Fawnequin Great Danes and more..

This article will not discuss AKC colors and is focused more on unique colors sometimes found in Danes. These unique colored Danes are Great, in every sense of the word. Our intent is to offer a basic description of fawnequin Great Danes and additional off colored dogs. This page is dedicated to all those whose wonderful Dane doesn't "fit-in" with traditional color guidelines. If you have a unique colored one of a kind Great Dane, it is most certainly drop dead gorgeous.

Important: all about Great Danes promotes ethical Great Dane breeding. Meaning, this page is a tribute to those who may own, love & care for a unique colored Dane. While we love all Danes we DO NOT endorse or promote breeding to achieve color other than that recommended by the GDCA breeder's color code.

Remember, you should never pay extra for an "unique" colored Dane. Further, question any breeder with a litter of all off colored pups, or, those that specifically breed to "cash in" selling puppies as "rare color".

Colors & Descriptions

FAWNEQUIN:

Fawnequin Great Danes are white with fawn patches and spotting, in a harlequin pattern.

BRINDLEQUIN:

Brindlequin Danes have a white base coat with brindle colored patches and spots, in a harlequin pattern.

MERLEQUIN:

Merlequins are Similar to fawnequin Great Danes however, the white base coat is marked with merle colors. They can be bluish, gray or dark brown. Patches are a "dirty" merle color with dark spots and speckling.

BLUE HARLEQUIN (a.k.a. Porcelain):

Have a white base coat with clean blue patches and spots, all in a harlequin pattern.

ALBINO:

Albinism is not known to occur in Great Danes, however, it is known to affect other large breeds. Albino's are pure white with no colored skin pigmentation, eyes are always red. Albino dogs as well as humans are predisposed to a variety of skin problems due to total lack of skin pigmentation.

WHITE:

White Danes are not pure white, they may have some very small light colored areas, somewhere on the coat. White Danes do have skin pigmentation, like blue eyes and dark lips and eyelids. This dog is a double merle and carries a double merle MM gene. Vision and hearing problems are common among Danes carrying the MM gene.

CHOCOLATE:

Chocolate Danes are a solid chocolate color, nose and ear pigmentation is brown, not black.

CHOCOLATE..QUIN?

OK I made up the name ;) "Chocolate merles" have a solid chocolate base coat with darker brown, merle spots, or patches. Merle markings and patterns are different in every dog appearing randomly, anywhere on the body.

SMOKEY FAWN (a.k.a. Buckskin):

Smokey fawns have a dirty, "smokey" looking, solid fawn coat. Young Danes may lose the smokey color as they mature.

BLUE FAWN:

Blue fawns have a solid fawn coat, there is typically a bluish tint, and/or a blue mask. Ear, nose and skin pigmentation is bluish black.

BLUE BRINDLE:

Basically a brindle colored Dane with the same bluish characteristics as the blue fawn.

ONYX BRINDLE (a.k.a. Reverse Brindle):

With onyx, or reverse brindle, the normal dark brindle striping is so thick, the dog appears to be black, with fawn stripes. If you plan on showing they are considered brindle yet onyx brindles are less desirable and have a harder time finishing their points.

MANTLED MERLE:

Mantled Merles boast merle coloring in a mantle pattern, base coat as in all mantles is white.

MANTLED BRINDLE:

Similar to mantled fawns, brindle colored in a mantle pattern, on a white base coat.

MANTLED FAWN:

Mantled fawns carry fawn coloring in a mantle pattern, on a white base coat.

PIEBALD:

Piebalds have white bodies with mantled markings on the head only. They may be predisposed to skin problems due to lack of skin pigmentation.

As you can imagine putting photos together for this page was tough, thank you to those who have contributed. Own a uniquely marked Dane? Have a photo of fawnequin Great Danes or dogs similar to the above colors? We would absolutely love to include your pictures in this article.

If you'd like to send in photos please visit our "Contact" page located in the top navigation menu.

Thanks so much,
Jeff & the aaGD.com Gang

TOP OF PAGE