Did you know that Great Dane colours vary depending on how they were bred? However, for your Great Dane to fall under this breed standard, it must visibly present specific colours and patterns.
Knowing the different coat colours is very important if you want to get into breeding Great Danes or own this breed. So, with that being said, let us explore each coat colour and the Australian National Kennel Council recognised breed standard.
The most common coat colours include fawn, brindle, blue, and black, with fawn being particularly iconic.
In addition to these, Great Danes can also have variations like harlequin (white with irregular black patches) and mantle (black with a white collar and markings).
Great Danes come in different colours, and sometimes the tail tip or chest has white markings, whereas others have two primary colours throughout the body. Mainly, the Great Dane breed has seven different colours. Out of these seven, which are the best colours?
When this breed has a fawn coat with a black mask, it looks very different from other Great Danes. You might even mistake it for another type, and it is one of the rare colours on Great Dane dogs. Usually, a Fawn Great Dane has a primary coat colour that looks golden yellow throughout the body.
Blue Great Danes are captivating since their colour looks dark grey. However, grey varies from pure steel blue, a beautiful combination. In addition, at times, a Blue Great Dane has white markings on the chest, which adds to its visual aesthetic.
White Danes also have a unique and beautiful colour, and dogs with this colour have a cute pink nose. You might find a completely white Great Dane with black markings on the body. Most commonly, this breed will have a pure white coat instead of isolated black spots unless it is a Harlequin Great Dane.
Great Danes can also have a harlequin coat similar to a Dalmatian but with black patches all over the body in no particular pattern. A harlequin Dane is identical to a merle Great Dane with just that the merle coat is typical amongst grey Great Danes.
Brindle Great Danes are also accepted by the Australian National Kennel Council, as well as a chevron pattern and glossy black coat. Even a fawn-coloured harlequin Dane is accepted.
The breed should have torn fawn patches covering the body with deep yellow gold on those patches. The official Great Dane colours include black, blue, and fawn with brindles or harlequin patches. Here’s a list of the colours the ANKC recognises:
When choosing new dog breeds, the colour is entirely irrelevant unless you might be on a budget or hoping to attend dog shows. Rare colours are more expensive, but coats that are commonly found might be more affordable if you are not adopting. In that case, a Fawn or Brindle Great Dane could be more affordable than others.
The visual appearance of a Great Dane varies greatly. As your pup grows, the colour tends to darken. However, it all depends on the colour. For example, it differs between black and white coats. White Great Danes do not experience a colour change, whereas a black coat could start as grey and darken as time progresses.
What are some of the most Frequently Asked Questions about Great Danes and their coat colours?
The seven official colours of Great Danes include fawn, brindle, harlequin, black, blue, merle, and mantle.
White is your answer if you are looking for the rarest Great Dane coat. Most breeders achieve this colour by breeding two Merle Great Danes to produce the most infrequent colour of this breed.
Others might believe there are more Great Dane colours out there between the different shades of the primary colours. However, there are only seven officially recognised primary colours for these dogs.
Most Great Danes have a yellow-gold coat and are classified as fawn-coloured. However, when this breed is fawn, it usually has no merle patches or brindle markings on its body. Instead, the colour is solid throughout the body except for its muzzle.
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