Great Dane Chihuahua Mix – Introducing The Breed

Written by: Bojana Radulovic
Great Dane Chihuahua Mix is definitely one of the most unusual dog breeds alive. Check this guide to learn how this breed is created and what you can expect in terms of appearance.

Great Dane Chihuahua Mix is probably one of the most unusual mixes in the canine world.

Mixed dog breeds are not uncommon and new dog breeds are continually made.

In fact, every day new dog breeds are created due to various purposes.

Having a mixed dog breed around is great. They are adorable, people-friendly, and usually have the best traits from both parents.

Both Great Dane and Chihuahua are great dogs, with some of the one-of-a-kind traits that their owners just adore.

Now, you may be used to seeing mixed breeds of purebred parents that are of similar size or have similar energy needs.

That being said, it is fair to say that Great Dane Chihuahua Mix is definitely an unusual one, considering their difference in size and overall appearance.

Before we continue on this mixed breed, you probably want to know if traditional breeding is effective with these two breeds.

If you are wondering this, know that you are not alone. You don’t have to be an experienced dog owner to know how dogs breed, and what traditional breeding is.

Great Dane and Chihuahua are breeds that are very different size-wise.

It is fair to say that their difference is enormous, which is why artificial insemination is used to create Great Dane Chihuahua Mix.

This process is something that is strictly done by professionals and requires truly experienced dog breeders.

Great Danes are giant dogs, especially compared to tiny Chihuahuas.

Since the size difference between these two is massive, the small Chihuahua female can not carry the Great Dane puppy to full term.

Once the conception is completed, the fetus will start growing and if it becomes too large, the female Chihuahua will be put at risk.

To prevent any issues, Chihuahua must undergo an emergency C-section on time, this is a common practice.

If the fetus overgrows the ‘safe size’ there are high chances of the mother and puppy not surviving.

This is why many dog breeders and dog lovers often ask if mixing these two breeds is even humane.

Every Great Dane Chihuahua Mix that you may see today is always a product of artificial insemination processes.

This unusual mix is around twice the size of a regular Chihuahua and much smaller than the Great Dane.

Even when the puppy is delivered safely it doesn’t mean that some health-related issues won’t appear.

It is usually up to owners to nurse the puppies. Next to this, the presence of genetic mutations is common in Great Dane Chihuahua Mix.

Now, let’s see what you can expect from Great Dane Chihuahua Mix in terms of appearance, personality, and exercise needs.

Great Dane Chihuahua Mix Appearance

Great Dane Chihuahua Mix is approximate twice the size of a Chihuahua and much smaller than the Great Dane, although this isn’t necessarily the rule.

It is fair to say that this mix is considered to be a dog of medium size, which makes them suitable for apartment living.

With mixed breeds, you can never know for sure how your pooch might look alike.

Some representatives of the breed may be smaller, while others may be more substantial in size.

However, no matter how large or small they might turn out to be, you can always expect your Great Dane Chihuahua Mix to have larger heads shaped like the Greyhound.

Since parents are opposite in terms of size and overall appearance, it is typical for this unusual mix to have long bodies and short legs.

As for the coat and its texture, this mix can insert any fur type and shade with er format of the Great Dane, or the Chihuahua size.

Although the coat and its texture in this breed are unknown and may vary from litter to litter, one is for sure (or at least most likely) and that is the coat length.

In most cases, the Great Dane Chihuahua Mix will have a short coat, unless the Chihuahua’s parent is long-haired.

Now, let’s see where this breed stands when it comes to personality and overall temperament.

Great Dane Chihuahua Mix Personality

Both the Chihuahua and Great Dane are known as breeds that thrive on human companionship and enjoy when there is a fair time for indoor games and outdoor walks.

Both breeds are also very people-oriented and highly loyal, which makes them highly affectionate.

When you know that parent breeds come with these traits, it is fair to expect this mix to have identical or similar traits.

That being said, you can expect Great Dane Chihuahua Mix to be loyal, friendly, and highly affectionate.

They may be fierce thanks to the Chihuahua side or a bit mischievous due to the Great Dane side – after all, this tall breed can easily grab anything from the kitchen counter.

Great Dane Chihuahua Mix can be fearless which makes them great when it comes to showing some great watching skills. That being said, you can expect your Great Dane Chihuahua Mix to be a reliable watchdog.

Do not forget to reward your Great Dane Chihuahua Mix whenever he performs something right.

Since this mixed breed has some Chihuahua in genes, they may not be strange to developing Small Dog Syndrome which is commonly seen in small-size breeds.

When it comes to physical strength, know that Great Dane Chihuahua Mix is a breed of impressive strength.

They can be challenging to manage, so make sure that you have enough experience with dogs.

Just like any other dog breed do not let your children walk Great Dane Chihuahua Mix, or any other dog, on their own.

Great Dane Chihuahua Mix With Children

Great Dane Chihuahua Mix loves being around people, but how much they will love being around children, will depend on their genes.

Great Dane is a breed that usually gets along with strangers, other dogs, and children as long as children know how to behave around dogs.

If your Great Dane Chihuahua Mix takes more upon the Great Dane’s side, you can expect your Fido to be soft and gentle with children.

This doesn’t mean that children should not care about their behavior around dogs, because they should.

To create a safe space between children and dogs, children should know the following:

  • Not to disturb dogs while they are eating, sleeping, resting, drinking water, or playing with their toys
  • Not to pull their hair, ears, tails, or to anyhow try to grab their noses or take food or toys from their mouth
  • Children should truly understand that dogs are territorial beings and why their space should be respected

On the other hand, if your Great Dane Chihuahua Mix takes more of the Chihuahua side you should know that you will have to invest more in training and early socialization, as Chihuahuas are not known for being the best dog for families with children.

Children tend to see small size dogs, like Chihuahuas, as toys, trying to grab them and treat them as stuffed toys.

In return, small size dogs tend to be fiesty to defend themselves. Although Great Dane Chihuahua Mix may be larger than a Chihuahua, he may still be intolerant to youngsters.

When trained from day one and socialized properly, these dogs should do well with older and more-mild mannered children, especially if this breed takes more upon the Great Dane side.

Great Dane Chihuahua Mix Training

Great Dane Chihuahua mixes should be trained like any other dog breed.

Did you know that dogs are more than capable of mastering basic commands as of eight weeks of age?

This is also the period when early socialization should start. The two biggest factors that separate dogs from well-behaved canine citizens are training and early socialization.

Obedience training is something that every dog should go through.

Not sure if you have what it takes to train your dog?

If so, there are two options to think about:

  • Hire a professional dog trainer. This is a great option to speed up the training process and get some professional input on further training.
  • Enroll your dog in puppy classes. This is a great option to bond with your Fido further. Not only that together training classes can help your dog get more traits, but it will speed up the training process.

To provide a proper training outcome, you should provide training sessions that are:

  • Short
  • Fun
  • Engaging
  • Reward-based
  • Consistent

Dogs prefer training sessions that are fun, interactive, and always welcomed with a treat afterward.

No dog should ever experience any harsh training methods or negative handling.

Dogs should experience only positive training methods and delicious treats.

If you feel that training your dog is too much for you, think about the two options listed above – each option will bring great results and amazing training time.

Great Dane Chihuahua Mix Exercise Needs

Both Great Dane and Chihuahua are dogs with slow to moderate exercise needs, making their mix a breed of fair exercise needs.

In fact, Great Dane Chihuahua Mix requires minimal exercise. Yes, next to pee walks, you will have to provide some additional exercise time, but it won’t stress your day much.

Think about providing a nice run around the block or a nice jogging session in the dog park – this should be enough to keep your Fido fit and healthy.

Great Dane Chihuahua Mix Grooming

Great Dane Chihuahua Mix is a great breed if you want to be an easy breed to groom.

Not only that they easy to groom, but they are also super easy to clean and overall a low-maintenance breed.

Their hair is short and grooming their fur is something that should be done easily and fast with the right grooming tools.

You don’t have to style their coat as if they were a Poodle, nor you should spend hours grooming them.

Still, you should provide regular grooming practices that should include:

  • Weekly brushing
  • Bathing only when needed
  • Monthly nail trimming or grinding
  • Ear cleaning when needed
  • Weekly gums check
  • Daily eye check for any sigh of eye discharge

Add to these regular veterinarian check-ups and you will have a healthy and polished dog who will reach his scenario years without major issues.

If your veterinarian recommends it, include teeth brushing, but make sure that you use toothpaste that is specially designed for dogs.

The same applies to shampoo, always choose shampoos that are carefully made for dogs.

If regular grooming sounds like too much work for you, you can always think about hiring a professional dog groomer.

This option may be a bit pricey, but it will save you a lot of time. even if you decide to take your Great Dane Chihuahua Mix to the groomers regularly, do your best to provide regular brushing sessions.

Brushing is a great way to bond further with your Fido.

Great Dane Chihuahua Mix Health

Like with any other dog breed, you will have to invest in meeting the dog’s needs if you want your dog to live longer.

When it comes to understanding the health of mixed breeds and what are possible worries, it is always good to check parent breeds first.

To get more about Great Danes’ health and to discover how healthy Chihuahua is, you can use this compare dog breeds tool to help you understand not only the two breeds but every living dog breed of today.

As for longevity, know that Great Dane tends to live between 7 to 10 years (practice continually proves that large-size dogs, as well as giant-size dogs, live shorter), while Chihuahua can live from 12 to 20 years.

That being said, how long can a Great Dane Chihuahua Mix live? It is fair to say that you can expect them to live between 7 to 10 years.

However, you can always do your best to help dogs reach their senior years without major issues while extending Fido’s life.

Owning a Great Dane Chihuahua Mix means that you should know the importance of regular veterinarian check-ups and proper care.

Not only that you should provide high-quality food and regular exercise, but you should be mindful of regular vaccination, recommended vaccination schedule, and overall balanced nutrition.

Obesity in dogs is on the rise and you do not want your dog to experience any weight-related issues.

Great Dane Chihuahua Mix is a rare breed, and your first step is finding a responsible dog breeder.

There are not many dog breeders who deal with this mix, so finding them should not be difficult.

Once you find them (there is a possibility of a waitlist), make sure that they are responsible, and that you are not standing in the middle of a puppy mill. How to know this?

Responsible dog breeders will:

  • Present you the medical documentation on the puppy
  • Show you the facilities
  • Let you meet the bitch if not both parents
  • Ask you a lot of questions to make sure that you are the right fit for their puppy
  • Provide inputs on general care

In some cases, breeders will even tell you that in case of hardship you return the dog to them. This isn’t the rule, but rather a personal preference.

Great Dane Chihuahua Mix Possible Health Issues

You may provide the best care and your dog still may get sick.

Just like humans, dogs are sensitive living beings who thrive on proper nutrition, regular exercise, and positive surrounding.

In other words, they do get sick. A poorly balanced meal, too cold or too hot weather, external factors that you cannot predict, like eating something out of the trash can.

It all may lead to some health disturbances in dogs… Although these unplanned moments can be stressful, it is still far better to be aware of them than to be caught off guard.

Knowledge is the power when it comes to keeping your Fido healthy. As mentioned earlier, if you want your dog to be healthy and to know what to expect now the parents first.

Here are the most common health issue that may appear both in Great Dane and Chihuahuas:

Great Dane:

  • Bloat
  • Canine dilated cardiomyopathy
  • Joint and bone diseases
  • Thyroid problems
  • Tricuspid Valve Disease
  • Osteosarcoma
  • Addison’s Disease

Chihuahua:

  • Luxating Patella
  • Hypoglycemia
  • Tracheal Collapse
  • Tooth and Gum Disease
  • Hydrocephalus
  • Spinal Injuries
  • Obesity
  • Bladder and Kidney Stones

That being said, make sure that you learn about these conditions as much as possible and provide regular veterinarian check-ups to keep your Great Dane Chihuahua Mix healthy.

After all, your veterinarian is the only person that can tell for sure if your dog has some kind of health disturbance or not.

All in all, to keep your Great Dane Chihuahua Mix healthy provide the following:

  • High-quality food
  • Proper vaccination
  • Regular veterinarian check-ups
  • Regular exercise
  • Proper care

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Xh2KfgHPkY

Last But Not Least…

If you are sure that Great Dane Chihuahua Mix is the breed for you, make sure that you focus on finding a responsible dog breeder.

If you are interested in adopting a dog, make sure that you check your local shelter first.

You will be surprised to discover that many dog breeds, both purebred and mixed ones, can be found in animal shelters across the county.

Make sure that you truly understand what it means to adopt a dog and act accordingly.

Otherwise, find a responsible breeder, make sure that you are not standing in the middle of a puppy mill, and do your best to provide the best care possible for the adorable Great Dane Chihuahua Mix.