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Great + Greater = Greatest?

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Dane-a-be:
Hi all,

I've recently decided to fulfill a dream of mine.  Since i was 10 years old, I've wanted to have a Great Dane. In my research though, the short life span of them makes me nervous.  (I cried like a baby at the age of 18 when my cat of 10 years died.)  My father who is a rancher has often talked about a phenomenon called Hybrid Vigor in cattle, that got me to thinking:

If I cross a great Dane with another breed, chances are that the off spring will be less prone to diseases, and will have a longer life span.

So I've been looking for another dog breed that I feel would compliment the Great Dane in looks and personality.  So far my hands down favorite is the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog.

Has anyone ever seen a Great Dane - Swissy mix?  Would it be fair to call it the Greatest Swiss Mountain Dane?  I would love to hear the opinions of a group far more experienced than I.

Thanks

Taylor

Care2Adopt:
I'd call it a mixed breed. Please don't add to an ever growing population of mutts/mixed breeds when so many are dying in shelters. I pull dozens of "designer" breeds every month from animal controls when they get dumped.

If you are willing to open your heart to a mixed breed Dane/Swissy, by all means do so- search animal controls and shelters and give that lucky dog a new home. But please don't breed and bring more dogs into a world already teeming with unwanted dogs.

As for Hybrid Vigor- the real reason purebred dogs have a bad rep for health issues is because they are not being bred with enough restraint. John Q Public goes out and buys two siberian huskies out of the paper, pays no attention to their lineage, and breeds them. Then he may breed son back to mother, etc, and call it "line breeding" (That is NOT line breeding, that is inbreeding) No genetic or health testing is done to ensure a good stock before they are bred. hence problems develop, and because they continue to breed back on a line, health problems multiply and spread. When you crossbreed dogs, you are ensuring that there is no possible way either dog is on the same line, so it opens the genetic world up in case there is a health problem- less likely to spread or double, but-

CROSS BREEDING DOES NOT GUARENTEE A HEALTHY DOG

OUTCROSSING (breeding to a dog totally on a different line, or an import) A PUREBRED DOG WITH HEALTH TESTING/GENETIC SCREENING IS JUST AS EFFECTIVE IN PRODUCING "VIGOR" AS CROSSBREEDING.

If you are looking for a healthy dane, find a very good breeder who shows and has full OFA/CERF/Heart/thyroid etc (Not familier with exact health testing done on danes) and speak with them about your concern.

The average age for siberian huskies is 12 years. My siberians live 16 years and older, because we carefully screen and outcross to different lines when the linebreeding becomes close.

I would be happy to speak with you more of this, and I hope you aren't offended by what I have to say- but I just see too many designer dogs die in shelters when the novelty wears off.

mastiffmomoftwo:
Hi Dane-a-be.
I'm going to second, third and fourth whiskeyandsake's answer.
Please go and volunteer at a local animal shelter near you.
I volunteer at my local SPCA, and what comes in, all because of money, makes me angry.

Please read this article and the comments that I found.

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,22659935-910,00.html


No self respecting breeder would EVER breed their dog with something other than their own kind.  That kind of breeding produces a mutt.

Take the Labradoodle for example.
I have heard stories around here that if the pups don't end up curly coated (supposedly hypo-allergenic) then they are killed.
I have yet to see 2 labradoodles that look the same.
I have seen what I thought was a short deer/wolfhound, that ended up being a Labradoodle.
Why pay $1200 for a mutt, when you can go to our SPCA and get a dog that has been speutered/had shots and a vet check, for under $300?
You cannot guarantee the temperment of the Labradoodle.
You can't guarantee the looks.
You can't guarantee the dog won't shed.
The supposed "breeder" doesn't give you a health guarantee.

People who are not real breeders, but figure they can make a few bucks are called Back-yard-breeders.
They have no idea what health issues their dog has in it's lineage.
They have no idea of temerament issues.
They have no background on the stud or bitch they are breeding to.
In fact they have no idea period.
By producing MUTTS you are ensuring that thousands of
dogs die in shelters everyday.

Heavy?  Yeah, so is death, and it's permanent.

People Whisperer:
Any dog, purebred or mutt, can have health issues!
If you take a great care of your dog, veterinary and nutritional, your dog will live a longer and happier life  :)
Large and giant breeds live 8-16 years and you will NEVER know how long your dog will live.
By crossing two breeds puppies may inherit health issues that are common in both. Plus you will NOT find reputable breeder who screened bitches and dog's health and will breed mutts :-\
If you have a dream of having a Great Dane you should do your homework, find a reputable breeder, find a vet who knows Giant Breeds and get a puppy :)

Guardian Angel's White lightning:
I don't mean to be rude, but why would you long for a great dane only to mix the breeds? Go to a shelter and adopt the breed that you want from there....you will find lots of designer dogs there...if only people knew!!

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