10 Things You Didn’t Know about The Great Danoodle
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The Great Danoodle is a wonderful mixture between the Great Dane and the Poodle. As such, they typically end up with the features of a Poodle, but with the size and overall body shape of a Great Dane. There is no question that they are unique. In fact, they are relatively rare, even to the point that you might not have seen one in the past. If your interest is piqued, check out the list below of 10 things you may not know when it comes to the Great Danoodle.
1. They can potentially weigh more than most members of your household
These dogs can sometimes weigh up to 100 pounds. That definitely puts them in an arena all their own. Imagine what it would be like to have a 100 pound behemoth come running at you every time you come through the door. Obviously, any dog that weighs this much is going to need a great deal of obedience training. They are just too big to be allowed to misbehave, even for a moment.
2. They don’t live as long as some other breeds
Another thing that makes this breed of dog different from a lot of others is that they have a comparatively short lifespan. Unfortunately, the Great Danoodle typically only has a lifespan between 8 and 13 years. This is enough to make most dog owners gasp, as it isn’t very long. This is especially true when you consider the fact that there are some other breeds of dogs out there that routinely make it to 15 years or longer. As it turns out, it’s all because of the size of the dog in question. The larger the dog, the shorter their life span typically is.
3. There are many colors to choose from
These dogs come in a variety of colors. In short, virtually any color but a Great Dane could be is included in the mix. The same is true for typical Poodle colors. When it is all said and done, one of these dogs can be fun, black, tan, gray, white, red, or silver. By the same token, some dogs within this particular group are lighter or darker shades of the aforementioned colors than their littermates. When coupled with their curly, Poodle-like hair, it allows for a great deal of variety when choosing your particular dog.
4. They have a wonderful temperament
Poodles are known for being intelligent dogs that have a great deal of patience. Fortunately, that temperament seems to bleed over into most mixed breeds as well. As a result, the majority of Great Danoodles are quite smart and can be easily trained. More importantly, they tend to be very even-tempered. This often makes them a good choice for houses where there are other dogs or even children present.
5. Sometimes they suffer from very real health concerns
Most breeds of dogs are predisposed to some type of illness or injury. This particular crossbreed is no different. Although they don’t tend to get sick often, there are certain things that owners need to look out for. Unfortunately, some of these things can be quite serious. Under the right circumstances, there are some of the more common health concerns associated with the breed that can even be deadly. For example, this particular breed tends to suffer from cardiomyopathy, a weakening of the heart muscle. It’s also rather common for them to have problems with the micro valve of the heart. In either case, that can cause undue suffering for your dog and can even be fatal. The key is to catch it early and treat it aggressively.
6. They can be a good option for people who are allergic
This particular breed of dog can be a good option for people who are commonly allergic to dogs. This is something that largely carries over from the poodle side of things, as their relatively long, wavy hair produces far less allergens than some other breeds.
7. They require a fair amount of grooming
This particular breed requires quite a lot of grooming, thanks to their curly hair. Whether you choose to groom them yourself or take them to a professional groomer is up to you. For the most part, they are relatively tolerant of grooming. However, it is important to remember that every dog has their own personality. It isn’t always possible to gauge exactly how your dog will react to going to the groomer based on breed alone. The best thing you can do is start a grooming routine with them when they are young and be consistent with it as they get older.
8. They shed a great deal
Unfortunately, the breed sheds a great deal. If you plan on having one, it’s important to realize this because you will also have to plan on cleaning your house far more frequently than you might otherwise need to do. That means doing a lot of dusting, vacuuming and mopping in order to keep the excess dog hair under control.
9. They are quite intelligent
One of the hallmarks of this particular breed is their intelligence. They have a tendency to be quite intelligent. That means that you don’t typically have a lot of issues when it comes to training. In addition to their high level of intelligence, they also tend to have that special temperament that makes them well suited for learning additional commands, as previously discussed.
10. They like to please you
One of the most important things about the breed is that they genuinely want to please the people they are close to. They seem to have an innate ability to understand when you are happy and when you’re not particularly thrilled with something they’ve done. Many of them also tend to correct their behavior automatically based on your reactions alone, as opposed to waiting for you to correct them verbally. While some other breeds of dogs are quite headstrong and have a tendency to want to do things their own way, the Great Danoodle would far prefer to make you happy.
