GREAT DANE (DEUTSCHE DOGGE)
: Mrs. C. Seidler, revised
by Mrs R. Sporre-Willes and E. Peper.
: Germany.
: 13.03.2001.
: Companion, watch- and guard
dog.
: Group 2 Pinscher
and Schnauzer - Molossoid breeds - Swiss Mountain and Cattle Dogs and
other breeds.
Section 2.1 Molossoid breeds, Mastiff type.
Without working trial.
: As forerunners
of the present day Great Dane, one must look at the old "Bullenbeisser"
(Bulldog) as well as the " Hatz-and Sauruden " (Hunting and
wild boar hounds), which were midway between the strong Mastiff of English
type and the fast, handy Greyhound. The term Dogge was at first understood
to mean a large, powerful dog, not of any particular breed. Later, particular
names such as Ulmer Dogge , English Dogge, Great Dane, Hatzrude (Hunting
Dog), Saupacker (boarfinder) and Grosse Dogge (Great Dogge), classified
these dogs according to colour and size.
In the year 1878 a Committee of seven was formed in Berlin, consisting
of active breeders and judges with Dr. Bodinus in the chair, which made
the decision to classify all the forenamed varieties as " Deutsche
Doggen " (Great Danes). Thus the foundation was laid for the breeding
of a separate German breed.
In the year 1880, on the occasion of a show in Berlin, the first standard
for the Deutsche Dogge was laid down. This standard has been taken care
of since the year 1888 by the "Deutsche Doggen Club 1888 e.V."
(German Doggen Club, registered Club 1888) and frequently been revised
over the years. The present Standard meets the requirements of the F.C.I.
: The Great Dane in
his noble appearance combines a large, powerful well constructed body
with pride, strength and elegance. By substance together with nobility,
harmonious appearance, well proportioned outlines, as well as a specially
expressive head, the Great Dane strikes the onlooker as a noble statue.
He is the Appolo amongst all breeds.
: Almost square
in build, this applies particularly to males. The length of the body
(point of sternum to point of buttocks) should not exceed height at
withers in dogs by more than 5%, in bitches by more than 10%.
: Friendly, loving
and devoted to his owners, specially to the children. Reserved towards
strangers. Required is a confident, fearless, easily tractable, docile
companion and family dog with high resistance to provocation and without
aggression.
:
Skull : In harmony with the general appearance. Long, narrow, distinct,
full of expression. Finely chiselled, specially under the eyes. Superciliary
ridges well developed but not protruding. The distance from tip of nose
to stop and from stop to the lightly defined occipital bone should be
as equal as possible. The upper lines of muzzle and skull should run
parallel. The head must appear narrow seen from the front with bridge
of nose as broad as possible. Cheek muscles only slightly defined and
in no way protruding.
Stop : Clearly defined.
:
Nose : Well developeded, rather broad than round with large nostrils.
Must be black with the exception of harlequins (white with black patches).
In these a black nose is desired but a butterfly nose (black with pink
patches) or flesh coloured nose is tolerated. In blue dogs the colour
of the nose is anthracite (diluted black).
Muzzle : Deep and as rectangular as possible. Well defined corners of
lips. Dark pigmented lips. In harlequins not totally pigmented or flesh
coloured lips are tolerated.
Jaws/Teeth : Well developed broad jaws. Strong sound and complete scissor
bite (42 teeth according to the dentition formula).
Eyes : Of medium size with lively friendly intelligent expression. As
dark as possible, almond shaped with close fitting lids. In blue dogs
slightly lighter eyes are tolerated. In harlequins light eyes or two
differently coloured eyes are to be tolerated.
Ears : Naturally pendant, set on high, of medium size, front edges lying
close to cheeks.
: Long, clean, muscular. Well formed
set on, tapering slightly towards the head, with arched neckline. Carried
upright but inclined slightly forward.
:
Withers : The highest point of the strong body. It is formed by the
points of the shoulder blades which extend beyond the spinal processes.
Back : Short and firm, in almost straight line falling away imperceptibly
to the rear.
Loins : Slightly arched, broad, strongly muscled.
Croup : Broad, well muscled. Sloping slightly from hipbone to tail set,
imperceptibly merging into the tailset.
Chest : Reaching to the elbows. Well sprung ribs, reaching far back.
Chest of good width with marked forechest.
Underline and belly : Belly well tucked up towards rear, forming a nicely
curved line with the underside of the brisket.
: Reaching to the hocks. Set on
high and broad, tapering evenly towards tip. In repose hanging down
with natural curve. When dog is alert or moving, carried slightly sabre-like
but not markedly above the backline. Bristle hair on tail undesirable.
:
Shoulders : Strongly muscled. The long, slanting shoulder blade forms
an angle of 100 to 110 degrees with the upper arm.
Upper arm : Strong and muscular, close fitting, should be slightly longer
than the shoulder blade.
Elbows : Turned neither in nor out.
Forearm : Strong, muscular. Seen from front and side, completely straight.
Carpus : Strong, firm, only slightly standing out from the structure
of the forearm.
Pastern : Strong, straight when seen from the front, seen from the side,
barely slanting forwards.
Front feet : Rounded, well arched, well-knit toes (cat feet). Nails
short, strong and as dark as possible.
: The whole skeleton is
covered by strong muscles which make the croup, hips and upper thighs
appear broad and rounded. The strong well angulated hind legs, seen
from behind, are set parallel to the front legs.
Upper thigh : Long, broad, very muscular.
Stifles : Strong, positioned almost vertically under the hip joint.
Lower thigh : Long, of approximately the same length as the upper thigh.
Well muscled.
Hocks : Strong, firm, turning neither in nor out.
Metatarsus : Short, strong, standing almost vertical to the ground.
Hind feet : Rounded, well arched, well-knit (cat feet). Nails short,
strong and as dark as possible.
: Harmonious, lithe,
ground covering, slightly springy. Legs must be parallel in movement
coming and going.
: Tight fitting. In solid colours,
well pigmented. In harlequins, the distribution of pigment mainly corresponds
to the markings.
: Very short, dense, smooth and
close lying, glossy.
: The Great Dane is bred in three
separate colour varieties: Fawn and brindle, harlequin and black, and
blue.
- Fawn : Light gold fawn to deep gold fawn. Black mask desired. Small
white marks on chest and toes undesirable.
- Brindle : Basic colours, light to deep gold fawn with black stripes
as regular and clearly defined as possible, running with the direction
of the ribs. Black mask desired. Small white markings on chest and toes
are undesirable.
- Harlequin (white with black splashed patches) : Basic colour pure
white, preferably with no ticking. Pure black patches well distributed
all over the body, having the appearance of being torn. Grey or brownish
patches undesirable
- Black : Jet black, white markings permitted. Included here are "
Manteltiger " in which the black covers the body like a coat ("mantel")
or blanket and muzzle, throat, chest, belly, legs and tip of tail may
be white. Also dogs with basic white colour and large black patches
so called "Plattenhunde".
- Blue : Pure steel blue, white markings on chest and feet permitted.
:
Height at withers : Dogs at least 80 cm,
Bitches at least 72 cm.
: Any departure from the foregoing
points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the
fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
- General appearance : Lack of male or female characteristics, lack
of balance, too light, too coarse in built.
- Temperament : Lacking self-confidence, nervous, easily provoked.
- Head : Lines of head not parallel, apple head, wedge shaped head,
too little stop; too prominent cheek muscles.
- Muzzle : Pointed, lacking flews, lips too pendulous. Bridge of nose
concave (dish shaped), convex (roman nose), falling away in front part
(eagle nose).
- Jaws/Teeth : Any deviation from a complete set of teeth (only the
missing of both PM1 in the lower jaw may be tolerated). Irregular position
of individual incisors as long as the bite remains otherwise correct),
teeth too small.
- Eyes : Slack lids, haw too red. Light, piercing, amber coloured eyes.
Wall eyes or differently coloured eyes in all solid coat colours. Eyes
too wide apart or slit eyes. Eyes protruding or too deeply set.
- Ears : Set on too high or too low. Standing off from the sides of
the head or flat lying.
- Neck : Short thick neck, ewe neck, throatiness or excess of dewlap.
- Back : Sway back, roach back. Too long in back. Topline rising towards
rear.
- Croup : Falling away steeply or completely flat.
- Tail : Too thick, too long or too short, set on too low or too highly
carried above the back line. Hook tail or curled tail as well as tail
carried sideways. Tail which is damaged, thickened at the tip or has
been docked.
- Ribcage : Flat or barrel-shaped ribs. Lack of width or depth of chest.
Too strongly protruding breastbone.
- Lower line : Belly line not sufficiently tucked up. Teats not sufficiently
retracted.
- Forelegs : Insufficient angulation. Light bone, weak muscles. Stance
not vertical.
- Shoulders : Loose or loaded. Upright shoulder blade.
- Elbows : Loose, turning in or out.
- Forearm : Bent, enlarged above pastern.
- Pastern : Enlarged, markedly weak or knuckling over.
- Metacarpus : Too sloping or too upright.
- Hindquarters : Too much or too little angulation. Cow hocked, close
together or open hocked when standing.
- Hocks : Exaggerated large or unstable.
- Feet : Flat, splayed, long. Dewclaws.
- Gait/Movement : Covering too little ground, lack of freedom in action.
Frequent or constant pacing. Lack of co-ordination between front and
hind movement.
- Coat : Double coat (coarse, short coat), dull coat.
- Colour :
- In fawn : Grey fawn, blue fawn, isabella (cream) or sooty fawn colour.
- In brindles : Basic colour silver blue or isabella. Washed-out streaks.
- In harlequins : Blue-grey ticked basic colour. Large fawn-grey or
blue-grey parts in the patches.
- In blacks : Fawn, brown or blue-black colour.
- In blues: Fawn or black-blue colour.
:
- Temperament : Shyness.
- Jaws/Teeth : Pincer bite.
- Eyes : Ectropion, entropion.
- Tail : Kinky tail.
:
- Temperament : Aggressiveness, fear-biting.
- Nose : Liver coloured; split nose.
- Jaws/Teeth : Overshot, undershot, wry mouth.
- Colour : Fawn or brindle dogs with white blaze, white collar, white
feet or socks and white tip of tail.
Blue dogs with white blaze, white collar, white feet or socks or white
tip of tail.
Harlequin dogs : White without any black (albinos), deaf. So called
Porcelain tigers (dogs that show predominantly blue, grey, fawn or brindle
patches), so called "Grautiger" (dogs that have a basic grey
colour with black patches).
- Height : Below minimum height.
: Male animals should have two apparently
normally developed testicles fully descended into the scrotum
| 1 Nose |
12 Back and Loin |
23 Forearm |
| 2 Nasal-bridge |
13 Croup |
24 Carpal joint |
| 3 Lips |
14 Pelvis |
25 Pastern |
| 4 Stop |
15 Set on of the tail |
26 Toes |
| 5 Cheeks |
16 Tail |
27 Penis |
| 6 Skull |
17 Forechest |
28 Upper thigh |
| 7 Throat |
18 Ribcage |
29 Patella |
| 8 Ears |
19 Breastbone |
30 Lower thigh |
| 9 Neck |
20 Shoulder blade |
31 Point of the hock |
| 10 Nape |
21 Upper arm |
32 Hock |
| 11 Withers |
22 Elbow |
33 Rear Pastern |
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