catahoula Great Dane mix will be delighted to go outside and burn off energy anytime.
Your fence must be tall enough so your new pooch can’t jump over it, and he should have an assortment of outdoor toys as well to entertain himself.
The Great Dane and the Catahoula have pretty high exercise needs because of their bloodlines as hunting dogs. The Great Dane is more laid back, while the Catahoula is a very high-energy dog.
So, your puppy should be about moderately active but will need exercise for at least an hour a day.
Appearance, Coats, and Colors of a Catahoula Great Dane Mix
Your new puppy can have amazingly different colors and patterns of coat colors because a Catahoula and a Great Dane can have different colors than almost any other dog.
The Catahoula may have coat colors and patterns of black, blue, blue merle, brindle, chocolate, red, yellow, red merle, white merle, or yellow merle. On top of this, his coat may also have tan markings or white trim.
Great Danes have many colors in their coats and patterns too. The standard markings include mantle, silver merle, harlequin, fawn, brindle, blue, black, and black and white. He may also have black markings or white markings, or a black mask.
Your particular puppy can be in a large variety of colors. If you prefer one over another, look for a breeder that breeds the parent breeds together to get the color of coat you like.
The Catahoula and the Great Dane have short, straight coats that are very easy to take care of.
Both breeds are born with floppy ears, but a breeder may crop the puppies’ ears, so they stand up straight on his head like a traditional Great Dane.
A Catahoula can be from 22 to 24 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh 50 to 95 pounds at maturity.
A Great Dane can mature at anywhere from 28 inches to 32 inches tall and weigh between 110 and 175 pounds. So you can expect your pretty pup to be 24 to 30 inches tall and reach a final weight of approximately 150 pounds, which is considered a large breed of dog.
Personality, Traits, and LIfespan of a Catahoula Great Dane Mix
You can expect your new four-legged family member to be outgoing and love his family endlessly. Because both parent breeds are so intelligent, it makes your dog easy to train in a short amount of time.
Your puppy will be about medium energy as he grows–puppies all tend to be high energy. He will also have a protective and watchful quality over your entire family.
He will be very affectionate with his family and want to be near or touch a family member.
A Catahoula Great Dane mix will not want to be left alone for long periods, though, as they can suffer from separation anxiety which can lead to destructive behavior in the home.
The lifespan of a Catahoula is between 10 and 14 years as a medium to large breed dog. The Great Dane has an average lifespan of 7 to 10 years because giant breed dogs don’t live as long as smaller dogs. You can expect your pup to live for around 10 to 12 years.
Catahoula Great Dane Mix Puppies for Sale
Catahoula puppies come at quite a high price for show-dog quality. They range broadly in price from $1,400 to $4,800, depending on the parent’s lineage.
Great Dane puppies range in price from $800 to $1,200, depending on the parent’s bloodlines.
A Catahoula Great Dane mix puppy will be somewhere between $1,000 to $3,000 with the lower end of the spectrum for a healthy pup, but not with show dogs for parents.
Grooming Your Catahoula Great Dane Mix
The grooming needs are very simple for this beautiful designer dog. Both parent breeds have short and straight coats, which are the easiest to take care of.
Your playful pooch will only require brushing about twice a week yearly. When spring and fall shedding seasons arrive, you will need to brush your buddy daily.
Your dog only needs occasional baths when he is dirty or gets into something that makes him messy. Otherwise, you should bathe him every few months or so. Make sure you use a doggy shampoo, so his skin doesn’t get dry and itchy.
If your puppy has floppy ears, you should examine them each time you brush him to look for signs of an ear infection.
If his ears are red and warm to the touch inside, he needs an appointment with his vet for antibiotic ear drops to clear up the infection.
Catahoula Great Dane Mix Health Problems
All purebred dogs have some health issues related to their distinct breed, or it can be because of their great size, as in the Great Dane.
Because of his size, a Great Dane is predisposed to hip dysplasia when the joints don’t align correctly. Danes can also have eye and heart disease.
Catahoula dogs are very healthy and rarely have any health issues. This is fantastic news because a mixture of these two breeds will cut the health issues of a Great Dane by 50%. Due to a lighter weight, your puppy will probably not be susceptible to hip dysplasia.
Catahoula Great Dane Mix Food Requirements
It’s best to feed any dog a premium brand of dry dog food for his stage of life–a puppy, adult, or senior.
You should think about feeding him food formulated for large breeds of dogs as it has more nutrients when your perfect little pooch is growing bigger by the day.
To avoid bloat, feed your puppy 3 to 4 times a day and 2 times a day when he’s an adult. Remember, giant breed dogs don’t become adults until about 2 years old.
Also, don’t exercise your dog just before or after a meal so he can digest his food properly and resist bloat.
Catahoula Great Dane MIx Exercise Requirements
Your handsome hybrid dog should get at least an hour of exercise daily to stay in shape and build his muscles and well-sculpted body. Exercise will also keep him from becoming overweight.
You can play with your dog outside, take him to the dog park or go for a walk with him for his exercise. Dogs do like to do different things for play and exercise.
Catahoula Great Dane Mix Training
Your dog will amaze you at how quickly he catches on to basic obedience training and commands because he is very intelligent.
You should start training and socializing with him as soon as you adopt him, as he will grow very fast and you need to have his mind well.
The Catahoula part of your pup’s background needs early guidance and socialization. Some dogs of this breed can be territorial, independent, and protective.
They also do not put up with mistreatment of any kind and will assert themselves using self-defense.
You need to be consistent in your training and don’t let your pup get away with cheating the system, if you will, while trying to train him.
If he senses that you are giving in to him, he will become the pack leader and won’t mind as he should.
The Great Dane portion of your dog is easy to train and wants to please you as its handler or family member at all costs.
This tends to outweigh the possible problems with training your hybrid dog. You should first teach your pooch to sit and build on commands from there forward.
Always use positive reinforcement for training purposes with tasty treats and lots of praise and petting for a job well done.
You want your pup to have fun with his training, or he may get burnt out and be harder to train as he ages.
Catahoula Great Dane Mix and Families
Your designer dog will be very affectionate to your family members. He will alert you to strangers at your door but will not be aggressive towards them unless it is warranted and he perceives harm from them.
He may act a bit aloof when meeting someone new, but then he will warm up to them soon.
A Catahoula Great Dane mix will do good with an active family that likes to go on walks, hikes, or play fetch and other games with him.
The Catahoula in him doesn’t get along with small children like the Great Dane. But some of this will be bred out by cross-breeding. However, both dogs get along very well with older kids and adults of any age.
Catahoula Great Dane Mix and Other Pets
You can expect your larger-than-life pup to get along well with other pets when properly socialized.
He will accept other pets, even cats already in the home or a pet that is adopted after he is there.
Learning about the parent breeds of a Catahoula Great Dane Mix can help you to decide if this would make a good hybrid dog for your family.
They do best with a large yard, plenty of exercise, and an active family. They will also guard and protect you from any harm.
