Last weekend I took care of Piper, my friend Becky’s blue merle great dane.
I wanted to show a picture of her because I had never seen a gray and black (blue merle) great dane before Piper.
Piper reminds me of how some of the American Kennel Club’s regulations are a bit ridiculous.
The AKC recognizes the great dane in the following colors: brindle, black-masked fawn, blue (solid gray), black, harlequin (white with random black patches) or mantle (black with white collar, muzzle, chest and tail tip).
Blue merle great danes like Piper are not accepted in the AKC. In other words, Piper is 100 percent great dane, like her parents and littermates, but because of her color, she is not recognized.
Some people don’t want to own a dog unless it is AKC registered. Because of this, fewer people want to buy blue merle great danes, which means a breeder will have a harder time selling those puppies for as much as the others.
Still, it’s a surprise to me that, according to Piper’s breeder, some breeders kill the blue merle puppies shortly after they’re born. These puppies might sell for $500 instead of $2,000, even though other than color, there is no difference between them and the other pups.
A litter of great dane pups could have a variety of colors. Piper’s mother, for example, was harlequin, and so were some of Piper’s siblings.
It seems unfair to judge a dog by its color, but what do I know? I own a mutt.
Bobbi
Wednesday 12th of November 2014
I bought my husband a blue merle that doesn't have papers. It was the best $250 I ever spent... Rocko is such a wonderful dog. He's so loving, and thinks he's a lap dog, eats ice. LOVES to go hiking. He sits on the couch with his front paws on the ground and watches TV! He's a great watch dog. He's not neutered because my husband wants to breed him even though he's not registered. If anyone knows of a female Great Dane that wants to breed please contact me. Bobbi
Bobbi
Wednesday 12th of November 2014
Oh and he looks just like Piper!
Mark
Tuesday 26th of March 2013
I have a merle and just bred with a mantle ( black with white chest) all pups are healthy in every way. Pups are beautiful and shame on clubs and breeders who oppose this. In my job I see a lot of death and misery. Do breeders and clubs have nothing better to do than winge about their dog breed colours. There are still plenty of humans born with deficiencies, maybe clubs and breeders should spend there time wisely. Oh I also bred Weimaraner with a vrizla, beautiful chocolate pups. Have a great day :)
Sarah Hawkins
Saturday 21st of July 2012
Hi all, I just wanted to make a quick comment regarding the Merle Great Dane. We have just become proud parents of a male Marle Great Dane and he is perfect. He is now only 13 weeks old and he can already sit, lay down and will give you his paws when asked. He is fantastic off the lead, he will stay be your side and barely let you out off sight. He is very contented, and very loving. He has to be the easiest puppy in the world lol. We had a Great Dane before, Fraya, who was a blue and sadly died 8 years ago Of old age and it has taken us this long to replace her. When we first saw Dexter it was love at first sight, he is so very handsome and loyal and his colour did not deter us as we wanted an extra addition to our family and NOT a stud or a show dog. I think it is stupid that even thou both his parents are Great Danes, his birth mother a harlequin and his birth father a blue, why he is not recognized, when I think he is more handsome then the harlequins, baffles me. When we take him out we are stopped constantly by people saying how beautiful he is and they follow that through with taking his photos lol, he is a real celebrity here lol. I believe that all colors should be recognized, the mantle never used to be so hopefully one day they will accept the Merle. All Great Danes, no matter what their colour, should be recognized and fully appreciated. All pedigree dogs can have health problems, that is a known fact, and it is not unusual for any breed to give birth to a blind or deaf puppy. if you have a breathing, healthy Merle he/she should be given the same rights/acknowledgment as any of the recognized colors, he looks like any other Great Dane, he will grow just like any other Great Dane, he dribbles just like any other Great Dane and shows the same temperament as any other Great Dane. He has rights just like any other living person/animal and should be recognized as such and not treated like an outcast because of his colour.
TedWedPeera
Saturday 28th of April 2012
I read this forum since 2 week and I want to sign in and say hi to everyone
Bobbie
Wednesday 7th of December 2011
We recently lost our first dane to congestive heart failure at the age of 10 months. Miss Blue was a merle. Her loss was heartbreaking no matter the color. Danes are beautiful loving dogs. While I was torn on getting another dane as well as a merle, all that changed as soon as I saw another merle puppy that was offered out of compassion for our loss. The first pups to be adopted from the 9 puppy litter were 3 merles. While it's a shame about merles not being able to be show dogs, there are many people that could care less about AKC and love merles as pet quality sweethearts. I am now among that group. As a side note: Miss Blue and Mouse (the new pup) both qualify as AKC.
Lindsay Stordahl
Friday 9th of December 2011
So they qualify with the AKC but can't compete in show? Is that how that works?