Great Dane Conformation Clinic
FRONTS

FRONTS || REARS || BODY || HEAD

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Forequarters

The following is from the Great Dane Standard:

The forequarters, viewed from the side, shall be strong and muscular. The shoulder blade must be strong and sloping, forming, as near as possible, a right angle in its articulation with the upper arm. A line from the upper tip of the shoulder to the back of the elbow joint should be perpendicular. The ligaments and muscles holding the shoulder blade to the rib cage must be well developed, firm and securely attached to prevent loose shoulders. The shoulder blade and the upper arm should be the same length. The elbow should be one-half the distance from the withers to the ground. The strong pasterns should slope slightly. The feet should be round and compact with well-arched toes, neither toeing in, toeing out, nor rolling to the inside or outside. The nails should be short, strong and as dark as possible, except that they may be lighter in harlequins. Dewclaws may or may not be removed.


Conformation Clinic

1. Correctly angulated shoulder with correct neck set and front.

 Conformation Clinic

2. Over angulated shoulder with neck set a little too forward.

 Conformation Clinic

3. Correct scapular layback but the upper arm appears too short and is set too straight. Neck set is slightly ewenecked.
Conformation Clinic

4. This front is slightly straight in both scapula and upper arm and shows an EXTREME pidgeon breast. Neck set is fairly correct but the neck is a bit short.

 Conformation Clinic

5. Extreme lack of angulation in both scapula and upper arm. Neck set is slightly ewed and there is a slight pigeon breast.

 Conformation Clinic

6. Very upright scapula, with an even straighter upper arm. Neck is too forward set and lacks arch
Conformation Clinic

This is a good example of a very correct front with the exception of the too flat feet

 Conformation Clinic

Another correct front with proper fill yet not too prominant a sternum

 Conformation Clinic

This front is acceptable but displays a too straight upper arm
Conformation Clinic

Here you see an example of an 'east-west' front, where feet turn out

 Conformation Clinic

Another east-west front with loaded shoulders, straight upper arm and short neck

 Conformation Clinic

Interesting view of an extreme east-west front
Conformation Clinic

This is a very strange front. Legs come down correctly but scapula is short and straight and forechest is too shallow

 Conformation Clinic

Very loaded shoulder. Note heavy muscling on both scapula & upper arm

 Conformation Clinic

Heavily loaded shoulders. This Dane is very coarse and 'Mastiffy' in appearance
Conformation Clinic

This front lacks forechest, depth of brisket and has a prominent sternum (pigeon breast). Legs drop properly to ground. This is often a problem of youth

 Conformation Clinic

Fair scapula layback, very straight upper arm and flat feet. Too hollow in brisket

 Conformation Clinic

While correct elsewhere, this is a good example of toeing in
  Conformation Clinic

This dog lacks drop in brisket (sometimes called 'veed' up in front), is too wide at the elbow and almost bends inward at pasterns. Sometimes referred to as 'fiddle front'

  

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