What does each club give for Height at the withers in the Great Dane?

FCI, Male: 80–90 cm; AKC, Male: over 76.2 cm; UKC, Male: over 76.2 cm; KC, Male: over 76 cm; CKC, Male: over 76.3 cm; FCI, Female: 72–84 cm; AKC, Female: over 71.1 cm; UKC, Female: over 71.1 cm; KC, Female: over 71 cm; CKC, Female: over 71 cm.

Great Dane breed standards compared

Each column is one club's published standard. An empty cell means the club says nothing on that point in our records.

Clubs compared: FCI, AKC, UKC, KC, CKC.

Size

Size
Measure	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	CKC
Height at the withers, male	80–90 cm	over 76.2 cmunder 76.2 cmDisqualifying	over 76.2 cmunder 76.2 cmDisqualifying	over 76 cm	over 76.3 cmunder 76.3 cmDisqualifying
Height at the withers, female	72–84 cm	over 71.1 cmunder 71.1 cmDisqualifying	over 71.1 cmunder 71.1 cmDisqualifying	over 71 cm	over 71 cmunder 71 cmDisqualifying
Weight, male	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	over 54 kg	No ruling
Weight, female	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	over 46 kg	No ruling
Height to length	1	1	1	No ruling	1
Skull to muzzle	1	No ruling	1	No ruling	No ruling

Conformation

Conformation
Form	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	CKC
BiteScissors bite	Standard (“Strong sound and complete scissor bite”)	Standard (“(scissors bite)”)	Standard (“white teeth meeting in a scissors bite”)	Standard (“perfect, regular and complete scissor bite”)	No ruling
BiteLevel bite	No ruling	Fault (“Even bites, misaligned or crowded incisors are minor faults”)	Fault (“Minor Faults: Crowded or misaligned incisors; even bite”)	No ruling	Fault (“Faults: Even bite”)
BiteOvershot	No ruling	Fault (“An overshot bite is a serious fault”)	Fault (“Serious Faults: Overshot bite”)	No ruling	Disqualifying (“Missing teeth, overshot teeth”)
BiteUndershot	No ruling	Fault (“Undershot and wry mouths are very serious faults”)	Fault (“Very Serious Faults: Undershot bite; wry mouth”)	No ruling	Disqualifying (“Undershot teeth”)
BiteWry mouth	No ruling	Fault (“Undershot and wry mouths are very serious faults”)	Fault (“Very Serious Faults: Undershot bite; wry mouth”)	No ruling	No ruling
DentitionFull dentition	Standard (“complete scissor bite (42 teeth according to the dentition formula)”)	Standard (“full dentition preferred”)	Standard (“a complete set of evenly spaced, white teeth”)	No ruling	No ruling
DentitionMissing teeth	Alternate (“The absence of up to two P1 teeth in the upper or lower jaw is tolerated”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	Disqualifying (“Missing teeth, overshot teeth”)
Ear carriageDrop (pendant)	Standard (“Naturally pendant set on high”)	Standard (“folded forward close to the cheek”)	Standard (“Natural ears are medium in size and fold forward close to the cheek”)	No ruling	Standard (“drooping forward close to the cheek”)
Ear carriageFolded	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“Triangular, medium size, set high on skull and folded forward”)	No ruling
Ear carriagePendulous	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	Fault (“folded forward, not pendulous”)	No ruling
Ear carriageErect (prick)	No ruling	Alternate (“If cropped ... the ears are carried uniformly erect”)	Alternate (“Cropped ears ... stand erect”)	No ruling	No ruling
Ear setHigh	Standard (“set on high, but not lifted above skull”)	Standard (“Ears shall be high set”)	Standard (“Ears are high set”)	Standard (“set high on skull”)	No ruling
Eye shapeAlmond	Standard (“Almond shaped with close fitting lids”)	Standard (“The eyelids are almond shaped and relatively tight”)	Standard (“Eyes are medium in size, almond-shaped, tight”)	No ruling	No ruling
Eye shapeRound	No ruling	No ruling	Fault (“Faults: Round or protruding eyes”)	No ruling	No ruling
StopPronounced	No ruling	Standard (“a strongly pronounced stop”)	Standard (“joined by a strongly pronounced stop”)	No ruling	Standard (“with strongly pronounced stop”)
Muzzle shapeSquare	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“the end of the muzzle ... appears almost square”)	No ruling	No ruling
ToplineLevel	No ruling	Standard (“Withers shall slope smoothly into a short level back”)	Standard (“The withers flow smoothly into a short, level back”)	No ruling	No ruling
ToplineSloping to the rear	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“which slopes downward slightly toward the loins”)
Tail carriageSabre	Standard (“carried slightly sabre-like and not significantly above the backline”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling
Tail carriageLevel	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“Carried in straight line level with back, when dog is moving”)	No ruling
Tail carriageRing	No ruling	Fault (“A ring or hooked tail is a serious fault”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling
Tail carriageCurled over the back	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	Fault (“never curling or carried over back”)	No ruling
Tail setHigh	No ruling	Standard (“The tail should be set high and smoothly into the croup”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling
FeetCat foot	Standard (“Rounded, well arched, well-knit toes (cat feet)”)	No ruling	Standard (“Feet are round, tight, and well arched”)	Standard (“Cat-like”)	No ruling
FeetSplayed	Fault (“Feet: Flat, splayed, long”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling
Rear dewclawsSingle	No ruling	No ruling	Fault (“Serious Fault: Rear dewclaws”)	No ruling	No ruling
Rear dewclawsDouble	No ruling	No ruling	Fault (“Serious Fault: Rear dewclaws”)	No ruling	No ruling
HocksWell let down	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	Standard (“hocks set low, turning neither in nor out”)	No ruling
Neck lengthLong	Standard (“Long, clean, muscular and never short or thick”)	Standard (“well arched, long and muscular”)	Standard (“The neck is long, well arched, and muscular”)	Standard (“Neck long, well arched”)	No ruling
Neck lengthShort	No ruling	No ruling	Fault (“Faults: Short, thick neck”)	No ruling	No ruling
ChestBarrel	Fault (“Ribs must never be barrel shaped or flat”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling
ChestBroad	No ruling	Standard (“The chest shall be broad, deep and well muscled”)	Standard (“The chest is broad, well muscled, and deep”)	No ruling	No ruling
ChestDeep	No ruling	Standard (“The chest shall be broad, deep and well muscled”)	Standard (“The chest is broad, well muscled, and deep”)	Standard (“Very deep, brisket reaching elbow”)	No ruling

Markings

Markings
Marking	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	CKC
Mask	Standard (“Black mask desired.”)	Standard (“Brindle shall have a black chevron pattern with a black mask.”)	Standard (“A black mask is preferred.”)	No ruling	No ruling
Chest patch	Alternate (“Small white markings on the chest are permitted.”)	Fault (“White markings on the chest or toes are not desirable.”)	Fault (“White markings on the chest and toes”)	Fault (“white on chest and feet is undesirable”)	Fault (“Small white marks at the chest and toes are not desirable.”)
Socks	Disqualifying (“white paws”)	Fault (“White markings on the chest or toes are not desirable.”)	Fault (“White markings on the chest and toes”)	Fault (“white on chest and feet is undesirable”)	Fault (“White socks”)
Blaze	Disqualifying (“with a white blaze”)	Alternate (“white blaze is optional”)	Alternate (“white blaze is optional”)	Alternate (“white blaze optional”)	Fault (“partial small facial blaze”)
Collar	Disqualifying (“white neck collar”)	No ruling	Standard (“A full white collar is preferred.”)	Standard (“whole white collar preferred”)	No ruling
Stockings	Disqualifying (“white stockings”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling
Stripe	Disqualifying (“White forehead stripe”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling
White tail tip	Disqualifying (“white tail tip”)	Standard (“white tipped black tail”)	Standard (“white tip of the tail”)	Standard (“white tipped black tail”)	No ruling

Cropping, docking and other procedures

Cropping, docking and other procedures
Procedure	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	CKC
Ear cropping	No ruling	Alternate (“If cropped, the ear length is in proportion to the size of the head”)	Alternate (“Ears may be cropped or natural, with no preference”)	No ruling	No ruling
Tail docking	Fault (“Tail: Damaged, thickened at the tip or which has been docked”)	Disqualifying (“A docked tail is a disqualification”)	Disqualifying (“Disqualification: Docked tail”)	No ruling	Disqualifying (“Docked tails”)
Dewclaw removal	No ruling	Alternate (“Dewclaws may or may not be”)	Alternate (“Front dewclaws may be removed”)	No ruling	No ruling

The law on these procedures differs by country. A listing here says nothing about whether one is legal where you live.

Great Dane colors and patterns

What each club's breed standard says about every Great Dane color and pattern. Point at a ruling to see the club's own wording.

Breed standards describe the Great Dane in Black, White, Gray, Blue, and Fawn. Standard patterns: Solid, Brindle, Merle, Harlequin, Piebald, Roan, Sable, Mantle, and Reverse brindle.

Coat: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	KUSA
Black	Standard (“Black: Jet black”)	Standard (“Black”)	Standard (“Black: Glossy black”)	Standard (“Black is black”)	Standard (“Black: Jet black”)
White	Standard (“Harlequin: Basic colour pure white”)	Standard (“White”)	Standard (“Harlequin: Black torn patches ... over a white background”)	Standard (“Harlequins: pure white underground”)	Standard (“Harlequin: Basic colour pure white”)
Gray	Standard (“Merle: grey and black spotted”)	Standard (“Merle Color: A pale gray to dark gray merle base color”)	Standard (“Merle: A pale gray to dark gray base color”)	Not recognized	Standard (“Merle: grey and black spotted”)
Blue	Standard (“Blue: Pure steel blue”)	Standard (“Blue”)	Standard (“Blue: Pure steel blue”)	Standard (“Blues: colour varies from light grey to deep slate”)	Standard (“Blue: Pure steel blue”)
Fawn	Standard (“Fawn: Light gold fawn to deep gold fawn”)	Standard (“Fawn”)	Standard (“Fawn: Yellow gold with a black mask”)	Standard (“Fawns: colour varies from lightest buff to deepest orange”)	Standard (“Fawn: Light gold fawn to deep gold fawn”)
Albino	Disqualifying (“Harlequin Great Danes: White without any black (albinos)”)	Disqualifying	Disqualifying (“Albinism”)	Not recognized	Disqualifying (“Harlequin Great Danes: White without any black (albinos)”)
Silver	Not recognized	Disqualifying (“Silver”)	Disqualifying	Not recognized	Not recognized
Chocolate	Not recognized	Disqualifying (“Chocolate”)	Disqualifying	Not recognized	Not recognized
Isabella	Disqualifying (“Fawn and brindle: Silver blue or isabella-colored, with a white blaze”)	Disqualifying	Disqualifying	Not recognized	Disqualifying (“Fawn and brindle: Silver blue or isabella-coloured, with a white blaze”)
Patterns
Solid	Standard (“Fawn: ... evenly shaded throughout the body”)	Standard (“Black”)	Standard (“Black: Glossy black”)	Standard (“Black is black”)	Standard (“Fawn: ... evenly shaded throughout the body”)
Brindle	Standard (“Brindle”)	Standard (“Brindle”)	Standard (“Brindle”)	Standard (“Brindles: must be striped”)	Standard (“Brindle”)
Merle	Standard (“Merle (grey-black splashed patches)”)	Standard (“Merle”)	Standard (“Merle”)	Not recognized (“Merle”)	Standard (“Merle (grey-black splashed patches)”)
Harlequin	Standard (“Harlequin (white with black splashed patches)”)	Standard (“Harlequin”)	Standard (“Harlequin”)	Standard (“Harlequins”)	Standard (“Harlequin (white with black splashed patches)”)
Piebald	Standard (“dogs with basic white colour and large black patches so called “Plattenhunde””)	Fault (“Piebald”)	Disqualifying	Not recognized	Standard (“dogs with basic white colour and large black patches so called “Plattenhunde””)
Roan	Fault (“blue-grey ticking in the white”)	Standard (“Eligible but less desirable, are black hairs showing through the white base coat”)	Standard (“single black hairs showing through the white background ... allowed but not preferred”)	Not recognized	Fault (“blue-grey ticking in the white”)
Sable	Fault (“Fawn Danes: grey, blue, or sooty fawn”)	Fault (“dirty colored Fawns; are not desirable”)	Fault (“black-fronted or dirty colored fawns”)	Standard (“dark shadings on head and ears acceptable”)	Fault (“Fawn Danes: grey, blue, or sooty fawn”)
Mantle	Standard (“Included here are “Mantel Great Danes””)	Standard (“Mantle”)	Standard (“Mantle”)	Standard (“Mantle: Black and white with a solid, black blanket”)	Standard (“Included here are “Mantel Great Danes””)
Reverse brindle	Standard (“Brindle”)	Standard (“Brindle”)	Standard (“Brindle”)	Standard (“Brindles: must be striped”)	Standard (“Brindle”)
Double merle	No ruling	No ruling	Disqualifying	Not recognized	No ruling

Eyes: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	KUSA
Blue	Standard (“In harlequins ... pale (ice blue) eyes ... are to be tolerated”)	Standard (“In Harlequins and Merles ... blue eye(s) ... are permitted”)	Standard (“In Harlequins and Merles ... blue eye(s) ... are permitted”)	Standard (“Blues: ... the nose and eyes may be blue; in harlequins, wall eyes”)	Standard (“In harlequins ... pale (ice blue) eyes ... are to be tolerated”)
Dark brown	Standard (“As dark as possible”)	Standard (“dark”)	Standard (“dark brown”)	Standard (“eyes and nails preferably dark”)	Standard (“As dark as possible”)
Light brown	Standard (“in blue dogs slightly lighter eyes are tolerated”)	No ruling	Standard (“A slightly lighter shade of brown is acceptable, but not preferred, in the blue Danes”)	No ruling	Standard (“in blue dogs slightly lighter eyes are tolerated”)
Amber	Fault (“light piercing or amber coloured eyes are undesirable”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	Fault (“light piercing or amber-coloured eyes are undesirable”)
Yellow	No ruling	No ruling	Fault (“yellow eyes”)	No ruling	No ruling
Patterns
Odd-eyed	Standard (“In harlequins ... two differently coloured eyes are to be tolerated”)	Standard (“In Harlequins and Merles ... eyes of different colors are permitted”)	Standard (“In Harlequins and Merles ... eyes of different colors are permitted”)	Standard (“Wall, or odd eyes permissible in harlequins”)	Standard (“In harlequins ... two differently coloured eyes are to be tolerated”)

Nose: rulings by club
Color or pattern	FCI	AKC	UKC	KC	KUSA
Black	Standard (“Must be black with the exception of harlequins”)	Standard (“Nose shall be black”)	Standard (“The nose is black”)	Standard (“Nose always black, except in blues and harlequins”)	Standard (“Must be black with the exception of harlequins”)
Blue	Standard (“In blue dogs the colour of the nose is anthracite (diluted black)”)	Standard (“in the blue Dane, where it is a dark blue-black”)	Standard (“blue Danes where the nose is a dark blue-black”)	Standard (“Blues: ... the nose and eyes may be blue”)	Standard (“In blue dogs the colour of the nose is anthracite (diluted black)”)
Pink	Standard (“harlequins: ... flesh coloured nose is tolerated”)	Fault (“a solid pink color nose is not desirable”)	Fault (“Pink nose”)	Standard (“In harlequins, ... pink noses ... permissible”)	Standard (“harlequins: ... flesh coloured nose is tolerated”)
Liver	Disqualifying (“Nose: Liver coloured”)	No ruling	No ruling	No ruling	Disqualifying (“Nose: Liver coloured”)
Patterns
Butterfly nose	Standard (“a butterfly nose (black with pink patches) ... is tolerated”)	Standard (“A black spotted nose is permitted on the Harlequins and Merles”)	Standard (“A black spotted nose is permitted on Harlequins and Merles”)	Standard (“In harlequins, ... butterfly noses permissible”)	Standard (“a butterfly nose (black with pink patches) ... is tolerated”)

What the rulings mean

Standard: Described by the club's breed standard.
Fault: Named by the club's breed standard as a fault: the animal can be shown but is penalized.
Disqualifying: The club's breed standard disqualifies an animal of this color or pattern.
Not recognized: The club does not accept this color or pattern for the breed.

Color changes

How a Great Dane's colors can change over its life.

Blackchanges toRust
Coat · With body condition · can change back
Blackchanges toGray
Coat · Progressive
Blackchanges toBrown
Coat · In the sun · can change back
Whitechanges toRoan
Coat · With age · from 2 weeks
Bluechanges toDark brown
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks
Bluechanges toBrown
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks
Bluechanges toLight brown
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks
Bluechanges toAmber
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks
Bluechanges toHazel
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks
Bluechanges toYellow
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks
Blackchanges toSnow nose
Nose · With the season · can change back
Blackchanges toPink
Nose · With the season · can change back

Sources

Each ruling comes from the club's published breed standard or color list.

Published standards

Back to the Great Dane guide Grooming styles for the Great Dane