Quote Originally Posted by shepgirl
I was just as surprised when I read that. What is it with people that they have to breed all white dogs when they aren't true to form? Do they sell them as rare and make more money? I could never take a chance if I had a white Dane like this one, and go out and try to breed it. Think of the poor pups and the health problems they might be born with - that's who pays the price, the pups and it's heartbreaking.
White danes can be produced even with the best breedings. It's just a risk that you take when breeding in the harle family. But you're right, a reputable breeder doesn't generally breed a white dane, especially not one with hearing or visual impairments. Part of the reason the mantle dane was finally accepted as a show color into the GDCA Standard was so the harles would have a broader color family to breed to and to reduce the number of merles/whites that are produced.

The tricky things with whites and harles is that to the eye, they can be white or harle, but genetically they can be merle.

I've owned two white danes. One was deaf with visual impairments and one was "just" deaf. They both made great pets but I would've never considered breeding them (aside from the fact they were rescues).



Also, to the albinism question... K9soul is correct, true albinism is not a condition in Great Danes.

I'll have to find some pictures of my white danes and post them.