What Kind of Dog is Scooby-Doo? Fantasy vs Reality

We all know him by name. But what kind of dog is Scooby-Doo? There are so many assumptions and myths all around the Scooby’s cartoon character. Therefore, we did in-depth research on Scooby-Doo and pick-up so many interesting features about Scooby-Doo and his real-world life.

We carefully observe the different cast of Scooby-Doo and try to find out his behavioral reason, breed history and his real life-match. We also discuss how you can pet a real Scooby-Doo. You will get all information from breed origin to training, food, nutrition, special ability and lot more and more about celluloid animation and real-life Scooby-Doo.

Fantasy of Scooby-Doo

Cartoons are the most attractive source of entertainment for most children around the world. We, the people who are now grown-ups also cherish our memories of those days where remembering the airing time of different cartoons was our only concern. Everybody had e favorite one from their time. But those born in the 2000s surely has a lot of memories of spending the entire evening engulfed in the mystery of the cartoon “Scooby-Dooby-Doo, Where Are You?” The dog Scooby-Doo created a huge fan base in a short period. Did you ever wonder what type of dog he was? What was his real name, and how did he look like? Most of us could not figure them out. And a considerable portion still has questions wandering in their mind. Moreover, many dog lovers also cherish a fantasy of having a Scooby for real.

So, here we are going to have a short discussion about this fascinating dog and will talk about the interesting unknown facts about Scooby-Doo.

Brief History of Scooby-Doo                                  

If we enter the imaginary animated world of the cartoon, we will find Scooby-Doo as an eponymous character and protagonist of the television franchise “Scooby- Dooby- Doo, Where Are You”. The characteristics of this Scooby slightly varies from the real-life Great Danes.

Scooby-Doo Cast and Adaptation:

Scooby-Doo Cast

1969-1976: What a Night for a Knight

On September 13, 1969, the first episode of Scooby-Doo “What a Night for a Knight” debuted on the CBS network. Each of the episodes featured Scooby along with four teenage members of Mystery, Inc-Fred, Shaggy, Daphne and Velma. The role of each character was definite in the series. Shaggy and scooby were cowards and were more motivated by hunger than any desire to solve mysteries; Daphne is danger prone, Velma is the analyst and Fred is the leader and determined detective.

1976-1991: The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour

From (1976-1977) 16 new episodes of Scooby-Doo were joined with a new Hanna-Barbera show, Dynomutt, Dog Wonder, to create “The Scooby-Doo/Dynomutt Hour.” This show later became the two-hour programming block “Scooby’s All-Star Laff-A-Lympics.

1979: Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo

Scooby’s tiny nephew Scrappy-Doo was added to the series in 1979. In 1980, the series was aired under the new title Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo and succeeded in regenerating interest in the show which dropped during the (1978-79) session. Because of this success, the entire show was overhauled in 1980 to focus more upon Scrappy-Doo. Later from 1982-1983, Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo were part of The Scooby-Doo/Scrappy-Doo/Puppy Hour.

However, the new cast Scrappy-Doo clearly belonged to the Great Dane breed and was a Great Dane puppy.

1985:The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo

In 1985, the series came up with a new name, “The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo”, which featured Daphne, Shaggy, Scooby, Scrappy and new characters Film-Flam and Vincent Van Ghoul. A 1988 episode of this series shows that Scooby’s last name is “Doo” from which it was known that the real name of Scooby is Scoobert Doo. Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! was reincarnated in 1988 with a new series titled “A Pup Named Scooby-Doo”. The retooled show remained in production for four seasons until 1991.

2002-2006: What’s New Scooby-Doo?

The original version of the gang was updated for the 21st century and aired on Kids’ WB from 2002 to 2005 with the name “What’s New Scooby-Doo?”

2006-2008: Shaggy and Scooby-Doo Get a Clue!

In September 2006, the previous three seasons of “What’s New Scooby-Doo” was replaced with “Shaggy and Scooby-Doo Get a Clue!”

2010-2013:

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated

“Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated,” having two seasons broadcasted in the cartoon network up to 2013.

2015-2018:

Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! In 2015, the series again came up with countenance having a new title, “Be Cool, Scooby-Doo!”

2019-Present:

Scooby-Doo and Guess Who is the most recent version of scooby doo broadcasted in the Boomerang having 1 season. Other than television series, there are also The New Scooby-Doo Movies,animated theatrical films, live-action theatrical films, animated TV films, animated direct-to-video films and web series based on the Scooby-Doo concept.

Scooby-Doo Fan Celebrate 50 years of ‘Scooby-Doo’

What kind of Dog is Scooby-Doo? Similarity Analysis of the Scooby-Doo with Real World:

The appearance of the Scooby-Doo was contradictory to the real dogs of his breed. He has a humpback, bowed legs, small chin and was brown-colored, which does not exist for real. Generally, he is a quadruped with four toes in each foot but also displays bipedal ‘human’ characters occasionally. In contradiction to other dogs, he has one pad on each of his paws. Scooby has a prehensile tail and both his head and tail are useful as a communication aid or creating a distraction. In addition to this, he has some fictional qualities as he can communicate like humans and also has the same level of intelligence.

Age of Scooby-Doo:

Scooby is seven years old.

Comparison Between Scooby-Doo, Great Dane and German Shepard:

Facts

Scooby-Doo

Great  Dane

German Shepard

Size

Large as a Great Dane.

Large with a long and rectangular head.

Large size

Color

Brown with black spots.

Fawn, Brindle, Black, Harlequin, Mantle, Blue.

Black, Black and Tan, Sable, Red and Black, Grey, Black and Silver

Eyes

Black

Puppies: Blue eyesAdults: Morph into a shade of Brown.

Mostly Brown

Rarely blue

Ears

Erect and pointed.

Erect, pointed and medium size.

Floppy ears up to 1 year of age which stands straight up later.

Tail

Fully prehensile tail which is malleable.

The long tail is carried over the level of the back.

Curly tail carried higher than the horizontal level of the back.

Weight

70 lbs

Male: 130-180 pounds

Female:110-150 pounds

Male: 65-90 pounds

Female: 50-70 pounds

Height

12 paws

Male: 130-180 pounds

Female:110-150 pounds

Male: 65-90 pounds

Female: 50-70 pounds

 

Food Habit

Scooby snacks, pizza, ice-cream

Adult dog food, Whole meat like lamb, beef, fish and whole chicken.

Cooked fish, Pink salmon, Trout, Sardines and Jack mackerel.

Strength

Weaker relative to the real Great Dane dogs

They are one of the most powerful dogs.

They have the power and strength of a 70-80 lb average weight

Special Capability

Can talk like human and also has the same intelligence level. Also can discover peoples scent and track them down.

They were once used for hunting boars

Intelligent and capable working dogs. Their devotion and courage are unmatched

Friendliness

Friendly

Friendly and patient with people.

wonderful companion and  friendly behaviour.

Is Scooby-Doo a Great Dane?

What kind of Dog is Scooby-Doo

Scooby-Doo is a Great Dane, which I suppose most dog lovers already suspected. Though there is a slight contradiction that it might be a German Shepherd. Most of the cartoon analysts agreed on Scooby-Doo is a Great Dane of German origin. The reason behind this might be the following characteristics:

  • Large size and strong galloping figure.
  • Rectangular head
  • Erect ears and pointed.
  • Great Danes are lovable just like Scooby.
  • Typically, friendly and patient with people.
  • Great Dane dogs were once thought to ward away ghosts and evil spirits and so was thought as the perfect companion for those meddling kids. This was one main reason behind choosing the Great Dane dog as a cartoon cast in Scooby-Dooby-Doo.

Facts about real Scooby-Doo(Great Dane)

Breed Origin of Great Dane:

The name “Great Dane” is misleading as people may think that his origin is Danish. Instead, this breed has an origin history from Germany. They are also known as the Apollo of dogs and is thought to have been around for more than 400 years. Their ancestors are said to appear first on the Egyptian monuments with a man in 3000 BC. How Great Danes got to Europe is a highly debated issue. Some historians claim they were first introduced to Europe during the Mongolian invasion around the 5th century. Others think that Roman soldiers brought them to Italy during campaigns across Northern Africa. Once the breed got to Europe, it was likely crossed with the English Mastiff and Irish Wolfhound in Celtic settlements to make the modern body of the Great Dane.

The last major change in this breed came in the 16th century. In 1880, the German started to call this breed as “Deutsche Dogge” which means German mastiff instead of Great Dane. However, the breed continues to be called Great Dane in English speaking countries.

These giant-sized dogs were famous among the upper class for sport, a few other dogs could bring down a wild boar. Gradually, they have become popular among its dwellers who keep them to help guards against robbers.

If you want to know your Dog Breed,it is  easy now.

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Different Breeds of Great Danes:

  • Harlequin Great Dane,
  • Merle Great Dane,
  • Grey Great Dane,
  • White Great Dane,
  • Fawn Great Dane,
  • Brindle Great Dane,
  • Black Great Dane,
  • Chocolate Great Dane,
  • Mantle Great Dane,
  • Blue Great Dane,
  • Boston Great Dane.

Popular Great Dan Mix:

  • Merle Great Dane + Harlequin Great Dane = White Danes
  • Great Dane + German Shepherd = Dane Shepherd
  • Great Dane + Golden Retriever = Great Golden Dane
  • Great Dane + Bulldog = Bull Dane
  • Great Dane + Poodle = Great Danoodle
  • Great Dane + Pit Bull Terrier = Great Danebull
  • Great Dane + Doberman = Doberdane
  • Great Dane + Foxhound = Foxy Dane

The popularity of Great Dan (Real Life Scooby Doo):

Real-Life Scooby-Doo

Great Dane, being gentle and affectionate, is one of the most popular breeds in the United States and beyond. They were ranked as the 14th most popular dog breeds in the US in 2017. The states where this breed is most famous are West Virginia, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, etc. In consideration of the color Fawn is the most popular as it is the most common. It’s also the most recognized; after all, Scooby-Doo was a fawn Great Dane. On the contrary, white is the rarest of all and is most susceptible to genetic defects.

Size and Weight of Great Dane:

Ideal height:
  • Male: 32-36 inches
  • Female: 28-33 inches
Ideal weight:
  • Male: 140-180 pounds
  • Female: 110-150 pounds

Though Great Danes are ‘gentle giant’, the puppies are small. Puppies of this breed grow rapidly, and each week immense increment is seen in their height and weight.

The average weight for a Great Dane puppy of 7-8 weeks is between 18-26 pounds. Yet, the range may differ considering the gender of the puppy. In case of height, some Great Danes hit rapid growth in 3-5 months of age whilst there are Great Danes who observe growth spurts even at 11 months of age.

Growth pattern of a finely grown Great Dane

Age

Weight

(lbs)

Height

(Inch)

At birth

1-2

NA

1-2 weeks

2-5

NA

3-6 weeks

5-20

NA

2 months

18-26

13-18

3 months

30-45

17-23

4 months

45-65

21-26

5 months

60-85

23-30

6 months

70-105

26-33

7 months

75-110

27-34

8 months

80-120

27-35

9 months

85-125

28-35

12 month/

1-year 

90-140

29-36

Life Span:

  • The life span of Great Danes is generally between 8-10 years, with some living only 6-7 years, and a few lucky reaching the ripe old age of 12.
  • Being gigantic, they are prone to quite a few health problems that can shorten their life span.
  • Great Danes frequently suffer from cardiomyopathy, a disease of the heart muscle that leads to enlargement of the heart itself. And that’s why they are known to have big hearts.
  • They experience bone and joint diseases, like hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis.
  • This breed is particularly susceptible to bloat, a fatal condition that results in the stomach twisting and cutting off the blood supply.
  • They are also prone to thyroid problems. Autoimmune thyroiditis commonly causes hypothyroidism in Great Danes. But this disease can be regulated with medication.

Strength of Great Dan:

Great Danes are powerful, calm, trainable and courageous. They become natural guard but their even temperament makes them a good social companion. But are Great Danes good fighter? The fight has been bred out of the canines, and now modern-day Danes prefer a more leisurely lifestyle. As a matter of fact, docile pooches make excellent additions to families and are rarely aggressive.

Behavior of Great Dan:

  1. These breed dogs are known as an excellent social companion. Their characteristics that go in favor of the statement:
  2. Loveable, friendly, devoted, loyal, gentle and affectionate.
  3. Playful and get along with other animals, especially if raised with them.
  4. Good with children.
  5. Easy to train.
  6. Guard their owner’s home.

Do you want to test your beloved pet’s IQ:

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Food Schedule and Nutrition :

Great Dane puppies:

3-6 months:

Male: 4-8 cups of food daily, divided into at least 3 servings.

Female: 3-6 cups of food daily.

8-12 months:

Male: 6-10 cups  of food daily.

Female: 5-8 cups of food daily

 1-2 years (adolescent Danes):

Male: 9-15 cups of food daily.Female: 8 cups of food daily.

Feeding the adult Great Dane:

 Male: 8-10 cups of food daily. Female: 6-8 cups of food daily.

In terms of calories, average adult Great Dane requires approximately 2,500 calories daily. But a younger adult with an active lifestyle may need roughly 3,000 calories per day. The food should consist of a minimum of:

Protein: 23%Fat: 12%

The 5 best dog foods for Great Danes:

They also eat a variety of meat and fish which includes everything from beef to buffalo, chicken to caribou. They should be fed with raw meaty bones where raw means uncooked, not smashed or splintered whole bones. Organ meat needs to be a part of the diet. Liver should be the main organ meat. Fish are also wonderful for them but they should not be given Pacific Salmon, Sea trout, etc. as they carry a parasite deadly to Danes. Eggs, fish oils and other supplements can also be beneficial for the dog. It should be kept in mind that he should be fed approximately 3% of the healthy weight of the dog, whereas the puppies need to be fed 10% of their weight.

Training module of Great Dane:

Great Dane is a huge but gentle dog. They can be easily trained with patience and giving them proper time. Some basic training facts which should be followed:

  • To start early. Training can be started when the dog is around 8-10 weeks old.
  • Not to beat the dog if he is not acting in the proper way. This may make the dog scared of the owner or can also start to hate him.
  • To reward the dog for appropriate behavior. This will connect the dog’s behavior with a pleasant feeling.
  • To express dissatisfaction firmly and calmly if he is engaging in a behavior that he shouldn’t. In this situation, short and sharp commands should be given in a calm voice which includes a phrase like “No” or “Uh” or “Oh.”
  • To be patient. It is necessary to keep with all the different types of training. If a particular treatment is not working, we need to mix it up.
  • To socialize the dog early with other dogs and people early in his life. For this purpose, the dog should be taken to a dog park, people can be invited in the home, or to enroll him in socialization classes, which are given by professionals. This part of the training is very important because if he attacks other dogs or people, he can do major damage.
  • To keep the training sessions short. They should last no longer than five minutes at first. As he gets older, the length of the sessions should be increased gradually.
  • To make rewards less predictable. This makes him wonder why he didn’t get a treat and will make him work harder in the future to get the next reward. And the type of reward should be changed frequently.

Specialized training:

Potty training:

This training should be started as soon as the dog is brought home. It should be started by designating a specific place in your home that will be his toilet place. He needs to be taken there every 20-30 minutes at first, changing to once as he gets older. When he learns to do it properly, he should be praised and he should be given proper attention and affection. To properly potty train the Great Dane, a close watch on him all the time should be kept. This means the owner needs to follow him around, keep him in his crate or keep him on a leash.

Bath training:

Great Danes require regular bathing and grooming. They can be bathed weekly up to every six to eight weeks depending on his activity level and lifestyle. Regular bathing is essential to minimize shedding and to maintain healthy skin and coat.

Average Cost of Having a Great Dan:

Great and Puppy:

The average cost of a Great Dane puppy from the official breeders in the United States ranges between $600-$3,000. This price varies depending on their health, genetics and age.

After buying a puppy, the total cost of the first two years of a health Great Dane will likely range between $3,000-$10,000.

Adult Great Dan:

The average price range of an adult Great Dane will vary from $100-$400. It’s harder to train an older dog and working with behavioral issues may take some time. An older dog has benefits because:

  • Most of the time, an older dog has some basic obedience training.
  • Generally, they are already toilet trained.
  • Much calmer than puppies on the whole.

Other Famous Dog Cartoon Character:

Like Scooby-Doo, there are other fictional dog cartoon characters, namely Snoopy, Marmaduke, Odie, Brian Griffin, Droopy, Pluto, Goofy, etc. Among these, most of them are the animated cartoon characters that started their journey in the 1900s as a television series. But here we find Snoopy and Marmaduke as exceptions as their first appearance was through different routes other than television series.

What Kind of Dog Is Snoopy?

Snoopy is said to be the best representation of a BEAGLE. But why? There are seven most acceptable reasons behind it:

  1. Beagles are full of energy.
  2. They are very musical.
  3. Have a hefty appetite.
  4. Beagles can be lazy.
  5. They are loving.
  6. They are very intelligent.
  7. Beagles are loyal.

History of Snoopy

This fictional character Snoopy had his first debuted on October 4, 1950, as a pet of Charlie Brown in the comic strip Peanuts. He was seen in all the Peanut movies and television specials.

Traits of Snoopy

Snoopy is good-natured, loyal and is prone to imagining fantasy lives, including being an author, a college student known as “Joe Cool,” and an attorney. He usually pretends to be someone world-famous but fails. His “Sopwith Camel” is always shot by his imaginary rival and his short “novels” are never published. He also imagines himself to speak, but he never actually makes other nonverbal sounds. However, he needs to retreat into his fanciful world in order to survive. Other than this, he leads a dull and miserable life. Coming to his food habit, it was shown in 1990’s comic strips that he is obsessed with cookies, particularly the chocolate chip variety.

On the whole snoopy shows selfless love, care and loyalty for his owner, but sometimes he can also be selfish and lazy and is seen to mock his owner.

What Kind of Dog is Marmaduke?

Marmaduke- A messy but lovable Great Dan. This is a newspaper comic strip drawn by Brad Anderson from 1954 to 2015. The story revolved around Marmaduke owned by the Winslow family.

Cast of Marmaduke:

  • Marmaduke
  • Winslow family-
  • Phill
  • Debbie
  • Barbara
  • Brian
  • Mr and Mrs Synder
  • King Tut

Adaptation of Marmaduke

Marmaduke segments for the animated series “Heathcliff” was produced in 1980.

A live-action Marmaduke movie was released on June 4, 2010.

How Scooby-Doo Fan Celebrate and Show Their Love:

Scooby-Doo fan love to have fun and scooby feel at  home. they celebrate Halloween by wearing Scooby-Doo costume. They love to have scooby-doo toy for their dog. Not only that they love to have scooby feel all times, So they like to have scooby doo tag, scooby doo dog collar for their beloved pet and so on. So we include some information here;

Scooby Doo Costume:

You can have Scooby doo costume fun. There are varieties of Scooby doo costume for pet as well as for pet parents.

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Scooby Doo ID Tag for Pet:

You love to secure your pet. Do it with love and fun. Create a custom id tag with your address, phone number, mobile number, and your dog name on it.

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Scooby Doo Dog Toy:

Dog toy not only makes your puppy happy also makes him smart. He will love it. Fantasy and love combine with Scooby doo dog toy.

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Scooby Doo and Shaggy Poses Dye Dog Collar:

Do you like to to have a Scooby Doo The Mystery Machine Paint Dog Collar, Cheack Here:

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Final Thought of Scooby-Doo:

Hence, there’s no doubt that Scooby-Doo is one of the most iconic dogs in media and will continue to be so in the future. Scooby-Doo and his fantastic adventures are as popular with kids today as they were when he first appeared over 40 years ago. So, I hope this article brings you some childhood nostalgia and satisfies your interest in our beloved Scooby-Doo. Please put your thought below the comment box about” What kind of Dog is Scooby-Doo?”. So that we can update the article accordingly.

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