Brindle Great Dane Breed and Coat Overview (2022 Guide)

As a general rule, the brindle coat is one of 7 Great Dane coat types. The Brindle Great Dane is recognized as having a golden yellow coat with brindled black cross stripes and is unique in several ways.

What is a Brindle Great Dane?

The Great Dane is a dog with one of the AKC recognized color patterns for Great Danes, specifically the brindle pattern. The brindled pattern has a requirement of a golden-yellow coat with a black chevron pattern and a black mask.

Having too many or too few brindled patterns makes the dog unfit for AKC recognition, so knowing the limit of the marks is a key factor in choosing or breeding one of these dogs – if you want to have a top-quality brindle, of course.

Although the patterns on these dogs are often described as a tiger pattern, it’s actually distinct from that pattern in several ways. The key distinction is that the brindle coat is far more subtle than the coat of a tiger.

The Great Dane is actually ranked as one of the best brindle dog breeds, an impressive feat, which is no doubt due to the majestic size and stature of the dog as well as the vividly golden and black markings which characterize the brindle coat.

Types of Brindle Great Danes

Although the color of the Brindle Great Dane can oftentimes change due to breeding or quality of coat, these dogs don’t fit within the category of the Brindle Great Dane sufficiently to hold the official AKC recognitions.

Although, overall, Great Danes are known as one of the most beautiful dog breeds, the Brindle Great Dane is known even among these dogs as a regal dog with a coat of gold – literally!

There’s a common type of brindled Great Dane coat, which is often described as the blue brindle. These dogs boast grayish and blue-tinted coats. Although the Blue Brindle Dane wouldn’t be considered as refined as the purer versions of the coat, these dogs will still make fantastic companions!

What Does a Brindle Great Dane Need?

These dogs have their own special requirements and needs which need to be filled in order for the dog to be happy and healthy.

One of the most important things for a Great Dane is ample attention and love. These gigantic dogs, contrary to their formidable appearance, are gentle and loving and perform the best when integrated into the family and given attention.

Great Danes can also be active dogs, so it’s important to either have enough yard room for your Dane to exercise or have the time to take your dog for a walk every day.

Cost

These dogs aren’t considered to be a rare Great Dane, since their coat is one of the 7 officially recognized coats by the AKC.

It can be more difficult to breed the brindle coat type, however, due to the irregularity and inability to predict when a top-of-the-line dog is going to come along.

Because of this, the Brindle Great Dane will cost anywhere from $1,500 – $3,500, depending on the quality of the coat and the place you’re looking to buy one. Some of the show dogs can go for even more, though – so it might take a bit of saving up for those!

Buying a Brindle Great Dane

Where you buy a Great Dane is going to depend almost entirely on the quality of coat you want. Because of the inability to predict the type of coat, dog breeders will often have Brindle Great Danes which don’t fit higher standards and have trouble getting rid of these dogs.

This means that if you’re okay settling with a slightly less quality coat, or not focused on getting a show dog, it can be way easier to get a Brindle Great Dane.

If you’re looking for a show dog, though, it’s always good to know the exact standards for the Brindle Great Dane before looking into getting one so you don’t get scammed.

What to Know Before Getting a Great Dane

When buying one of these dogs, the most important aspect to consider is going to be the coat. Unlike some other dog breeds or Great Danes, the Brindle Great Dane doesn’t have any unique health issues that are distinct to it.

Because of this, coat quality is the real deciding factor here. Overall, though, Great Danes are awesome dogs with a friendly and loyal temperament.

Lifespan

According to the AKC, the Great Dane has an average lifespan of 8-10 years. Despite this, some will live a few years longer. Old Brindle Great Danes are a rarity, though.

Although Great Danes are larger dogs, their lifespans are surprisingly short, at least for their size.

Temperament

Great Danes were originally bred to be much more aggressive, used for hunting and similar sports. Their gigantic size and intimidating appearance are misleading, however, as these dogs are some of the most docile and level-headed dogs around.

Great Danes are known to be gentle giants, and are loyal and compassionate with their owners. Oftentimes they’ll even forget how large they are and act like the oversized and drooling version of a lapdog.

Great Danes need daily attention and a loving family. These dogs are by no means an independent breed and do best with loving attention and playtime.

Exercise

These dogs need plenty of exercise to supplement their massive body. Although it isn’t recommended to exercise your Great Dane early during its developmental stage, these dogs do love outdoor activities and going on walks.

It’s recommended to walk your Great Dane for at least 30 minutes per day.

Is This Breed Good for Beginners?

Great Danes can be very good for beginners due to their docile and friendly nature. These dogs are gentle giants, loyal, and courageous!

Although Great Danes have a shorter life span than the average dog, they’re highly intelligent. There are some common health problems these dogs will fall prey to, though, so it’s always good to be aware of these issues.

One of the most common killers of Great Danes is Gastric Torsion, also known as canine bloat. Canine bloat is a fast-acting and deadly problem for Great Danes, so it’s extremely important to act fast if you think your dog might have this problem.

On average, though, these dogs are really good for beginners because of their temperament and loyalty. These dogs are some of the best guard dogs for personal protection and are great around children.

What to Expect When Raising a Great Dane

Although Great Danes are fun, friendly, and playful dogs, raising one isn’t without its own challenges! Because of this, it’s important to train your dog from a young age. After all, these dogs might not be intimidating as puppies but a fully grown out of control Great Dane can be a great pain!

It’s always important to exercise your dog, feed it regularly, and treat any health issues that might arise.

Feeding a young Great Dane is an important task as well because these dogs require more special food than the normally available puppy food. A good idea is to stay in contact with a vet or an expert Great Dane breeder if any questions arise.

Grooming

This breed has a shorter coat, so overall they require significantly less grooming than other dogs of a similar size.

That said, because of the stature of these dogs, the amount of grooming they require can build up to a significant amount of fur and hair over the years. Great Danes are characterized by their stature and commanding appearance, standing over 3 feet tall on all fours.

That’s a lot of hair, even if it’s short!

It’s recommended that you brush your Great Dane regularly to provide the proper upkeep for their coat, as well as provide your dog with the proper dental health to prevent infections.

Are Brindle Great Danes Good With Children?

Though the Great Dane may be known as the ‘Apollo of Dogs’, it doesn’t have nearly as many issues with children as the Apollo from the myths did.

These dogs are friendly, easy-going, and are extremely patient with kids. According to the AKC, the Great Dane ranks as an acceptable dog when it comes to interaction with children, stating that the dogs tend to be “people pleasers”, make friends easily, and are patient with children.

This should definitely be a consideration because, even though no dog should be left alone with children, it’s good to have a breed as loyal and courageous as a Great Dane.

Pros of Having a Great Dane

Great Danes have some significant benefits which shouldn’t be understated when considering the breed. As mentioned before, these dogs are extremely easy-going, easy to train, and love to please and socialize with their owners.

Traditionally, Great Danes are known to be patient with and get along with other pets, as well.

These dogs are sociable but provide a formidable home defense system when needed.

Cons of Having a Great Dane

That doesn’t mean these friendly giants aren’t without negatives, though. For starters, these dogs do have a much shorter lifespan than the majority of dog breeds.

They’re also extremely vulnerable to canine bloat, the dangers of which shouldn’t be understated.

It’s also a consideration that you have to be willing to put in the time and effort to train your Great Dane.

Although these dogs are traditionally easy-going and relaxed, an untrained Great Dane is going to be a pain. After all, having 200 pounds of untrained dog bounding at you can get dangerous.

Lifespan and Breed at a Glance

With a much shorter lifespan than other dogs, Great Danes generally mature within 3 years. 

Great Danes are fast growers and will grow to extremely large sizes! These massive dogs can be prone to some growing pains, as well, which is why a strict routine for feeding and exercise is recommended.

These dogs can grow to be as tall as 32 inches at the shoulder, and even taller when you factor in their massive heads.

The Brindle Great Dane is an extremely large and fast dog, so training this dog during its growth period is a must.