Miniature Great Danes (also known as ‘Mini’ Great Danes) are the pocket-sized version of our favorite giant breed dog.
A petite micro Great Dane is still a giant breed dog, but smaller in size. Some people prefer this as it allows them to enjoy the wonderful Great Dane temperament when having a 140+ lb dog isn’t practical.
Are minature Great Danes a breed, and where can you get one? We’ll answer these questions and more below!
Do Miniature Great Danes Exist?
Mini Great Danes are real. They are not a separate breed, but rather they are just small Great Danes.
Miniature Great Danes are not runts. A runt is the smallest pup in a litter and many runts grow into normal sized adults. In some cases, the runt of a Great Dane litter can outgrow their littermates!
On the flip side, some Great Dane runts have health problems and may never reach full size; this does not make them ‘miniature’ in the traditional sense.
Actual mini Great Danes, on the other hand, are dogs of normal weight and proportions. They just happen to be petite.
There is no dwarfism or other genetic condition that causes miniature Great Danes to be small; they simply inherit genes from their parents that result in a smaller size.
On average, an adult Great Dane will weigh between 110 – 170lbs. There are many Great Danes who fall onto the lighter end of the spectrum, with some never even growing past 100lbs!
Are Petite Great Danes Healthier?
There is no evidence that Miniature Great Danes are healthier than their larger counterparts.
A well-bred Great Dane from a diligent breeder focused on the written standard for Great Danes is most likely to live a long, robust life.
Breeders who intentionally breed for petite (or huge) size are often utilizing unethical breeding practices. Some of those puppies tend to look more like a ‘small Great Dane looking dog’ than an actual, purebred Great Dane.
Contrary to popular belief, mini Great Danes are not a ‘designer’ dog. You should not pay more for a ‘mini Great Dane’.
Miniature Great Danes are Still Giant Breed Dogs
While ‘Mini’ Great Danes are smaller than their full-sized cousins, they are still giant breed dogs and have the same nutritional needs.
A small Great Dane should be fed a high-quality diet formulated for large breed dogs to ensure they grow at a healthy rate.
We do not recommend intentionally stunting, or increasing a dog’s growth by feeding an incorrect diet!
Choose a high-quality large breed formula. We prefer brands such as Pro Plan which are backed by nutrition research and science.
BONUS POST: Is my Great Dane too Skinny!?
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Cannot find a breeder of miniature Great Danes.
Hello,
No ethical or reputable breeder will intentionally breed for miniature-sized Great Danes. If you want a pocket/petite Dane, your best bet is to go through a rescue and adopt a smaller dog or a Dane that has been mixed with something. We have an amazing 95-pound female Dane that came from a rescue!
I have two “miniature” Danes. 75 and 78 lbs ?
Petite and perfect! 🙂
Good afternoon,
I am a 68 year old, divorced teacher. I have had Great Danes for over 45 years. I am at the point in my life where I would love to have another Great Dane, a mini Great Dane would be a Godsend. I love the breed, but a smaller dog now would be more appropriate. Could you tell me where I might be able to find a reputable breeder? Thank you so much. I truly appreciate your help.
Hello,
No reputable breeder will intentionally breed ‘mini’ Great Danes. However, if you look at the breeder registry at http://www.gdca.org and reach out to breeders in your area, tell them that you want a more petite dog. They may know breeders whose pedigrees don’t tend to be massive in general, or they themselves might have a litter that isn’t genetically going to be massive and huge (but still within the breed standard. Avoid the “EURO” breeders as they are largely unethical/backyard breeders anyways and intentionally breed for large size/heft.
I also recommend visiting your local shelter. There are many large/giant breed dogs there with known temperaments, including Danes or Dane mixes that are on the small side! 🙂
Good luck in your search!