In the past several years, designer dog breeds have been increasingly popular. But it begs the question, are they all possible or ethical? Today, we will talk about a designer dog breed that is within the realm of possibility, but certainly not in the ethical part. That is the Chihuahua Great Dane mix. Can you mix one of the greatest dogs and one of the smallest?
Well, there is the possibility of doing so. And there is even a name for this mix, Chi Dane Dane puppy. With that in mind, let’s get deeper into the discussion.
Meet The Breed
You are probably wondering, what is a Great Dane Chihuahua mix? Well, in theory, it is a designer breed made possible by mixing Great Dane and Chihuahua.
One of the parents is the biggest dog in the canine world, certainly the tallest. And one is the smallest one. Some of the nicknames of this puppy are the Impossible dog breed, the Great Mexican Dog, and the Chi Dane Dane puppy.
There are only a handful of these puppies in the world. Because of their extremely different size and appearance, it is nearly impossible to breed them.
More on that later on.
Meet The Parents
When you talk about a designer breed, you have to talk about the parents first. Those are Great Dane and Chihuahua.
Great Dane
A well-bred Great Dane is one of the best-natured canines in the world. This gentle giant is sweet, affectionate, and loves to be around children. Great Danes are some of the most sociable, friendly, and loving dogs around. In other words, they are delightful.
Considered one of the best family dogs despite their sheer size, they can do well in any household. Here are some personality traits:
- Moderately playful
- Affectionate and delightful with children
- Will guard the home
- Get along with other animals
- Gentle and sweet puppies
Chihuahua
If you have only three words to describe this breed, those would be “charming, graceful, and sassy”. Chihuahuas are some of the smallest dogs in the world. But don’t let their size fool you. These puppies are full of character.
They do suffer from small dog syndrome, meaning they will aggressively bark at every large dog they meet. But when socialized properly, they can be friendly and playful around other animals.
The tiny Chihuahua has a huge personality. And as the national symbol of Mexico, they consider themselves aristocratic dogs. They are definitely among the oldest breeds in the world, with their lineage going back to ancient kingdoms.
Nowadays, however, this small dog is more like a lap dog and a “purse dog”.
Appearance
So, what would a Chihuahua Great Dane mix look like? When you look at the parents, they are on two sides of the extreme. The Great Dane parent is a giant dog breed, while the Chihuahua parent is a small dog breed.
That makes it tough and challenging to predict what the offspring would look like. Some reports say it is a dog with a long body and short legs. Most Chi mixes should have straight, pointy ears and a head shape similar to a Great Dane.
The Great Dane Chihuahua mix puppy is two times the size of a regular male Chihuahua, but much smaller than a regular male Great Dane.
In other words, you should get a medium-sized dog. But it is hard to precisely state what the size would be.
The colors and patterns are endless. The parents can determine the colors, but the fun part is, these dogs have many coat color options.
Some of the common patterns you can find in this mixed breed dog are cream and white and harlequin. Remember, both Great Dane and Chihuahua parents can have speckled coats. And if one parent has the genes, their offspring can have a harlequin coat.
Temperament
When it comes to temperament, we know we are working with two extremely loyal canines. You can expect their offspring to inherit the loyalty.
A Chihuahua Great Dane mix is a friendly and affectionate designer dog that enjoys cuddling. Yet, you have to remember Chihuahua’s fierce personality. That is obvious even more when they do not get their way.
That can make your Chi Dane puppy ferocious and fearless when needed. Remember, despite their large Great Dane parent, they will probably inherit the small dog syndrome from your Chi puppy.
And these dogs can be quite strong. When provoked, they might be challenging to manage.
Training And Exercise Needs
In theory, training a Great Dane Chihuahua mix should be easy. Both dogs are loyal, and at least one of them is eager to please. That is the Great Dane. Chihuahuas can be a bit stubborn, but they are loyal and will perform well in obedience training with positive reinforcement.
As for energy levels, this mixed breed should be a low-energy dog. Great Danes are notoriously lazy, while Chihuahuas are alert and energetic. But their small size limits their exercise.
The most important thing is to socialize this puppy early on since both parents can be a bit aloof around strangers.
Health Issues
One would say that the reason for mixing Great Danes and Chihuahuas is to make your dog live longer. After all, Great Danes have a life expectancy of just 8 to 10 years. They are among the shortest-living dog breeds.
They also suffer from hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia, something that is not present in Chihuahuas. The small Chi can live between 14 and 16 years, some even getting up to 20 years.
The offspring of these parents may fall somewhere between the two. It should definitely live longer than a Great Dane, but not as long as a Chihuahua.
Is It Possible?
Now we get to the main question. To this date, there are no records of the Chihuahua Great Dane crossbreed dogs making it to F2. There are some F1 mixes, yet, there are not many breeders trying to create such a puppy. There are many challenges and high costs that make it nearly impossible.
Yes, you can see some cute pictures online. Yet, while the theory suggests it is possible, reality says no.
Mating Problems
The question is can a Great Dane impregnate a Chihuahua? Yes, but the female Chihuahua and her puppies will not survive the pregnancy. Even if she somehow does, there will be trouble giving birth. Even cesarean birth would be challenging.
The only chance of success is through artificial insemination AI, where you have a female Great Dane and a male Chihuahua.
Thanks to technology, you can bypass natural forms of reproduction if it is not working. Dog breeders have performed such artificial insemination.
But it is only possible with a female Great Dane. The small female Chihuahua would not be able to carry the large babies.
It almost always leads to the death of the host and the puppies.
Is It Ethical?
Well, this is the part where we say that while there are some possible Great Dane mixes, this one is not that. Breeding Chihuahuas and Danes is biologically possible, but non-ethical.
Yes, breeders will try to do it for profit, but these practices should be considered illegal.
