Have we got a story for you! Accidental breedings are never ethical, and it’s never right to intentionally breed a Great Dane and a Frenchie together. However, these Great Dane Frenchie mix puppies are a special case, and you’re not going to believe how this happened!
This story involves a grand champion Great Dane and a French Bulldog. The puppies look like miniature Scooby Doo dogs!
It’s important to share this story but we need to make it clear that these are NOT images that we took. You can view the originals from Neet Great Danes HERE.
As a matter of fact, because of their involvement in dog shows, dog sports, OFA health testing, the GDCA, the AKC, and Great Dane rescue (they have helped rescue over 500 dogs), Neet Danes is a perfect example of an exceptional breeder who should be celebrated.
Imagine their surprise when a highly anticipated litter of potential Champion puppies didn’t grow the same way that normal Great Dane puppies do…
How does something like this happen? This story is shocking and actually devastating, but Neet Danes has truly made lemonade out of lemons.
Cool Bred Canine, Frozen in Time, & the Canine Semen Center
The Canine Semen Center has been known by a few names over the years, and as of this writing they are still in business. The company is owned and operated by Sherian Evans & Linda Peterson.
It is not unusual for breeders to collect and store semen from dogs. This is a common practice that aids in diversifying the gene pool.
Neet Danes learned after the fact that the owners of this company store the semen in their own personal garage. I’m not sure what the common practice is here, but this feels like a red flag. ?
Unfortunately, somewhere along the way there was a major, major mixup.
Instead of being inseminated with Neet’s Baby Face semen, the breeders dam was inseminated with, you guessed it, the semen collected from a French Bulldog.
This mixup resulted in Great Dane Frenchie mix puppies, and over $30K in veterinary bills. Not to mention, this mistake could have been devastating for all of the dogs involved.
Neet Danes shares the story and all of the information on their Facebook page, embedded below:
Fortunately the champion lineage of these puppies showed up in a big way, and they look very much like miniature Great Danes.
Note, do not breed or purposefully seek out this mix. The puppies may be cute, but to do this intentionally would be incredibly unethical.
The breeder became extra suspicious when the puppies began to develop a crooked bite. However, even at the time that the puppies ears were cropped, they still looked like Great Danes!
Two weeks after having their ears cropped, the puppies started to fall behind on the growth chart, and show other signs that they were not, in fact, purebred Great Danes.
This could have turned out much, much worse. French Bulldogs are subject to numerous health problems that could have caused the puppies, and the families who own them, absolute heartbreak.
Neet Danes, being the ethical breeder that they are, placed a heavy focus on finding exceptional families for the Great Dane Frenchie pups that were accidentally bred.
Of course, as cute as these puppies are, this is absolutely tragic.
Not only was it a wasted breeding that contributed nothing to the health of their breeding program, the Dam was put through a pregnancy and whelping situation that should have never happened.
The worst part is that as of this writing, the Canine Semen Center has done absolutely nothing to help Neet Danes out.
The storage facility claims to be frantically DNA testing their stock to sort out the mistake and find Neet’s Baby Face’s semen (which is still missing, by the way).
They have done absolutely nothing to compensate Neet Danes.
Not only did Neet Danes end up with the wrong puppies, the semen collected from their Grand Champion stud is gone. That may seem like a small thing, but when you dedicate years of your life to curating an exceptional pedigree of dogs with outstanding health, structure, and temperaments, this is a huge loss.
Please support Neet Danes by liking and following their content! At this point, the only thing they can do, potentially, is sue for damages.
Spreading the word can help ensure that other breeders do not use the Canine Semen Center (or whatever other name they rebrand to) in the future.
At Hello Danes we support Neet Danes in any capacity here, and are happy to use our platform to make sure this never happens to another dog or breeder again…
If you want more amazing content on this topic, please follow one of our favorite creators on Tik Tok, @TheGreatDaneScientist and see her recent post on this topic below. Remember to like, follow, and comment!
The adopt don’t shop campaign is a movement to promote the adoption of homeless animals from shelters instead of buying animals from breeders or pet stores.
The campaign is well-meaning. It discourages the purchase of animals from commercial breeders, which often contributes to animal homelessness and neglect. It also highlights the plight of animals in shelters, who are often euthanized if they are not adopted.
I may receive a fair bit of heat for this post today, but there are things that need to be said.
It’s important for me to preface this with the fact that I have rescue dogs and dogs from reputable breeders. I’ve volunteered for rescue and helped with expenses, transport, and adoption applications.
I’ve adopted dogs that others don’t want.I believe in adoption.
I actively promote exceptional Great Dane breeders, too, though.
In my opinion, the phrase ‘adopt don’t shop’ does more harm than good.
Buying a dog from a responsible breeder is not a bad thing. Adopting a dog from a responsible rescue is not a bad thing, either. Of course, rescue and shelter dogs can make incredible family pets!
The problem actually lies in the fact that there are irresponsible rescues and irresponsible breeders everywhere.
Adopt-don’t-shop campaigns casually omit this fact. They promote to prospective dog owners the idea that all forms of rescue are always good, and that buying pets from breeders for any reason is always bad.
Read on, friends.
Adopt Don’t Shop Supports Backyard Breeding
By shaming people for choosing breeders of any kind, the phrase ‘adopt don’t shop’ pushes prospective pet owners to seek alternatives to pet stores and breeders.
Many of the alternative ‘rescue’ paths towards obtaining dogs (purebred dogs or doodles in particular), are often unethical and actually contribute to the problem of over-run rescues.
Retail rescue, meat trade rescue, bait dog rescue, ‘puppy rescues’, and saving puppies from the pet store or a dirty backyard breeder are just some of the most common ways that people buy new pets.
All of these avenues allow people to claim that they rescued or adopted the dog, and thus, satisfy the cries of the people screaming “adopt don’t shop!”.
However, all of these avenues also contribute to the problem. The shelters have more dogs than they can handle, and this is why.
I’ll put this bluntly.
Adopt don’t shop supports, encourages, and perpetuates puppy mills and unethical backyard breeding.
After all, were it not for those two things, the shelters would actually be nearly empty.
There’s an overwhelming number of pets in shelters across the United States. In fact, according to the ASPCA, approximately 3.3 million dogs enter U.S. shelters every year.
Some statistics show that currently, pet overpopulation isn’t the big problem that it’s been presented as; this is good news! For every adoptable dog in a shelter, there may actually be a home.
“The data shows that every year there are six times more people looking to acquire an animal than there are animals being killed in shelters.”
No Kill Advocacy Center
Many of the dogs that end up in shelters are owner surrenders (oftentimes these are animals with serious health problems or training issues), some are strays that were picked up by animal control, a select few come from hoarding and animal cruelty cases, some are loved pets that have nowhere else to go because of hardship or death, and the rest come from unwanted dogs left behind by unethical breeders and accidental litters.
There are three factors associated with this that nobody likes to talk about.
All pets in rescue come from backyard breeders, puppy mills, and accidental litters. All of them. Reputable breeders who support puppy buyers for life are not contributing to the problem.
Not all dogs are adoptable. Many of them are poorly socialized and may even be fearful and aggressive. Some have expensive and severe medical problems that make them hard to place, too. These dogs with ‘sad stories’ tend to generate revenue and clicks for many rescues, but they also eat up a lot of resources.
Many rescues have stringent adoption requirements. A lot of great pet owners are denied because they have kids, don’t have a fenced yard, or have an intact pet at home (say, a hamster). Those people are still shamed for choosing a breeder.
The people who are shamed by the adopt don’t shop campaign are more likely to make poor snap judgments and choose unethical breeders or shady rescue organizations when ethical rescues turn them down.
Out of frustration trying to find a family-friendly, healthy dog that can live with them in their unfenced yard, they turn to craigslist or a mass adoption event and purchase the first puppy they can find.
Adopt don’t shop literally pushes people to purchase pets from the worst sources, for the wrong reasons.
These organizations parade around as 501c3 rescue groups. They have you fill out adoption paperwork and sign contracts. Their adoption requirements are often more forgiving than breed-specific rescues and shelters.
Many times, what they have to offer are entire litters of desirable puppies or hoards of dogs that came in on a transport van from what they claim to have been fighting rings, hoarding cases, or the ‘meat trade’.
English Bulldogs, Pit Bulls, Labradoodles, Miniature Poodles, Bernadoodles, French Bulldogs, and Golden Retrievers are just some of what is commonly seen in retail rescue.
While there are legitimate cases of dogs having been abused and neglected in fighting rings or hoarding cases, the solid majority of “rescued” purebreds and doodles available in some rescues are coming from, you guessed it, puppy mills!
Retail rescue organizations will attend puppy mill auctions and purchase (yes, purchase) dogs and puppies. Because they come from mills, they are often in poor shape. They will arrange transport and move the dogs that they bought across State lines in vans that are packed to the gills.
The sob story pets in poor health paired with desirable dog status is a winner. Retail rescues can (and often do) charge a premium for these pets.
By attending auctions and paying for puppies, retail rescues are literally paying commercial breeders to stay in business.
Of course, these dogs deserve loving homes. But if we want to save them all (instead of just a handful), this practice of paying puppy mills has to stop, especially if ‘adopt don’t shop’ people actually want to save dogs.
Hot take: ‘adopt don’t shop’ and similar activist and welfare campaigns inadvertently encourage the retail rescue practice. Rescues are able to operate this way because unsuspecting and uneducated pet owners easily fall for the marketing. People want to feel that they are doing the right thing.
But if rescues advocates actually want to put a stop to this, they need to be educating people on what ethical rescue and (yes) ethical breeding actually looks like. Not screaming ‘adopt don’t shop’.
Puppy brokers help distribute dogs that come from mass-breeding facilities. The conditions in these puppy mills are often horrific, with animals being kept in tiny cages and deprived of socialization, exercise, and proper vet care.
Some puppy brokers even go so far as to bring animals from foreign countries. By importing them, they can be marketed as special in some way, misleading puppy buyers into believing they are getting something of higher value.
If our shelters and rescues are supposedly so full, why are brokers and retail rescues importing dogs?
Puppy brokers sell directly to buyers, to pet stores, and to rescues. When selling to consumers, they will use marketing tactics to make the buyer feel that are dealing with a responsible breeder.
The solid majority of dogs imported from the “meat trade” were never actually destined to be eaten.
It’s a story that sells. Puppy mills in the U.S. and overseas have learned that they can get a much higher price for their animals if they say they were saved from being slaughtered and eaten.
The “adopt don’t shop” mantra feeds (excuse my pun) right into this.
A solid majority of “meat-trade” dogs are puppy mill dogs (which brings us back to the retail rescue problem, see above). They were literally bred to be sold to people who will pay big bucks for a sob story.
Think about this the next time you see a plane-load of highly desired “meat” breeds being brought into the U.S. to be ‘adopted’.
While it’s true that some cultures do consume dog meat, it is not as prevalent as many people believe. The practice of eating dog meat has actually been declining in Asia.
Most dogs that are raised for the purpose of consumption are a type of street mutt. They are definitely not Doodles, nor are they purebred Golden Retrievers, Pomeranians, French Bulldogs, or Greyhounds.
The idea that Asians “eat and abuse dogs” is a racist stereotype. It’s time to put this one to rest, once and for all.
The term ‘bait dog’ is often used by animal activists to try and generate empathy and outrage.
The vast majority of ‘bait dogs’ in shelters are actually just fearful or aggressive pets that come from questionable genetics and were poorly socialized by their previous owner(s).
Blaming all of a dog’s fearfulness or aggression on them having been part of a “fighting ring” is lazy and does nothing to help the dog or the breeds that are commonly labeled this way.
Shelters and rescues should be evaluating a dog’s behavior and working on a rehabilitation plan and dog trainers that will make them more adoptable, not coming up with stories about their past that are likely not true.
Puppy mills breed pets primarily for pet stores. They are large-scale commercial dog breeding facilities where dogs are kept in cramped, unsanitary conditions and bred for profit, with little to no regard for their health, genetics, or welfare.
Well-meaning dog owners will visit pet shops and feel bad for the puppies, especially if they appear cute, sick, sad, or lonely. They will purchase them (often at a premium) to save them from the ‘bad breeder’ or ‘bad pet store’ without realizing that they are supporting the very profitable puppy mill and backyard breeding industry.
This practice keeps puppy mills in business and pet overpopulation soaring!
Pet store owners and backyard breeders know this and are able to manipulate emotions to generate sales. They want you to feel bad for the puppy and to buy it (often at outrageous prices).
Many owners bring their new pet shop puppy home, only to be faced with Parvo, Kennel Cough, and painful genetic disorders that require expensive veterinary care.
So what happens to those sweet pet store puppies that don’t sell? They are often returned to the puppy mill, sold to Class B dealers (random source breeders/dealers, including retail rescues), or surrendered to veterinarians or (hopefully ethical) dog rescues.
Puppy mills and commercial breeding facilities are cruel and inhumane operations that should be shut down.
Do not buy a dog from a pet shop! Report poorly kept, sickly companion animals to your local animal control.
I’m a huge believer in adoption from ethical and reputable rescues! As I mentioned before, two of my three pets are from rescues.
My adopted Great Dane is an incredible family dog. She’s gentle with kids, easy on my home, great off-leash, and calm with guests. We could not ask for a better dog. Unfortunately, she also came with baggage and some health problems.
I think she’s absolutely perfect anyways, but her story is not isolated. Adoption can be both heart breaking and rewarding.
Many Great Danes Need Homes
There are some incredible Danes in rescue just waiting for the right home to land their paws in.
Until you reach out and ask, you’ll never know who is out there looking for you! Even if you are considering a breeder for your next dog, it’s worth checking the local reputable and ethical rescues first.
Make Room for the Others
Unfortunately, because of backyard breeders and people perpetuating that problem by buying dogs from them and from pet shops, the rescues are full.
When you adopt a dog, you make room for another one to be saved!
Respect for Imperfections
Adopting a Great Dane means having respect for, and accepting imperfections.
One of my adopted Great Danes is missing a front leg. Giving her the best life possible brings me intense joy.
Some rescue dogs are seniors and need a comfy couch to crash on. These are some of the most rewarding dogs to adopt!
Support Rescues
Good dog rescues need our support. They need funding, fosters, and volunteers, not to mention responsible dog owners. Exceptional breeders know what Great Dane (or other breed-specific) rescues are legitimate and will be able to give you a referral.
Clean up the Mess
A common theme here is that rescues all come from unethical breeders of some kind.
By choosing to adopt a Great Dane, you will be helping to clean up the mess left behind by all of the ‘friendly’ backyard breeders who are breeding purely for droop and profit.
What we do not support is backyard breeding, unethical breeding, and poorly run profit-driven retail rescues.
There are many valid and acceptable reasons to choose a breeder for your next Great Dane puppy. Here are just 5 of them!
Known Health History
Great Danes are known for a series of life-threatening, painful, and expensive health conditions including but not limited to hip and elbow dysplasia, cardiomyopathy, GDV/Bloat, cancer, and more.
When you adopt a Great Dane from a reputable breeder, you will know the health history of the parents and grandparents, which can give you a heads-up on what to watch for down the road.
A good dog breeder will be focused on exceptional health. They will seek to eliminate as many health problems as possible by carefully selecting which parents to breed together. It is not unheard of for well-bred Great Danes who receive regular veterinary care, are kept lean and fit, and are fed a proper diet to live 10 – 12 years or more.
Known Genetics
One of the best parts about choosing an ethical Great Dane breeder is that your puppy will have a known genetic history and lineage.
Because so many health and temperament problems in Great Danes are hereditary, it’s important to know as much about your dog’s parents and grandparents as possible.
Aggressive, fearful dogs tend to produce unstable, aggressive, and fearful puppies. That’s just a fact.
Not only that, but dogs with poor angulation, eye problems, heart problems, and history of bloat, wobblers, seizures, and DCM in the pedigree tend to produce puppies who suffer from those same problems.
Sport and Show
One of the main reasons to choose an ethical Great Dane breeder is that well-bred purebreds can participate in AKC Dog shows and compete for titles.
Dog shows are fun and serve a great purpose in maintaining the breed standard.
While rescue dogs can and do compete in many sporting events, most people who want to truly excel at sports such as agility, dock diving, rally, or even therapy work will look for pets that were purpose-bred.
This means that the breeder focused on structure, movement, drive, and temperament, thus increasing the chances that their puppies will excel in various sports.
Healthy Companions for Life
Dogs from exceptional breeders who bred for health and temperament are much more predictable. This means that they are more likely to be stable, outgoing, friendly, calm, and in robust health.
Animals who have been bred for generations with poor health and temperament tend to produce puppies that suffer from the same problems.
Rescue dogs all come from unproven, poorly considered breeding stock. This doesn’t make them bad, and many of them do great despite it, but it’s a fact that people should be aware of.
Support Breed Conservation
Breed standards serve a purpose.
If a breeder strays too far from the standard, the dogs start to look nothing like the breed they are intended to be. We see this often with droopy, heavy, stocky ‘Euro’ type Great Danes.
Not only is the standard about achieving breed type, but it’s also about structure and health.
Great Danes need to be supported by excellent structure and movement, something that can become uncomfortably compromised when a breeder’s only goal is to produce giant, slobbery Danes in a rainbow of fun colors.
When you buy a dog from an ethical Great Dane breeder who follows the standard, you are supporting breed conservation. This is important not just for Great Danes but for all breeds of dog.
How to Choose an Ethical Great Dane Rescue
We support ethical rescues that have a mission to help place homeless pets in good homes. Breed-specific rescues are best equipped to handle the needs of individual breeds, while the animal shelter is often best equipped to handle the needs of a variety of mixed breeds from different backgrounds.
Temperament Testing & Placement
Reputable dog rescues will be very diligent about placing dogs with families based on their needs. They can even guide potential dog owners towards a specific breed type.
They will know a lot about the dogs they have and will want to make sure that you get the best dog for your family and situation.
A good rescue organization will be honest about any health and temperament problems and should have the resources to put time and money into training and health care before adopting the dog to you.
Lifetime Support
Ethical dog rescues will provide lifetime support. They never want to see a dog they adopted out ending up back in rescue again, and will support those who have adopted for the life of the dog.
These rescues will check references and do an interview prior to approving your application.
They may require that you obtain professional training within 30 days of adoption and will be there for you if you have questions or if the dog isn’t the right fit for your family.
Ethical Rescue Mission
A reputable dog rescue will want to do the right thing for dogs. In some cases, that may mean turning down owner surrenders, deferring to veterinarians and qualified trainers for advice, and in some cases, choosing euthanasia.
They never purchase dogs from puppy mill auctions or brokers, and they truly want to see fewer animals in the rescue system, not more.
Ethical rescues do not blindly promote the ‘adopt don’t shop’ mantra because they understand how damaging and harmful that concept is.
No-Kill Shelters & Rescues
Don’t fall into the myth of the ‘no kill’ shelter or rescue.
These organizations simply turn down or displace un-adoptable dogs, rather than euthanize them.
Many of those pets end up bounced around, abused, or abandoned on the road.
Some are placed in the hands of unethical ‘rescues’, who purposefully withhold important information about the dog’s health or aggression issues, and will send them home with an unsuspecting family.
Oftentimes, they end up euthanized at a County Shelter anyways.
The no-kill concept pushes broken dogs deeper into the rescue system to avoid the inevitable, rather than addressing it when the dog can be let go of in a more loving and humane way.
How to Choose an Ethical Breeder
Choosing an ethical breeder for your next purebred dog is the difference between supporting practices that contribute to the rescue dog population, and supporting practices that increase the health and well-being of pet dogs as a whole.
Pets from good breeders don’t end up in rescue.
Health Testing
Ethical breeders fully health test both parents prior to breeding. In Great Danes, for example, this means that both parents will have the following tests done, with the results logged at WWW.OFA.ORG:
Heart (Echocardiogram)
Hips (X-Rays)
Thyroid
Eye Exam (Full exam with an ophthalmologist)
The breeder should be able to provide you with copies of these health tests, as well as the registration numbers for both parents.
If a breeder cannot provide you with proof that both parents have been health tested with those tests at minimum, move on. Doing only one or two tests is not enough. An Embark genetic screening and a vet check is also not enough.
There are plenty of ethical breeders out there who are doing the right thing. Keep looking.
DNA tests for Degenerative Myelopathy and von Willebrand’s Disease are also recommended, though not required.
The breeder should be able to provide you with copies of the test results or direct you to where you can view them online.
Any breeder that does not do the full and complete recommended health tests is a backyard breeder, no matter how nice and friendly they seem.
Proven Pedigree
Preservation breeders are focused on pairing dogs that improve the pedigree. In doing so, they are able to reduce and eliminate common health and temperament problems in the breed.
The most responsible breeders show their dogs. By having a 3rd party evaluate their dog’s structure, movement, and form they can make sound and responsible breeding decisions as well as ensure that their puppies are given the best chance at exceptional health and well-being.
Puppy Culture
Reputable breeders use Puppy Culture and similar programs to socialize their puppies. This means that the young puppies are exposed to new environments, challenges, people, and experiences on a regular basis.
Puppy Culture is a well-documented protocol that has been shown to produce puppies that are more resilient and better able to cope with stress.
The breeder should be able to provide you with information about this program, and may even ask you to participate while your puppy is still with littermates!
Puppies should never go home prior to 8 weeks of age. That is a practice of irresponsible breeders and can lead to immature, aggressive, and fearful behaviors.
Lifetime Support
Lastly, the most important thing to look for in a reputable breeder is that they offer lifetime support.
Ethical breeders never want to see a dog they bred end up in a rescue, and will take a puppy back in at any time, for any reason.
Most also volunteer for and donate to their breed-specific rescue efforts.
The “adopt don’t shop” campaign fails to recognize this and does not acknowledge how reputable breeders actually play an active role in ending pet overpopulation.
The most important takeaway is this.
“Adopt don’t shop” should be replaced with the more ethical, helpful, inclusive, and thoughtful term: “Adopt or Shop responsibly”.
Education is how we solve this problem, not shaming.
Meet the delightful Blue Great Danes – a charming variation of the already lovable breed! These big-hearted giants steal the show with their stunning solid blue coats, ranging from deep steel blue to a lighter, enchanting shade.
But it’s not just about the looks; these gentle giants are all about spreading joy and warmth. With their friendly disposition, expressive eyes, and lovable features, Blue Great Danes become instant family favorites.
Their imposing yet graceful presence adds a touch of magic to any home, making them not just beautiful companions but also the cuddliest friends you could wish for.
All About Blue Great Danes
Blue Great Danes are large dogs that have stunning steel blue coats. A blue Great Dane puppy may start with a lighter blue and darken as they age.
Pure Blue Great Danes are produced by two blue parents. While some breeders intentionally mix the dilute blue coat pattern into other color families (such as harlequin and fawn), blue is it’s own color family and does best that way!
According to the GDCA breed standard, Blue Great Danes “shall be a pure steel blue.
White markings at the chest and toes are not desirable. The desired alert, intelligent expression is projected through the correctly placed, almond-shaped, dark eyes. In Blue Great Danes, a somewhat lighter eye is permissible.
In other words, blue Great Dane dogs should have a lively and intelligent expression and a completely solid steel blue coat with no white markings.
That doesn’t mean that a blue Great Dane with white markings or extremely dark brown eyes is ‘bad’, it just means that they don’t meet the written standard. Genetic variances will happen.
The undertones of their blue coat color (resulting from a dilution gene) appear blue to the human eye. Some people will call the blue Great Dane ‘grey’!
Blue Danes are gorgeous!
Dane breeders often describe the coat color as a deep steel blue, while others will say it’s more of a steely silver blue.
We have seen the blue Great Dane coat color appearing in a range of tones from charcoal to grey; it really depends on the dog’s individual genetics.
A deep steely blue is a preferred tone for Blue Great Danes.
Other coat colors in the Great Dane Breed standard include:
Nourishing a Blue Great Dane puppy requires a thoughtful approach to support their growth and overall well-being. These gentle giants have unique dietary needs, especially during their crucial developmental stages.
A properly formulated large-breed puppy food that addresses their specific requirements is essential. Look for formulations with controlled levels of calcium and phosphorus to promote healthy bone development without causing rapid growth, which can be associated with skeletal issues.
Adequate protein is crucial for muscle development, and essential fatty acids contribute to coat health.
Regular, scheduled feeding times and portion control are vital to prevent overfeeding, considering their predisposition to certain health concerns. As with any dog, access to fresh water is paramount.
Consulting with a veterinarian is instrumental in tailoring a nutrition plan that aligns with the individual needs of the Blue Great Dane puppy, ensuring a strong foundation for a healthy and happy life.
We recommend the following science-backed foods for Great Dane puppies:
Check out THE GIANT DOG FOOD PROJECT to compare brands and values.
Blue Great Danes Color Genetics
The stunning blue-grey coat of a Great Dane is the result of fascinating color genetics.
The blue coloration is a dilution of the black coat pigment caused by a specific gene known as the Blue gene. In Great Danes, this gene is denoted by the symbol “d.”
When a Blue Great Dane inherits one copy of the dilute blue gene from each parent, it can result in the striking steel blue shade that defines this variant.
Breeders need to be mindful of potential health implications associated with coat color genetics, such as the increased risk of skin sensitivities or deafness in some blue-coated dogs. Understanding these genetic nuances not only contributes to the aesthetic diversity of the breed but also aids responsible breeding practices to ensure the overall health and well-being of Blue Great Danes.
The blue dilute gene in Great Danes is used by off-color breeders to produce “lilac” or “blue harlequin” named dogs.
Blue Great Danes Temperament & Personality
Like all Great Danes, blue puppies should be confident, friendly, and courageous!
Well-bred Great Danes from ethical breeders are truly ‘gentle giants’. They make amazing family pets for people who don’t mind the size (and the drool)!
Blue Great Danes, like all Danes, should get along well with other dogs and make wonderful companions for those willing to put the time into training and socialization.
Blue Great Danes used to be used to hunt wild boar!
Their enormous size and confident personalities made them well-suited for this job. Through years of selective breeding, the Great Dane Breed has come to be known as extremely gentle. Most Great Danes these days are perfectly content to be with their families and on a cozy bed.
Great Danes are the biggest lap dog you can own. They love to sit on top of people and receive affection. A Great Dane is a large dog that requires special consideration for their orthopedic and internal health. Be prepared to do some research before purchasing one.
This doesn’t mean that they are lazy, though. Great Danes love to run, play and explore. They require daily enrichment and exercise to stay in great shape.
We believe that people who are breeding blue Great Danes should be highly focused on health, structure, and the development of the classic, robust, loving Great Dane personality.
If you are interested in purchasing a Great Dane puppy from an ethical and reputable breeder, we highly recommend searching the breeder registry at www.gdca.org.
Can Blue Great Danes Be Shown?
Solid Blue is the only dilute coat color accepted by the GDCA as a standard for Great Danes.
While the coat color itself doesn’t disqualify Blue Great Danes from being shown, breed standards typically emphasize other factors such as overall conformation, temperament, and adherence to breed-specific characteristics.
The American Kennel Club (AKC), for example, recognizes Blue as an acceptable color for Great Danes. However, the dog must still meet all other breed standards. It’s important to note that some kennel clubs or breed organizations may have slightly different standards, so it’s advisable to check the specific regulations of the organization hosting the dog show.
In general, responsible breeding practices and adherence to breed standards are prioritized in dog shows to ensure the health and well-being of the dogs. If a Blue Great Dane meets these criteria, it can certainly participate and compete in conformation events, showcasing the beauty and characteristics of the breed beyond just coat color.
Standard vs. Off-Standard Colors in Great Danes
The American Kennel Club does not make the rules on which colors are accepted for Great Danes; this is determined by the breed’s parent club (in the case of Danes in the U.S., it’s the GDCA).
There are many ‘off-standard’ versions of coat colors showing up in Great Danes, including ‘lilac harlequin’, ‘blue harlequin’, and ‘lilac merle’. These colors often come from the dilute and recessive genes of the blue Great Dane.
The practice of breeding for these colors is controversial and at times, undeniably unethical.
What is a Blue Harlequin Great Dane
Blue Harlequin Great Danes have a white base coat with blue torn patches. They are extremely popular, however, that unique and rare coat color is not accepted in GDCA, FCI, or Canadian written standards for the breed.
They can, however, be registered by the AKC.
The written standard for all dog breeds defines the function, form, and look of each individual breed. The colors in each breed (including blue) are often chosen for a reason.
While some colors could be added in the future, breeders have to first prove that those new colors occur naturally in the breed, that the color will strengthen the gene pool, and that the puppies are consistently healthy and robust examples of the written standard.
The recessive Blue gene that causes the deep steel blue color is desirable to breeders that are focused heavily on creating ‘unique’ and ‘designer’ off-standard colors in Great Danes.
These Dane breeders have been known to mix dogs of all colors (including fawn, mantle, merle, and harlequin) with Blue Great Danes to achieve new and interesting colored markings.
What is a Blue Merle Great Dane?
The merle gene (seen most often in the merle or harlequin Great Dane) paired with blue Dane will often create unusual coat patterns such as that seen on a blue Harlequin Great Dane or ‘blue merle’ Great Dane’.
This practice is considered somewhat unethical in the world of breeding Great Danes. It happens similarly in other dog breeds, however, and unique colors remain popular.
Dog owners should ask many questions before choosing a breeder for their Great Dane puppy and verify the pedigrees and health testing results (heart, hips, eyes, thyroid) of the dogs being bred.
Where to Buy a Blue Great Dane Puppy
When you are looking to purchase a Great Dane puppy, health and structure should be considered before color.
A Great Dane is a large dog and if they are bred only with designer colors or profits in mind, their structure and temperaments may suffer as a result. Since the Great Dane is predisposed to many health issues, it is crucial to do your due diligence.
With any Great Dane puppy you find from any Great Dane breeder, verify the pedigree AND the health testing results of both parents. Good breeders will have heart, hip, eye and thyroid panels to share with you.
Solid pure steel blue Great Dane puppies will be a great place to start if you want a striking and beautiful coat color.
We recommend searching the Great Dane breeder database at gdca.org when looking for Great Dane puppies.
Are Blue Great Danes Rare?
The blue Great Dane may seem rare, but they really are not.
A blue Great Dane may easily be confused with a Weimaraner, especially as a puppy! Because of this, and because many people don’t know the difference between a blue Great Dane and a silver or grey one (hint, they are the same), they may be viewed as rare.
It can be difficult to find an ethical and reputable Blue Great Dane breeder, as many breeders that fully test and frequent dog shows have focused primarily on the popular Harlequin/Black/Mantle or Fawn/Brindle lines instead of blue.
It’s not impossible, however, to find a blue Great Dane puppy from an excellent breeder. We recommend searching the Great Dane breeder registry at GDCA.org (U.S.) or Canada.
Do Blue Great Danes Have More Health Problems?
Ask 10 people this question and you will receive 10 different answers!
If you have a blue Great Dane that is experiencing health problems, chat with your vet.
Health problems are not necessarily related as much to coat color as they are to genetics, the food you choose, and the environment you create for your dog.
The Blue Great Dane’s lifespan should be no shorter or different than that of any other healthy Great Dane! The food you choose to feed makes a huge difference!
Blue Great Dane Health Problems
The average Great Dane is susceptible to a list of genetic health problems, including allergies, heart problems, and hip dysplasia, (which can happen to a Great Dane with any coat color).
These health problems are passed along in the pedigree and depending on the breeder you choose, could be a real problem for your Great Dane.
Always keep an eye on your Great Danes’ body condition and don’t make assumptions that their health problems are purely related to markings. It’s just not always the case.
The blue gene that they carry should not cause any additional health problems, however, color dilution alopecia (CDA) is a problem in other breeds that come in the lilac or blue coat color. It has also been seen in Great Danes!
Blue Great Dane Color Dilution Alopecia
Color Dilution Alopecia (CDA) causes hair loss, thinning, bald patches, and itchy skin. The exact cause is not well understood, however, it is easily managed.
It is important to note that CDA does NOT affect all blue Great Danes.
Blue Great Danes may be susceptible to this disease, however, so check in with your veterinarian if you see any sign of it.
Signs include itching, dry patches, hair thinning, and hair loss.
A blue Great Dane puppy may begin to show signs of CDA at around 6 months of age, but it can happen at any time in their lives.
This is one reason why intentionally mixing the blue gene into otherwise strong color genetics to create diluted designer colors is often seen as problematic.
If a blue Dane that is prone to this disease is introduced into an otherwise strong and robust color family, it may create a long line of undesirable recessive traits that are difficult for breeders to address.
We’ve linked to a VCA article below with more information on CDA in Blue Great Danes:
Blue Great Danes can live an average of 7-10 years. For more information on the lifespan of Great Danes in general, check out our blog post below!
Bloat, hip dysplasia, wobblers, arthritis, and heart problems are some of the major reasons why some Great Danes don’t live as long. All of those disorders have ties back to genetics!
Always be diligent when choosing your breeder, for this reason. A well-bred blue Great Dane puppy should be hefty, vibrant, curious, and have excellent eyes, hips, feet, and structure.
Search the GDCA.org Breeder Directory below! Good breeders tend to have terrible websites; don’t be alarmed. They are spending more time on their dogs than they are on their marketing:
The best blue great Dane puppy breeders are focused first on health and temperament. Blue Great Dane puppies from a reputable and ethical breeder will be healthy, vibrant, and full of life!
Blue puppies can happen anytime two parents who carry the recessive blue gene are bred. This can mean that pure steel blue puppies may come, most commonly, from the following pairings:
There are many Blue Great Danes sitting in rescues, waiting for the right home! Don’t be afraid to bring a rescue dog into your family. Adopt OR shop, responsibly!
FYI: The Great Dane Breeder Scam
Looking for a Great Dane puppy? Make sure you read our blog post on the Great Dane breeder scam before you start contacting breeders!
Scammers often create fake online profiles or websites, offering purebred Great Dane puppies at attractive prices. Victims, eager to welcome a new furry family member, may pay deposits or the full amount upfront, only to discover that the promised puppy never existed.
These scams not only result in financial loss but also inflict emotional distress on individuals seeking a genuine and reputable breeder. To avoid falling victim to such scams, potential buyers should thoroughly research breeders, ask for references, and be cautious of deals that seem too good to be true.
Can a Blue Dane be Bred to a Harlequin Dane?
A blue Great Dane + harlequin Great Dane pairing can result in the ‘blue harlequin Great Dane’ which is a white dog with torn blue patches instead of torn black ones.
This dog will look similar to a harlequin Great Dane, but that blue dilution factor will have reduced the pigment in each spot to grey.
The blue harlequin Great Dane is not considered to have an ‘acceptable’ color in the written breed standard.
Many breeders will tell you that it is unethical to deliberately introduce the dilute gene into an already complicated genetic situation. Others will do it because the pursuit of diluted and interesting colors (including shades of ‘lilac’) is popular.
Some breeders may happen upon a Blue Harlequin in a litter because a recessive merle gene is running around in their pedigree.
We believe that you should love the Great Dane in front of you!
Color Families in Great Danes
Keeping color families pure helps Great Dane breeders keep tabs on their pedigrees and not make mistakes or be surprised when recessive genes show up.
Color families also help maintain the breed standard, so that a Great Dane always looks like a Great Dane.
A merle+merle pairing can cause the white coat or merlequin double-merle puppies that are often deaf or blind. (Note: a blue Harlequin Great Dane, on the other hand, likely won’t have those problems).
Color families in Danes typically mean that a breeder will ‘stay’ in a lane when it comes to the colors they breed.
The color families in Great Danes are outlined roughly, as follows:
