Purebred dogs that are intentionally crossbred, with one dog being one breed and the other dog being a different breed, are very common in the dog world today.
The mix of two purebred dogs produces a litter of puppies with some of the attributes of each parent dog.
These crossbreeds are often made to achieve some of the best qualities of each individual breed of dog and they are called hybrids or designer dogs, these being called the Great Dalmatian.
What is a Great Dane Dalmatian Mix Dog?
As you’ve guessed, a Great Dane Dalmation Mix is a hybrid dog that occurs when mixing a purebred Great Dane and a purebred Dalmation dog. Learning all about the two parents’ breeds of this hybrid dog will help you to understand what the mixture provides for you.
The Great Dane is considered to be a giant breed of dog because of its sheer stature and weight. As early as the 13th century BC, large boarhounds were found in ancient Greece. They are the descendants of the Great Dane of today.
They were used as very large hunting dogs that were strong and long-legged. The English dogs were a cross between the English Mastiffs–one of the largest dog breeds of today, and the Irish Wolfhound.
These dogs had two distinct purposes: to hunt deer, boar, and bear and to stay in the bed chambers of their masters at night as guard dogs. They were also called chamber dogs.
The Dalmation was also used for hunting game and protecting his family in the 1600s. Dalmatians still have a great guarding ability today, in the present types of Dalmatians while being very loyal and friendly to their family members.
Dalmatians were used to exterminate vermin and rats from villages. Of course, we all know Dalamtans as the firefighter dogs that ride on fire trucks.
This began when horses pulled the fire trucks filled with water because dogs and horses get along so well. The dogs would run in front of the horses and clear a path as well as guide the horses to the actual fire.
Dalmatians were also good guard dogs and, being a large breed, they were excellent at guarding the strong horses, so they were not stolen.
The Great Dalmatian is a very large dog that most often takes after the Great Dane in height and will be a giant dog.
This mix is an intimidating watchdog because of the size and weight and also because each of the parent breeds was excellent at guarding their families.
Great Danes are more laid back and require less exercise compared to the Dalmatian, who has an excess of energy and needs a lot of exercises. This produces a designer dog that is more relaxed and needs less exercise.
Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Get a Great Dane Dalmatian Mix
Since this new family friend will grow up to be a huge dog, you need to realize that he needs special requirements, as all large breeds do.
You need to have a home that has ample room in it and he will probably not do well in an apartment. If you have a fenced-in backyard and a large doggy door, your pooch can let himself outside to play and burn off energy.
The Great Dalmatian has strong jaws and he needs many heavy-duty toys for aggressive chewers, so he doesn’t decide to chew on your furniture as a puppy.
This is especially true if no one is home during the day with him and he will likely have separation anxiety as both parent breeds do.
Reasons Why You Should Get a Great Dane Dalmatian MIx
A Great Dalmatian makes a great furry addition to any family that has enough room and time for him. He will protect your family at all times while also being super friendly and sweet in personality to his pack members.
This hybrid dog will do fine in an active family that likes to take him to the dog park or on moderately long walks for exercise.
He will also bloom and do best in a household where he is not left alone for many hours on end during the week when family members are working or in school, to reduce the factor of having separation anxiety and possibly acting out by chewing on household items.
Appearance, Coats, and Colors of a Great Dane Dalmatian Mix
The two-parent breeds of your fluffy little Great Dalmatian puppy are very similar in stature and appearance. Great Dalmatian puppies come in a very large number of colors from which to choose.
The Great Dane is a tall and slender dog with long slender legs and a thin tail. He is quite regal in appearance with a powerful and smoothly muscled body.
Males are larger and have thicker bones than females and both are well proportioned to their height.
The head is long and rectangular with an expressive look in the eyes. Great Danes come in a large variety of colors, such as black, black and white, blue, fawn, brindle, harlequin, merle, silver, and mantle.
They may also have black or white markings and a beautiful black mask on the prominent body color.
At maturity, a Great Dane can reach 28 to 34 inches at the shoulder and weigh 100 to 200 pounds–a gentle giant of a dog.
The Dalmatian is a dignified dog with his beautiful spotted coat. He may have black or liver-colored spots in unique patterns throughout his entire body. His body shape is very much the same as the Great Dane, although in a smaller size.
He is muscular and has lots of energy to run all day, as was his first profession as a helper to firefighters.
Dalmatians are loving and loyal family members who will go the mile with any family member as running and hiking partners that are always ready for an adventure. A mature Dalmatian will reach a height of 19 to 24 inches tall and a weight of 45 to 70 pounds at maturity.
Your Great Dalmatian is a mixture of these two dogs, so he will likely be a very large dog, but not as large as a giant breed.
He should reach a height of about 19 to 30 inches tall and a weight of 50 to 150 pounds at maturity.
Your precious pup could have many different color combinations since the Great Dane side has many as well and he will likely inherit the spots of the Dalmatian breed in places on his smooth and straight coat that is very short.
Personality, Traits, and Lifespan of a Great Dane Dalmatian Mix
The personality and traits of your four-legged family member will take after some of each of the two parents.
Since both breeds are considered working dogs, he will love to spend time playing, walking, and running outdoors. He will also protect your family but is incredibly loving and caring.
His energy level will be semi-high as the Dalmatian side of his heritage is very active and the Great Dane side is quite calm.
You can expect your Great Dalmatian to have a moderate barking level and need quite a bit of stimulation from interactive toys and play.
The lifespan of a Great Dane is 7 to 10 years and the lifespan of a Dalmatian is 11 to 13 years of age.
This enables you to have a hybrid mix of the two that will likely live to be 8 to 12 years old, which is longer than a purebred Great Dane.
Great Dane Dalmatian Mix Puppies for Sale
Since the Great Dalmatian is a fairly new designer dog breed, they are a bit pricey to purchase from a breeder. The prices really depend on the lineage of the parent dogs and if they are both registered in their breeds.
You can estimate paying anywhere between $500 and $3,000 for a puppy with it being on the higher end of the spectrum for a Great Dalmatian with parents that have championship bloodlines or show qualities.
You should do your research to find a reputable breeder of Great Dalmatian puppies. Since it is a new hybrid breed, there are not many breeders yet and it will take some searching to find one. Make certain that it isn’t an unintentional cross made by a puppy mill.
Puppy mills usually have many types of crossbred dogs and puppies for sale and they often live in less than satisfactory circumstances. These types of places don’t really care about the puppies or the parents.
Ask to see both parents and take note of their dispositions as well as their appearance. This can help you to decide what a mixture of the parents will look like when your puppy ages.
You should also get a health guarantee on your puppy with a copy of the vaccines that he is up to date on. If the parent dogs are registered, you should be provided with their papers.
Also, the breeder should have documentation that both parent dogs were screened for all of the health issues that are common to their breeds and they should be negative for them all.
You will also want documents for this information because it can be very sad when you adopt a puppy and it is deaf.
If it’s only deaf in one ear, the puppy can get along just fine. However, your training becomes more problematic and intense if your puppy is totally deaf.
Grooming Your Great Dane Dalmatian Mix
Both of the parent breeds of your fluffy friend have the same types of coats. They are short and smooth and require very little upkeep.
An occasional brushing will remove any hair they are shedding seasonally although they don’t shed constantly.
Your sweet pup will likely drool because of his size and the pockets in his mouth that hold saliva. Both parent breeds drool but only at a very moderate level, so you may want to keep boxes of tissues around the house to wipe his mouth.
Your Great Dalmatian only needs bathing every few months or when he happens to get dirty or muddy.
Be aware that your puppy will likely love the water and will enjoy playing in mud puddles as often as possible when he’s young. So, your playful pooch may need bathing quite often while he’s a pup and exploring the world.
You should also start teaching your new furball about his teeth cleaning routine as soon as you take him home. Dog toothpaste is highly palatable in beef or chicken flavors and you should try to brush your teeth at least once a week.
At first, he will likely just lick the yummy toothpaste off and have a short attention span. That’s perfectly fine because as he gets older you will be able to brush all his teeth at once.
Great Dane Dalmatian Mix Health Problems
The Great Dane and Dalmatian are both prone to health problems that are specific to their breed, as all breeds of dogs are.
The Great Dane is predisposed to bloat, so you should be careful not to let your furbaby overeat at one time.
He may also be prone to other Great Dane health issues of eye and heart diseases, hypothyroidism, and hip dysplasia like all giant breeds and large dogs.
The Dalmatian side of the family brings with it health issues of being deaf in one ear or both. He is also prone to hip dysplasia and hypothyroidism and kidney stones.
The good news about the health of your newfound friend is that mixing a Dalmatian and a Great Dane lessens the chance that your puppy will have the same health problems associated with the pure breeds of each parent.
Your veterinarian will likely screen your furry friend for hip evaluations, thyroid evaluations, eye, and heart exams to screen him for any serious health issues.
The kidney stones from the Dalmatian side can easily be avoided by a specialized diet for your puppy through all of his life stages and your vet will recommend it to you.
As long as you have all of your dog’s vaccines on time and take him in once a year for a checkup with the vet, it will keep you and the vet on track to acknowledge any health issues that come up and take care of them quickly. This allows your gentle giant to live a long and happy life.
Great Dane Dalmatian Mix Food Requirements
You should feed your large puppy high-quality dog food that is age-appropriate for his stage of life–a puppy, adult, senior.
Of course, since your pretty pup weighs more than smaller breeds of dogs, he will need more food spread out in the day to have energy all day and proper growth.
Starting at 2 months old until he is 4 months old, you should feed your Great Dalmatian 3 times a day. From 5 months to adulthood at about 18 months, your dog will need 2 meals a day.
It’s best not to free-feed your puppy all that he wants freely, as the Great Dane Side is prone to bloat from overeating and the Dalmation is prone to being overweight.
An approximate amount of food for your dog includes at 2 months from 2 to 4 cups of food per day.
Then increase the amount by 1/2 cup every two weeks so he eats one more cup per month as he grows older. Then, at 8 months, keep your pup at 6 to 9 cups a day, as you did at 7 months.
From 9 to 12 months, your Great Dalmatian should eat about 7 to 10 cups of food a day.
These are approximate amounts, but your veterinarian’s office can advise you on the exact amounts you need to feed your dog.
Overfeeding will make it more of a health concern for hip dysplasia found in both parent breeds as it will put more stress on their hips.
Your veterinarian will advise you if your gentle giant should have his food switched to a large breed of dog food. Some need the extra minerals and vitamins in this type of food to support their body’s growth.
Always make sure that your puppy has a large bowl of fresh water available both inside and outside. Pups that eat a lot also tend to drink a lot and will need to relieve themselves more often too.
Great Dane Dalmatian Mix Exercise Requirements
Your new four-legged family member will have a moderate amount of exercise needed to stay healthy and keep himself out of trouble too.
When the two parents are bred together, it decreases the amount of activity needed for a purebred Dalmatian to the moderate amount for a Great Dane. Of course, all puppies are very excitable and love to play.
If you have a backyard and a doggy door, your pooch can go outside to burn off energy even if you aren’t home.
You should leave him a very large container of water outside at all times and change it every day. Puppies that play a lot also drink a lot of water.
Great Dane Dalmatian Mix Training
Your Great Dalmatian will be a very smart and intelligent dog and he will also be easy to train, as he wants, above all, to please his family members. As with all giant and large breed dogs, you should teach him the sit command first.
Even as an 8-week old puppy, he could weigh about 10 pounds and will be growing very quickly in size and weight.
The sit command is important to teach him not to jump on other pets or people and knock them down. Learning it at an early age will help as he gets older and larger.
Your pretty puppy will be very attentive while you are training him–especially if you use positive reinforcement with lots of petting, praise, and treats when he performs a command correctly.
Make certain you always use the same exact words or hand motions for the commands and your pooch will excel in his learning very quickly.
Most people teach verbal cues, but if your dog is farther away from you, say at a dog park, and if he’s looking at you, you can show him a hand motion to guide him from a distance.
Great Dane Dalmatian Mix and Families
This particular hybrid dog is a real hit with all his family members. He’s kind, affectionate, and loving as well as very loyal to each and every member of the family pack.
A Great Dalmatian loves attention but does not demand it at all times as a Dalmatian can. Instead, they are more laid back like the Great Dane heritage and they love to just be next to, on, or near a family member at all times.
Great Dane Dalmatian Mix and Other Pets
You will be happy to know that a Great Dalmatian gets along with other pets in your household very well. He should be introduced to them as soon as you take him home.
He may be a bit jumpy when he’s a puppy, so if your other pets are older or small, you will need to watch them for a while when they are together.
Playful puppies can sometimes go overboard and bring out aggression and jealousy in pets that have been in your home for a long time.
This should wrap up your findings on deciding on a Great Dalmatian mix for your new family member.
It’s best to get one as a puppy so you can train him yourself and teach him all the tricks and commands that are important to you and him.
