Great Dane Border Collie Mix
The Great Dane Border Collie Mix, is a mixed breed dog resulting from breeding the Border Collie and the Great Dane. The Border Collie is one of the friendliest dogs you will ever meet and the Great Dane is a friendly dog which is obviously very large. What does this mixed breed look and act like? Is it more like the Border Collie or the Great Dane? Those are the questions we will try and answer below. Continue reading below to see pictures, videos, and learn more about the beautiful Border Collie Great Dane Mix.
While we really recommend that you acquire all animals through a rescue, we understand that some people might go through a breeder to get their Great Dane Border Collie Mix puppy. That is, if they have any Great Dane Border Collie Mix puppies for sale.
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Here are some pictures of the Great Dane Border Collie Mix
Great Dane Border Collie Mix History
All hybrid or designer dogs are tough to get a good read on as there isn’t much history to them. Breeding specific dogs like this has become common in the last twenty years or so even though I am sure that this mixed breed found it’s share of dogs to the shelter due to accidental breeding. We will take a closer look at the history of both parent breeds below. If you are looking at breeders for new, designer dogs please beware of Puppy Mills. These are places that mass produce puppies, specifically for profit and don’t care at all about the dogs. Please sign our petition to stop puppy mills.
Border Collie History:
The Border Collie was bred to gather and control sheep in the hilly border country between Scotland and England. He is known for his intense stare, or “eye,” with which he controls his flock. He’s a dog with unlimited energy, stamina, and working drive, all of which make him a premier herding dog; he’s still used today to herd sheep on farms and ranches around the world. They were bred to literally run 15-20 miles a day for days on end all while moving sheep. They were also bred to withstand harsh weather. You might want to keep this in mind when you are looking for a companion and if you have the stamina to keep up with them.
Great Dane History:
As early as the 14th–13th centuries BC, large boarhounds resembling the Great Dane appear in ancient Greece in frescoes from Tiryns. For many subsequent centuries these large boarhounds continue to appear throughout ancient Greece. The Molossian hound, Suliot dog, and specific imports from Greece were used in the 18th century to increase the stature of the boarhounds in Austria and Germany and the wolfhounds in Ireland. Bigger dogs are depicted on numerous runestones in Scandinavia, on coinage in Denmark from the fifth century AD, and in the collection of Old Norse poems. The University of Copenhagen Zoological Museum holds at least seven skeletons of very large hunting dogs, dating from the fifth century BC to 1000 AD. Obviously very large dogs were a part of our history even thousands of years ago. In the mid of the 1500’s, central European nobility imported strong, long-legged dogs from England. These English dogs had descended from crossbreeds between English Mastiffs and Irish Wolfhounds. Since the beginning of the 1600’s, these dogs were bred in the courts of German nobility, completely outside of England.
The purpose of these extremely large dogs were to hunt bear, boar, and deer. The favorite dogs got to stay the night at the bedchambers of their lords. These so called chamber dogs were there to protect the princes while they slept from assassins.Great Dane Border Collie Mix Size and Weight
Border Collie
Height: 19 - 22 inches at the shoulder
Weight: 30 - 50 lb.
Lifespan: 10-17 years
Great Dane
Height: 28 - 34 inches at the shoulder
Weight: 100 - 200 lb.
Lifespan: 7-10 years
Great Dane Border Collie Mix Personality
This mix is a very intelligent, devoted and loyal companion. Both of these dogs are very friendly and loving dogs. The Great Dane will probably offset some of the higher energy from the Border Collie. If you are a couch potato or don’t like to be active this isn’t the breed for you. She is calm, intelligent, confident and eager to please. While friendly she is wary of strangers and alert making a good watchdog. She gets along well with everyone and is quite a well mannered dog! She loves to have fun and play too and will need some outdoor space to do this in. She is loving, reliable, brave and warm.
Great Dane Border Collie Mix Health
All dogs have the potential to develop genetic health problems as all breeds are susceptible to some things more than others. However, the one positive thing about getting a puppy is that you can avoid this as much as possible. A breeder should absolutely offer a health guarantee on puppies. If they won’t do this, then look no more and don’t consider that breeder at all. A reputable breeder will be honest and open about health problems in the breed and the incidence with which they occur. Health clearances prove that a dog has been tested for and cleared of a particular condition.
The Australian Shepherd mixed with the Border Collie might be prone to hip dysplasia, various eye diseases, sensitivity to certain drugs, and epilepsy
Note that these are just common problems in both breeds.
Great Dane Border Collie Mix Care
What are the grooming requirements?
This dog is going to have a higher than average shedding amount as the Border Collie is a heavy shedder. However, the Great Dane is not, so that might help offset some of those tendencies. Both of these dogs are rather healthy shedders. Get ready to invest in a good vacuum and keep your floors clean anyways. Give them baths as needed, but not so much that you dry out their skin.
What are the exercise requirements?
This is a high energy dog that will need that from an owner. As I stated previously, they were bred to work and run all day so they will not be content just laying around. Plan on taking them for extremely long walks and hikes to keep their energy level down. Don’t be surprised if it starts to herd you as the Border Collie has a very strong herding instinct. A tired dog is a good dog though. Never tie your dog up outside - that is inhumane and not fair to him.
What are the training requirements?
This is an extremely intelligent dog that will be easy to train, however, it might be extremely stubborn. It will need a strong, firm handler that is consistent and won’t let this dog take advantage of them. All dogs respond best to positive reinforcement. So make sure to praise her when she does well. She is an intelligent dog who loves to please, and loves a physical challenge. The more exercise she gets the easier she will be to train. Proper socialization is imperative to all dogs and puppies. Make sure to take her to the park and doggy day care to get her around as many people and dogs as possible.
Great Dane Border Collie Mix Feeding
A lot of times diet is done on a per-dog basis. Each one is unique and has different dietary requirements. Most dogs in the U.S. are overweight. A mix like this one that is prone to hip and elbow dysplasia should really be on fish oil and glucosamine and chondroitin supplements as soon as possible.
Overfeeding any dog is not a good idea as that can really exacerbate health problems such as elbow and hip dysplasia.
A good diet to look into is Raw Food Diet. A raw food diet will be especially good for the Wolf background.