Little color theory
Getting to the heart of genetic basics
The colors, markings and patterns that dogs carry genetically are all based on two color pigments, various modification genes and pigmentation defects as well as their variants (alleles) on different gene loci (Loki).
In the Great Dane, the two basic pigments for black (eumelanin) and yellow (phaeomelanin) are influenced to different extents by the different alleles on certain gene loci (E, K and A) and modified (B,D, I, G and T) and in combination with the respective so-called pigmentation defects (on the Loki M, H, S and C) result in a large color palette.
Some of the genes and their mode of action have not yet been decoded, but the known ones mentioned are almost infinite in their possible combinations.
However, this does not mean that you should mix it up indiscriminately, because some color genes have an impact on the health or even on the viability of the dogs.
Therefore some combinations are forbidden here in Germany. And that's certainly good.
However, the prohibition of other colors and markings in the German Great Dane clubs that do not correspond to the so-called standard colors is based exclusively on long traditions, aesthetic decisions and/or antiquated ideas.
Anyone who is interested is welcome to contact us, we will provide information and recommendations for literature.
But if you prefer it shorter and less scientific, you can here look at many of the colors that occur or take a look below at a list of the many possibilities that can be found naturally in the genetic material of the Great Dane, because the basic pigments black and yellow result in the following possibilities due to various (gene) influences:
Variants based on Black and
why yellow (fawn) is not a color but a pattern:
Yellow dogs whose coat color is not based on the recessive e/e are actually not fawn at all, but bi-colored. The black base color of each hair is modified and appears sandy to light brown, the hair tips remain black. However, this can only be seen in long-haired dogs, which is why the Great Dane appears yellow and is listed here by us under the variants based on black:
Black solid, Merle, Harlequin, Piebald (Plattenhund), Merle Piebald, Harlequin Piebald.
Tan Point (TP) variants: TP, Merle TP, Harlequin TP, Piebald TP, Merle Piebald TP, Harlequin Piebald TP.
Saddle Tan: genetically possible in all variants but not always visible.
Yellow variants based on black:
(black) Fawn solid, Fawn Merle, Fawn Harlequin (Fawnequin), Fawn Piebald, Fawn Merle Piebald, Fawn Harlequin Piebald.
Tan Point (TP) variants: not possible in Fawn, but due to certain modifiers sometimes visible points in some places with TP carriers.
Saddle Tan: possible in Fawn in all variants.
Yellow tabby variants (brindle) based on black:
Brindle solid (on the modified base color fawn, i.e. yellow, very light to very heavy black brindle = onyx brindle), brindle merle, brindle harlequin, brindle piebald, brindle merle piebald, brindle harlequin piebald.
Tan-point (TP) variants become brindle-point (BP) at brindle; that means the light areas of the tan point markings show brindle, the rest of the dog is solid: BP, Merle BP, Harlequin BP, Piebald BP, Merle Piebald BP, Harlequin Piebald BP.
Saddle Tan: in fawn, because that is the modified basic color of brindle, possible in all variants.
In addition, modification genes act on the eumelanin (black) and change it to brown (chocolate), dilute it to blue (blue), dilute brown to isabelle (lilac) or change the intensity of the respective colors. This then results in:
Variants based on Blue (Blue):
Blue solid, Blue Merle, Blue Harlequin, Blue Piebald, Blue Merle Piebald, Blue Harlequin Piebald.
Blue Fawn and Brindle variants: Blue Fawn solid, Blue Fawn Merle, Blue Fawn Harlequin, Blue Fawn Piebald and all in brindle too.
Blue TP and BP variants: Blue TP, Blue Merle TP, Blue Harlequin TP, Blue Piebald TP, Blue Merle Piebald TP, Blue Harlequin Piebald TP, Blue BP, Blue Harlequin BP, Blue Merle BP, Blue Piebald BP, Blue Merle Piebald BP, Blue Harlequin Piebald BP .
Saddle Tan: genetically possible in all variants, not always visible.
Variants based on Brown (Chocolate):
Chocolate solid, Chocolate Merle, Chocolate Harlequin, Chocolate Piebald, Chocolate Merle Piebald, Chocolate Harlequin Piebald.
Chocolate fawn and brindle variants: Chocolate fawn solid, Chocolate fawn Merle, Chocolate fawn Harlequin, Chocolate fawn Piebald, Chocolate fawn Merle Piebald, Chocolate fawn Harlequin Piebald, Chocolate Brindle, Chocolate Brindle Merle, Chocolate Brindle Harlequin, Chocolate Brindle Piebald, Chocolate Brindle Merlequin Piebald, Chocolate Brindle Harlequin piebald.
Chocolate TP and BP variants: Chocolate TP, Chocolate Merle TP, Chocolate Harlequin TP, Chocolate Piebald TP, Chocolate Merle Piebald TP, Chocolate Harlequin Piebald TP, Chocolate BP, Chocolate Merle BP, Chocolate Harlequin BP, Chocolate Piebald BP, Chocolate Merle Piebald BP, Chocolate Harlequin Piebald BP .
Saddle Tan: genetically possible in all variants, not always visible.
Variants based on Isabell (Lilac):
Lilac solid, Lilac Merle, Lilac Harlequin, Lilac Piebald, Lilac Merle Piebald, Lilac Harlequin Piebald.
Lilac fawn and brindle variants: Lilac fawn solid, Lilac fawn Merle, Lilac fawn harelquin, Lilac fawn Piebald, Lilac fawn Merle Piebald, Lilac fawn Harlequin Piebald, Lilac Brindle, Lilac Brindle Merle, Lilac Brindle Harlequin, Lilac Brindle Piebald, Lilac Brindle Merle Piebald, Lilac Brindle Harlequin piebald.
Lilac TP and BP variants: Lilac TP, Lilac Merle TP, Lilac Harlequin TP, Lilac Piebald TP, Lilac BP, Lilac Merle BP, Lilac Harlequin BP, Lilac Piebald BP, Lilac Merle Piebald BP, Lilac Harlequin Piebald BP.
Saddle Tan: genetically possible in all variants, not always visible.
Each of these variants can either be solid, mismarked (too much or too little white) or mantle. The mantle gene has not yet been decoded or identified, but a Great Dane can also appear as a "unreal" mantle via the piebald gene.
To make your life easier, here is a simple breakdown:
Black:
Comes in solid, merle, harlequin, piebald, mantle and mismarked mantle as well as black variants of fawn (yellow), brindle (brindle), TP, BP, saddle tan and their combinations.
Blue:
Comes in solid, merle, harlequin, piebald, mantle and mismarked mantle as well
blue variants of fawn (yellow), brindle (brindle), TP, BP, saddle tan and their combinations.
Brown:
Comes in solid, merle, harlequin, piebald, mantle and mismarked mantle as well as tan variants of fawn (yellow), brindle (brindle), TP, BP, saddle tan and their combinations.
Isabel:
Comes in solid, merle, harlequin, piebald, mantle, and mismarked mantle, as well as isabelle varieties of yellow, brindle, TP, BP, saddle tan, and combinations thereof.
Phew, was that easier? Did we forget something?
As you can see, naturally occurring color genes in their different genotypic combinations and their phenotypic appearances are in any case a broad and exciting field.
Breeding with only one color - as has been propagated in the various Great Dane clubs, especially here in Germany - ultimately always leads to a smaller selection of breeding partners and their gene pool, and thus the risk of misinformation being passed on is greater.