Your merle great dane is one of a very small group of giant purebred dog breeds.
Grey merle great dane.
The merle pattern is a pale to dark grey coat covered in darker splotches.
White danes are common in merle to merle mating and are almost completely white.
You may find merles for sale or in classified ads being sold as rare colored danes.
A few markings are possible.
Some of the different merle patterns that exist are.
Merle great danes are produced in many harlequin great dane litters.
Having a merle great dane is dependent on having the merle gene which is responsible for the grey base coat.
The shade of grey could be lighter or darker.
When a pup has two merle genes they will likely be white danes more information about white great danes in our article here.
Merle great dane puppies possess grey coat color whilst harlequin great dane coat colour is white.
Merle dilute merle cryptic merle harlequin.
Truly each merle is unique in color but don t be fooled into paying extra for a merle.
This is the rarest of the great dane colors and the most susceptible to genetic defects.
The spots on the body of harlequin great dane are black in color as compared to typical grey coloured splotches on the coat of a merle great dane dog.
However the merle coat can come with some serious health issues.
Great danes of this pattern can come in many different colors and all look unique from one another.