About the Great Dane
A "gentle giant," the Great Dane is nothing short of majestic. Sometimes
referred to as the "king of dogs," this extremely large dog breed is known for
being strong yet elegant, with a friendly, energetic personality. Striking in
the show ring, this breed is also popular as a family pet. Coat colors can be
brindle, fawn, blue, black, harlequin and mantle.
A Look Back
Historians claim that there are drawings
of dogs that resemble the Great Dane on Egyptian monuments from roughly 3000
B.C. The earliest written description of a dog resembling the breed can be
found in Chinese literature of 1121 B.C. The origins of the Great Dane as we
know it today can be traced to the Irish Wolfhound with mixture of old English
Mastiff. The breed was originally developed by the Germans to hunt boar, a
ferocious animal. When no longer used for hunting, the breed changed to one of
a companion and estate guard dog.
Right Breed for You?
Great Danes have gentle and
loving dispositions, making them excellent family companions, but as with all
dogs, they should be supervised around young children. Daily exercise is
necessary, but their short coats require minimal grooming.
General Appearance
The Great Dane combines, in its
regal appearance, dignity, strength and elegance with great size and a
powerful, well-formed, smoothly muscled body. It is one of the giant working
breeds, but is unique in that its general conformation must be so well balanced
that it never appears clumsy, and shall move with a long reach and powerful
drive. It is always a unit-the Apollo of dogs. A Great Dane must be spirited,
courageous, never timid; always friendly and dependable. This physical and
mental combination is the characteristic which gives the Great Dane the majesty
possessed by no other breed. It is particularly true of this breed that there
is an impression of great masculinity in dogs, as compared to an impression of
femininity in bitches. Lack of true Dane breed type, as defined in this
standard, is a serious fault.
Size, Proportion, Substance
The male should appear more
massive throughout than the bitch, with larger frame and heavier bone. In the
ratio between length and height, the Great Dane should be square. In bitches, a
somewhat longer body is permissible, providing she is well proportioned to her
height. Coarseness or lack of substance are equally undesirable. The male shall
not be less than 30 inches at the shoulders, but it is preferable that he be 32
inches or more, providing he is well proportioned to his height. The female
shall not be less than 28 inches at the shoulders, but it is preferable that
she be 30 inches or more, providing she is well proportioned to her height.
Danes under minimum height must be disqualified.
Head
The head shall be rectangular, long,
distinguished, expressive, finely chiseled, especially below the eyes. Seen
from the side, the Dane’s forehead must be sharply set off from the bridge of
the nose, (a strongly pronounced stop). The plane of the skull and the plane of
the muzzle must be straight and parallel to one another. The skull plane under
and to the inner point of the eye must slope without any bony protuberance in a
smooth line to a full square jaw with a deep muzzle (fluttering lips are
undesirable). The masculinity of the male is very pronounced in structural
appearance of the head. The bitch’s head is more delicately formed. Seen from
the top, the skull should have parallel sides and the bridge of the nose should
be as broad as possible. The cheek muscles should not be prominent. The length
from the tip of the nose to the center of the stop should be equal to the
length from the center of the stop to the rear of the slightly developed
occiput. The head should be angular from all sides and should have flat planes
with dimensions in proportion to the size of the Dane. Whiskers may be trimmed
or left natural. Eyes shall be medium size, deep set,
and dark, with a lively intelligent expression. The eyelids are almond-shaped
and relatively tight, with well developed brows. Haws and mongolian eyes are
serious faults. In harlequins, the eyes should be dark; light colored eyes,
eyes of different colors and walleyes are permitted but not desirable.
Ears shall be high set, medium in size and of
moderate thickness, folded forward close to the cheek. The top line of the
folded ear should be level with the skull. If cropped, the ear length is in
proportion to the size of the head and the ears are carried uniformly erect.
Nose shall be black, except in the blue Dane, where it
is a dark blue-black. A black spotted nose is permitted on the harlequin; a
pink colored nose is not desirable. A split nose is a disqualification.
Teeth shall be strong, well developed, clean and with
full dentition. The incisors of the lower jaw touch very lightly the bottoms of
the inner surface of the upper incisors (scissors bite). An undershot jaw is a
very serious fault. Overshot or wry bites are serious faults. Even bites,
misaligned or crowded incisors are minor faults.
Neck, Topline, Body
The neck shall be firm, high set,
well arched, long and muscular. From the nape, it should gradually broaden and
flow smoothly into the withers. The neck underline should be clean. Withers
shall slope smoothly into a short level back with a broad loin. The chest shall
be broad, deep and well muscled. The forechest should be well developed without
a pronounced sternum. The brisket extends to the elbow, with well sprung ribs.
The body underline should be tightly muscled with a well-defined tuck-up.
The croup should be broad and very slightly sloping. The tail should be set
high and smoothly into the croup, but not quite level with the back, a
continuation of the spine. The tail should be broad at the base, tapering
uniformly down to the hock joint. At rest, the tail should fall straight. When
excited or running, it may curve slightly, but never above the level of the
back. A ring or hooked tail is a serious fault. A docked tail is a
disqualification.
Forequarters
The forequarters, viewed from the side,
shall be strong and muscular. The shoulder blade must be strong and sloping,
forming, as near as possible, a right angle in its articulation with the upper
arm. A line from the upper tip of the shoulder to the back of the elbow joint
should be perpendicular. The ligaments and muscles holding the shoulder blade
to the rib cage must be well developed, firm and securely attached to prevent
loose shoulders. The shoulder blade and the upper arm should be the same
length. The elbow should be one-half the distance from the withers to the
ground. The strong pasterns should slope slightly. The feet should be round and
compact with well-arched toes, neither toeing in, toeing out, nor rolling to
the inside or outside. The nails should be short, strong and as dark as
possible, except that they may be lighter in harlequins. Dewclaws may or may
not be removed.
Hindquarters
The hindquarters shall be strong, broad,
muscular and well angulated, with well let down hocks. Seen from the rear, the
hock joints appear to be perfectly straight, turned neither toward the inside
nor toward the outside. The rear feet should be round and compact, with
well-arched toes, neither toeing in nor out. The nails should be short, strong
and as dark as possible, except they may be lighter in harlequins. Wolf claws
are a serious fault.
Coat
The coat shall be short, thick and clean with a
smooth glossy appearance.
Color, Markings and
Patterns
Brindle--The base color shall be
yellow gold and always brindled with strong black cross stripes in a chevron
pattern. A black mask is preferred. Black should appear on the eye rims and
eyebrows, and may appear on the ears and tail tip. The more intensive the base
color and the more distinct and even the brindling, the more preferred will be
the color. Too much or too little brindling are equally undesirable. White
markings at the chest and toes, black-fronted, dirty colored brindles are not
desirable.
Fawn--The color shall be yellow gold
with a black mask. Black should appear on the eye rims and eyebrows, and may
appear on the ears and tail tip. The deep yellow gold must always be given the
preference. White markings at the chest and toes, black-fronted dirty colored
fawns are not desirable.
Blue--The color shall be
a pure steel blue. White markings at the chest and toes are not
desirable.
Black--The color shall be a glossy
black. White markings at the chest and toes are not
desirable.
Harlequin– Base color shall be pure
white with black torn patches irregularly and well distributed over the entire
body; a pure white neck is preferred. Merle patches are normal. No patch should
be so large that it appears to be a blanket.
Eligible, but less desirable,
are black hairs showing through the white base coat which give a salt and pepper
or dirty appearance.
Mantle--The color shall be
black and white with a solid black blanket extending over the body; black skull
with white muzzle; white blaze is optional; whole white collar is preferred; a
white chest; white on part or whole of forelegs and hind legs; white tipped
black tail. A small white marking in the blanket is acceptable, as is a break
in the white collar.
Any variance in color or markings as described above shall be
faulted to the extent of the deviation. Any Great Dane which does not fall
within the above color classifications must be disqualified.
Gait
The gait denotes strength and power with long,
easy strides resulting in no tossing, rolling or bouncing of the topline or
body. The backline shall appear level and parallel to the ground. The long
reach should strike the ground below the nose while the head is carried
forward. The powerful rear drive should be balanced to the reach. As speed
increases, there is a natural tendency for the legs to converge toward the
centerline of balance beneath the body. There should be no twisting in or out
at the elbow or hock joints.
Temperament
The Great Dane must be spirited,
courageous, always friendly and dependable, and never timid or aggressive.
Thank you to www.ack.org
referred to as the "king of dogs," this extremely large dog breed is known for
being strong yet elegant, with a friendly, energetic personality. Striking in
the show ring, this breed is also popular as a family pet. Coat colors can be
brindle, fawn, blue, black, harlequin and mantle.
A Look Back
Historians claim that there are drawings
of dogs that resemble the Great Dane on Egyptian monuments from roughly 3000
B.C. The earliest written description of a dog resembling the breed can be
found in Chinese literature of 1121 B.C. The origins of the Great Dane as we
know it today can be traced to the Irish Wolfhound with mixture of old English
Mastiff. The breed was originally developed by the Germans to hunt boar, a
ferocious animal. When no longer used for hunting, the breed changed to one of
a companion and estate guard dog.
Right Breed for You?
Great Danes have gentle and
loving dispositions, making them excellent family companions, but as with all
dogs, they should be supervised around young children. Daily exercise is
necessary, but their short coats require minimal grooming.
- Working Group; AKC recognized in 1887.
- Minimum height of 30 inches tall at the shoulder for males and 28 inches
tall for females. - Boar hunter; estate guard dog.
General Appearance
The Great Dane combines, in its
regal appearance, dignity, strength and elegance with great size and a
powerful, well-formed, smoothly muscled body. It is one of the giant working
breeds, but is unique in that its general conformation must be so well balanced
that it never appears clumsy, and shall move with a long reach and powerful
drive. It is always a unit-the Apollo of dogs. A Great Dane must be spirited,
courageous, never timid; always friendly and dependable. This physical and
mental combination is the characteristic which gives the Great Dane the majesty
possessed by no other breed. It is particularly true of this breed that there
is an impression of great masculinity in dogs, as compared to an impression of
femininity in bitches. Lack of true Dane breed type, as defined in this
standard, is a serious fault.
Size, Proportion, Substance
The male should appear more
massive throughout than the bitch, with larger frame and heavier bone. In the
ratio between length and height, the Great Dane should be square. In bitches, a
somewhat longer body is permissible, providing she is well proportioned to her
height. Coarseness or lack of substance are equally undesirable. The male shall
not be less than 30 inches at the shoulders, but it is preferable that he be 32
inches or more, providing he is well proportioned to his height. The female
shall not be less than 28 inches at the shoulders, but it is preferable that
she be 30 inches or more, providing she is well proportioned to her height.
Danes under minimum height must be disqualified.
Head
The head shall be rectangular, long,
distinguished, expressive, finely chiseled, especially below the eyes. Seen
from the side, the Dane’s forehead must be sharply set off from the bridge of
the nose, (a strongly pronounced stop). The plane of the skull and the plane of
the muzzle must be straight and parallel to one another. The skull plane under
and to the inner point of the eye must slope without any bony protuberance in a
smooth line to a full square jaw with a deep muzzle (fluttering lips are
undesirable). The masculinity of the male is very pronounced in structural
appearance of the head. The bitch’s head is more delicately formed. Seen from
the top, the skull should have parallel sides and the bridge of the nose should
be as broad as possible. The cheek muscles should not be prominent. The length
from the tip of the nose to the center of the stop should be equal to the
length from the center of the stop to the rear of the slightly developed
occiput. The head should be angular from all sides and should have flat planes
with dimensions in proportion to the size of the Dane. Whiskers may be trimmed
or left natural. Eyes shall be medium size, deep set,
and dark, with a lively intelligent expression. The eyelids are almond-shaped
and relatively tight, with well developed brows. Haws and mongolian eyes are
serious faults. In harlequins, the eyes should be dark; light colored eyes,
eyes of different colors and walleyes are permitted but not desirable.
Ears shall be high set, medium in size and of
moderate thickness, folded forward close to the cheek. The top line of the
folded ear should be level with the skull. If cropped, the ear length is in
proportion to the size of the head and the ears are carried uniformly erect.
Nose shall be black, except in the blue Dane, where it
is a dark blue-black. A black spotted nose is permitted on the harlequin; a
pink colored nose is not desirable. A split nose is a disqualification.
Teeth shall be strong, well developed, clean and with
full dentition. The incisors of the lower jaw touch very lightly the bottoms of
the inner surface of the upper incisors (scissors bite). An undershot jaw is a
very serious fault. Overshot or wry bites are serious faults. Even bites,
misaligned or crowded incisors are minor faults.
Neck, Topline, Body
The neck shall be firm, high set,
well arched, long and muscular. From the nape, it should gradually broaden and
flow smoothly into the withers. The neck underline should be clean. Withers
shall slope smoothly into a short level back with a broad loin. The chest shall
be broad, deep and well muscled. The forechest should be well developed without
a pronounced sternum. The brisket extends to the elbow, with well sprung ribs.
The body underline should be tightly muscled with a well-defined tuck-up.
The croup should be broad and very slightly sloping. The tail should be set
high and smoothly into the croup, but not quite level with the back, a
continuation of the spine. The tail should be broad at the base, tapering
uniformly down to the hock joint. At rest, the tail should fall straight. When
excited or running, it may curve slightly, but never above the level of the
back. A ring or hooked tail is a serious fault. A docked tail is a
disqualification.
Forequarters
The forequarters, viewed from the side,
shall be strong and muscular. The shoulder blade must be strong and sloping,
forming, as near as possible, a right angle in its articulation with the upper
arm. A line from the upper tip of the shoulder to the back of the elbow joint
should be perpendicular. The ligaments and muscles holding the shoulder blade
to the rib cage must be well developed, firm and securely attached to prevent
loose shoulders. The shoulder blade and the upper arm should be the same
length. The elbow should be one-half the distance from the withers to the
ground. The strong pasterns should slope slightly. The feet should be round and
compact with well-arched toes, neither toeing in, toeing out, nor rolling to
the inside or outside. The nails should be short, strong and as dark as
possible, except that they may be lighter in harlequins. Dewclaws may or may
not be removed.
Hindquarters
The hindquarters shall be strong, broad,
muscular and well angulated, with well let down hocks. Seen from the rear, the
hock joints appear to be perfectly straight, turned neither toward the inside
nor toward the outside. The rear feet should be round and compact, with
well-arched toes, neither toeing in nor out. The nails should be short, strong
and as dark as possible, except they may be lighter in harlequins. Wolf claws
are a serious fault.
Coat
The coat shall be short, thick and clean with a
smooth glossy appearance.
Color, Markings and
Patterns
Brindle--The base color shall be
yellow gold and always brindled with strong black cross stripes in a chevron
pattern. A black mask is preferred. Black should appear on the eye rims and
eyebrows, and may appear on the ears and tail tip. The more intensive the base
color and the more distinct and even the brindling, the more preferred will be
the color. Too much or too little brindling are equally undesirable. White
markings at the chest and toes, black-fronted, dirty colored brindles are not
desirable.
Fawn--The color shall be yellow gold
with a black mask. Black should appear on the eye rims and eyebrows, and may
appear on the ears and tail tip. The deep yellow gold must always be given the
preference. White markings at the chest and toes, black-fronted dirty colored
fawns are not desirable.
Blue--The color shall be
a pure steel blue. White markings at the chest and toes are not
desirable.
Black--The color shall be a glossy
black. White markings at the chest and toes are not
desirable.
Harlequin– Base color shall be pure
white with black torn patches irregularly and well distributed over the entire
body; a pure white neck is preferred. Merle patches are normal. No patch should
be so large that it appears to be a blanket.
Eligible, but less desirable,
are black hairs showing through the white base coat which give a salt and pepper
or dirty appearance.
Mantle--The color shall be
black and white with a solid black blanket extending over the body; black skull
with white muzzle; white blaze is optional; whole white collar is preferred; a
white chest; white on part or whole of forelegs and hind legs; white tipped
black tail. A small white marking in the blanket is acceptable, as is a break
in the white collar.
Any variance in color or markings as described above shall be
faulted to the extent of the deviation. Any Great Dane which does not fall
within the above color classifications must be disqualified.
Gait
The gait denotes strength and power with long,
easy strides resulting in no tossing, rolling or bouncing of the topline or
body. The backline shall appear level and parallel to the ground. The long
reach should strike the ground below the nose while the head is carried
forward. The powerful rear drive should be balanced to the reach. As speed
increases, there is a natural tendency for the legs to converge toward the
centerline of balance beneath the body. There should be no twisting in or out
at the elbow or hock joints.
Temperament
The Great Dane must be spirited,
courageous, always friendly and dependable, and never timid or aggressive.
Thank you to www.ack.org