Apollodane Great Danes » Neck, Topline and Body

Neck, Topline and Body

AKC Standard

Neck, Topline, Body - The neck shall be firm, high set, well arched, long and muscular. From the nape, it should gradually broaden and flow smoothly into the withers. The neck underline should be clean.

Withers shall slope smoothly into a short level back with a broad loin. The chest shall be broad, deep and well muscled. The forechest should be well developed without a pronounced sternum. The brisket extends to the elbow, with well sprung ribs. The body underline should be tightly muscled with a well-defined tuck-up.

The croup should be broad and very slightly sloping. The tail should be set high and smoothly into the croup, but not quite level with the back, a continuation of the spine. The tail should be broad at the base, tapering uniformly down to the hock joint. At rest, the tail should fall straight. When excited or running, it may curve slightly, but never above the level of the back. A ring or hooked tail is a serious fault. A docked tail is a disqualification.

Discussion

The elegance of the breed is created here. One should be able to draw a smooth line from the skull, down the strong, tapered, clean neck, over the withers to the short, level back, broad loin and very slightly sloping croup. The neck slopes smoothly into the withers. The tail is a continuation of the spine, extending the angle of the croup when at rest and curving up saber-like in action. Deviations from the Standard would include a short, thick neck; a “ewe” (Deer) neck; a long, thick and weak “goose” neck. Your hand should follow the neckline smoothly into the withers and should not come to an abrupt halt.

The length of the body has been described in the section dealing with proportion and calling for squareness of outline, but it is important to remember that the proper length should be achieved through the extension of the rib cage and not in the length of the loin.