Great Dane Colors

Reviewed By Tom •  Updated: 10/13/22 •  6 min read
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Great Dane Colors

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Did you know it’s possible to choose the color of your Great Dane? Well, to a certain extent, that’s true! Not many people realize these large dogs come in several different colors that are official and other colors and patterns that are not.

So, if you’d like to learn more about the colors of a Great Dane, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve put together some information about Great Danes and their colors. Let’s get started!

What is a Great Dane?

Most people recognize a Great Dane when they see one. These are one of the largest dogs in the world! And Great Danes have a very long history. Dogs that resemble Great Danes have been found portrayed on Egyptian artifacts dating back to 3000 BC.

The dogs are thought to be related to canines bred by Greeks and Romans. They were originally developed to hunt boars and other animals. However, today, these large dogs are no long aggressive in the hunt. They’re now family companions who are very loved.

Great Danes are known for being very gentle and loving. They tend to get along with other dogs, animals, and people. However, they can be intimidating for any intruder. These dogs have a very large bark. Their bark, combined with their large size, is enough to scare off most intruders.

Even though Great Danes are so large, they’re very loving and gentle with kids. The dogs have a sweet nature and are very laid-back. The dogs are also eager to please and make one of the largest lap dogs in the world!

Great Danes usually stand between 26 to 34 inches tall and weigh between 100 to 200 lbs. They have a life expectancy between 7 to 10 years.

OK, now we’re ready to get on to the official colors of the Great Dane!

Seven Official Colors of the Great Dane

Great Danes have seven official colors that are recognized by canine organizations, such as the AKC (American Kennel Club). The seven official colors of the Great Dane include:

Black

The black Great Dane is another striking color for these large dogs. The black is not a dull color. Instead, the black is rich, deep, and shiny. These dogs may look as if their fur has been dyed. But we can confirm the black Great Dane is real and beautiful.

The black Great Dane must meet some strict criteria to be recognized by the AKC and other canine organizations. The dogs must be completely black with no other colors in their fur.

Brindle

The brindle-colored Great Dane is a dog that doesn’t come in one color but in several colors combined. These dogs usually have fur that’s black, fawn, red, gray, and blue. What’s more, each dog may have his own unique markings, creating a one-of-a-kind Great Dane.

The brindle coat always has a fawn-colored base that supports the rest of the colors in the brindle Great Dane.

Fawn

Fawn is the most common color of Great Danes. These dogs have a beautiful tan or light yellow coloring that covers most of their bodies. Many fawn Great Danes have a black mask on their faces, making their faces darker than the rest of their body.

One of the most famous fawn-colored Great Danes is the Scooby-Doo!

Blue

The blue Great Dane is another unique, beautiful dog. Like the black Great Dane, these dogs have a deep, rich blue color that shines. The shade of blue can be very dark or light; however, their true color is steel blue.

The blue Great Dane must also meet some strict criteria to be recognized. They must have a consistent shade of blue across their entire body with no other colors apparent in the fur.

Merle

The merle Great Dane looks a bit like the Harlequin Great Dane (see below); however, they have a darker base coat. These dogs are also unique and quite beautiful, with dark, shiny fur.

Harlequin

The Harlequin Great Dane may resemble a giant Dalmatian! That’s because the dog’s have a white body with black spots and splotches all over. The splotches have an irregular shape, again creating a Great Dane with a unique coat.

While the Harlequin coat is recognized, it must meet strict criteria if the dog is entered into certain competitions. For instance, the dog must have a spotless white neck, and he can’t have any black splotches that dominate any part of his body.

Mantle

The mantle Great Dane is a dog that is black and white, with no splotching in the fur. The black is the dominant color in the base coat, with white on their faces, chests, and feet. They’re another beautiful Great Dane!

If white is found on another part of the body, the dog will be disqualified from certain competitions.

The Unofficial Colors of the Great Dane

The Great Dane also comes in five colors that are not recognized. The colors are in combinations that are seen as undesirable. The five unofficial colors of Great Danes include:

Black & White

Some black & white Great Danes are recognized; however, the dogs that aren’t recognized usually don’t have as much white as the officially recognized black & white dogs.

White

White Great Danes have a solid white coat with no other markings. These dogs are not like the harlequin Great Danes, as these dogs don’t have black spots. What’s more, the white coats of these dogs are associated with health issues such as blindness and deafness.

Piebald

The piebald Great Dane also has a mostly white coat, but their coats have small patches of color. But the patches are not Harlequin. The piebald has very few colored patches of hair, and they usually only appear on the head. On the other hand, the Harlequin may have many patches of black hair all across his body.

Grey (Silver)

The silver Great Dane is a dilute blue that appears to look like silver. The dilution is also found in other dog breeds.

Fawnequin

The fawnequin Great Dane looks like a Harlequin; however, their spots are caramel-brown in color rather than black.

Summing It Up

So, there you have it! These are all the recognized and unofficial colors of the Great Dane. Who knew these very large dogs were available in so many beautiful colors!

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Tom

Tom has always loved to write since he was little - he wanted to be either a writer or a veterinary doctor, but he ended up being a professional writer while most of his works are based on animals. He was born in San Francisco but later moved to Texas to continue his job as a writer. He graduated from the University of San Francisco where he studied biotechnology. He is happily married and a soon to be father!

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