Different Types of Great Danes | Colors, Patterns & Markings

Great Danes come in a striking range of coat colors and patterns. The American Kennel Club breed standard recognizes seven of them, but Danes are born in other colors too.

The seven accepted colors are fawn, brindle, blue, black, harlequin, mantle, and merle. Other colors you may see include white, chocolate, silver, and several "-quin" patterns. Here is a guide to each one.

Great Danes Color Chart


Color	Appearance	AKC Accepted?
Fawn	Yellow gold with black mask	Yes
Blue	Pure steel blue	Yes
Harlequin	White with black torn patches	Yes
Merle	Pale to dark gray merle with black torn patches	Yes
Brindle	Yellow gold with black cross stripes	Yes
Black	Glossy black	Yes
Mantle	Black blanket with white muzzle, neck, chest, legs, and tail tip	Yes
Merlequin	White base with only merle patches	No (disqualified)
Brindlequin	White base with brindle patches	No
Silver	Light gray	No
Piebald	White base with irregular patches of other colors	No
Fawnequin	White coat with fawn patches	No
White	Mostly or completely white	No
Chocolate	Brown	No

Which Color/Types of Great Danes are Accepted by AKC?

Which ColorTypes of Great Danes are Accepted by AKC

Here are the Great Dane coat colors that the American Kennel Club standard accepts. The standard disqualifies any color other than these seven.

Fawn

Fawn is the classic Great Dane color. The coat is yellow gold, with a black mask and black on the eye rims and eyebrows.

The standard prefers a deep yellow gold. White markings on the chest or toes are not desirable. Scooby-Doo and Marmaduke are both fawn-colored Great Danes.

Blue

The standard calls for "a pure steel blue." In person, blue Danes often look slate gray. White markings on the chest or toes are not desirable.

Mantle

A mantle Dane is black and white, with a black "blanket" over the body. The standard calls for a black skull with a white muzzle, a whole or partial white neck, a white chest, white on the legs, and a white-tipped black tail.

A white blaze on the face is optional, and a small white break in the blanket is acceptable.

Brindle

Brindle Danes have a yellow gold base color with black cross stripes in a chevron pattern, plus a black mask.

The standard prefers an intense base color with distinct, even brindling. Too much or too little brindling is equally undesirable.

Black

Black Danes should be a glossy black. White markings on the chest or toes are not desirable.

Two black parents don't always produce all-black puppies. Black Danes can carry genes for other colors, such as blue or fawn.

Harlequin

Harlequin Danes have a white base coat with black torn patches spread over the body, and a whole or partial white neck. Every harlequin's pattern is unique.

Merle patches are normal in harlequins. No patch should be so large that it looks like a blanket.

Merle

Merle Danes have a pale gray to dark gray merle base with black torn patches. They can be solid merle or merle with a mantle pattern.

A white dog with only merle patches is called a merlequin, which the standard disqualifies. The current standard with merle was approved in 2018 and took effect on January 1, 2019.

What About Other Great Dane Colors?

What About Other Great Dane's Colors

Great Danes are also born in colors outside the official seven. These dogs make great pets, but they can't be shown in AKC conformation.

Fawnequin: A white coat with fawn patches instead of black ones, similar in layout to a harlequin.
White: Mostly white Danes usually come from harlequin or merle breedings. Some carry two copies of the merle gene ("double merle"), which is linked to deafness and eye problems. Not every white Dane is affected, and white Danes are different from true albinos.
Chocolate: A brown coat, sometimes with white markings on the chest, feet, or face.
Merlequin: A white base with merle patches only. It looks like a harlequin, but with gray merle patches instead of black ones.
Brindlequin: A white base with brindle patches instead of black ones.
Silver: A light gray coat, paler than blue.
Piebald: A mostly white coat with irregular patches of color, often around the ears and eyes.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are the different colors of Great Danes?

The AKC standard accepts seven Great Dane colors: fawn, brindle, blue, black, harlequin, mantle, and merle. Danes also come in other colors, such as white, merlequin, silver, and piebald, but these are not accepted for showing.

Are there different breeds of Great Danes?

American and European Great Danes are, in essence, the same breed. Different breeding preferences have led to differences in look and build.

What is the biggest type of Great Dane?

Size depends on the individual dog, not its color. The AKC standard says males must be at least 30 inches at the shoulder, preferably 32 inches or more, and females at least 28 inches, preferably 30 inches or more.

Which color of Great Danes is the rarest?

There is no official count of Great Dane colors. Non-standard colors such as chocolate, silver, and the "-quin" patterns are less common because responsible breeders breed for the seven accepted colors.

Is there a Best color for Great Danes?

No. Color doesn't affect temperament or health, with one exception: mostly white Danes from merle-to-merle breedings have a higher risk of deafness and eye problems. Merle is the most recent addition to the standard colors.

Wrapping Up

Whatever their color or pattern, Great Danes are wonderful companions. Now you know the seven official colors and the other coats you may come across.

Check out these guides:

Sources

Official Standard of the Great Dane, American Kennel Club