The Great Dane Dalmatian Mix (2022 Breed Guide)

Friendly! Loving! Intelligent! Loyal! When you mix the Great Dane with Dalmatian, you get the best of these two, having all the said traits. Also known as Great Dal, this Great Dane Dalmatian mix is a unique dog that can ideally be used as a working dog.

This post contains everything about the Great Dane Dalmatian mix including physical features, temperament, exercise needs, and FAQs about the breed.

So, without further ado, let’s explore more about this breed.

What is a Great Dane Dalmatian mix?

As the name indicates, it is the cross between Dalmatian and Great Dane dogs. It is also known as the Great Dal or Great Dalmatian. Both of its parent breeds have very friendly and loving personalities.

This unique yet interesting hybrid dog will most likely resemble its Great Dane parent in size while it may also inherit the spotted markings from the Dalmatian parent.

Even with its large size, it does not require excessive exercise and that is because of the calm and cool Great Dane.

Fun Fact: Scooby-Doo was a Great Dane.

History of Great Dane Dalmatian:

Even though hybrid dogs were being bred for decades, they only gained popularity in the 2000s, and since then more and more mixed breeds have been developed.

Great Dane Dalmatian is the latest breed, the exact origin is still a mystery, but most people believed that the main purpose behind the development was to produce a friendly, calm, and large size dog with the spotted coat of a Dalmatian.

What Great Dane Dalmatians inherit from their Parents?

It is a relatively new breed, still under development, so it is too early to know what Great Dane Dalmatian inherited from its parent breeds. But we can do a quick prediction by looking closely at Dalmatian and Great Dane.

The Great Dane:

The giant-sized Great Dane dog originated in Germany. It is a purebred dog and it is currently ranked at the 15th position by AKC in terms of popularity.

This breed was created to work as a hunting dog but very soon the elite class of society adopted this dog to keep it as a companion dog, as well as, an athlete.

Surprisingly, Great Dane dogs can be taller than most people as they may grow up to 34 inches tall at shoulder height. Nowadays, most people prefer Great Danes as family companions and show dogs.

The Dalmatian:

Dalmatian has a very long history and their heritage can be seen in the gypsies’ time. They are highly favored due to their intelligent and energetic temperament.

They were originally used as hunting dogs. Not only this, but they also served as carriage dogs in old times. But now they are mostly used as family dogs.

Dalmatians are medium-sized dogs with a height of around 56-61 cm at the shoulder and a weight between 16 to 32 kg. Nowadays, a long-coated version of the Dalmatian is also gaining popularity which is rare though.

In which Breed Group Great Dane Dalmatian lies?

Great Dane Dalmatians can be very good companion dogs, Watchdogs, and working dogs and they can be used as either of them. To get the most out of them, it is necessary to train and socialize your pup at an early age and they’ll love what they do.

What’s good and what’s bad about them?

Every dog has different requirements and habits that may or may not be compatible with a certain human. Therefore, it is recommended to get to know about their positives and negatives a.k.a pros and cons before you get a puppy.

Pros:

Moderate exercise needs:

Despite its large size, the Great Dane Dalmatian may be a medium-energy dog like its Great Dane parent. So, you may not need to exercise and walk them for hours but just up to an hour of walk and different activities would be fine.

Easy to Moderate Maintenance:

It is an easy-maintenance dog breed having a short-haired coat that doesn’t need much grooming. Also, it doesn’t get dirty easily. So, you need to brush them once or twice a week while bathing them may be needed only when their coat is dirty.

Social pup:

They are very social with the kids, strangers, and other dogs, however, proper and early socializing is the key. They love interacting with others and are responsive.

Easy to train:

The Great Dane Dalmatian is an intelligent dog with the ability to be trained easily without giving you a tough time. Being a working dog, it loves to get instructions and commands from its owners and fulfill them.

Excellent watch Dog:

Due to its big size and high barking tendency, it can be a perfect watchdog. Plus, its size is fair enough to stop the predators from advancing to your property.

Read: Bernedoodle Mini

Cons:

Big space required:

Great Dane Dalmatian dogs need some extra space than other breeds because of their large size. Therefore, if you are an apartment resident then this dog is not for you.

Not for newbie owners:

It would be difficult for new dog owners to raise a Great Dane Dalmatian puppy because it requires a lot of maintenance. An inexperienced or first-time owner should avoid getting this dog and get a low-requirement dog breed instead.

Low tolerance to being left alone:

Although, it is a well-tempered dog but is also sensitive at the same time. Therefore, you would not leave your Great Dane Dalmatian for more than 4-6 hours. Due to its attachment to its humans, it may develop separation anxiety and destructive behavior.

Physical Features and Appearance:

Being a new hybrid, the physical features and appearance of the Great Dane Dalmatians are unpredictable. Unlike their purebred parents, these dogs have not been around for long enough to get a breed standard. So, it is too early to predict the exact physical features.

The Great Dane Dalmatian puppies can inherit any physical characteristics from any parent. But one thing is for sure they are gonna inherit the Dalmatian spots, more or less. Their size is also variable but we can expect a large-sized dog when it is grown fully.

Read: Mini Groodle

Coat Type and Coat Color:

Your Great Dane Dalmatian will have a short coat and their coat colors include black, white, or maybe brindle. It may also have a long coat if crossed with a long-haired Dalmatian. They may also inherit blue, liver, lemon, and tri-color with the spots.

Size and Weight:

They are medium to large-sized dogs with an average size of around 19 to 32 inches at shoulder height while their weight may vary between 60 to 100+ pounds. The Great Dane is the world’s largest dog breed and it influences its puppies too.

Temperament and Personality:

Like any other trait, predicting the exact personality and temperament of these dogs is not easy as they may inherit mixed traits from parent breeds. So, we can look closely at their parent breeds to conclude their temperament.

Both, the Dalmatians and Great Danes are loyal, independent, alert, intelligent, social, and brave dogs. The Great Dane is an excellent watchdog because of its large size, but its temperament is not favorable for protection. However, Dalmatians can be a bit better watchdog. Similarly, their puppies would be loyal, alert, and fearless watchdogs.

Historically, Dalmatians were used to calm horses as they pulled fire wagons toward ablaze, so they have long been official firehouse dogs, and many firehouses still keep them as mascots and companions. Some companies are even crafting incredible fire department challenge coins with Dalmatians as the central symbol to remind people of the dedication of these hero dogs in the rescue work.

In terms of energy level, the Dalmatian has intense energy while the Great Dane is calm and reserved. So, the puppies may likely have medium to high energy levels. They need up to an hour of moderate exercise and activities to stay happy, healthy, and calm.

These dogs love their families unconditionally and are ideal family dogs. They are good with kids and other pets due to their tolerant and patient behavior.

But you should not leave a large-sized dog, like Great Dane Dalmatian with smaller kids alone to avoid accidents. Also, if you have a small-sized dog such as Chihuahua or Bichon Frise, or any other small pet, consider not getting a Great Dane Dalmatian.

Exercise:

You should be prepared to take your dog on a daily routine walk to burn its excess energy. Despite its large size, it does not need hardcore exercise or activities. Still, daily walks, exercises, and mental stimulation activities for up to an hour daily are highly recommended.

Training:

Great Danes are intelligent dogs and they love physical challenges. They are easy to train but sometimes get stubborn. So, starting their training from an early age would benefit them and their owners in a long run.

Avoid shouting and scolding them as they may be sensitive to such behavior. Instead, use positive reinforcement during the training sessions such as rewards and treats. This way, it would be easier for you to train them.

Read: How to Teach Your Dog Scent Detection

Socialization:

Proper Socialization is essential for every dog and in the case of the Great Dalmatian, it’s very important because of its large size. If not socialized well, their large size will make them even more destructive as compared to other breeds.

Most dogs are surrendered to shelters because they are not socialized well from an early age and their owners could not figure them out.

You can remove this rebellious behavior by properly socializing your puppy. You should need to teach your dog how to behave around strangers and with other pet animals. This could be done if you take them to nearby parks where they get a chance to meet and interact with a lot of strangers and other dogs.

Grooming Requirements:

Unlike many other dogs, the Great Dane Dalmatian does not require a lot of maintenance. But it would be best if you take care of a few things that will keep it healthy and clean.

Brushing and Bathing:

These dogs need to be bathed once or twice a month, moreover, it is also recommended to wipe them regularly with the dog’s deodorizing wipes to maintain their hygiene. They have short-haired coats that need to be brushed no more than once a week.

Teeth, Nails, and Ear cleaning:

Like humans, their teeth and ear should also be cleaned as it directly impacts their health. So, make it a habit for your dog (any breed) to brush its teeth from puppyhood. Clean their teeth twice a week to keep their oral health up to the mark.

Also, you need to check your pup’s ears regularly for redness, rashes, infections, or a foreign object that may turn into a disaster.

Similarly, trim your Great Dal’s nails before they are too long to break or the broken nails could lead to skin infections.

Related: Grooming Tips & Tricks

Feeding and Diet:

Each dog is unique and has different dietary requirements. Most large-sized dogs are prone to hip and elbow dysplasia and overfeeding may make it even worse. So, it’s ideal to feed your pooch 2 to 5 cups of protein-rich food every day divided into 2-3 meals, depending on the activity, age, and size of your pup.

The Great Dane Dalmatian is a food lover and will often overeat so you should keep an eye on its weight to prevent canine obesity.

For healthy skin and coat, you are recommended to provide your pup with probiotics and wild Alaskan salmon oil.

Health Issues:

Large dog breeds usually have shorter lifespans and the Great Dalmatian is no exception. We could expect 8-13 years of lifespan in a healthy dog.

Still, this dog may suffer from various health issues including inherited genetic diseases. To conclude its health-related issues, we can have a look at its parent breeds.

Great Dane Health Issues:

The Great Dane has comparatively a shorter life span, around 7 to 10 years and it is prone to the following diseases:

Bloat
Hip Dysplasia
Cardiomyopathy
Wobbler Syndrome
Cataracts
Allergies
Osteosarcoma

Dalmatian Health Issues:

The Dalmatians have a decent life span between 10 to 13 years and they can be victims of the following diseases:

Hereditary deafness
Urolithiasis
Skin allergies
Hip Dysplasia
Cardiomyopathy
Deafness
Allergies

The Great Dane Dalmatian mix Health Issues:

You can expect the following health issues from your Great Dane Dalmatian:

Osteoarthritis
Diabetes
Orthopedic disease
Elbow and Hip Dysplasia

How to Find a Healthy Great Dane Dalmatian puppy?

If you are interested in getting a Great Dane Dalmatian puppy, check for the most responsible and ethical breeder. But it’s good if you try to find a puppy or dog at your nearest shelter or rescue center.

A good breeder will provide you with the health certificates of the puppy and dog parents. Along with that, all of their dogs are screened and tested for any possible disease. So, their puppies are healthy and well-tempered. Although getting a puppy from a reputable breeder would cost you more, it’s worth it.

FAQs

How much a Great Dane Dalmatian puppy will cost?

Fairly, it is difficult to guess the exact price of the Great Dane Dalmatian mix puppy. As it is a new hybrid dog but an approximate prediction is between $600 and $2000 depending on several factors.

Are the Great Dane Dalmatians excessive barkers?

Great Dane Dalmatians are not excessive barkers, but sometimes you can expect barking from them when they are depressed, bored, or in pain.

Are these dogs aggressive?

By nature, they are not but they may show aggressive behavior due to boredom or behavioral issues.

Is it a hypoallergenic dog?

The Great Dane Dalmatian has a very short hair coat that does not shed much. It comes under moderate shedders. But in seasonal shedding, it sheds a lot and is not considered a hypoallergenic dog.

Final Thoughts:

The Great Dane Dalmatian is not suitable for inexperienced or first-time owners due to its size. Apart from its size, it is a friendly, loving, gentle, and intelligent dog. If you are planning to get this dog and have all the capabilities then these dogs will fill your life with love, laughter, and joy for years to come.

Recommended read: How to calm your dog during fireworks?