Whats the word on great danes.

[brandonb]

So my uncle just had a little of 1/4 lab 3/4 dane pups. He is going to give me one just wondering what everyones opinions are on this kind of dog. If you have one how do they work for you, what do they do strike, bay, help, RCD, etc. And any suggestions on training him and if he would be worth a shot to try. The mom was 1/2 lab 1/2 dane and the dad was a full blood Great dane with papers. He is a grey color almost blue really good looking pup.

[M.Peitz]

I think after "riddick" great danes are considered more of a novelty item.  But I would like to find one someday with a strong nose to breed to my half bulldog half pit and use it as a rcd.... but that's the opinion of a beginner so idk how much luck I will have..

[SCHitemHard]

depends on how you use them, mine worked in a flat field, usually just took a pig out and let him run it down and catch it, he sucked in the woods

[cantexduck]

 Have never seen one in person hunt. Just by the way they are built I wouldn't think they are very good at hunting. Getting one that has the drive might be hard. No matter what they were designed to do , they are watered down as a pet breed. What was the purpose of the breeding? Do the parents hunt or are they pets ?

[hudnall82]

I have a Dane/mastiff cross that was supposed to be bread as a catch dog. He is 10 months old and is about 125lbs but im not sure how good he is going to do ive had him in the woods 2 times and he hunts with the dogs but both were dry runs. He is kinda timid.

[jtmitchell21]

Brandon knows mine she I'd airdale cross Dane very big in size and hairy she is 6 months old and deaf as can be but she was with me hunting last week and somehow made it the bay before me and was caught but all of our dogs catch and were caught so I do know she will catch the 30 pd pig I let out for
The pups I just got her I love airdale had no idea she was deaf but now I don't think I could get rid of her

[jdog82]

I had a dane that was just a pet, took  him to our ranch and went crazy trying to catch our domestic hogs. when id let him in the pen he would catch em on the ear everytime. never barked at em just cought em. I didnt think hed be interested because he didnt come frome hunting stock but he went crazy for the hogs. i stoped letting him mess with the pigs once he had his jugular sliced by a 500lb boar and realized it would be very expensive to take a dane to the vet

[brandonb]

Have never seen one in person hunt. Just by the way they are built I wouldn't think they are very good at hunting. Getting one that has the drive might be hard. No matter what they were designed to do , they are watered down as a pet breed. What was the purpose of the breeding? Do the parents hunt or are they pets ?

No they were both just pets. I just figured a free pup is worth a try to see if he might turn out to be a good one.

[buddylee]

I run a 1/2 dane 1/2 pit. He has an ok nose. Ok stamina. Hard as a rock on big boars. I bred him to a bird/pit cross. Pups come out smaller than I hoped for but have good legs and were catching hogs before they were 5 months old. Hoping to breed my dane /pit to a pure pointer. I'm hoping to create a dane like dog with a better nose.

[jtmitchell21]

I run a 1/2 dane 1/2 pit. He has an ok nose. Ok stamina. Hard as a rock on big boars. I bred him to a bird/pit cross. Pups come out smaller than I hoped for but have good legs and were catching hogs before they were 5 months old. Hoping to breed my dane /pit to a pure pointer. I'm hoping to create a dane like dog with a better nose.

X2 i think a pit cross anything has better manners than a str8 pit like my daned and airdale she is repectfull harder to communicate with cuz she is deaf but we r learning together

[dan]

There isn't a hog in the world that requires a dog as tall and heavy as a Great Dane to catch it.  It would be a waste of space and dog food.  Finding a good one would be very hard.   
I believe all that a mix would add would be size.  Great Danes are pets bred for size and color.  Same as my daughters 3 lb blue Chihuahua, a useless novelty.  Both breeds are useful as a conversation starter at best.  The only difference is the feed bill.

[buddylee]

Big dogs are not required to catch hogs but come in handy.

[aussie black mouth curs]

This is Bess both her parents are Bullmastiff Great Dane crosses (Tyce line, common in Australia).  Bess belongs to a good mate of mine.  She has caught a lot of pigs and is normally our best dog.  She is what you guys call a RCD.  But she will find them at short range as well and is good off the quad bike.  She is fast and hard.  You can see in the photos that she has learned to stay away from the pointy bits when holding a pig.  The other dog is a pup in training.

She is not perfect but a very handy dog......

   

[jtmitchell21]

good lookin dogs i like to see em like that

[dan]

I will amend my earlier statement to say...IN THE U.S. Great Danes are pets bred for size and color.......

There might be some potential down the line in a quality hunting/breeding program.  I won't spend my money feeding one IN THE U.S. for a long time.

[Mike]

Aussie Black Mouth Curs,

Does anyone in Australia run 100% pure danes, or are they all crosses?

[levibarcus]

I have had 2 dane/pit crosses. The first was hog crazy, would lead in or run loose but was all bite. He got run over on the road in front of the house. I have another one that just had a litter of pups from an American Bulldog. She has only been on a couple hogs in the woods but went to the bay and caught with the other cd. I wouldn't want a pure dane, too many health problems and too big, but I like the crosses so far.

[Muddogkennels]

danes are a waste of dog food u dont need a big dog to catch a hog a jagd can catch hogs !pigs dont run when ones on the nuts taking them out thay like to try to sit most of the time!   it takes 6 cups of sportmix to feed a great danes thats a week for a jagd

[aussie black mouth curs]

I've seen some pure danes and some good ones.  I wouldn't say that they were common though.  They can be a bit soft and the ones I have seen do not handle a lot of work that well.  Some hunt very well though and have good noses. 

IMO they seem to get sore feet easily.  Again in my opinion though you don't need them 1/2 pit.  1/4 is enough.  I think the guy that is breeding dane pointer bulldog crosses is onto something and may secretly even be an Aussie!!!LOL   

cheers

T

[buddylee]

danes are a waste of dog food u dont need a big dog to catch a hog a jagd can catch hogs !pigs dont run when ones on the nuts taking them out thay like to try to sit most of the time!   it takes 6 cups of sportmix to feed a great danes thats a week for a jagd

I've owned both. There is no comparison in the stopping and holding. My 90lb dane/pit  only eats 1/3 more food than my cur dogs. Sometimes its best to only speak of what u know.