Great Danoodle Dog Breed Info: Great Dane Poodle Mix

What is a Great Danoodle Dog?

Heritage:

Great Dane Poodle Mix

Other Names:

Great Danedoodle, Danedoodle, Great Danepoo, Danepoo, Great Dane Poodle Mix

Great Dane Poodle Mix Breed History

Great Dane Breed History:

Great Danes are originally from Germany, although they’ became commonly associated with Denmark. It is estimated that Great Danes have been around for about 400 years. However, in Babylonian temples, around 3000 years ago there were drawings of dogs that were strikingly similar in appearance to present day Great Danes.

Wealthy Germans used to have Great Danes accompany them on wild boar hunts. This is the reason cropping their ears became common—to prevent wild boars from tearing them with their tusks.

They became well known for their protective attributes. Later on, these dogs became rather pampered and known as “chamber dogs” by German nobles. Over time, breeders fine-tuned the process to breed more gentle dogs, unlike their boar-hunting ancestors.

Poodle Breed History:

While commonly associated with the French, the Poodle actually originated as a duck hunter in Germany over 400 years ago. In German, “pudelin” refers to the splashing in water that the dogs would do to retrieve waterfowl. The Poodle’s curly, weatherproof coat as well as its natural swimming ability and high intelligence made it an excellent retriever.

Eventually, Poodles made their way from the lake to the life of luxury as they were the breed of choice by French nobles, and eventually royalty across all of Europe. To this day, the Poodle is still the national dog of France. The entertainment industry then caught on to the Poodle’s showy looks, intelligence, and ease of trainability and gave them a prominent role in circus acts across the world.

While the Poodle started out as the “standard” variety, eventually the miniature and toy variations were bred. The Toy Poodle started in the United States in the early 20th century to be a city-dwelling companion dog. Due to the many positive personality traits and its hypoallergenic coat, Poodles are now commonly bred with a wide variety of other breeds to produce the “designer” hybrid dogs known and loved by many as “doodles.”

Great Danoodle Breed History:

The Great Dane and the Poodle both have long-standing histories in European countries. While some unintentional breeding may have occurred long before, it’s most likely that the Great Danoodle breed began in the early 1900s, far before most other Poodle mixes. Although they’ve existed much longer, they are one of the more rare varieties of doodle, much like the Corgipoo or Dalmadoodle.

Great Dane Poodle Mix Appearance & Grooming

How Big Do Great Danoodles Get?

Great Danoodles, as the name would imply, are great in size. In fact, they’re one of the biggest doodle breeds!

On average, they’re between 22 and 27 inches in height. They generally weigh between 75 and 100 pounds. The Great Dane is only bred with the Standard Poodle, so the smallest parent would likely still be around 15-22 inches in height, and 40-70 pounds.

Great Danoodle Dog Breed Coat & Grooming:

The Great Dane Poodle Mix has a gorgeous coat that is dense and wavy. These coats do require some upkeep to keep them healthy and looking great. Great Danoodles should be brushed once a week at minimum. Brushing often prevents any knots or matting from occurring. Weekly brushing can also help control the shedding that a Great Danoodle will likely do.

They should also be washed monthly and their teeth should be cleaned as often as possible. Additionally, to avoid any infection, cleaning their ears should be a regular activity. Avoiding any debris from building up in the ears can prevent problems.

Are Great Danoodles Hypoallergenic?
Do Great Danoodles Shed?

A Great Danoodle dog will not necessarily be hypoallergenic. Although mixing a breed with a Poodle often greatly reduces shedding and decreases side effects for allergy sufferers, there is no confirmation that Great Danoodles are entirely hypoallergenic.

When two hypoallergenic breeds are mixed, you can be sure that the mixed breed will also be hypoallergenic. However, when one parent is hypoallergenic and the other is not, there is a good chance the puppy will not be hypoallergenic.

That being said, the Great Dane Poodle Mix should shed less than a pure bred Great Dane and could be slightly better for allergy sufferers as well. Pure bred Great Danes have a short, smooth single coat that sheds moderately. When mixed with a poodle who doesn’t shed much if at all, you get a breed with significantly less shedding, but there still may be some.

Great Dane Poodle Mix Health & Wellness

Great Danoodle Dog Breed Lifespan:

Like most larger dogs, Great Danoodles tend to have a shorter lifespan. On average, Great Danoodles will accompany you through your life for around 8-12 years.

Great Danoodle Dog Breed Common Health Concerns:

Mixed breeds often have fewer health concerns because there are different genetic lines in play and therefore a decreased chance of negative genetic health problems being passed down. That being said, these two larger breeds are predisposed for developing some health problems.

Some major concerns to be on the lookout for in the Poodle Great Dane Mix include entropion, gastric torsion, cardiomyopathy, sebacious adenitis, Addison’s disease, and mitral valve disease. A few other less prevalent concerns to be aware of are myotonia and corneal dystrophy.

Due to the cost of treating these common health concerns, we highly encourage all dog owners invest in pet insurance. We recommend getting a free online quote from Healthy Paws Pet Insurance.

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Great Dane Poodle Mix Temperament & Personality

Great Danoodle Dog Breed Behavioral Traits:

Great Danoodle puppies have not one, but two highly intelligent parents. This means they are smart, eager to learn, and eager to please. They have a history of being hunting and guard dogs, so some of these traits still may course through their veins. If they see small animals, their hunting instincts may kick in and cause them to chase it, but without intent to cause harm. Additionally, if they notice something that seems suspicious, they may give you a deep bark to signal something isn’t right.

These traits can signify loyalty and that they’re protective of their family. Although large, the Great Dane Poodle mix is generally great with kids—gentle giants if you will. This breed becomes very attached to their family and if separated for long periods of time they can develop separation anxiety. This can result in destructive or depressed behaviors.

Great Danoodle Dog Breed Activity Requirements:

For a large dog that was originally bred for hunting, these dogs don’t require all that much exercise compared to other dogs. Around 30-45 minutes of moderate activity such as walking, hiking, romping with friends, or a friendly game of fetch should be sufficient. It’s important to remember with this breed that they shouldn’t be exercised in either extreme hot weather, or extreme cold weather.

Because of this dog’s large size, it may do better in a house rather than an apartment and with a large yard to stretch its legs. Often oblivious to its large size, they may make clumsy mistakes in smaller settings. This being said, if a Great Danoodle dog is properly exercised mentally and physically, they shouldn’t be destructive.