Irish Wolfhound Great Dane Mix - Irish Dane

The Great Dane Irish Wolfhound Mix is a mixed breed dog resulting from breeding the Great Dane and the Irish Wolfhound. This is very obviously going to make for a very large dog. Check out the videos on the site to see this dog in action. Both of these are really pretty friendly dogs, they are just gigantic and will probably make a good watchdog. Is it more like the Great Dane or the Irish Wolfhound? Those are the questions we will try and answer below. Continue reading below to see pictures, videos, and learn more about the beautiful Great Dane Irish Wolfhound Mix. Note that this hybrid can consist of the brindle or other iterations.

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 Irish Wolfhound Mix puppy. That is, if they have any Great Dane Irish Wolfhound Mix puppies for sale.

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Here are some pictures of the Irish Wolfhound Great Dane Mix - Irish Dane

Irish Wolfhound Great Dane Mix - Irish Dane 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.

Great Dane History:

As early as the 14th–13th centuries BC, large boarhounds resembling the Irish Wolfhound 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 Irish Wolfhounds 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.

Irish Wolfhound History:

The name Irish wolfhound is quite a recent one but the hound itself goes back far into the mists of time. They are documented as far back as 273 BC! Only kings and the nobility were allowed to own the great Irish hound, the numbers permitted depending on position. For example, the Filid (the professional class of composers of sagas and other tales, who were of the lesser nobility) were entitled to two hounds. There were plenty of kings and nobles, as ancient Ireland was divided into fifths, each with a king, and each fifth comprised numerous kingdoms (there were 150 kingdoms in Ireland) each of which had a lesser king subject to the kings of the fifths.

The hounds were used as war dogs and as guards of property and herds. They were also used to hunt deer, boar, and wolves and were held in such high esteem that battles were fought over them. The Second Century AD saw the rise of the Fianna, whose domination lasted to AD 300, by which time they had been overthrown and destroyed in three great battles. The greatest of their chiefs was Fionn mac Cumhall. Each Fian had “two hounds and two keen beagles”, while Fionn himself had three hundred full-grown hounds and “puppy hounds two hundred”. His favourite hound was Bran, who “always killed more men or beasts than Fionn.” References to the Irish wolfhound in the 18th century tell of its great size, strength and greyhound shape as well as its scarcity. Writing in 1790, Bewick described it as the largest and most beautiful of the dog kind; about 36 inches high, generally of a white or cinnamon colour, somewhat like the Greyhound but more robust. He said that their aspect was mild, disposition peaceful, and strength so great that in combat the Mastiff or Bulldog was far from being an equal to them.

Awesome videos of Irish Wolfhound Great Dane Mix - Irish Dane puppies

Irish Wolfhound Great Dane Mix - Irish Dane Size and Weight

Great Dane

Height: 28 - 34 inches at the shoulder

Weight: 100 - 200 lb.

Lifespan: 7-10 years

Irish Wolfhound

Height: 30-32 inches at the shoulder

Weight: 105-120 lb.

Lifespan: 6-8 years

Irish Wolfhound Great Dane Mix - Irish Dane Personality

The Irish Wolfhound and the Great Dane are known for being courageous and protective. This dog might have a very high prey drive with the hound shining through. They are also very loving dogs. This dog will require a very strong and firm owner who makes sure to assert that they are the alpha and not the dog. This dog might be best with an experienced dog owner. He will need to be watched with strangers to see if he is kind and amicable towards them before he can be fully trusted. Early socialization helps take care of any bad habits that could develop. She responds well to positive reinforcement, like all dogs. She should be rather affectionate and enjoy spending lots of time with you. Don’t plan on leaving her alone for long periods as he won’t do well alone. She wants to be with the “pack.”

Irish Wolfhound Great Dane Mix - Irish Dane 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 Dalmatian mixed with the Irish Wolfhound might be prone to: Development Issues, cancer , bloat, heart problems, surgical issues, Anesthesia Sensitivity, liver problems, Fibrocartilaginous Embolic Myelopathy, OCD, eye problems

Note that these are just common problems in both breeds.

Irish Wolfhound Great Dane Mix - Irish Dane Care

What are the grooming requirements?

This could be a more aggressive shedding dog as the Hound sheds more than the short haired Great Dane. Be prepared to brush them a few times a week. Either way, get ready to invest in a good vacuum if you want to keep your floors clean! Give them baths as needed, but not so much that you dry out their skin. Never tie your dog up outside - that is inhumane and not fair to him.

What are the exercise requirements?

This is a moderate energy dog that will need that from an owner. Plan on exercising them daily to keep their energy level down. A tired dog is a good dog. Never tie your dog up outside - that is inhumane and not fair to him.

What are the training requirements?

Though intelligent, it might be stubborn and demanding. 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.

Irish Wolfhound Great Dane Mix - Irish Dane 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.