|
Copyright © 2003 [Hidden Acres]
All rights reserved.
|
|
AKC
Great Dane Breed Standard
Working Group
|
General Appearance:
The Great Dane combines, in its regal appearance, dignity, strength
and e legance 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. 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.
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.
Disqualifications
Danes under minimum height.
Split nose. Docked Tail.
Any color other than those described under "Color, Markings and
Patterns." |
|
