Dane Shepherd

The Great Dane is among the world's tallest dog breeds, combining impressive height with a powerful, well-muscled physique that conveys elegance rather than clumsiness. Males stand at a minimum of 30 inches at the shoulder, with 32 inches or more being preferred, while females measure at least 28 inches, with 30 inches or more preferred. Despite the absence of a specified weight in the breed standard, males typically weigh between 140 and 175 pounds, with females ranging from 110 to 140 pounds. The body is square-proportioned, with the length from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttock being equal to the height at the withers. The Great Dane's head is long, distinguished, and expressive, with a full, square jaw and a well-defined stop. The skull is flat on top and parallel to the bridge of the muzzle when viewed in profile. The eyes are medium-sized, deep-set, and almond-shaped with an intelligent, alert expression. Eye color is typically dark, though lighter eyes are acceptable in harlequin and merle patterns. The ears are set high and medium in size, folding forward close to the cheek when natural, or cropped to stand erect in regions where this practice is permitted. The neck is long, well-arched, and muscular, flowing smoothly into well-laid-back shoulders. The coat is short, thick, and smooth with a glossy appearance. Seven colors are recognized by the American Kennel Club: brindle, fawn, blue, black, harlequin, mantle, and merle. Brindle features a yellow-gold base with strong black cross stripes in a chevron pattern. Fawn is a yellow-gold color with a black mask. Blue is a pure steel blue shade. Black is a glossy, pure black. Harlequin displays a white base with irregularly shaped black patches. Mantle shows black and white with a black blanket extending over the body. Merle presents a pale gray to dark gray base with black torn patches. The tail is set high, thick at the base, and tapers to a point, carried in line with the back or slightly curved upward.

The German Shepherd Dog is a large, agile, well-muscled breed that presents an impression of strength, intelligence, and nobility. Males stand 24 to 26 inches at the shoulder and typically weigh 65 to 90 pounds, while females measure 22 to 24 inches and weigh 50 to 70 pounds. The breed displays a slightly elongated body, with the length exceeding the height by approximately 10 to 17 percent, creating the characteristic rectangular silhouette. The topline flows in a smooth curve from the neck through the well-developed withers to a slightly sloping croup. The chest is deep and well-filled, providing adequate room for the heart and lungs. The head is noble and cleanly chiseled, strong without appearing coarse, and proportionate to the body size. The skull is slightly domed with a moderately defined stop, and the muzzle is long, strong, and wedge-shaped when viewed from above. The ears are moderately pointed, open toward the front, and carried erect when at attention, parallel to each other and perpendicular to the ground. The eyes are medium-sized, almond-shaped, and set somewhat obliquely, displaying an intelligent, alert, and self-assured expression. Eye color is typically dark brown, harmonizing with the coat color. The German Shepherd possesses a double coat consisting of a dense, harsh, close-lying outer coat with a thick undercoat. The coat is short on the head, face, and front of the legs, while moderately longer on the neck, back of legs, and hindquarters. Both medium and long coat varieties exist, with the medium being more common. The breed displays considerable color variation, with black and tan, black and red, black and silver, solid black, and sable being accepted. The back legs exhibit moderate angulation, providing powerful drive during movement, though excessive angulation has become a concern in some show lines. The tail is bushy and reaches at least to the hock, carried in a slight saber curve when at rest.