Interactive Breed Standard

Long, narrow, distinguished, expressive, finely chiseled, especially the part below the eyes, with strongly pronounced stop.

Ears should be high, set not too far apart, medium in size, of moderate thickness. Natural or cropped.

Eyes are medium size, as dark as possible, with lively intelligent expression; almond shaped eyelids, well developed eyebrows.

The nose must be large and in the case of brindled and single coloured Danes, it must always be black. In harlequins, the nose should be black; a black spotted nose is permitted.

The shoulder blades must be strong and sloping and seen from the side, must form as nearly as possible a right angle in its articulation with the humerus (upper arm) to give a long stride.

The upper arm should be strong and muscular. Seen from the side or front the strong lower arms run absolutely straight to the pastern joints.

Round and turned neither toward the inside nor toward the outside. Toes short, highly arched and well closed.

The chest should be quite broad, deep and well-muscled.

The neck should be firm and clean, high set, well arched, long, muscular and sinewy.

The withers form the highest part of the back which slopes downward slightly forward toward the loins, which are imperceptibly arched and strong.

The belly should be well shaped and tightly muscled, and, with the rear part of the thorax, should swing in a pleasing curve (tuck up).

Should be broad, with the ribs sprung well out from the spine and flattened at the side to allow proper movement of the shoulders extending down to the elbow joint.

Should start high and fairly broad, terminating slender and thin at the hock joint.

The croup must be full, slightly drooping and must continue imperceptibly to the tail root.

The first thighs (from hip joint to knee) are broad and muscular. The second thighs (from knee to hock joint) are strong and long.