(just for fun) if you could change the standard

[hotelcali2202]

what things would you change?

[ouesi]

Um... Maybe I'm being dense again, but wouldn't changing the standard make danes.... not danes?

[happytail]

I would make natural eared Danes the preferred look for Danes in the showring.

[luvmygurl]

[autumnroyal]

Go all natural! Ears that is...

[LoMax]

I was thinking that we shouldn't change the standard, but the natural ear thing is great. I would make it equally acceptable for both ear types.

[angeldane]

I would widen the color code, I would allow bitches of 26 inches and dogs of 28 inches in puppy classes the 6 to 9 month range. I think I would want natural ears too, cropped ears should not determine a winner.

[WeLoveOur7Dogs]

I was thinking that we shouldn't change the standard, but the natural ear thing is great. I would make it equally acceptable for both ear types.

It is acceptable for natural eared dogs to compete in conformation. I have seen it often.

[Absolut Martini]

I'd allow Merles, but I'm biased

[Veganstein]

I would give extra points for slobber and flatulence.
My guys are natural-born champs!

[Shotah]

I would give extra points for slobber and flatulence.
My guys are natural-born champs!

Amen to that!! For a Princess, Riley can stink up a room with the best of them! Thank goodness she's not a drooler! (would that disqualify her? )

[leifandloki]

When I was a child we had a lovely (pick of the litter) Gordon Setter which we were showing with his breeder. Unfortunately he had a "happy tail" which got damaged (due to a radiator in our front hall "greeting" area). We had to stop showing him even though the fault wasn't genetic. He was otherwise gorgeous and very smart and healthy (no hip problems) but couldn't finish his championship and he wasn't bred. Among others, the gene that was lost was friendliness?! If accidental injuries are still a no-no then I would vote to change this.

[mydanekimba]

I don't know much about the breed standard in the sense of what judges are looking for but I think the standard should be based on what the Great Dane was meant to be when it was first created. A Boar Hound? Really? I can't imagine Kimba hunting for anything but table scraps. Maybe they should be renamed "Kitchen Hounds?"

[Devil Dog]

When I was a child we had a lovely (pick of the litter) Gordon Setter which we were showing with his breeder. Unfortunately he had a "happy tail" which got damaged (due to a radiator in our front hall "greeting" area). We had to stop showing him even though the fault wasn't genetic. He was otherwise gorgeous and very smart and healthy (no hip problems) but couldn't finish his championship and he wasn't bred. Among others, the gene that was lost was friendliness?! If accidental injuries are still a no-no then I would vote to change this.

I would normaly agree with the "happy tail" {and other accidental injuries}exception. But many unethical people then could/would be able to have cosmetic surgery done..and put ot off as being an accident.

Dee

[Enhanced]

first let me say that I understand the costly nature of having a dog OFA certified...with that said I would change that for certain show circuits and levels of show part of the judging would be actually on the un seen health of the Dane...anyone can look at a dog and think they look healthy but what if part of the standard was good or better hips(after maturity)?...what if not only the outside(sometimes deceiving) part of the dog was judged what if you needed to have the hips/elbows/cardiac etc etc to match????

since most of the dogs that win Championships are in the breeding gene pool wouldn't it make sense to just go ahead and make it a part of the standard to have a healthy skeletal system? It certainly would make having a champion dog more meaningful because it would not just be about the exterior conformation but the interior which for longevity and breeding is so very important