If you’re a 90s kid who spent countless hours watching the best cartoons, this article is for you. We’ll answer the question you have always asked yourself: “What kind of dog is Scooby-Doo?”
Let’s talk about our favorite dog detective and the famous mystery gang.
For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about, Scooby-Doo was a famous cartoon show where a talking dog solved spooky mysteries. Learn more about it and follow along:
- Who Is Scooby-Doo?
- A Few Facts About Scoob
- Scooby-Doo — A Great Dane?
- Why Can Scoob Talk?
- How Scooby Made Great Danes Popular
- Famous Real-Life Great Danes
- What About Scrappy Doo?
Who Is Scooby-Doo?
Scooby-Doo is one of the most popular animated characters. His face was recognizable worldwide from the 1960s to the early 2000s. If you’re wondering, “What breed is Scooby-Doo?” the famous mystery solver is a Great Dane, a very famous dog breed.
Scooby is part of the mystery gang, consisting of his best friend Norville “Shaggy” Rogers, Velma Drinkey, Fred Jones, and Daphne Blake.
Who Created The Series?
Iwao Takamoto is the father and creator of the famous series about the one and only Scooby-Doo. Joe Ruby and Ken Spears wrote the original series “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” in 1969.
Iwao Takamoto worked for Hanna-Barbera Productions as a cartoonist and character designer. The first episode, called “What a Night for a Knight,” debuted on CBS on September 13, 1969.
The Overall Plot
The plot revolves around the gang traveling the world in its Mystery Machine van and solving cases. The gruesome and horrific part is always accompanied by comical references and witty remarks, with the iconic unmasking at the end of each episode.
The Scooby-Doo dog and his gang of teenage mystery solvers aren’t always keen on facing the many ghouls, fiends, vampires, and monsters. Sometimes they also enjoy tasty food and their all-time favorite Scooby snacks.
Spin-Offs and Reboots
There are many spin-offs and reboots about the Scooby-Doo Great Dane. For instance, there was a one-hour episode called “The New Scooby-Doo Movies” with famous 70’s characters, like Batman and The Addams Family. Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo was also a favorite ABC production series in the 1980s.
Another Hanna-Barbera production is “A Pup Named Scooby-Doo,” depicting the younger versions of the original characters. The latest animated series is “Scooby-Doo and Guess Who.” HBO Max also announced a Velma spin-off.
A Few Facts About Scoob
So, what kind of dog is Scooby-Doo? Now that you know it’s a Great Dane, let’s learn a few more facts about Scoobster.
He’s a full-grown talking dog, featuring in animated series and movies for more than five decades. That’s pretty impressive for a dog that gets scared of his own shadow.
The creator of Scooby, Iwao Takamoto, shared some fascinating insights about the character. Namely, he made it the opposite of a Great Dane in character and personality.
His Full Name
Scooby-Doo’s real name is Scoobert Doo. It’s a pretty funny name for one of the biggest dog breeds. That information was disclosed in the 1988 spin-off called “A Pup Named Scooby-Doo.”
His Height
The famous mystery solver is shoulder to shoulder with Shaggy, so it stands around 3–4 feet on all fours. It’s about 6–7 feet standing on its hind legs.
His Weight
The famous character has quite the appetite, similar to every real-life Great Dane like Scooby-Doo. It’s a good thing that he’s always running away from ghosts and ghouls. That’s how he stays pretty fit.
Scooby’s weight is around 120 pounds, a little below the average for a Great Dane.
His Age
Great Danes have a life expectancy of about 7–10 years. In the animated series, your favorite four-legged detective is around seven years old. Despite going into his final stages, Scooby is full of energy and looks like a dog living his best years.
Scooby-Doo — A Great Dane?
Although we now know what breed is Scooby-Doo, he isn’t your typical Great Dane. Iwao Takamoto made a twist and depicted Scooby as a Great Dane that’s clumsy, easily frightened, and weird.
He isn’t your typical guide dog, and neither are most real-life Great Danes. If you’re on the lookout for perfect guide dog breeds, check out these:
- Golden Retriever
- Cane Corso
- Labrador Retriever
- German Shepherd
- Doberman Pinscher
Physical Comparison
Deemed as the Apollo of Dogs, a Great Dane can reach a height of up to 32 inches and weigh an astonishing 180 pounds. Despite its enormous size, this real-life Scooby-Doo dog is incredibly gentle and affectionate. But taking it for a walk is no easy task, and you’ll likely need to use a comfortable large dog harness.
Scooby-Doo resembles the Great Dane to some extent but not entirely. For example, the cartoon character’s coat is brown with dark spots, while a real-life Great Dane can come in:
- Merle
- Brindle
- Blue
- Black
- Black and white
- Harlequin
Courageous Dog vs a Scaredy-Cat
A breed like the Scooby-Doo Great Dane is famous for its guardian-like character. These pups are fierce protectors and guard dogs that will protect your home from any unwelcome intruders. In contrast, Scooby-Doo is depicted as a scaredy-cat that runs away and hides from any sign of danger.
The Mind Of A Detective
This breed has outstanding problem-solving skills, whether we’re talking about the animated character or a Great Dane. They’re incredibly sharp and can quickly tell if you’re a friend or a foe.
Scooby-Doo also has quick reactions when facing monsters and other terrifying creatures. That’s a result of his excellent coordination and sharp mind.
What About Personal Space?
Great Danes are enormous love bugs that will stick to you at any given moment. They don’t have the slightest regard for your personal space. Despite its giant size, a Scooby-Doo type of dog is a friendly and loveable lap dog.
The cartoon character is also a great friend and an overly-affectionate dog. When he’s startled, he rushes into Shaggy’s arms instantly. That’s his safe place.
An Insatiable Appetite
Like in the animated series, a Great Dane can have quite the appetite and eat large amounts of food.
After all, large dogs need highly nutritious food to stay healthy and fit. That helps prevent obesity and bloating, which are common issues for Great Danes.
A Scooby-Doo kind of dog can bring lots of joy into your life. You just have to provide an abundance of love and affection. But you have to be mindful of their diet. In return, you can rest assured that your home will be well guarded against any intruders.
Scoob’s Speech
Although the famous character loves to communicate in the show, a Great Dane sadly can’t talk. In the animated series, Scoob has a recognizable speech and adds a lot of r’s to words that don’t begin with consonants. That’s a medical condition known as “Rhotic Replacement.”
How Scooby Made Great Danes Popular
The adventures of Scooby-Doo were trendy when the show first aired. People were always asking: “What dog is a Scooby-Doo breed, and where can we find one?”
The number of adopted Great Danes first jumped in 1969 and rose to its peak in the 1980s.
Increase in the Great Dane Population
With the Scooby-Doo and Scrappy-Doo spin-off series, people were more determined than ever to get their hands on a Great Dane puppy. There were almost 3,000 registered cases of newborn puppies of the Scooby-Doo dog breed in 1980.
The Dog Movie Star Effect
In the late 1990s, Warner Bros. and producer Charles Roven made a series of live-action films with the famous Scoobert.
For the 40th Scooby-Doo anniversary, Cartoon Network released another live-action film on September 13, 2009, called “Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins.” Scooby remains a favorite dog movie star even after all this time.
Famous Real-Life Great Danes
There are no dog breeds that look like Scooby-Doo, except for the Great Dane. And the breed features some famous real-life dogs. For instance, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, Freddy is the largest living dog, standing at 7 feet and 5.5 inches on his hind legs.
There’s also Zeus — the most famous real-life Great Dane. He’s the former biggest dog in the world, measured at 7 feet and 4 inches when standing and weighing around 155 pounds.
What About Scrappy Doo?
Scrappy Doo became instantly famous as the troublesome nephew of Scooby-Doo during the 1980s. He resembles Scooby-Doo Great Dane puppies, but unlike his scaredy-cat and low-key uncle, Scrappy is always looking for a fight. He’s fearless, much like a real-life Great Dane. He’s also popular for his catchphrase “Puppy Power!”
Final Thoughts on Your Favorite Dog Detective
We hope that this trip to the past helped you learn everything you need to know about the dog mystery solver.
So, what kind of dog is Scooby-Doo? It’s a Great Dane — a wonderful companion and a gentle giant that will melt your heart.
Scooby-Doo remains a fan-favorite character that left his mark. It still brings moments of fun, joy, and laughter to young and old audiences. After reading this article, be sure to give your Great Dane some extra love.
