The Great Dane Lab Mix Dogs Mystery

Pet Type

petvblog

July 7, 2020
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Great Dane Lab mixes, also known as Labradanes, are mixed breed dogs of the famous Labrador Retriever and the Great Dane breeds. Much like their parents, Labradanes are active, friendly, sweet dogs with a passion for playing, exploring, and pleasing their owners.

Labradanes combine the best traits of their parent breeds, thus giving you the best of both worlds. However, despite the many beautiful qualities, their size, and energy levels can be overwhelming for some people. To better understand them, you’ll first need to understand the Labradane’s parents.

Great Dane Lab Mix Parents

For years on end, Labradors have continued to top the list of the most popular dog breed in America. They make wonderful family companions as they are friendly to both kids and adults alike.

Owing to their intelligent, obedient, and loyal nature, Labradors have also gained worldwide acknowledgment as therapy dogs as well as disability assistants to autistic, blind, and deaf people. You can often even see them in action at security checkpoints checking for drugs and explosive materials.

Not far off behind on the popularity scale is the Great Dane. They are also commonly found in both American and European households. Similar to Labradors, they are also gentle and affectionate towards their human parents and siblings. 

Labradane’s Origin

The Labradane’s origins have unfortunately remained mysterious over the years. Nonetheless, Labradanes are a product of intentional crossbreeding of their purebred parents. Popular belief says that Labradanes made their debut back in the 1980s when the designer dog trend started. Since most of their history is unknown, it is imperative that we know more about their parents’ ancestry.

Despite their deceiving name, the Labrador retriever originated from Newfoundland, not Labrador. Known formerly as fishing dogs, they later made their appearance in Europe as sporting and hunting dogs. Their webbed paws and gentle mouths make them great swimmers and retractors, hence their participation in fishing and hunting. 

Known initially as English dogs, Great Danes later had their name changed to German Mastiff (1878) before acquiring their current name. They were initially bred as working dogs to hunt wild bears and boars. However, this sport was soon abolished, and they became luxury dogs instead. 

Appearance

Labradanes have a mix of physical characteristics that are similar to both the Labrador and Great Dane. Although it is difficult to predict the outcome of hybrids, there’s always room for speculation thanks to the parent breeds.

Adult Labradors are medium to large, weighing between 65-80 lb (29-36 kg). Their water-resistant coats are short and dense and come in black, yellow, and chocolate colors. Their eyes are brown and hazel and are often kind and expressive.

Great Danes, on the other hand, can easily reach heights of 38 inches (96 cm) and weigh 130 lb (59 kg). Their coats come in a variety of colors: fawn, brindle, black, harlequin, mantle, blue and chocolate.

Much like their parents, adult Labradanes have large muscular bodies weighing anything between 100-180 lb (45-82 kg). Labradanes have also inherited long floppy ears and curled tails. Their fur coats will vary depending on which parent genes prevail, but the common varieties are black and white, mantle, harlequin, blue, brindle, and fawn.

Temperament

Since Labradors and Great Danes have similar personality traits, you can easily predict the personality of your Labradane. While their large size can be intimidating, they are eager to please and enjoy human interaction. They are also intelligent, patient, and highly social with both children and other canines, making them the perfect addition to your family. Similar to the Great Dane Rottweiler mix, Labradane’s protective nature makes them wary of strangers around their human family.

Despite their patience, Labradanes can suffer from separation anxiety if left alone for long periods. They can sometimes have a stubborn streak thanks to their strong-willed nature. However, this stubbornness is not problematic as they are easy to train. 

Health

Labradanes have a life expectancy of 8-12 years. If your Labradane takes after their Labrador parent, they can comfortably live a long and happy life of 10 years, if not more. While designer dogs are often healthier than their parent breeds, they may, at times, inherit some of their health issues. Some of these conditions include hip and elbow dysplasia, bloat, and other digestive problems, as well as spine issues due to the Wobbler syndrome.

You may also witness some drooling from your dog thanks to their Great Dane’s genes. However, this is normal and should not worry you unless it becomes excessive. Before getting yourself a Labradane, you should insist that the breeder performs genetic tests on the parents to give a clean bill of health. 

Exercise and Training

Like with most dogs, exercising your dog will keep them happy and healthy. Since Labradanes are large, they require regular and considerable amounts of exercises to keep them toned and trim.

To keep your furry friend healthy and enthused, you should incorporate activities such as running, jogging, playing fetch in the backyard, and brain games to keep them stimulated. When Labradanes are inactive, they become easily bored and are most likely to become mischievous and destructive.

Labradanes can be quite boisterous, so early training and socialization are paramount to keep them well-behaved around humans and other animals. When training them, you should ensure that you gently and positively reassure them as they can also be very sensitive.

Nonetheless, make sure to stand firm and stay consistent to earn their respect as the pack leader. Since Labradanes are usually eager to please, they will soon enough realize your position and become obedient. 

Food and Nutrition

Labradanes owe their healthy appetites to their large frames. Just like their Labrador parents, they are often likely to overeat and become obese. Unfortunately, with obesity come unnecessary health problems. That said, you must keep your pup on a healthy feeding schedule.

You should feed your Labradane 4.5 to 6 cups of dry dog food in a day. This quantity should be divided into three meals and spread throughout the day. Because of their large size, you should feed your Labradane pup like you would the Great Dane. Therefore, you should not be surprised to find your monthly food budget increasing from $80 and $100 for dry dog food.

Grooming

Labradanes have short, dense coats that don’t shed a lot and too often. This means that you can get away with brushing your furry friend once or twice a week. However, you might need to adjust your brushing schedule during the shedding seasons. When it comes to cleaning his ears, use a clean cloth to wipe off any germs gently. You should bathe your dog as needed, but preferably once every month. 

Conclusion

If you’re looking to add a loyal and loving member to your family, Labradanes are the way to go. Despite their friendliness and popularity, it is not uncommon to find Labradanes in dog shelter homes. That said, you can either visit a reputable breeder or shelter homes to adopt one.

You should also remember to socialize your furry friend as this will help him in his older days. He is less likely to be fearful of new people. Nonetheless, be sure to be positively affirmative, and you and your family are sure to have a life long bond with your new friend.

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