When dog breeders breed two different breeds of dogs together, they make a new breed that mixes the qualities of both of the parent breeds into the litter of puppies.
These puppies with two purebred but different breeds of parents are called hybrid dogs or designer dogs. Some crosses of breeds are made to create a new dog that is smaller in size and easier to care for.
It will also make a dog that lives longer because it is smaller, as giant breed dogs have shorter lifespans.
What is The Great Dane Golden Retriever Mix?
As you probably realize already, this is a newer breed of dog that is made by crossing a purebred Great Dane and a purebred Golden Retriever.
The result in the puppies is a smaller dog than the giant breed of the Great Dane and is closer to the size of a Golden Retriever, which is a medium to large dog breed. This adorable mix of puppies is called Great Golden Danes.
Learning about the parent’s history can help you to decide if this would make a good dog for you and your family.
Great Dane History
Great Danes were specifically bred to be very large and heavy dogs for hunting. They were first used to hunt wild boar hogs in order to keep herds and flocks of animals safe from them.
This breed of dog earned the name of “chamber dog” because at the end of the day he was docile enough to sleep in the bedrooms of the owners and guard them at night.
Today, Great Danes are sought after as companion dogs for families and they may be very large, but they are very affectionate and sweet. They have been named the “gentle giant” of the dog world.
Golden Retriever History
The Golden Retriever was first bred in Scotland as a gundog. Other dogs were good at fetching and retrieving waterfowl as long as they were on land.
However, the Scottish wanted a dog that would fetch their game birds from the water too. This is how the beautiful Golden Retriever with the long flowing hair came about, as he was an expert at swimming and fetching waterfowl for hours on end while working tirelessly.
Golden Retrievers are still considered some of the best gundogs today and they are also very loyal and affectionate family members as well.
Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Get a Great Dane Golden Retriever Mix
Just like all sporting breeds of dogs, the Golden Retriever needs a lot of exercise on a daily basis. Otherwise, he will most probably engage in some undesirable behaviors out of boredom.
A Great Golden Dane will need about 2 hours of exercise every day, either playing in the yard, at the dog park or going on a long run as he gets old enough. If you don’t have an extra 2 hours a day to devote to your dog’s exercise regime, then this may not be the breed of dog for you.
You should also have a home with a fenced backyard for a Great Golden Dane, as he will be a cross between a giant breed and a medium to large breed of dog at maturity.
If he takes more after the Great Dane side of his family, he could be very large as an adult and he will need room to play as the Golden Retriever side of his heritage is very energetic.
Depending on the puppy you choose, he may have a double coat with medium-length hair like a Golden Retriever.
Golden’s shed all year long and shed really heavily in the spring and fall. You will need to make time to brush your dog at least twice a week and every single day when he is actively shedding.
Otherwise, your floors and furniture will get full of dog hair, and not brushing them often enough can give him skin issues.
Reasons Why You Should Get a Great Dane Golden Retriever Mix
Great Golden Danes make a wonderful addition to families that have plenty of time to devote to them.
He is very affectionate, doesn’t bark at everyone who walks down the street and he’s super intelligent as well. His high intelligence makes training quite easy.
The Great Dane side of the mixture of your pooch makes a fantastic guard dog that will protect his family, while the Golden Retriever side of the mixture may be a bit goofy and fun.
The sedate and laid-back Great Dane combined with an energetic Golden Retriever will give you a puppy that is not quite so active, although all puppies are very bouncy.
Great Danes don’t adapt to changing situations very well. No matter if it’s a schedule that changes or any variations in his life, such as bad weather, he will be anxious.
The Golden Retriever is one of the most highly adaptive dogs you can find because changes don’t affect him in the least.
He’s just happy-go-lucky all the time, so this combination with your Great Golden Dane will make a very well-rounded dog for a family.
Appearance, Coats, and Colors of a Great Dane Golden Retriever Mix
The Great Dane parent can be many different colors and also have many different and interesting patterns of coat colors.
The common Great Dane coat colors are brindle, fawn, merle, silver, mantle, black, blue, or black and white patterned.
Golden Retrievers are always solid-colored dog that has varying shades of golden from light to dark in color.
Your Great Golden Dane may have very short and straight hair like a Great Dane or he may be double-coated with medium length hair like a Golden Retriever.
Your Great Golden Dane will most likely be a solid color as it is the most common color gene in a Great Dane and the only one in a Golden Retriever. You can likely choose a puppy from a litter that is white, black, brindle, fawn, or a deep chocolate brown.
Great Golden Danes tend to take more after the Great Dane in their stature and shape. You can expect your puppy to be quite tall when he’s mature with long legs and a broad chest.
He will also have a long tail that curls upward at the tip. Your pup will also have floppy ears unless the breeder crops them to stand up high on his head like a classic Great Dane.
Great Danes can reach a height of 32 inches tall and a weight of 175 pounds when they are full grown.
Golden Retrievers can reach 24 inches tall and a final weight of 75 pounds. Your Golden Great Dane will fall somewhere in between these numbers and will likely be between 25 and 27 inches tall with a weight of 75 to 140 pounds when he is mature.
Personality, Traits, and LIfespan of a Great Dane Golden Retriever Mix
Great Golden Danes have fantastic personalities with really no drawbacks at all. The quietness of the Great Dane is complemented by the energy of the Golden Retriever, for a pooch that is very playful.
If you’ve ever been around a Golden Retriever, you will realize that they act like a puppy even when they are old.
So, in essence, you are getting a dog that will be a very large puppy his entire life and meet everything head-on with exuberance.
Your new family friend will be very willing to please you at all times and also be a very cuddly dog, as both parent breeds are.
He will be accepting of strangers and warm up to them immediately because he loves everyone no matter their age.
The Great Golden Dane has a special bond with each family member and doesn’t just consider one person “his person.”
He will follow everyone around the house, sit next to them on the couch, and even want to sleep in the bed with them, while taking turns with different members of the family, so everyone gets some of his abundant love and affection.
While outside, your puppy will be very playful and rambunctious, but when he’s inside the house he will be quiet and affectionate.
The average lifespan of a Great Dane is 7 to 10 years, which is quite short, as in all giant breeds of dogs.
The Golden Retriever has an average lifespan of between 10 and 12 years. So you can expect your Great Golden Dane to be with your family for about 11 to 12 years.
Great Dane Golden Retriever Mix Puppies for Sale
Great Dane puppies are usually anywhere from $700 to $1,200 depending on the lineage of the parents. Golden Retriever puppies usually sell for around $500 and up to $3,000 for a dog that is show quality.
Great Golden Danes from a breeder will be in the neighborhood of $800 and $2,500 which also depends on the lineage of the parent dogs.
Grooming Your Great Dane Golden Retriever Mix
You must set aside time to groom your beautiful buddy as he will likely shed some all year round. When it’s the heavy shedding season in the spring and fall, you will need to brush him daily.
You only need one grooming tool for your Great Golden Dane though, so the cost of upkeep on his coat is minimal, but it is time-consuming.
You just need a slicker brush to brush him out in the direction that his hair grows from head to tail.
If you bathe your dog and then intend to brush him out, you should wait until he is totally dry before brushing him.
Otherwise, his coat can become matted and irritate his skin. You really only need to bathe your four-legged family member every so often or if he gets muddy, dirty, or smells.
Since your puppy will most likely have the floppy ears of a Golden Retriever, you should examine them every time you brush him to be aware of the dirt, debris, wax, or excess moisture in the ear canal.
These items can all lead to ear infections that are common in dogs with thick and floppy ears.
If your pooch had his ears cropped as a baby, this won’t be a concern because ears that stand up get good airflow and tend not to get infected.
Great Dane Golden Retriever Mix Health Problems
All breeds of dogs have some sort of health issues that are passed down to them from their lineage.
Both the Great Dane and the Golden Retriever are susceptible to most of the same issues, including hip dysplasia, and heart and eye conditions.
In addition, Great Danes can often have bloat when the stomach is enlarged, as a very serious medical condition that needs immediate treatment.
The good news is that a reputable breeder of Golden Great Danes will have screened both parent dogs of the litter to make certain that they don’t have any health problems that can be passed down to their puppies.
Make certain you ask to see this paperwork from their vet to ensure your particular pooch will be healthy.
Great Dane Golden Retriever Mix Food Requirements
Your dog’s size and weight will depend on which side of the family he takes after. If he takes more after the Great Dane, you may need to feed him dry dog food for large breed dogs. Your veterinarian can weigh in on this issue for you when you take your dog for his yearly exam.
Since your dog will most likely not be at his final height and weight until he is 1.5 to 2 years old–due to the Great Dane in him, he should eat puppy food until that time. Then he can be changed to a quality adult dog food.
Just to rule out your dog developing bloat, feed him in about 3 to 4 meals a day when he’s a puppy and, at about a year old, you can feed him his daily ration in 2 meals per day. Also, don’t exercise your dog just before or after a meal to also avoid an issue of bloat.
Great Dane Golden Retriever Mix Exercise Requirements
Your Great Golden Dane will require daily exercise to stay in shape and not become overweight at any point in his life. It’s also a great time to bond with your dog as well.
If you are an active family, your dog will be delighted to go for a long walk or a brisk run a few times a day. He’s also up for going hiking or playing frisbee with you, as well as playing fetch.
Ideally, your dog should have an hour or more of exercise per day. He will be glad to play with any family member and then afterward he will cuddle up with someone on the couch.
A home with a secure backyard is a perfect home for this breed of dog, so he can play and run in a safe area.
Great Golden Danes do have a lot of energy as puppies but don’t let them overdo their exercise, such as a run with a human family member until they are older.
It can put undue stress on his joints and he can develop arthritis at an early age. Your vet can instruct you on what age is appropriate for more exercise and exertion for your pet.
Great Dane Golden Retriever Mix Training
Since your dog will be of a good size and weight, it’s important to start obedience training at a young age. After he’s settled into your home, start training him to sit.
This comes in handy when you simply want him to stop doing something he shouldn’t be doing or to calm down. It will also be a building block of commands for him to learn.
Your Great Golden Dane will learn commands and tricks very quickly because he is highly intelligent and he wants, above all else, to please his trainer and family.
Using positive reinforcement with tasty treats and lots of praise and petting goes a long way when training a dog.
You should also leash train him at a young age so he will walk nicely and heal when he starts growing into a large dog.
Large dogs that aren’t leash trained well can easily pull a person down if they see something interesting and want to run to it while on a walk.
Great Dane and Golden Retriever Mix and Families
This breed of dog gets along really well with families and people of all ages. It’s important to note though, that families with small children should be aware that this puppy will grow very fast and it can possibly hurt small children by accident just by wagging that long tail to knock them down.
If you choose this breed of dog and have small children, make certain to train him to mind very well and monitor the playtime between your dog and children.
Great Golden Danes consider themselves to be lap dogs and will want to sit in your lap even when they are full-grown and heavy.
Otherwise, your dog may decide that he has to touch someone at all times because he is so affectionate with each family member.
Great Dane Golden Retriever Mix and Other Pets
Your hybrid dog will get along very well with all other pets that he comes into contact with and will be very accepting of new pets introduced to the household as well–even cats.
Since the Golden Great Dane is pretty excitable, you’ll need to teach him to be gentle with other pets because he will likely outgrow them in size and weight very quickly.
Learning about the two parent breeds of a Great Golden Dane should help you decide if one of these puppies would be a good fit for your family.
They do best when they live in a home with a backyard and an active family. This may be the most loyal and devoted dog ever, which is also cuddly, lively, and playful well into adulthood with great enthusiasm for playing fetch as well.
