"Rare Colours"

"RARE COLOURS"

Harlequin breeding does indeed produce a wide range of markings and some unique individuals. However any breeder who attempts to sell mismarks and colour variations at a higher price due to their "rareness" is a fraudster. Do not buy a puppy from this breeder!

Colours that fall outside of the breed standard should be offered at a lower price than "correctly" marked littermates.

Deliberately crossing the colour barriers to produce "rare" colours is both an unethical and dangerous practice.

It is clear that the people who do so to make a quick buck have little or no genetic knowledge. I doubt that they would know that a fawn merle (which is virtually indistinguishable from a normal fawn) could produce an entire litter of deaf puppies without eyes if put to the wrong partner.

However sometimes the best bloodlines may produce an undesired colour combination! This is due to the action of recessive genes. After WWI the use of fawn Great Danes was sanctioned by the DDC in Germany to improve the harlequin Great Danes. As fawn is recessive to black, this gene can be carried along indefinitely until it meets up with another recessive fawn and voila - a fawn puppy! Quite a shock for the harlequin breeder to say the least.

Blues were also used (and still are in some places) in harlequin breeding programmes. The UK standard still allows for blue harlequins to be shown (although hardly anyone does).

Mismarks from reputable breeders would be excluded from show and breeding but they would still make wonderful companions. They have the same excellent breeding behind them as their show marked littermates.

BLUE HARLEQUINS - Eligible for show and breeding in UK & SA.

FAWN & BRINDLE HARLEQUINS - Not eligible for show or breeding.

Deliberately crossing the colour barriers to produce "rare" colours is both an unethical and dangerous practice.

In all of the "fawnoquins" the black markings on the head are due to the mask.

BRINDLE HARLEQUINS - Not eligible for show or breeding.

Deliberately crossing the colour barriers to produce "rare" colours is both an unethical and dangerous practice.

In all of the brindle harlequins the black markings on the head are due to the mask.

ONYX BRINDLE (The normal brindle pattern appears "reversed" - almost as if it is black with fawn stripes) - Eligible for show and breeding.

MANTLE VARIATIONS - Not eligible for show or breeding.

Deliberately crossing the colour barriers to produce "rare" colours is both an unethical and dangerous practice.

To find out more about colours in the Great Dane go back to the Information Page

Page last updated: 18-09-08 11:02:04 PM

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