What should a Great Dane look like?
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 depend- able. 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 (Copyright, GDCA).

What is the size of a Great Dane?
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 (Copyright, GDCA).

What should the head of a Great Dane look like?
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 (Copyright, GDCA).

What should the eyes, ears, nose and teeth look like?
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 (Copyright, GDCA).

What should the neck, topline and body look like?
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 (Copyright, GDCA).

What should the forequarters and hindquarters look like?
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 (Copyright, GDCA).

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 (Copyright, GDCA).

What should the coat look like?
The coat shall be short, thick and clean with a smooth glossy appearance (Copyright, GDCA).
Any Great Dane which does not fall within the color classifications must be disqualified. 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 (Copyright, GDCA).

What are color standards for the fawn and 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 (Copyright, GDCA).Any Great Dane which does not fall within the color classifications must be disqualified. 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 (Copyright, GDCA).

What are color standards for the harlequin, black and mantle?
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. The black patches should never be large enough to give the appearance of a blanket, nor so small as to give a stippled or dappled effect. Eligible, but less desirable, are a few small gray patches, or a white base with single black hairs showing through, which tend to give a salt and pepper or dirty effect. Any variance in color or markings described above shall be faulted to the extent of the deviation.

Black - The color shall be a glossy black. White markings at the chest and toes are not desirable.

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 preferred; a white chest; white on part or whole of forelegs and hind legs; white tipped black tail. A small white marking in the black blanket is acceptable, as is a break in the white collar.

Any Great Dane which does not fall within the color classifications must be disqualified. 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 (Copyright, GDCA).

What are color standards for the blue?
The color shall be a pure steel blue. White markings at the chest and toes are not desirable.
Any Great Dane which does not fall within the color classifications must be disqualified. 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 (Copyright, GDCA).

What is the standard for the gait of the Great Dane?
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 (Copyright, GDCA).

What is the temperament of a Great Dane like?
The Great Dane must be spirited, courageous, always friendly, dependable and never timid or aggressive (Copyright, GDCA).

What are the health concerns regarding Great Danes?
The Great Dane, like many other breeds, is prone to a variety of health problems.
Responsible breeders should do the following health screenings on all dogs that are used in a breeding program (Copyright 1993-1995, Georgia Alyce Thomas).

OFA Certification
Hip Dysplasia is a poly-genetic hereditary disease which can cause pain and lameness - even to the point of being crippling. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals will review radiographs on dogs (two years of age or older) and certify the hip joint conformation as normal (free of Hip Dysplasia) with grades of Excellent, Good, or Fair.
THYROID TESTING
Hypothyroidism can cause a variety of medical problems, and has been linked to auto-immune disorders. It is diagnosed with blood screening.
VWD TESTING
Von Willebrand's Disease is a bleeding disorder (similar to Hemophilia in people), and is diagnosed with blood screening.
CERF CERTIFICATION
The Canine Eye Registration Foundation will certify a dog to be free of apparent heritable ocular disease based upon examination of a veterinary opthamologist. The dog must be re-examined and re-certified every 12 months.
CARDIAC SCREENING
This testing is done to determine hereditary heart disease, including Cardiomyopathy. It is generally performed by a veterinary cardiologist.

See more on health at the Discussion Board

How long does a Great Dane live?
The Great Dane is unfortunately, not a long-lived breed. Their life span is generally 7-10 years, while some do live longer. Longevity can be promoted by breeding healthy individuals (whose ancestors were long-lived), and by practicing good health management (Copyright 1993-1995, Georgia Alyce Thomas).

Is the Great Dane the right breed for you?
A 25 pound eight-week-old male puppy will generally grow to about six times that weight, special consideration needs to be given before acquiring a puppy. Dogs are abandoned every day because their owners didn't realize that their cute little puppy would grow up to be a very large dog with real needs. Therefore, anyone considering a Dane as a pet (puppy or adult), should first spend time with adults of the breed, and then ask themselves the following questions:
- Will I be able to provide enough food for a giant breed dog? They eat about three to six cups of high quality dog food twice each day.
- Can I afford the other expenses involved with owning a dog of this size? Medication, crates, bedding, equipment, supplies, toys, etc., all cost more for a giant breed dog.
- Am I prepared to provide a Dane with the companionship and exercise he requires?
- Am I able, and willing, to provide positive and consistent training, beginning as soon as my Dane enters my home?

If after considering all of these questions, you are still determined to add a Great Dane to your family, then do consider adopting a homeless dog from a rescue organization. Danes of both sexes, and all colors and ages, are often available for adoption. If you must have a puppy, then screen breeders very carefully before buying. Make sure that any puppy that you consider, has been bred and reared to have a correct temperament, and that the parents have been screened for genetic defects. An aggressive Great Dane can be a very dangerous dog, and a crippled or chronically sick Dane can be more of a burden than a pleasure. Remember that your decision to acquire a Dane, is a decision that will affect you (and your Dane) for a lifetime (Copyright 1993-1995, Georgia Alyce Thomas).

How much do Great Danes cost?
Quality, pet Great Danes are usually priced between $400 and $800 as a general guide, although there are some exceptions to this. Show quality Great Danes can be priced as high as $2500 and more, in some cases.

Do Great Dane eat lots and are they fed a special diet?
No, Great Danes do not eat a lot for their size, however, they do need a quality dog food that does not exceed a specific protein level. There is more information on diet on the Discussion Board under "Diet".

Are Great Danes an outside dog and do I need a fence?
As a general rule, Great Danes are a house dog and do not thrive without human socialization. In most cases, Danes become a member of the family member. Having a fence is most important for a Great Dane for lots of reasons. More information on this issue can be found here

Can I breed my Great Dane?
The breeding of any dog is a very complex and expensive undertaking and should never be undertaken on a whim. Please read the information on the Discussion Board under "Breeding and Whelping". There are thousands of Great Danes in rescues because of indiscriminate breeding.

Are there Great Danes available that need rescuing?
Yes, definitely. There are literally hundreds of Great Danes in rescues that are in need of loving, permanent homes. Danes find their way to rescues for a variety of reasons and because they are in this situation, it is by no means an indication of the their quality. Most Great Dane rescues have an adoption fee of around $200 which includes the mandatory spay/neuter. Before you buy a Great Dane, you may be well served to research the rescue near you. Check out your local Great Dane rescue

What about training my Great Dane?
All dogs require training which should be started at a young age, usually around 8 weeks. Fortunately, there are training classes available in even the smallest communities that one can enroll in for a modest sum. Training should be fun and will be rewarding for both you and your dog. Keep in mind that early training sets the foundation for the behavior of your dog in later years.

If the question(s) I have aren't posted here, where can I go for more information?
If you cannot find the answers to your questions here, please refer to the Discussion Board or the Links Directory

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