Editing Great Dane (section)

== Description ==
[[File:Duffy the brindle Great Dane.JPG|thumb|Brindle Great Dane (male)]]
The Great Dane is an extremely large [[Dog|domestic dog]] of [[mastiff]]-[[sighthound]] type known for its big size. It is often dubbed the "Apollo of dogs".<ref name=AKC /><ref>Becker, [https://books.google.com/books?id=XMcgA992QyEC ''The Great Dane – Embodying a Full Exposition of the History, Breeding Principles, Education, and Present State of the Breed (a Vintage Dog Books Breed Classic): Embodying a Full Exposition the History, Breeding Principles, Education, and Present State of the Breed''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160527010120/https://books.google.com/books?id=XMcgA992QyEC |date=27 May 2016 }}, Published by READ BOOKS, 2005, {{ISBN|1-905124-43-0}}.</ref>

As described by the [[American Kennel Club]]:

<blockquote>The Great Dane combines, in its regal appearance, strength, and elegance 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.<ref name=AKC /> The Great Dane is a short-haired breed with a strong, galloping figure.<ref name=KCUK>{{cite web|url=http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/51|title=The Home for Dog Owners and Those Working with Dogs: The Kennel Club|work=thekennelclub.org.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070515064003/http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/51|archive-date=15 May 2007}}</ref></blockquote> In the ratio between length and height, the Great Dane should be [[Square (geometry)|square]]. The male dog should not be less than {{convert|30|in|cm|abbr=on|order=flip}} at the shoulders, a female {{convert|28|in|cm|abbr=on|order=flip}}. Danes under minimum height are disqualified.<ref name=AKC /> Over the years, the tallest living dog has typically been a Great Dane. Previous record holders include [[Gibson (Great Dane)|Gibson]], [[Titan (dog)|Titan]], and [[Giant George|George]]; however, the current record holder is a black Great Dane named [[Zeus (dog, born 2008)|Zeus]] that stood {{convert|111.8|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} at the shoulder before his death in September 2014.<ref name="Guinness">{{cite news|title=Zeus, the world's tallest dog passes away at the age of 5|url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2014/9/zeus-the-worlds-tallest-dog-passes-away-at-the-age-of-5-60340/|work=Guinness World Records|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312031123/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2014/9/zeus-the-worlds-tallest-dog-passes-away-at-the-age-of-5-60340/|archive-date=12 March 2016}}</ref> He was also the tallest dog on record (according to Guinness World Records),<ref name="Guinness" /> beating the previous holder, the aforementioned George that stood {{convert|109.2|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} at the shoulder.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.giantgeorge.com|title=Giant George, Guinness World Record, Tallest Dog – giantgeorge|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312015955/http://www.giantgeorge.com/|archive-date=12 March 2016}}</ref>

The UK and New Zealand Kennel Clubs specify the minimum weight for a Great Dane over 18 months of age, as {{convert|120|lb|kg|abbr=on|order=flip}} for males, {{convert|100|lb|kg|abbr=on|order=flip}} for females.<ref name=KCUK /><ref name=NZKC>{{cite web|url=http://www.nzkc.org.nz/br736.html|title=Dogs New Zealand -|website=www.nzkc.org.nz|access-date=7 May 2018|archive-date=28 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628234707/http://www.nzkc.org.nz/br736.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The American Kennel Club dropped the minimum weight requirement from its standard.{{When|date=October 2024}}<ref name="The Complete Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds">{{cite book |last=Cunliffe |first= Juliette |year=2005 |title=The Complete Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds |location=UK |publisher=Parragon Publishing |isbn=1-4054-4389-8}}</ref> The male should appear more massive throughout than the female, with a larger frame and heavier bone.<ref name=AKC />

Great Danes have naturally floppy, triangular ears. In the past, when Great Danes were commonly used to [[Boar hunting#Hunting dogs|hunt boars]], [[Cropping (animal)|cropping]] of the ears was performed to make injuries to the dogs' ears less likely during hunts. Now that Danes are primarily [[Companion dog|companion animals]], cropping is sometimes still done for traditional and cosmetic reasons. In the 1930s when Great Danes had their ears cropped, after the surgery, two devices called Easter bonnets were fitted to their ears to make them stand up.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yt8DAAAAMBAJ&q=Popular+Science+1935+plane+%22Popular+Mechanics%22&pg=PA873|title=Popular Mechanics|date=5 December 1934|publisher=Hearst Magazines|via=Google Books|access-date=27 October 2021|archive-date=15 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215153306/https://books.google.com/books?id=yt8DAAAAMBAJ&q=Popular+Science+1935+plane+%22Popular+Mechanics%22&pg=PA873|url-status=live}}</ref> Today, the practice is still common in the United States, but much less common in Europe. In some European countries such as the [[United Kingdom]], [[Ireland]], [[Denmark]], and Germany, and parts of [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]], the practice is banned or controlled to only be performed by [[veterinarian|veterinary surgeons]].

The dogs are generally not unduly aggressive towards people and other animals.<ref>''Great Dane: A Comprehensive Guide to Owning and Caring for Your Dog'', Kennel Club Book, 2003, {{ISBN|1-59378-273-X}}</ref>

=== Coat ===
[[File:Greatdane.jpg|thumb|Blue Great Dane]][[File:Great Dane black laying.jpg|thumb|Black Great Dane puppy with cropped ears]]
[[File:8675eds win.jpg|thumbnail|Harlequin Great Dane with cropped ears]][[File:Greatdanedogge-merle1.jpg|thumb|Grey merle Great Dane]]

According to the breed standard, Great Danes have six to seven (depending on the standard) show-acceptable [[Coat (dog)|coat colours]]:<ref name=AKC>{{cite web|title=Great Dane Breed Standard|publisher=[[American Kennel Club]]|url=http://www.akc.org/breeds/great_dane|year=1999|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050503171729/http://www.akc.org/breeds/great_dane/|archive-date=3 May 2005}}</ref><ref>[http://www.fci.be/nomenclature/Standards/235g02-en.pdf FCI Breed Standard N° 235 Great Dane (Deutsche Dogge)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006071603/http://www.fci.be/nomenclature/Standards/235g02-en.pdf |date=6 October 2014 }} (PDF)</ref>
* Fawn and brindle
**'''[[Fawn (color)|Fawn]]''': The colour is yellow-gold with a [[Melanistic mask|black mask]]. Black should appear on the eye rims and eyebrows and may appear on the ears.
**'''Brindle''': The colour is fawn and black in a chevron striped pattern. Often, they are also referred to as having a striped pattern.
* Black, harlequin, grey merle and mantle
**'''Black''': The colour is a glossy black. White markings on the chest and toes are not desirable and considered faults.
**'''Harlequin''': The base colour is pure white with torn black  patches irregularly 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 patches of grey that is consistent with a merle marking, or a white base with single black hairs showing through, which tend to give a salt and pepper or dirty effect. Merlequin, a white coat with grey patches instead of black, is a disqualification.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 9, 2018 |title=Official Standard of the Great Dane |url=http://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/GreatDane.pdf |access-date=March 11, 2022 |website=[[American Kennel Club]]}}</ref>
***'''Grey [[Merle (dog coat)|merle]]''' (''Grautiger'') Great Danes are acceptable in conformation shows under the [[Fédération Cynologique Internationale|FCI]].  This color was previously a disqualifying fault, but the fault was deleted in a new breed standard in 2012 to provide a wider gene pool and because the grey merle gene can produce a correct harlequin coat.<ref name="FCI67-2013">[http://www.fci.be/circulaires/67-2013.pdf Circular 67/2013 of the FCI, 23/12/2013] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107154817/http://www.fci.be/circulaires/67-2013.pdf |date=7 January 2014 }} (PDF)</ref> Their status is that they are "neither desirable nor to be disqualified".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/235g02-en.pdf|title=F.C.I. Standard N° 235, P. 7|website=fci.be|access-date=7 May 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171025191526/http://www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/235g02-en.pdf|archive-date=25 October 2017}}</ref> Consequently, this colour must never obtain the highest grading at dog shows.<ref name="FCI67-2013" />
**'''Mantle''' (in some countries referred to as '''Boston''' due to the similar colouration and pattern as a [[Boston Terrier]]): The colour is black and white with a solid black blanket extending over the body; black skull with white muzzle; white blaze is optional; whole white collar preferred; a white chest; white on part or whole of forelegs and hind legs; white tipped black tail. A small white marking in the black blanket is acceptable, as is a break in the white collar.
* Blue and blue brindle
**'''Blue''': The colour is a pure steel blue. White markings at the chest and feet are permitted - never with a fawn nuance or blackish-blue colour.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fci.be/Nomenclature/Standards/235g02-en.pdf|title=Great Dane Standard FCI|last=Tapio|first=Marjo|date=25 February 2019|website=www.fci.be|access-date=25 February 2019|archive-date=6 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006071603/http://www.fci.be/nomenclature/Standards/235g02-en.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>
**'''Blue brindle''': This is a brindle coat with a blue-gray background and darker brindle striping.<ref>{{Cite web |last=MOIZ |date=2023-09-12 |title=The Majestic Blue Brindle Great Dane |url=https://petreck.com/blue-brindle-great-dane/ |access-date=2023-09-21 |website=Pet Reck |language=en-us}}</ref>