What’s a Chi-Dane-Dane?
As the name suggests, the Great Dane Chihuahua mix is a cross between a Great Dane and a Chihuahua. There isn’t much history or documentation of the time they came into existence. This is the case with other mixed breeds.
Fortunately, learning about each parent’s breed can help us understand their children. The Great Dane is popular for its massive size. However, a gentle, patient, and dependable canine is behind that imposing size and demeanor.
Is a Great Dane Chihuahua Mix Even Possible?
Yes, but it can be a strenuous effort. The size disparity between Great Danes and Chis alone would provide numerous challenges to breeders attempting to build a healthy designer dog.
Because of the size and weight discrepancies, a mixed breed between the Great Dane and the Chihuahua is very hard to find.
Even though the two dog breeds have a lot in common, their significant size differences limit any sexual connection or reproduction. How do these difficulties manifest themselves?
Natural Mating
To begin with, mating a Great Dane and a Chihuahua is plain animal cruelty. A male Great Dane mating with a female Chihuahua, for example, is ridiculous. It’s like having an elephant and a warthog as a mate.
The Chihuahua will undoubtedly collapse under the Great Dane’s weight. In the event of a Great female Dane and a male Chihuahua, the male will struggle to reach the Great Dane’s height to mate. It’s akin to having you scale a little structure. In any case, natural mating is nearly difficult.
Gestation and Birth
If natural reproduction processes aren’t working, you can use technology to bypass them. You can put a Great Dane or Chihuahua seed on either parent through artificial insemination.
Unfortunately, this isn’t as simple as it appears. In the past, dog breeders attempted artificial insemination on a female Chihuahua. They were hoping it would bring the puppies to term, but this was not the case.
The Chihuahua has a little space for puppies that are tens of times its size. The puppies will severely overstretch the Chihuahua in the worst-case situation, maybe killing it. Even if they reach the end, the Chihuahua is incapable of naturally giving birth to the puppies.
This necessitates a C-section that almost invariably results in the death of the host. Still, it almost always results in the death of the Great Dane Chihuahua mix puppies. This is due to the host body’s low nutrition. It is conceivable for a Great female Dane to carry the sperm of a male Chihuahua, but there are several obstacles to overcome.
The Great Dane has adequate room to carry cross puppies to term and even deliver them in normal conditions. The difficulty arises in nursing them and caring for them in general. Suckling may not be possible due to the size of the puppies’ mouths and their mother’s tits. This implies that you will have to feed the puppies nearly always by hand.
This is the most practical way of getting a Great Dane and a Chihuahua combination. However, the puppies’ chances of seeing the light of day are extremely limited. Furthermore, the entire process of obtaining this is intimidating in and of itself. So, while it is feasible, having a mixed breed from a Chihuahua and Great Dane is not encouraged, according to experts.
What Does a Chi-Dane Dane Look Like?
It isn’t easy to foresee how Chi-Dane-Danes will look because their parents are at opposite ends of the spectrum. According to some stories, they have long bodies and small legs, yet some Chihuahua and Great Dane mix puppies look more like one breed than another.
Most Great Dane Chihuahua hybrids will have straight, sharp ears. A head shape that reset similar to that of a Great Dane, with slightly rounder features and shorter snouts. Like their parents, they will have a short sleek coat.
A Great Dane Chihuahua Mix’s patterns and hues are nearly infinite. The parents of the Great Dane Chihuahua Mix determine their coat colors. Most of their babies will have black fur if both the Great Dane and the Chihuahua have black coats.
The following are the primary colors you can expect to find in this mix:
- White and cream Chihuahua Great Dane mix: This is a common color that you will see in this breed. The puppies may have one of the colors, or both of them merged perfectly.
- Harlequin Great Dane Chihuahua mix: Both Great Danes and Chihuahuas can have speckled coats. If at least one parent has the genes carrying this color, the Great Dane Chihuahua puppy could have a harlequin coat.
How Big is a Great Dane Chihuahua Mix
Chihuahua mixes are often twice the size of a Chihuahua but only a third the size of a Great Dane. Great Danes are three inches (7.6 centimeters) tall, while Chihuahuas are 8.5 to 12 inches (215.9 to 30.5 centimeters). As a result, the Great Dane Chihuahua mix usually grows to be a medium-sized dog.
Despite this reliable average sizing, the height of this designer dog is impossible to anticipate due to their parents’ DNA. Some puppies may be taller than a Great Dane, while others will be smaller than a Chihuahua.
The Chi-Dane-Dane Temperament
We must first analyze the behavior of Chi-Dane-Danes’ parents to identify their temperament and disposition. Great Danes make ideal family dogs because they are affectionate and inviting to newcomers. They make excellent watchdogs but are patient and mild enough to be around young children.
On the other hand, Chihuahuas are lively, curious, and affectionate. They can be obstinate and scared if you do not train them properly. They’re known for being yappy dogs, the polar opposite of a Great Dane.
Great Dane is a unique breed of dog. Chihuahua mixes can make good family dogs depending on their parents’ temperament depending on their parents’ temperament. Many of them can survive well in smaller homes since, depending on their size, they may be more tranquil.
They are, however, capable of damaging your belongings if they do not get enough exercise or become bored.
However, we must consider the Chihuahua’s tenacious nature, particularly when you do not give them their way. When necessary, Chi-Dane-Danes can be violent and fearless. This also qualifies them as a good watchdog.
They suffer from the same Little Dog Syndrome as Chihuahuas and other small breeds. They are ignorant of their size and will go to any length to protect their humans. Chihuahua mixes can be pretty powerful as well. They can be difficult to control once provoked; therefore, it’s essential to train and socialize them as soon as possible. This includes obedience training.
Caring for a Great Dane Chihuahua Mix
Your Chi-Dane requirements will differ significantly due to their size. You’ll rely on the tips that you use in taking care of similar dog breeds because there are no exact proportions for this dog. You might also consult a veterinarian for help. Here are some of the tips for taking care of your Great Dane-Chihuahua mix:
Nutrition and Feeding
It’s impossible to estimate how much Chi-Dane-Danes will need to ingest because they come in varying sizes. To maintain a healthy weight, they must consume 25-30 calories per pound (per kilogram) each day if they are medium-size.
I recommend consulting with a veterinarian who can assess your Chi-Dane-specific needs and propose the best diet for him.
Cleaning and Grooming
Grooming the Great Dane Chihuahua mix is very simple. They require very little maintenance since you do not need to style or groom their fur. You’ll need to wash their hair every other day, bathe them on need basis, and perform other basic grooming tasks like nail clipping and dental brushing.
Exercise
A Great Dane Chihuahua mix’s activity level results from its size and personality. Therefore, once you calculate their final size, you’ll need to adjust how much time they spend on different stimulating activities.
Small to medium-size Chi-Dane-Danes are usually satisfied with one to two daily long walks and 20-30 minutes of entertainment.
Training
Training your Chihuahua Great Dane mix shouldn’t be too difficult. Because of their Great Dane ancestry, they are likely to be easy to train.
If your Great Dane Chihuahua mix has obstinate Chihuahua qualities, you may need to be more consistent and stern. Chihuahuas have a big personality despite their little stature despite their little stature, so you’ll have to be more persistent with a Chi-Dane-Dane.
Visits to the Wellness Center
Because Great Dane Chihuahua may not have a long list of known health issues, you should regularly take them to the vet for important health tests like hip, ophthalmology, thyroid, and heart exams. Also, don’t forget to get them vaccinated, reducing their susceptibility to some infections.
How Long Does a Chi-Dane-Dane Live?
The Dane parent of a Chi-Dane-Great Dane usually does not live very long. It lives for six to eight years and is susceptible to cancer, hip dysplasia, and heart disease. Chihuahuas are little and delicate dogs prone to eye problems, colds, and rheumatism. Their life expectancy is 12-20 years, significantly longer than a Great Dane. Read our article and find out How Long Do Great Danes Live?
Because the Chi-Dane-Dane is a hybrid of two parents, their lifespan will likely be somewhere in the center. However, while they are almost the same size as Great Danes, some pet owners claim they do not live as long.
Another point of view is that they live longer and are healthier than purebreds because they have greater genetic diversity. We can’t confirm or debunk this because there isn’t much scientific research on the Great Dane Chihuahua mix.
We also won’t be able to talk about their health problems because there are only a handful of these dogs left in the world. Without a doubt, there is no health norm on which we can base it.
Can Chihuahua’s Breed With Bigger Dogs?
The question is whether or not a little dog can mate with a larger breed, and the answer is yes. Even while it works both ways, the difficulty will always stem from the fact that the smaller canine is female. This crossbreeding can result in puppies too big for the Chi to bear and give birth to.
Mix Breed vs. Pure Breed vs. Designer Breed
Mix Breed Dogs
You can refer to a mixed-breed as a mutt or a mongrel. These dogs consist of various unidentified breeds, and You can’t trace their genealogy back to specific parents. Attempts to document the bloodline of these dogs are not there, whether they mate in the wild or in captivity. These canines come in a wide range of appearances, coats, sizes, and personalities.
Pure Breed Dogs
A pure breed has a clear lineage, and you can trace their ancestry back to their parents. Purposeful breeding has often been in use to eliminate or diminish unwanted features while enhancing positive ones in pure breeds. A recognized kennel club establishes breed standards to guarantee that the lineage remains pure and the breed remains healthy.
Designer Dogs
A designer breed, often known as a crossbreed, is a hybrid breed that you create by crossing two or more pure breeds. Unlike mutts, there is extensive documentation available. Breeders utilize only healthy canines with desirable features, and they select the best parents as part of the process.
What You Should Know About New Breed Creation
It takes three generations of successful crossbreeding and an intensive evaluation by a recognized kennel association to create a new breed from two pure breeds. These dogs are a crossbreed before the third generation.
An F1 cross is the first generation, and an F2 cross is the second. You can also refer to multigenerational crosses, termed F3 crosses, and a reputable kennel examines them. Three generations may not seem like much, but it takes a lot of dogs and a lot of time.
You must carefully study every attribute before breeding in or out. You must consider the health of the dog and the desires of the owner, and you must establish criteria. A Labradoodle, a hybrid of a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle, is an example of a breed that has gone through this process.
Parting Words
The Great Dane Chihuahua mix is a very rare and expensive dog breed. There are only a few left in the world, so your chances of getting one are slim. If you are fortunate enough to discover a breeder specializing in this dog, expect to pay a high price because they are not cheap.
Breeding them takes painstaking artificial insemination, which is prohibitively expensive, and their premium price reflects their rarity.