Feet are round, tight, and well arched. Faults: Short, thick neck; ewe neck, goose neck. The presence of a few small gray patches or single black hairs showing through the white background, giving a dirty effect, are allowed but not preferred. Faults: Round or protruding eyes; yellow eyes; eyes too close together. Docked tail. Eyes are medium in size, almond-shaped, tight, and dark brown. MI A full white collar is preferred. To encourage the membership to a lifetime responsibility fortheir Great Danes, their Dane's offspring; and to the educationof others as all are necessary for the protection andadvancement of the breed. Faults: Toeing in or out; down in pasterns. Mouth is dry. A mature male Great Dane under 30 inches at the shoulder; a mature female Great Dane under 28 inches at the shoulder. Faults: White markings on the chest and toes. Removal of whiskers is permitted but not preferred. Portage, The female appears feminine in comparison to the dog. Each lord kept large numbers of boarhounds, which they carefully bred to improve their size, power, and endurance. Black: Glossy black. We are currently processing incoming regular mail received through July 18. To do all in its power to protect and advance the interests ofthe breed and to encourage sportsmanlike competition atdogs shows, field trials and obedience/rally trials. The Great Dane is a square dog. If youre considering purchasing a purebred pup you can rest assured that youve come to the right place. Ears are high set and of moderate thickness. It provides registry services for all purebred dogs it officially recognizes. Fault: Pink nose. A tail of the correct length extends to the hock but never below. The Great Dane has a complete set of evenly spaced, white teeth meeting in a scissors bite. The Great Dane head is proportionate to the size of the dog, long, rectangular, narrow and finely chiseled, especially below the eyes. The skull is narrow, long and nearly flat, with parallel sides. Please allow 2-3 extra weeks for paperwork, in addition to UKC processing time, due to nationwide postal service delays. Color other than those described in Color paragraph. Shoulder blades and upper arms are long and slanting, forming an angle of approximately 110 degrees. If youve lost registration paperwork or certificates due to circumstances out of your control (fires, floods, etc. Patterns/Markings: May be solid Merle (white on chest and toes is permissible), or Merle with a mantle pattern (solid merle blanket extending over the body; merle skull with a white muzzle; white blaze is optional; whole or partial white neck; a white chest; white on whole or part of the forelegs and hind legs; white tipped merle tail. A slightly lighter shade of brown is acceptable, but not preferred, in the blue Danes. The dane is a true giant among breeds descending from the mastiff. Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (ET) The angulation of the hindquarters is in balance with the angulation of the forequarters. Minor Faults: Crowded or misaligned incisors; even bite. The hindquarters are strong, broad, and muscular. 2022 United Kennel Club We use cookies to capture information such as IP addresses and tailor the website to our clients' needs. The Great Dane has a stable, easy-going nature, preferring to lounge on the couch near a loved one to almost any other pastime. Albinism. Ears are medium in size, high set, and may be drop or cropped. The Great Dane is a giant working breed and should always appear well proportioned for its size. The end of the muzzle is blunt, and almost perpendicular to the upper and lower lines of the jaw, forming a distinctly rectangular muzzle. Vous tes au bon endroit! The loin is short and broad, with a well-defined tuck-up. The head is long, rectangular, and finely chiseled. The following are the only allowed colors, markings, and color patterns: When the dog is standing, the short, strong rear pasterns are perpendicular to the ground and, viewed from the rear, parallel to one another. The coat is short, close, and thick with a smooth, glossy appearance. Its height, measured from the withers to the ground, should equal its length of body, measured from prosternum to point of buttocks. When trotting, the gait is effortless, with long, easy strides, and showing good but not exaggerated reach in front and drive behind. Blue: Pure steel blue. Front dewclaws may be removed. By using this site you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. The Great Dane combines great size with dignity and elegance, giving rise to its nickname, the Apollo of dogs. Black should appear on the eye rims and eyebrow, and may appear on the ears and tip of the tail. To conduct sanctioned matches, specialty shows, obediencetrials and other events for which the club is eligible under theRules and Regulations of the American Kennel Club, and togenerate publicity on any matter affecting the welfare of thebreed. The hind legs are strong and well angulated. The length of the front leg (measured from point of elbow to the ground) is approximately equal to one-half of the dogs height at the withers. Merle: A pale gray to dark gray base color, with black torn patches within. The Great Dane was recognized by United Kennel Club in 1923. Mailing notice for paperwork: please allow 2-3 extra weeks, in addition to UKC processing time, due to nationwide postal service delays. Black pigment may be seen on the skin in white areas.) Great Danes were exhibited at the first German dog show in 1863, and the first Danes were imported into the United States not long thereafter. Harlequin: Black torn patches irregularly and well distributed over a white background. During the 15th and 16th centuries, German forests were filled with game, and hunting wild boar with dogs was a favorite pastime of German nobility. When the dog is moving or alert, the tail may curve slightly upward but never above the level of the back. Gender differences are apparent in this breed. Ears may be cropped or natural, with no preference. The bridge of the muzzle is very broad, so that the end of the muzzle, viewed from the front, appears almost square. In Harlequins and Merles, the eyes should be dark, but blue eye(s), and eyes of different colors are permitted. Gender difference is readily apparent. The ribs extend well back and are well sprung out from the spine. Serious Fault: Rear dewclaws. The underline of the neck is clean. The tail is a natural extension of the spine, thick at the base and tapering to a point. Great Danes are easygoing dogs, affectionate with family members and self-confident with strangers. 49002 Merlequin, a white dog with only patches of merle. Albinism. The length of the forelegs (measured from point of elbow to the ground) should approximately equal one-half of the dogs height. Very Serious Faults: Undershot bite; wry mouth. When can I expect to receive a paper copy of my certificate? Eliminating Faults: A mature male Great Dane under 30 inches at the shoulder; a mature female Great Dane under 28 inches at the shoulder. The Canadian Kennel Club is a national, member-based non-profit organization, incorporated under the Animal Pedigree Act of Canada. d'utilisateur. The forelegs are straight with strong, slightly sloping pasterns. To urge members and breeders to accept the standard of thebreed as approved by the American Kennel Club (AKC) as theonly standard of excellence by which Great Danes shall bejudged and to encourage the study of the standard bybreeders, judges, dog show committees and others interestedin the advancement of the breed. J'ai oubli mon nom The breed also competes well in obedience, agility and tracking. Celebrating the dog/human bond through family-friendly events and programs for dogs that do more. Preference is given to a deep yellow gold. Nails are strong and as dark as possible, except that they may be lighter in Harlequins, Mantles, and Merles. We also use this information to target and measure promotional material. Mantle: A solid black blanket extending over the body and skull with the following white markings: white muzzle, white collar, white chest, white on part or on the whole of the fore and hind legs, white tip of the tail. In light of these developments, the United Kennel Club feels that no dog in any UKC event, including conformation, shall be penalized for a full tail or natural ears. 200 Ronson Drive Suite 400 Etobicoke, ON M9W 5Z9, 200 Ronson Drive Bureau 400 Etobicoke, ON M9W 5Z9, Visit the Puppy List to Find a Breeder for this Breed, Kleiner Mnsterlnder Vorstehund (Listed), Pets Plus Us: Exclusive CKC Pet Insurance Provider. The black patches should never be so large as to give the appearance of a blanket, nor so small as to give a dappled effect. The goals and purposes of this breed standard include: to furnish guidelines for breeders who wish to maintain the quality of their breed and to improve it; to advance this breed to a state of similarity throughout the world; and to act as a guide for judges. A mature male may not be less than 30 inches at the shoulder. The docking of tails and cropping of ears in America is legal and remains a personal choice. The tail is a natural extension of the topline. As speed increases, feet tend to converge toward centerline of balance. Viciousness or extreme shyness. 100 E Kilgore Rd, Serious Faults: Visible haw; obliquely set Mongolian eyes; functional abnormality of eyelids or eyelashes. A mature female may not be less than 28 inches, although 30 inches or more is preferred. Viewed from any position, legs turn neither in nor out, nor do feet cross or interfere with each other. The nose is black, except for blue Danes where the nose is a dark blue-black. The elbows are close to the body. United Kennel Club (UKC) is an international dog registry celebrating bonds, rewarding ability, and preserving the value of a pedigree. Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid. The body underline is tightly muscled. Viewed from above, the planes of the skull and foreface are parallel and the bridge of the nose is very broad. Merlequin, a white dog with only patches of merle. A small white break in the blanket is acceptable. Faults: Steep croup; lack of rear angulation; over-angulation; cow hocks; open hocks. The great dane was developed in Germany to hunt wild boar, and was known as the boar hound when it appeared in America late in the 19th century. However, as an international registry, the United Kennel Club is aware that the practices of cropping and docking have been forbidden in some countries. In this country, Great Danes are popular family companions for people who admire their regal appearance and affectionate personalities. Faults: Too much or too little brindling; white markings on the chest and toes; black-fronted or dirty-colored brindles. Viewed from the side, the skull and muzzle are of equal length, straight, parallel to one another, and joined by a strongly pronounced stop. While intimidating in size and stature, this is a breed noted for its gentleness and human-like compassion. Cropped ears should be in proportion to the size of the head and stand erect, but a dog with properly set ears must not be penalized for an imperfect ear crop. Brindle: Strong black stripes in a chevron pattern on a yellow gold background. The Great Dane is a very large, short-coated dog, with smooth, well-defined musculature. Disqualification: Docked tail. A black mask is preferred. The neck is long, well arched, and muscular. Its impressive size, family devotion and gentle nature combine to create a first-rate companion. Serious Faults: Ring or hooked tail. Permissible conformation colors are brindle, blue, black, fawn, harlequin and mantle. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information. The body is square, but females may be somewhat longer in body than males. The ancestors of the Great Dane include British mastiffs and possibly wolfhounds, brought to Europe, first by the Romans and later by German aristocrats seeking to improve their hunting dogs. Faults: White markings on the chest and toes; black-fronted or dirty colored fawns. It is thick at the base and tapers to the tip. Disqualification: Any color, marking, or color pattern not described above. From the nape, the neck gradually broadens and flows smoothly into the shoulders. A correct head is essential to Great Dane breed type. When the dog is relaxed, the tail hangs down naturally. Split nose. The croup is broad and very slightly sloping. Preference shall be given where the base color is more intense and the brindling is more distinct and even. Faults: Any deviation from the standard that contributes to a hound-like appearance. Any variance in Patterns/Markings as described in the above colors shall be faulted to the extent of the deviation. Faults of Patterns/Markings shall not carry as much weight as faults of conformation and breed type. To disseminate and promote the ideals and objectives of theGDCA Charitable Trust. (A dog with a Disqualification must not be considered for placement in a conformation event, and must be reported to UKC.) The top line of the ear fold is level with the skull. Great Danes are easily trained but need consistency. A small white marking in the blanket or a break in the white collar is acceptable. In profile, the muzzle is long, equal in length to the skull, and deep. Natural ears are medium in size and fold forward close to the cheek. The underline of the lower jaw is nearly parallel to the bridge of the muzzle. Disqualification: Split nose. Note: The breeders on this list are not endorsed by UKC.