Great Danes are a popular dog breed known for their huge size and gentle personality commonly referred to as gentle giants. In addition to this, they also have different coat color patterns that are unique and fascinating.
The coat colors include black, brindle, fawn, harlequin, blue, merle, and mantle which are all recognized by the American Kennel Club.
If you are interested in adding a Blue Great Dane puppy to your family, there are a few things to know before you buy or adopt one.
Below you will find the Blue Great Dane puppy information including their personality, the different colors they come in, life span, associated health problems, their price, and where to buy them.
How does the Blue Great Dane puppy occur?
Blue Great Danes are identified by their unique coat color. The American Kennel Club describes the standard color as a steel blue color.
This coat is different from the typical black and gray coat colors. The color is also not sky blue as we know the color blue to be, but a gray, slate, or silver color with a hue of blue.
Blue Great Dane puppies are produced from the breeding of two Blue Great Danes, Blue with Black Great Danes, and from two black Great Danes.
The coat color of all dogs starts with two basic pigments, that is, black (Eumelanin) and red (Phaeomelanin). The different coat color variations come from the manipulation of these two basic pigments by other coat color genes.
The blue coat appearance of a Great Dane is a diluted version of the black pigment from black to blue. It takes two recessive alleles (dd) to lighten the black coat pigment from black to blue or slate.
There are two gene alleles that are associated with the dilution, these are the D ( dominant full-color) and the d (recessive dilute). Blue Great Dane puppies are produced when the two parents each have a recessive dilute allele (d) which a puppy inherits, one from each parent.
Both parents do not have to be blue in color however they must pass on the blue recessive gene to the puppies.
A Blue Great Dane puppy in appearance has a steel blue coat with blue eyes. The Blue coat color can vary in color intensity from a deep steel blue to a pale light shade of blue. The color is gray with a blue sheen, more of silvery-gray color.
Some puppies lose their blue eye color as they age, which can change to dark brown, light brown, or amber. The coat color also gets deeper as they get older. So don’t worry when your puppy’s coat changes to a deeper hue of blue as they age.
Are Blue Great Dane puppies rare?
Blue Great Dane puppies are not considered rare given the fact that they are an official Great Dane color, however, they are difficult to produce because the blue color is recessive meaning it takes two Great Danes with the recessive genes to produce another.
This does not mean it is impossible because, through effective breeding practices, breeders are able to produce Blue Great Dane puppies.
Variations of Blue Great Dane puppy color
Blue Great Dane puppies come in different color varieties. The steel blue coat color is the standard color recognized by the American Kennel Club. However, in addition to this, the following are the additional unofficial Blue Great Dane puppy color variations:
Blue Brindle Great Dane is a combination of blue and brindle coat colors. The Blue Brindle Great Dane has a base coat of golden yellow, light fawn to deep golden red covered with gray stripes that have a blue sheen. They also have a blue nose.
Blue Fawn Great Dane is a fawn coat color with a silvery blue sheen, a combination of the fawn coat color and blue coat color characteristics.
Blue Merle Great Dane is a base coat that varies from a gray, dark blue, or brownish blue, that is covered with dilute black markings.
Read more on this beautiful coat: Blue Merle Great Dane
Blue Harlequin Great Dane has a harlequin coat pattern with a white base coat covered with blue markings all over the body.
Read more: What is a Blue Harlequin Great Dane
How big does a Blue Great Dane puppy get?
A Blue Great Dane puppy grows up to be a large dog. The males grow to a height of 32 to 34 inches with a weight of 120 – 200 pounds while the females reach 28 to 32 inches tall at the shoulder, weighing 100 – 130 pounds.
Blue Great Dane size chart:
AGE | WEIGHT (lbs) | HEIGHT (Inches) |
Birth | 1-2 | |
1 Week | 2-3 | |
2 Weeks | 3-5 | |
3 Weeks | 4-7 | |
1 Month | 5-8 | |
6 Weeks | 10-20 | |
2 Months | 15-30 | 13-18 |
3 Months | 25-45 | 17-23 |
4 Months | 45-65 | 20-25 |
5 Months | 60-85 | 24-30 |
6 Months | 65-100 | 26-33 |
7 Months | 70-110 | 27-34 |
8 Months | 80-120 | 28-34 |
9 Months | 85-125 | 28-35 |
1 Year | 95-140 | 29-36 |
The above weight and height numbers are estimates which should not be taken as exact numbers. This is because all Great Dane puppies regardless of their coat color grow at different rates even puppies from the same litter.
Growth depends on a puppy’s diet, genes, and environment.
Personality
The coat color of a Great Dane does not influence their personality. A Great Dane puppy will have the temperament of the Great Dane dog breed.
This means they have the same gentleness, friendliness, intelligence, loyalty, and affectionate qualities as the breed. This is the Blue Great Dane temperament. They are gentle dogs underneath their intimidating stature as adults.
The personality of a puppy will also depend on how they were bred and raised.
Related: Blue Great Dane puppy names
Health concerns of Blue Great Dane puppies
The Blue Great Dane puppy is prone to certain health problems because of its coat color. Research has shown that a dog’s coat color can influence its susceptibility to specific health problems.
Related: Do Merle Great Danes have more health problems?
Blue Great Dane puppies are susceptible to color dilution alopecia (CDA), which is a genetically inherited hormonal condition that causes hair loss or thinning which may also include dry and itchy skin.
The condition is commonly experienced by dogs with dilute coat colors. This includes Blue and Fawn coat colors which are diluted versions of black, brown, red, and tan coat color pigments.
Genetically a Great Dane puppy carries a recessive gene (dd) that leads to dilution of the black coat pigment to blue coat color.
The Blue Great Dane puppy and other dog breed puppies with dilute coat colors that are predisposed to CDA include:
- Blue Dobermans
- Dachshunds
- Irish setters
- Italian greyhounds
- Chow chows
- Yorkshire terriers
- Standard poodles
- Salukis
- Chihuahuas
- Bernese mountain dogs
- Boston terriers
- Schipperkes
- Newfoundland
- Shetland sheepdogs.
The cause of CDA is not well understood by veterinary science. The condition causes hair follicles to self-destruct which prevents the growth of new hair. This presents as patches of hair loss on the coat.
In addition to this, skin problems start to appear around the affected areas. If a puppy has this condition the symptoms start when they are at least 6 months old or older.
The symptoms include:
- Uniform or varied hair loss
- Bald patches on the coat
- Scaling of the skin
- Redness on the affected skin area
- Presence of lesions with bacterial infections
- Inflammation and crusting around their problematic area
- Itching around the affected area
Once a Great Dane puppy has been diagnosed by a veterinarian to have CDA, the treatment offered consists of management of the symptoms.
This includes a prescription of shampoos, skin rinses coupled with ointments for dry skin, supplements, and hormone therapy.
It is important to note that not all Blue Great Dane puppies will have CDA and the presence of CDA does not affect their overall health. Generally, Blue Great Dane puppies are healthy but they are genetically predisposed to this condition.
Ideally, Blue Great Dane puppies should always come from health-tested parents with no family line of CDA.
Blue Great Dane puppies as a Great Dane breed are also prone to common Great Dane health problems as a large breed dog. These health problems include:
- Hip dysplasia
- Bloat
- Dilated cardiomyopathy
- Hypothyroidism
- Cancer
How much does a Blue Great Dane puppy cost?
The cost of a Blue Great Dane puppy ranges from $1000 to $3000. On average, the Blue Great Dane puppy price is $1500 from a reputable breeder.
The price you pay for a puppy will also depend on the breeder and their location. Always purchase your puppy from Blue Great Dane puppy breeders that practice ethical breeding.
This prevents the purchase of puppies from puppy mills which could result in buying unhealthy puppies at very high rates.
Rescuing or adopting costs will always be less compared to purchasing from a breeder. Blue Great Dane puppies for adoption are also available from reputable rescue centers.
The AKC has a great list of vetted Great Dane breeders that you can start your search from when looking for a puppy.
Summary
The Blue Great Dane puppy’s coat color is one of the Great Dane breed colors that is recognized by the American Kennel Club.
The puppy has a pleasant and affectionate personality. Despite some of the health issues that they are susceptible to due to their coat color, most are healthy.
When considering buying this fascinating steel blue Great Dane coat color, make sure you purchase them from responsible Blue Great Dane puppy breeders who conduct all the health checks. You will be provided with their health status which ensures that your puppy is healthy and off to a good start.
The Blue Great Dane puppy’s coat color is indeed captivating and like a dog, they are an affectionate companion to own.