[Doberdane]

My wife grew up with Dobies and we have one now. Lovely girl, but I love Great Danes. Looking into some mixes, I saw a Doberdane and it seems like a perfect mix for us. Only issue is my GoogleFu skills have failed and I cannot for the life of me find any breeders for the life of me.

Anyone know of some?

 

[LeoRose]

Someone in a FB group I'm in has one. They are an interesting cross, but both Dobes and Danes have relatively short lifespans (10, if they are lucky) and some truly serious health issues, including dilated cardiomyopathy and wobblers. If you do find a breeder, you need to make sure that they are doing the proper health testing. And don't be afraid to ask for hard copies of the test results. Anyone doing all the testing should be happy to show them to you, and explain what they mean.

For Dobermans Pinschers:
annual holter (24 hour ekg)
annual cardiac echo (ultrasound of the heart)
annual thyroid panel
annual eye exam for OFA
von Willebrands Disease (either a DNA test or by parentage)
hip x-rays for either OFA or PennHIP
elbow x-rays for OFA

The DNA tests for the two known DCM markers are not enough to be considered "cardio testing" for Dobes. Also, anyone who says that there is no cardio in their lines is either uninformed or flat-out lying. There is DCM is every line of Doberman Pinscher. It's been in the breed from pretty much the very beginning.

For Great Danes:
annual holter
annual echo
annual thryoid panel
hip x-rays for either OFA or PennHIP

One thing about cardio testing- even parents who are not showing signs of the disease at the time they are bred can still produce puppies that develop DCM, and can also develop it themselves later on. A good breeder will know the pedigrees of the dogs they are breeding, and know which dogs in a pedigree developed health problems, and usually know if other dogs related to the ones in the immediate pedigree have developed them. as well.

 

[Deacon.dog]

I'd suggest choosing one or the other, unless you can find one for adoption. The breeding of mixed breeds is typically unethical and done just for a quick buck.

 

[DaySleepers]

In addition to what LeoRose says about health, be aware that neither of you might get what you really love about each breed. A cross of two breeds - even a first generation 50%/50% cross - isn't going to have all qualitys of both, but rather a selection or blending of some of each, and it can be tricky to predict what that's going to look like unless you have a breeder that has a very clear goal for temperament they want to produce and has lines they've been working on for a few generations that are consistently producing that temperament.

While I don't condone breeding mixed breeds altogether, the truth is a lot of dogs being produced under fun combo names - especially rarer combinations like this one - aren't being bred ethically and in a way that prioritizes health and stable temperament in the puppies. And with dobes and danes, a stable temperament is also something that's very important, because both breeds do have anxious, nervy lines that can be difficult - or even dangerous - to live with. I knew a couple a decade or so back who had to commit an entirely bare room with only a futon in it to their rescue dane because she had such terrible separation anxiety that she'd destroy everything she had access to. The room and futon was a mess, but at least it kept her from destroying their entire house or getting into something that could hurt her. If you do go this route, go in with your eyes open and arm yourself with research about what ethical, responsible breeding looks like in both breeds - and in dogs in general - so you can spot any red flags before you're dealing with the heartbreak of a sick or highly anxious puppy.