Do you love big dogs but also want something small and cuddly? Then a Great Dane Chihuahua mix may be the perfect pet for you!
These dogs are often referred to as ” Chi-Danes” and they are known for being friendly, playful, and loving.
If you’re looking for a great companion dog, then a Chi-Dane may be right for you. Keep reading to learn more about this unique crossbreed!
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What is Great Dane Chihuahua Mix?
Some of us may be too scared to say it but isn’t it natural to wonder what would happen if you combined the great Dane with the Chihuahua?
The Great Dane is about the ninth-biggest dog breed in the world whereas the Chihuahua is the smallest and combined they are known as the Chi-Dane-Dane.
It sounds adorable, but what are the logistics of breeding these two opposites?
Let’s Learn more about each breed and then we can see if it makes any sense to cross breed these two unique breeds.
An Overview of the Great Dane
Great Danes are well known for their big stature. On average, a male Great Dane will reach 32 inches high and weigh up to 175 pounds.
With these measurements, they are even taller than the average person when they are standing up on their hind legs.
The biggest Great Dane ever recorded was Zeus who stood at a whopping 44 inches tall.
As well as being very big, Great Danes are well-loved because of their lovely temperament. They are loyal, friendly, and gentle which gives them the reputation of being gentle giants.
It is believed that they were bred by mixing the Irish Wolfhound and English Mastiff together.
They are also known for being very brave as well which may be due to how they were bred in England and Germany as hunters in the 14th century.
Even though they are very big and loping, the Great Dane can reach speeds of up to 32 miles per hour which helped them chase down games such as boars.
During this time in the 14th century, Great Danes were more difficult than they are today because they were meant to be fierce and courageous as this was what made them so good at their jobs.
However, as the 17th century rolled around, the Great Dane slowly changed its place in the world and began to have a companion role for elitists and nobility because of their graceful appearance and ability to stick out from the crowd.
Due to their shift in role, by the 18th century, the Great Dane was a lot less aggressive because it was bred to be a loyal companion above all else.
In fact, they are so lovable nowadays that they do not do very well with being left alone for long periods of time and love to play with their favorite humans.
They love attention and sometimes forget how big they are and will plonk their bit bums down on you when you sit on the couch.
Even though the Great Dane loves their family and home comforts, they equally love the great outdoors.
If you have a Great Dane, you should exercise them for at least an hour a day which can also be split into two half-hour walks.
Because of their large structure, Great Danes can suffer from joint problems as they are put under more strain than an average-sized dog.
They are prone to a condition that is known as Osteochondritis dissecans which affects the cartilage in the joints.
Great Danes are also known to suffer from heart issues which is sometimes due to them being under too much pressure to pump blood around the whole body.
Cancer is another risk that Great Danes are faced with frequently.
Due to the risk of these health issues, the average lifespan of a Great Dane is between seven and 10 years, but the oldest Great Dane lived to be 15 years old!
An Overview of the Chihuahua
The history of the Chihuahua is not as extensive as the Great Dane as the breed was only recognized in the 19th century in the Mexican state of Chihuahua which is where they got their name from.
There are two variations of the Chihuahua, the apple head and the deer head. They can also either have a coat that is long or short with variations in colors and patterns.
Chihuahuas are on the opposite end of the scale in regard to their size compared to Great Danes. The average Chihuahua will reach about eight inches in height and will weigh no more than six pounds.
Even though they are very small, Chihuahuas have lots of personality and love to be with their owners as they were bred to be companion dogs.
This also means that they do not like to be left alone for long periods of time, much like the Great Dane.
Chihuahuas are known to like the sound of their own voice and will often bark for many reasons. This is not the case for every Chihuahua but if the behavior is not stopped, then they will believe that barking is okay.
A lot of the time, common behavior problems that are seen in Chihuahuas such as barking, biting, and resource guarding is due to them not being taken seriously as a dog as they are so small and cute.
With this, they are not taught proper training and are allowed to get away with a lot more than the average dog but with respect, patience, and positive training, the Chihuahua will become a very pleasant dog to be around.
Common health issues that Chihuahuas experience include luxating patella, tooth and gum disease, and hypoglycemia.
The average lifespan of a Chihuahua can be from 15 to 20 years which shows how hardy these little dogs are.
Luxating patella is when the kneecap does not sit properly and therefore moves in and out of the correct position.
Depending on the severity, it can be very painful, and your Chihuahua may not be able to put any weight on its back leg.
Since their mouths are so small, Chihuahuas are prone to getting dental disease which can then spread to the gums, then the bloodstream which can lead to something much more serious such as sepsis.
If you have a Chihuahua you must clean their teeth every day and take them for regular checkups to prevent the likelihood of needing some teeth to be extracted as they reach senior years.
Hypoglycemia is another term used for describing low blood sugar which will make the Chihuahua lethargic, weak, dizzy, and even fall unconscious.
They must be taken to the vet and prescribed medication to regulate their blood sugar.
What Are They Like Mixed Together?
Now that we understand a lot more about both the Great Dane and the Chihuahua, we can clearly see how different they are. So, what would they be like as a mixed breed?
Since both breeds are extreme opposites of one another, it’s very hard to say how they will look physically.
They tend to be about twice the size of their Chihuahua parent but will still be much smaller than a Great Dane.
The Great Dane and the Chihuahua can also be lots of different colors and patterns, so the puppies will look like a combination of their parents which can lead to some unique markings.
In regard to their temperament, they will likely be very friendly, lively, and loyal which are the best ingredients for a well-rounded family dog.
Since they will not be as small and fragile as a purebred Chihuahua, they are much better to have around young children as they will be less likely to accidentally hurt them.
This can also be applied to the Great Dane because they are very big and can trample small children by accident due to their playfulness and huge size, so a smaller version will be much safer.
As for the health issues and lifespan of this mixed breed, there is a good chance that they will be generally healthier than their purebred parents as their genetics will be more diverse.
Since Great Danes and Chihuahuas have such different life expectancies, you can use the averages on both sides to assume that a mixed breed would have a lifespan in the middle of them.
How Do They Breed With One Another?
Probably the biggest question on your mind right now is how the Great Dane and Chihuahua breed since they are so different in size.
Unfortunately, their size differences make it impossible for them to breed naturally which means that humans need to step in and use artificial insemination.
This is when the sperm from the male dog is collected when they are aroused before being put into the female which is in heat via the vagina with a pipette tool.
The father is usually the Chihuahua because it is much more dangerous for the puppies to grow in a female Chihuahua.
This is because the puppies can develop to grow to a size that is too big for the mother to carry which can overstretch them and potentially kill her.
Even if the female Chihuahua makes it through the gestation period, they are not likely to survive the birth if done naturally.
This is why a c-section is needed in order for both the puppies and the mother to survive but is still an extremely risky operation.
Even if the mother is the Great Dane and is the one that carries the puppies, there are still potential problems that come along with it.
The Great Dane will have enough room for the puppies, but their nipples will be too big for the puppies to feed on due to the difference in size.
This means that the puppies will likely have to be bottle-fed.
The chance of the puppies from these two breeds mating together surviving is very slim and having to put the parents through unnecessary stress is not good.
Therefore, breeding the Great Dane and Chihuahua together is not recommended.
Summary
The Great Dane and Chihuahua are two dog breeds that a full of unique characteristics but combining them together to make a Chi-Dane is not worth it due to the mass difference in size which puts the mother and the puppies at risk even if the mother gets a C-section or is the Great Dane instead of the Chihuahua.
Learn More
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