Saint Dane

Characteristics

Health & Longevity

Average Life Span: 6-10 years
The Saint Dane is a hybrid breed of the Great Dane and the Saint Bernard. This breed is considered hearty and healthy, but does have a shorter life expectancy than other breeds due to the sheer size of the pup. While the Saint Dane is a lovely breed, it is important that you pay attention to some of the health conditions that can appear in this breed. When it comes to the possible medical conditions, you need to look at both of the parent breeds and also review the test records of the parents. The common medical problems the Saint Dane faces includes bloat, heart problems, cancer, epilepsy, eye problems, and joint dysplasia.

Bloat can turn into a fatal condition if not treated quickly. Bloat occurs when your pup swallows too much air and it is trapped within the stomach. This condition causes the stomach to expand and place additional pressure on the organs.

Heart problems are no stranger to large breed dogs and it is important that you have your pup checked every year. Some of the common medical conditions that your Saint Dane may have include heart disease, a murmur, or something similar.

Cancer is another concern that you need to watch out for. With swift treatment, cancer may be completely eradicated from your dog. Various types of cancers can occur from stomach to brain and more.

Seizures or epilepsy sometimes occur in dogs and may be present in your Saint Dane as well. You will usually notice seizures around two years old. It is important to know how to handle the seizures as they can range from mild to quite severe in nature.

Eye problems can also show themselves in your Saint Dane and can vary from a localized eye infection to retinal atrophy or even blindness.

Lastly, you may notice that your Saint Dane suffers from joint dysplasia. The joints affected include the elbow and the hip. One or both sets of joints can be affected. This is a painful condition and may cause lameness in your pup’s front or back limbs.

The Saint Dane’s life expectancy is 6 to 10 years.

Temperament & Train-ability

The Saint Dane is considered to be an affectionate, loving, playful, and even tempered breed. You will find that this breed likes cuddling and will show you as much love as he or she can.

While this breed likes to receive cuddles, they often forget their size and will try to be a lap dog. You will find that your Saint Dane will do what he or she can to be near you and will always have a part of their body touching yours.

This breed is not a watch dog, but is protective of his or her family and is weary of strangers that enter the home. You may catch your pup barking when he or she is worried or fears danger may be impending.

You need to make sure that you are quite active because your pup will require quite a bit of attention and exercise. This breed does not make a good apartment dog and will not do well cooped up in a home either. You should be able to provide your Saint Dane with a large yard to run around in and burn off all of their energy on a daily basis.

The Saint Dane is great with other pets and kids within the home, but you need to remember that this pup is quite large and may forget just how big he or she actually is.

This breed is considered to be intelligent and will train easily and without much frustration. You need to make sure that you are consistent and firm to prevent your pup from thinking that he or she is the pack leader. Harsh methods do not work well with this breed and he or she may become stubborn.

Grooming

The Saint Dane does not have a lot of grooming needs, but this pup sheds quite a bit, so be prepared. You should brush his or her coat a couple of times a week to prevent excessive shedding and to keep tangles and mats out.

You do not need to bathe your Saint Dane on a regular basis and should only do so when he or she is really dirty or smells bad. Though you do not need to bathe him or her on a regular basis, you should clean his or her ears once every 7 days to help prevent ear infections.

Lastly, you should trim your pup’s nails to prevent them from growing out too long, as this can be quite painful for your Saint Dane.

Diet

You can expect your Saint Dane to eat a hefty amount of food per day. In fact, this breed requires 4 1/2 cups to 6 cups of food per day. You should choose a quality dry food that contains a lot of protein and has the needed nutrients for your active pup.

You definitely want to stay away from wet food, as this can lead to obesity and will not provide your pup with the nutrients it needs.
 

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Cost

A Saint Dane puppy will cost anywhere between $200 and $1,100. This will depend on the breeder you choose and also the demand for the puppy.

In addition to the cost of the puppy, you will need to factor in costs for veterinary care, vaccines, and pet supplies. This can cost anywhere from $500 to $2,000 per year.

Paws ‘N’ Pups Ranking

Paws ‘N’ Pups ranks every breed out of 4 with 1 being easiest to integrate into your life and 4 being the toughest – The lower the ranking the better.

Ranking takes into account a few basic factors including cost, skill level needed, high vs low maintenance and how critical regular training is to success. The Saint Dane makes a great family pet and will do good in a home that has a fenced in yard or a family that is adventurous and outdoorsy. You will find that this breed trains easily and shows a ton of affection; however his size may be a challenge for some. This breed ranks a 1.5.

 

Great Dane

Saint Bernard

Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

Mastiff