Understanding
color breeding in the Great Dane
"This document is
for educational purposes only. It does not change
or replace the Great Dane Club of America's Color Code
of Ethics!"
Prepared by the Color Research Committee
Great Dane Club of America
 Introduction:
The purpose of this document is to provide breeders with a better understanding of color breeding in the Great Dane.
There are currently six acceptable colors recognized in the Great Dane, which are: Fawn, Brindle, Black, Blue,
Harlequin and Mantle. The official standard describes these colors in detail. The material in this document is designed to assist breeders in maximizing the production of the five colors accepted for the show ring.
Breedings within these guidelines are those most likely to produce the
six acceptable colors; and, with the exception of the Harlequin breeding, should minimize the production of those colors unacceptable for the show ring.
Color
Fawn
Pedigree
Pedigrees of Fawns should have only Fawn and/or Brindle and/or Black for a minimum of four generations. Fawns should not have Blue or Harlequin (or any color from the Harlequin Family) for a minimum of four generations.
NOTE: Blacks that are used in these pedigrees may carry Fawn and/or Brindle recessively. Therefore, when these Blacks are bred to Fawn or Brindle, Fawn and/or Brindle may be produced in addition to Black.
Breeding
Fawns should be bred only to Fawn or Brindle or Black which have only Fawn and/or Brindle and/or Black on their pedigrees.
| Parents | Expected Offspring |
|---|
| Fawn x Fawn | Fawn |
| Fawn x Brindle | Brindle and/or Fawn |
| Fawn x Black | Black and/or Fawn and/or Brindle |
Color
Brindle
Pedigree
Pedigrees of Brindles should have only Fawn and/or Brindle and/or Black for a minimum of four generations. Brindles should not have Blue or Harlequin (or any color from the Harlequin family) for a minimum of four generations.
NOTE: Blacks that are used in these pedigrees may carry Fawn and/or Brindle recessively. Therefore, when these Blacks are bred to Fawn or Brindle, Fawn and/or Brindle may be produced in addition to Black.
Breeding
Brindles should be bred only to Fawns or Brindles or Blacks which have only Fawn and/or Brindle and/or Blacks on their pedigrees.
| Parents | Expected Offspring |
|---|
| Brindle x Fawn | Fawn and/or Brindle |
| Brindle x Brindle | Fawn and/or Brindle |
| Brindle x Black | Black and/or Brindle and/or Fawn |
Color
Blue
Pedigree
Pedigrees of Blues should have only Blue and Black for a minimum of four generations. Blues should not have Fawn, Brindle, or Harlequin (or any color from the Harlequin family) for a minimum of four generations.
Breeding
Blues should be bred only to Blues or Blacks which have only Blue or Black in their pedigrees.
| Parents | Expected Offspring |
|---|
| Blue x Blue | Blue |
| Blue x Black | Black and/or Blue |
Color Black
Blacks, which are desirable for breeding, are defined into three categories. Blacks in any category should not have colors from other categories for a minimum of four generations.
Category 1.
Pedigrees of Blacks should have only Black and/or Fawn and/or Brindle for a minimum of four generations.
Category 2.
Pedigrees of Blacks should have only Black and/or Blue for a minimum of four generations.
Category 3.
Pedigrees of Blacks should have only Blacks and/or Harlequins and/or Merles and/or Whites and/or Bostons.
Breeding
BLACKS SHOULD ONLY BE BRED TO COLORS WITHIN THEIR CATEGORY.
Category 1. These Blacks should only be bred to Fawns or Brindles or Blacks which have only Fawn or Brindle and/or Black in their pedigrees.
NOTE: Blacks that are used in these pedigrees may carry Fawn and/or Brindle recessively. Therefore, when these Blacks are bred to Fawn or Brindle, Fawn and/or Brindle may be produced in addition to Black.
| Parents | Expected Offspring |
|---|
| Black x Fawn | Black and/or Fawn and/or Brindle
|
| Black x Brindle | Black and/or Brindle and/or Fawn |
| Black x Black | Black and/or Brindle and/or Fawn |
Category 2. These Blacks should only be bred to Blacks or Blues which have only Black and/or Blue on their pedigrees.
| Parents | Expected Offspring |
|---|
| Black x Blue | Black and/or Blue |
| Black x Black | Black and/or Blue |
Category 3. These Blacks should only be bred to Blacks or Harlequins or Whites which have only Black and/or Harlequin and/or Merle and/or White and/or Boston on their pedigrees.
| Parents | Expected Offspring |
|---|
| Black x Black | Black |
| Black x White | Harlequin and/or Merle |
| Black x Harlequin | Harlequin and/or Merle and/or Black and/or Boston
|
Color
Harlequin
Pedigree
Pedigrees of Harlequins should have only Harlequin and/or Black and/or Boston and/or White and/or Merle for a minimum of four generations. Harlequins should not have Fawn and/or Brindle and/or Blue for a minimum of four generations.
Breeding
In the text below (related to Harlequin breeding) reference is made to Whites, Merles and Bostons. Since these colors are not colors which are accepted by the Great Dane Club of America's Standard, a description of these colors is included in this guideline.
- White: A white dog with no black pigment or with only a few small black spots, often on the head or ears.
- Merle: A grey dog with darker grey and/or black torn patches, with varying degrees of white.
- Boston: A black dog with white markings in a "Boston" pattern.
Not specifically addressed are the breeding of blacks with white markings other than the "Boston" pattern. These animals will produce the same expected offspring as Bostons and Blacks in breeding 1-4 below.
Listed below are seven breeding which will produce Harlequins. In all cases, Fawns, Brindle or Blue should not be on the parents' pedigrees for a minimum of four generations.
| Parents | Expected Offspring |
|---|
| 1. Boston x White | Harlequin and/or Merle |
| 2. Black x White | Harlequin and/or Merle |
| 3. Boston x Harlequin | Harlequin and/or Merle and/or Black and/or Boston
|
| 4. Black x Harlequin | Harlequin and/or Merle and/or Black and/or Boston |
| 5. Harlequin x Harlequin | Harlequin and/or Merle and/or Black and/or Boston and/or White |
| 6. Harlequin x Merle | Harlequin and/or Merle and/or Black and/or Boston and/or White |
| 7. Harlequin x White | Harlequin and/or Merle and/or White |
Problem
pedigrees
The previous pages have given guidance for the breeding of dogs who do not carry undesirable color genes or undesirable combinations of genes. If maximum correct color is to be obtained, dogs with undesirable color genes or combinations should not be bred. Examples of dogs which might have undesirable combinations of genes would be illustrated by Blacks who have both Blue and Fawn in the first four generations or Harlequins who have Fawn in the first four generations.
It should be noted that four generations is simply a reasonable number to assume a recessive gene may have been eliminated based on its non-appearance. Four generations is not a validated number of generations that guarantees an undesirable recessive gene cannot be carried without appearance.
The Chocolate color has not been previously mentioned in this document. This color has been observed in the Great Dane Breed for at least twenty-five years. This chocolate color is due to a simple recessive gene. When a dog carries two of these recessive genes it displays the influence of the chocolate gene. The genes impact on the five recognized colors is as follows:
- Fawn - Pale peach color with darker chocolate mask
- Brindle - Pale peach color with darker chocolate mask and stripes
- Black - A solid chocolate
- Blue - A dilute (silver/blue) chocolate
- Harlequin - A white dog with chocolate patches
Since this color is caused by a recessive gene, a dog of any color may carry this hidden recessive gene.
If we want to determine whether or not a suspect dog carries a gene for chocolate, a test breeding to a chocolate or known carrier must be made. Any non-chocolate dog who has a chocolate parent or who has himself produced the color must be a carrier and test breeding is not required. Every puppy from a litter in which a chocolate has occurred must be suspect for the gene. When test breeding a suspect dog for a chocolate, 50% chocolates are to be expected if the suspect dog is a carrier. This 50% expectancy is valid for large samples. Small litters may vary from this percentage.
If a suspect dog is bred to a chocolate and produces a litter of six non-chocolate puppies, then the odds are 1:64 that he is not a carrier. If a litter of ten non-chocolate results, the odds change to 1:1024. This test breeding methodology can be utilized to test for other recessive genes.
UNDERSTANDING COLOR BREEDING IN THE GREAT DANE
"Prepared by the Color Research Committee, Great Dane Club of America"
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