Whether you’re a soccer mom, a 9 to 5 office worker, or a teen roller skating on the sideways every weekend, you must have heard of Scooby-Doo.
He is unarguably one of the most popular animated movie characters in Hollywood, going as far back as the late 1960s.
For over five decades, this magnificent mystery solver has been in the history of mainstream entertainment.
Many dog lovers who are fans of Scooby-Doo might want to have a dog similar to the cartoon icon.
But, that means you should know what kind of dog is Scooby-Doo, and whether he picked up all the characteristics of that breed.
The same applies to another character that is his relative, the young Scrappy-Doo.
Looks like we’ve got another mystery on our hands, ladies, and gentlemen.
Scooby-Doo is majorly considered a Great Dane, but is he a complete Dane? With a cartoon character, there are many creative possibilities.
The Scooby Doo Character
The brain behind the Scooby-Doo character is a cartoonist named Iwao Takamoto who worked for Hanna Barbera Productions.
The original series was named “Scooby-Doo, Where are you?” and was created by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears.
The success of this series led to many others being made, including reruns for Cartoon Network and a spinoff by ABC.
In 2013, TV Guide compiled a list of 60 greatest cartoons. On the list, Scooby-Doo was ranked the 5th greatest.
It was superseded by cartoons like The Simpsons and Looney Tunes and topped some popular ones like Family Guy, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Batman.
Scooby-Doo solved mysteries alongside other characters like Shaggy Rogers, Fred Jones, Vilma Dinkley, and Daphne Blake. Shaggy is the owner of Scooby-Doo.
Scrappy Doo was created as the nephew of Scooby-Doo, and the former bears much resemblance to his uncle. Scrappy was created to save Scooby’s ratings.
What Kind of Dog is Scooby-Doo?
Scooby-Doo has been labeled a Great Dane but is not your typical Dane dog.
The cartoonist, Iwao Takamoto, decided to employ his creative licenses to deviate from the breed’s norm in many ways.
Though Takamoto admitted that Scooby-Doo has the physical looks of a Great Dane, that might be where the similarities end.
Let’s look at the Kennel Club’s description of the Great Dane’s general appearance:
“Very muscular, strongly though elegantly built, with look of dash and daring, of being ready to go anywhere and do anything. Head and neck carried high, tail in line with back, or slightly upwards, but never curled over hindquarters. Elegance of outline and grace of form most essential.”
The Kennel Club
The UK-based club also states that the Great Dane is alert, dignified, kind, friendly, outgoing, and brave.
In comparison with the Great Dane, Scooby-Doo is far from being refined or dignified.
- He looks and acts clumsy, which is untypical with a Great Dane. Scooby is also cowardly, a far cry from the guardian heart of the Great Dane.
- Where a standard Great Dane would be brave, Scooby is more likely to bolt.
- His coat color also lends to his uniqueness. The Great Dane’s color varies, and there’s usually a black-and-white pattern. Scooby-Doo is completely brown with some black spots.
These deviations did make him special and more relatable to viewers, especially children prone to fear.
Seeing their doggy hero go through the same struggles serve as an inspiration. It also offers comic relief, which is likely what the cartoonist wanted.
There are some similarities too.
- Like other Great Danes, Scooby-Doo eats a lot, considers himself a lapdog, is highly intelligent and friendly.
- Overall, we can term Scooby-Doo a non-standard Great Dane. While there are Great Danes similar to Scooby-Doo, don’t expect any to look and act the same way.
What Kind of Dog is Scrappy-Doo?
Scrappy-Doo, like his uncle, is also a peculiar Great Dane.
However, he is different from his uncle in that he was obnoxious, unlike Scooby-Doo’s friendly nature.
He did show a lot of affection for Scooby, a trait that draws him closer to the Great Dane’s standards.
That said, we would consider Scrappy-Doo an average Great Dane, seeing as Danes are too refined and gentle to be villains.
Dogs That Look Like Scooby-Doo & Scrappy-Doo in Real Life
Now that we’ve solved the mystery of Scooby-Doo’s breed (and his peculiarities), time to explore some dogs that look like Scooby-Doo, in terms of physical features.
A couple of these dogs look like Scooby-Doo come to life. Interested in getting a Scooby-Doo lookalike? Here are 10 dogs that look just like him!
#1. If you doubt it, just look at the facial expression
#2. That face is Scooby staring at a ghost
#3. If Scooby-Doo was an introvert
#4. This must be the real-life Scoob as a puppy
#5. This could be Scrappy-Doo at his best
Commonly Asked Questions
Is Scooby-Doo based on a real dog?
Although it was inspired by Great Danes, Scooby-Doo is a completely fictional dog breed, the main character of an animated movie.
What breed of dog is Scooby-Doo?
Scooby-Doo is considered by many to be a Great Dane. While this is true, he isn’t a standard Dane.
What breed of dog is Scrappy Doo?
Scrappy Doo is the son of Scooby Doo’s sister, Ruby Doo. He is also a peculiar Great Dane, just like his uncle.
What is Scooby Doo’s real name?
Though commonly called Scooby-Doo, his official name is Scoobert Doo. He prefers the nickname.
Is Scooby-Doo a boy or girl?
Scooby-Doo is a male dog, which is evident in all the series.
Why was Scooby-Doo canceled?
Scooby-Doo suffered a low rating for a while, prompting its cancellation.
Though it was saved with the introduction of Scrappy-Doo, it later got canceled after the live-action movies Scooby-Doo and Scooby-Doo 2.
What does Scooby-Doo suffer from?
Scooby-Doo’s funny way of speaking is a speech disorder known as “Rhotic Replacement”.
According to Kyle Hill who made some research on it, Scooby Doo’s disorder is more phonological than phonetic.
This means that he adds extra words to his sentences, not distorting the sound.
Of course, seeing that he’s a fictional character, it could just be the complications that come from a dog attempting to speak English.
Does Scooby-Doo speak?
What makes Scooby-Doo interesting to viewers, besides his comical nature and love for food, is the way he speaks.
Animated dog characters are known to speak English, so it isn’t surprising that Scooby can too.
However, what distinguishes him is that his English is more ‘broken’, with an R sound added before any word.
Final Thoughts on Scooby-Doo Dog Breed
Scooby-Doo remains in the hearts and old-time memories of cartoon lovers and dog fans alike.
It set a milestone and record that remains unbeatable by any other canine animated movie character, and it is still associated with the mystery genre, alongside characters like Sherlock Holmes.
This unusual Great Dane dog Scooby-Doo has made us laugh, glued us to our screens, and even inspired us by braving situations irrespective of his chicken heart.
Alongside other characters, Scooby-Doo has left his mark. Of course, that’s why we have so many lookalike dogs now.
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References & Notes:
- Fox News: “TV Guide magazine’s 60 greatest cartoons of all time.”
- The Kennel Club (July 2008): “Great Dane.”
