As a dog lover, I have been a fan of the American Bull Dane for a long time!
The cuteness and fluffiness are spectacular about these breeds. The American Bull Dane is a result of crossbreeding the loyal and silly American Bulldog and the gentle Great Dane.
This breed doesn’t need a lot of exercise; rather, they believe in saving their energy as much as they can. You are in the right place! Read on to learn everything about these beautiful pups.
About the breed
The size of an American Bull Dane might scare you at first, but its personality will surely melt your heart. As the name suggests, this breed is a cross between the American Bulldog and the Great Dane.
Having the loyalty of an American Bulldog and being as gentle as the Great Dane, this breed will undoubtedly become your great companion.
So get ready to bring this big ball of happiness into your home. Make sure that you give your dog enough love and cuddles so they can be your best companion.
American Bull Dane History
The development of the American Bull Dane breed originated in the United States, and the year is still unknown.
The parent breeds are the American Bulldog and the Great Dane; that’s why it’s so giant.
Well, the size of this breed mainly depends on which parent breed is dominant.
If the Great Dane’s traits are more dominant, then the pup will turn out to be a giant. And if the bulldog’s traits are dominant, then the resulting breed might look like that.
American bulldog subsides from the Mastiff family, and it was imported to America in the 1800s. At that time, this breed was used for a luxurious American sport known as bull baiting.
Before World War II, farmers and ranchers used this breed as a working dog. This breed was on the urge of becoming extinct when a man from Georgia named John D. Johnson helped in its repopulation.
The true nature of the American Bulldog is quite aggressive and powerful. The Great Dane is famous for its stamina and speed. In Germany, he was known to be a great hunter.
This parent breed was also imported to the United States in the 1800s, and that’s when people came to know about it. It’s still loved by families and performs the role of watchdog very well.
So be prepared if you are thinking of adopting them!
American Bull Dane Job Card/Overview
| Name of the Breed | American Bull Dane |
| Other Names of the Breed | American Dane |
| Type of dog breed | Mixed/Hybrid/Crossbreed |
| Origin | United States |
| Born of | American Bulldog, Great Dane |
| Height | 27 – 35 inches |
| Weight | 100 – 200 lbs |
| Expectancy of Life | 8 – 10 years |
| Type of Coat | Soft and Smooth |
| Colors mostly common | Black, White |
| Level of grooming | Easy to groom |
| Level of shedding | Not Hypoallergenic |
| Persona | Affectionate, Loving, Independent, Strong |
| Living in an apartment | Suitable for spacious apartments |
| Friendly with other pets | Depends on socialization during puppyhood |
| Health issues/Diseases | Entropion, Elbow Dysplasia |
| Health in general | Good |
| Level of reasoning | Quite intelligent |
| Easy to train | Professional training required |
| Level of energy | Low energy level |
| Activity interests | Regular exercise |
| Number of Puppies | 3 – 9 puppies |
What to know
• They are lazy creatures who believe in saving energy as much as possible. But once they get disorderly, they will knock down every item in your house, so keep breakable items away from their reach.
• They also bark a lot, so you’ll become the noisy neighbor that everyone complains about. Relax; you can train them (your pet, not your neighbors!) on this.
• You might wonder if they grow big as they age, but that’s not entirely true.
• They can be as big as puppies, too.
• Also, this breed is a little clingy, and that might look adorable to you at first. Until later, they are everywhere you go.
Characteristics
Adaptability
These dogs are not a good fit for the owners who live in a small apartment. They need a larger space to play around.
Parents who are embarking upon this new journey of being paw parents after adopting this breed, be assured that they will be your best pet if you train them properly.
They have a good sensitivity level and can’t be left alone for a long time as they are social. They love to be in the hot weather and do not love to adapt themselves to the cold and chilly environment.
Adaptability
Adaptability to Apartment Living
Good for New Owners
Sensitivity
Good Being Alone
Adapts to Cold Weather
Adapts to Hot Weather
Friendliness
The American Bull Dane needs a lot of interaction with their owners. They love to be around people and share a great affectionate bond with whom they love.
They are friendly around other pets and kids, provided that they are introduced to them early by their owners. Small kids need to be supervised by their parents when they are around their pets.
They accept strangers only if they are introduced by their owners and should be careful as their prey drive is super strong.
All Around Friendliness
Lovable Around Family
Kid-Friendly
Pet-Friendly
Sociable with Strangers
Personality
Loving and affectionate are the words used to describe the American Bull Dane. This breed is considered to be a very lazy and energy-saving creature.
If you’re a couch potato, then this breed will become your perfect companion.
You will not have to watch TV alone anymore when you welcome this pup into your house. First-time owners are not suggested to get this breed as their first pet because it’s hard to train them.
Although the American Bull Dane is very smart and independent, it might not love to get trained by an inexperienced owner.
They are lazy, so you need to take them to dog parks to socialize. This breed is friendly with other pets, but its parent’s history as guard dogs makes them protective and alert too.
Temperament
Friendly with Kids
American Bull Dane is normally very sweet with children and other pets. But because it’s not aware of its big size, it can get excited and move around a lot, which can hurt others around it, especially when they are small in size.
You will need to train them on how to behave around kids and other pets to maintain harmony.
Amicable to Other Pets
The American Bull Dane’s ability to get along with other pets depends on how well they are socialized during their puppyhood.
If they are introduced to a wide variety of other pets, they can accept them and can be amicable towards them. If not, they might turn aggressive.
Sometimes, they can do great harm to smaller animals, like cats, without having any intention to do so. It is just that they need to be supervised when they are around other pets.
Barking Tendencies
These dogs bark excessively most of the time when they are bored or injured. They are not hyper like the other breeds, and they are highly trainable.
Their barks are quite loud enough and might wake the dead, so they might not go so well with the downstairs owners.
So proper training can teach them proper behavioral manners, and they can be your best dog too.
Possibilities of Staying Alone
Like all other breeds, the American Bull Dane also hates staying alone. Keeping them alone for a long time can develop anxiety and stress in them.
Also, they are too cute to be left out for a long time, and you wouldn’t like to keep your ball of fluffiness alone for a long time, would you?
Pros and Cons of American Bull Dane
Pros
- These dogs are friendly and sociable and have a gentle nature.
- They are used as natural guard dogs by police and military
- They love to be around their family members
Cons
- They can’t be left alone for a long time
- They bark excessively louder
- They are not adaptive to cold climates
Male vs. Female attitude
Whether male or female, American Bull Dane has the same attitude irrespective of gender. They are lazy creatures who love to lay around in the house.
Their bark is loud, no matter male or female, so that can scare you.
Appearance
General Appearance
The American Bull Dane resembles both of its parents. This is a giant breed that resembles Great Dane sizing.
These dogs have a smooth and shiny coat that has various color combinations, but most commonly black and white. Their tails are long and tapering.
Their short-hanging ears and their dark, attractive eyes will win your heart for sure. Their eye color is generally dark brown. They have a muscular and powerful physique.
Coat color
American Bull Dane’s smooth and shiny coat might have a variety of color combinations, but the common colors you will see are white and black.
Their coat length is small, and that’s what makes the grooming process easy.
Shedding
Their smooth coat sheds only moderately, so it’s a piece of good news for your house. However, you’ll still have to brush them even if they are shedding.
This will help remove the dead hair and itchiness. All dog breeds shed, so you should expect dog hair everywhere in your house.
Size
The American Bull Dane is normally considered a big breed in terms of size. But it can depend on which parent breed’s traits are more dominant.
The Great Dane is huge, so the mixed breed will also turn out to be the same if the traits of this parent are dominant.
On the other hand, the size can be a bit smaller if the American Bulldog’s traits are more dominant in the mixed breed.
Due to their big size, you should not leave this breed alone with kids or any other pets because they might hurt them unintentionally.
| Male | Female | |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 27-35” | 27-35” |
| Weight | 110-200 lbs | 100-190 lbs |
Health
To keep your dog healthy and prevent diseases rather than go in for cures, make sure you visit your doctor frequently and maintain a healthy and nutritious lifestyle and diet for your dog.
These are some common health issues seen in this breed when not taken proper care of.
| Health Problems |
|---|
| Entropion |
| Elbow and Hip Dysplasia |
| Ear infections |
| Bloat |
| Back problems |
| Hypothyroidism |
| Osteosarcoma |
| Osteochondritis |
| Heart disease |
| Health Test |
|---|
| Eye examinations |
| Hip evaluation |
| Elbow checkup |
| Thyroid tests |
| X-Rays |
| Full Body Physical Examination |
Health and Grooming Needs
Shedding
Drooling Ability
Effortless to Groom
Overall Health
Ability to Gain Weight
Size
Maintenance and Care
The American Bull Dane has moderate shedding and is not hypoallergenic. Its smooth and soft coat makes grooming very effortless.
Bathing should only be done every 6 to 8 weeks. To keep the coat clean and hygienic, use a rubber curry brush, it will also get rid of dead hair.
Make it a routine to trim nails every 2 to 3 weeks. In the case of oral hygiene, brush your pet’s teeth daily.
You might notice minor drooling in this breed, but that’s fine. Don’t forget to clean and wipe its ears weekly to avoid any yeast or bacterial infection.
Grooming
Their coat length is small, and that’s what makes the grooming process easy. It might get difficult for you to groom alone when your pup grows big.
So it’s better to take them to a dog grooming center so they get friendly with them from the start.
Food and nutrition
You need to provide your American Bull Dane with high-quality food that will be packed with adequate proteins and vitamins and does not have any animal by-products.
This breed’s energy level might be low, but you still need to feed him energy-giving foods. Take notes from your vet also about what to feed him and what not.
These dogs are extremely food lovers, so using treats and feasts during training can often be successful.
Don’t overfeed your Bull Dane, as it may be disastrous for their health and waistline. Consult with your pet dietician about what type of food your dog will need.
Food Cost
It is advised by pet nutritionists to provide 2-3 cups of dog food every day to the American Bull Dane breed.
The daily cost will be around $1.50-$1.90. The monthly cost sums up to be around $40.00-$55.00.
Exercise and activity level
It’s adorable when you see the American Bull Dane lying by your side all day, not disturbing you to take them on walks.
They are lazy creatures, but you have to take care of them, that’s why you bought them.
Their size makes it necessary to do daily exercise. Get ready to take them on at least 2 to 3 walks in a day; each session should be at least half an hour long.
Plus, 30 to 40 minutes of a daily exercise session.
These dogs are talented and playful and will take every opportunity to goof around but will not get angry if they don’t play tug-of-war for a day or two.
Providing proper mental stimulation is important as they are good hunting dogs.
Go easy on any activities that need running and jumping. They are not ideal pups for agility training.
Just keep a check that they shouldn’t be getting fat, otherwise, you might have to ramp up their exercise levels if they start getting pudgy.
Physical Needs
Energy Scale
Intensity
Exercise Requirements
Ready to Play
Trainability
Bull Danes have a good reputation for being gentle breeds, but you shouldn’t trust their nature always.
Being a paw parent, you will have to give your dog proper training to let them know how to behave politely.
Start their training since they are small puppies, as it might get more difficult as they physically mature.
Training these dogs can be a bit tough as they get extremely stubborn sometimes, and smart enough as they figure out ways around what you want them to do.
So, remaining firm and consistent is important. Positive reinforcement training is the best method for getting through to these breeds.
They are food-motivated, so a treat or two will get them to do whatever you want them to do.
However, if you are not sure whether you can handle a Bull Dane, you can always call a pro.
Trainability
Unchallenging to Train
Intelligence
Bully
Need to Howl or Bark
Navigation Potential
Conclusion
The American Bull Dane, a mix of American Bulldog and Great Dane, is a big but loving companion.
They’re fine in apartments if exercised. They can be a bit lazy and mischievous, so training helps. They’re good family pets if cared for and socialized.
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FAQs on American Bull Dane Dog breed…
Where do the American Bull Dane dog breeds come from?
This breed originates from the United States of America
What is the best diet routine for an American bull-dane dog?
Don’t give them food that makes them even lazy. Ask your vet about food that provides energy to this breed.
How much exercise is required for an American Bull Dane?
30 to 40 minutes of daily exercise session ??
I am a passionate animal lover with a lifelong commitment to pet care. With over a decade of experience as a pet owner, I’ve nurtured a variety of furry and feathered friends, from cats and dogs to birds and reptiles. I possess a deep understanding of their unique needs, behavior, and health. My mission is to share my knowledge and insights to help fellow pet enthusiasts provide the best possible care for their beloved companions.