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This is a complete guide on fawn Great Danes. I am going to be breaking down everything that you need to know about the Great Dane color and also show you how it is achieved. Here are some topics we are going to be covering: What Is A Fawn Great Dane?Fawn Great Dane Genetics.Health Problems Of Fawn Great Danes.Fawn Great Dane Price.And much more. So without much being said, let's get started. What Is A Fawn Great Dane? A fawn Great Dane is one with a yellow gold base coat color with a black mask. According to the American Kennel Club (AKC) standards, the black mask of a fawn Great Dane should appear on the eye rims and eyebrows but it may also appear on the ears and tail tip. The AKC standards give more preference to the deep yellow gold coat color and white markings at the chest and toes or a black fronted dirty colored fawn are not desirable. Any variance in color and markings described above shall be faulted to the extent of the deviation. It is also important to note that any Great Dane that does not meet these specifications must be disqualified. Standard And Non-Standard Fawn Great Danes The typical standard fawn Great Dane is one with a solid yellow gold coat color and a black mask on the face but you can also find other fawns with black markings on the chest, ears and eyebrows. White markings on the chest are also common for standard fawn Great Danes. When it comes to non-standard fawn Great Danes you should generally expect them to have a solid white marking that forms a blanket on the chest. A Great Dane will typically be recognized as a fawn to the extent in which it meets the AKC coat color standards so you should always thrive to produce that solid yellow gold coat with a black mask on the face. Fawn Great Dane Variations Mismarks are always common when breeding dogs for coat color and appearance. This section covers the common mismarks and variations of the fawn coat color in Great Danes. Here are the common fawn mismarks and variations: Pure Fawn The pure fawn Great Dane is one that meets the specifications and standards of the American Kennel Club. They should have a yellow gold coat color with a black mask. Black markings should appear on the eye rims and eyebrows but they may also appear on the ears and tail tip. Fawn Mantle Fawn mantles are very similar to mantle Great Danes. The only difference is that they have a fawn and white coat color instead of the typical black and white coat color of pure mantles. A solid fawn blanket extends over the body of the dog. Fawnequin Fawnequin Great Danes can be basically defined as those with a white base coat color with irregularly shaped fawn blotches that are unevenly distributed across the dog’s body. The coat color is produce when two Great Danes with a fawn gene mate but either of the parents should be a harlequin. Are Fawn Great Danes Rare? Fawn Great Danes are not really rare because they are not genetically complex to produce. The fawn color is actually the most popular coat color for Great Danes. Even the most popular cartoon dog, Scooby Doo was a fawn Great Dane. As you we shall discuss in the later sections, fawn Great Danes are in the fawn/brindle color family so they can be easily bred to fawns and brindles. Fawn Great Dane Genetics According to VCA Hospitals, Despite the huge variety in coat color, there are only two basic pigments that determine the color of canines: eumelanin (black) and phaeomelanin (red). All different variations in color are created by these two pigments, which are both forms of melanin. A recent study on the association of an Agouti allele with fawn or sable coat color in domestic dogs stated that; Although the genetics of pigmentation is broadly conserved across most mammalian species, pigment type-switching in domestic dogs is unusual because a yellow–tan coat with variable amounts of dark hair is thought to be caused by an allele of the Agouti locus referred to as fawn or sable. The same study also found in a large survey covering thirty seven breeds, we identified an Agouti allele with two missense alterations, A82S and R83H, which was present (heterozygous or homozygous) in 41 dogs (22 breeds) with a fawn or sable coat, but was absent from 16 dogs (8 breeds) with a black-and-tan or tricolor phenotype. This goes to show that the fawn coat color in dogs is greatly influenced by the Agouti allele and this is also true for breeds like the Great Dane. Breeding Fawn Great Danes Fawns are in the fawn/brindle color family so they should only be bred to fawns and brindles. Breeding fawns to other colors can cause some genetic mutations that can result in mismarks or Great Danes that have a lot of health problems due to genetic factors. Fawn Great Dane Health Issues Fawn Great Danes do not seem to have any health problems as a consequence of their coat color as long as they are bred from other fawns or brindles. The Danes only experience health problems that are typical to other Great Danes of any color. Here are some common health problems experienced by fawn Great Danes: Bloat– This is a very dangerous health condition that results in the twisting of the stomach. After the stomach twisting, blood supply is cut off so it is important to visit the veterinarian as soon as early signs start to show.Cardiomyopathy– This is a disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for your heart to pump blood to the rest of your body.Joint & Bone Disease– Many Great Danes experience joint and bone diseases such as hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis. Joint supplements like glucasomine can help to protect your dog from these diseases.Thyroid Problems– These are also common for large dog breeds. The most common one is Autoimmune thyroiditis commonly causes hypothyroidism in Great Danes. However, it is important to always take your fawn Great Dane for regular veterinarian checkups so that you can diagnose any life threatening health problem before it becomes worse. Fawn Great Dane Temperament There is not much evidence to suggest a valid association between coat color and dog temperament. Dogs generally have the same temperament across a breed despite their coat color. The same is true for fawn Great Danes which have the typical personality like other Danes of any color. The typical personality and temperament of Great Danes is that they are: Devoted.Reserved.Loving.Friendly.Confident.Gentle. However, it is important to remember that personality will vary from one individual dog to another. The qualities mentioned above are typical for Great Danes but your individual Dane might deviate from such standards due to the environment and how you choose to raise the dog. Training is one factor that greatly contributes to the behavior of your dog so it is important to get your fawn Great Dane in a good training program if you want them to behave well and nurture their best qualities. How Long Do Fawn Great Danes Live? Great Danes normally live to an age of around 8 to 10 years and many fawn Danes are able to reach this lifespan as long as they are bred from other fawns or brindles. Breeding fawn Great Danes from other coat colors other than fawns and brindles can cause genetic mutations which makes the dogs more susceptible to life threatening diseases. However, you should not that there is no clear relationship between the fawn coat color and diseases in Great Danes so you should generally expect yours to live longer just like many other dogs across the breed provided that you are taking good care of the dog. Factors like diet, environment and access to medication can greatly influence the lifespan of your Great Dane. How Much Do Fawn Great Danes Cost? There is no doubt that coat color is one of the major contributors to the average price of puppies of any breed. The same is true for Great Dane puppies. Some coat colors are very expensive as a result of their genetic complexity and how difficult it might be to produce a dog of that color. Fawn Great Danes are not really difficult for breeders to produce so they are generally less expensive. The average price of a fawn Great Dane puppy is between $600 to $3,000 depending on the reputation of the breeder, location, pedigree and many other factors. Here are some of the factors that greatly contribute to the total price of a fawn Great Dane puppy: Location- This is one of the major factors that influence the price of a dog. If the breed is exotic to the area is will be more expensive that indigenous breeds.Breeder- The reputation of the breeder will also influence the price of your Great Dane. A dog bought from an expert and reputable breeder will cost more than others.Pedigree- Pure bred dogs are generally more expensive and ancestral history of the dog will also influence the price. The rule of thumb is to get a Great Dane with an ancestral history that is free from disease and bad temperament.Standard- The standard of your fawn Great Dane will also influence the cost. A fawn Great Dane that meets all the specifications stated by the American Kennel Club will be more expensive that any with some degree of deviation. Fawn Great Dane Care As mentioned earlier, taking good care of your fawn Great Dane can help to increase their lifespan and get them to live longer. This section covers some of the basic tips for taking good care of your fawn Dane. Vaccinations Vaccinating and regularly visiting the veterinarian for checkups is one way of reducing the risks of life threatening diseases that can shorten the lifespan of your Great Dane. Regular veterinarian checkups can actually help to diagnose these diseases before they get worse or irreversible. Grooming Grooming is a very important aspect of dog care. Here are some quick grooming tips for your fawn Great Dane: Bathe your Great Dane with dog shampoo at least 5 times a year. Frequent bathing can deprive your Dane’s coat with the necessary natural oils.Always dry your dog after every bath.Dry shampoo your Great Dane in-between bath routines. This is very important for dogs that go outdoors and easily get dirty.Regularly brush your Great Dane with a short hair brush to remove loose hair, dirt and parasites.The ears should be kept clean and any excess hair inside the ear should be carefully removed.The nails of your Great Dane should also be regularly trimmed. A good rule of thumb is that if you can hear your dog’s nails clicking on the floor when they are walking you should cut the nails. Nutrition It is important for dog owners to provide a nutritionally balanced diet for their dogs. The typical diet for a healthy Great Dane should have a high amount of protein, moderate fats and low calories so it is crucial for Dane parents to use this as a guideline to determine the type and amount of food to give to their fawn Great Danes. One of the best dog food for Great Danes is the Wellness Large Breed Dry Dog Food that is specially formulated to provide whole-body nutritional support for your large breed dog. Summary Fawn Great Danes are those with a yellow gold coat color with a black mask. The American Kennel Club standards specify that the black mask of a fawn Great Dane should appear on the eye rims and eyebrows but it may also appear on the ears and tail tip. Studies on the genetics of the fawn coat color in dogs have revealed that the Agouti allele is mainly responsible for the coat color. When it comes to the breeding of fawn Great Danes the standard practice is that they should only be bred from fawns and brindles since they are in the fawn/brindle color family.

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