temperment of harls

[gazeke]

I once read in one the the books on great danes that the harlequins, in general, do seem to be a bit more high spirited. Does anyone believe this to be true? Does it even make sense..other than inbreeding..I've heard this is a bit more common with the harls.

gazeke

[Carol]

I don't find it to be true. Mine are just as layed back as any other color. I have had hyper harls but I have also had hyper danes in other colors too. Doesn't have anything to do with the color. It has to do with the breeding stock.

[Heather and Bishop]

Well I'll reply even though I have mantles since their parents are harls...mine dogs are not hyper at all...Queen is clownish at times, but only when I get her riled up.}>

[gazeke]

thanks for the input. The reason I asked, of course, I read that in what should have been a reliable source and my last dane was absolutely crazy, hyper and aggressive. Poor breeding no doubt.But, Zeke, my 4 month old (harl) is much more calm and seems to be really eager to please us.At the same age my female harl (daisy) would have those running fits and jump clear over the sofa. I still loved her very much. My husband used to half heartedly joke that every time she got out of the fence, it would cost him 500 bucks!For those of you who may have read my 'child biting' post, my bad experience with Daisy is affecting my judgement regarding Zeke's normal/not unreasonable behavior.

Dede

[Carolyn]

I have found harls (in general) to be more busy, energetic, inquisitive, and over all a higher activity level than fawns/brindles.
Just my opinion of course.
Carolyn
Divine Acres Great Danes

[danelvr]

if you go to www.dogbreedinfo.com and go to the danes, it says that *danes are more phlegmatic and dont listen to commands as well*

humph. i dont have exp. with anything but harles, but kash's personality is becoming very calm and patient, but also very stubborn, and pig headed(like momma like son). but when he was young, he was much more hyper.

and..hehe have to point out, the dane that you have on your posts is my Gd kash :) hes so famous :)

[soy]

Mojo (whose coloring is always a source of argument but whose parents were harls) is one of the calmest puppies I've ever met. He plays and gets zoomies like any other puppy, but is actually pretty low key and is doing really well in obedience classes so far. One of my husband's last harlequins however really was a nut - I think the harl's father was also a little more on the aggressive and unruly side. Perhaps looking at the parents' personalities would be some kind of indication?

[briggadane]

You should find a much longer discussion of this same topic in the archives.

I find harls are much goofier and hyper than any of the others *IN GENERAL*. Merls and mantle litter mates included.

A logical and valid reason why harl family danes differ in personality from all other colors is the lack of cross color breeding.

Fawns are commonly bred to blacks that in future generations are bred to blue, but none of these are bred to harls. Few exceptions are ever made, but there are a few harls that do have fawn. I *persoannly* feel this may be where some of the more calm harls get it from.
Pam

[Nicole34]

My Chasey(harl) is a *wild child*, but she knows I mean business if she gets too unruly...

[Ami]

OK, I have just a tid-bit of personal knowledge on this subject. I bought a lovely wonderful Harl girl at 8 weeks in Feb of this year(2002). Chloe was her name, She was soooo smart and the absolute star of puppy class. Chloe came down with HOD and died on her 6 month birthday (Read my response to a post under 'health' and then under 'its not just pano, but HOD'--my post is kind of long but it tells the story)

Anyway, I have a new brindle puppy named Lily. Lily and Chloe are like opposite dogs. Chloe, the harl,was bigger and trompled all the much smaller puppies at puppy class, She MADE them like her because they were pinned under her and she licked them, after a few minutes the little pups realaized that Chloe wouldnt hurt them and then they played because She MADE them like her with her Clown like ways.

Lily will try to play with puppies in puppy class and if they hate her she leaves and politely goes to another puppy and once she has been rejected several times, she will just sit there in the middle, as if to say, 'well, the hell with ya, I know Im the best but I wont beg, I'm a LADY!!' very soon after Lily stops playing, the other puppies are all over her and love her. Then the game is on and everyone has fun.

Chloe, the clown, Harl, had the exact opposite behavior from my brindle,polite, 'lady' Lily. Not only in puppy class but in everything; Chloe (harl)potty trained herself but crate training was very hard. With Lily, the crate was never an issue however potty training is still untrustworthy

When Chloe went outside with my other Dane, she would run to her 'spot', do her stuff and RUN back to the door and cry. Chloe had to be right next to me at at all times. --- Lily would love to stay outside and eat raspberries from the bush and chew sticks and rocks forever. Lily(Brindle) is MUCH more independant than Chloe. Lily also resonds to food training very well. Chloe could give a hoot about food, She wanted MOMS attention and She'd WORK for it!!---Lily loves Mom and does stuff for her too but especially when there is food involved.

Both are the smartest puppies ever but act in such different ways, it's almost like they were a different breed.

Ami

[gmac]

But, as has been said, I don't think that would have as much to do with color as with breeding. Your Lily sounds like Maggie, who is a piebald (from harl parents). Each dog, like people, comes with its own personality.

[Jenn]

I have to agree. Harls are overgrown puppies. They are clowns. They are smart and creative.

[Jenn]

Are you referring to dogs out of the Michaeldane line, including Golden Honey and Anfra?

[rugers mom]

I've only had 2 Danes, but both from Harl breeding. My first was a Merle and VERY high spirited. Currently, I have a harl and he could not be more different if he tried! Both were enormous momma's boys, but that is where the similarities end. Ruger is, and always has been, the laziest dog in the world! Sure he played and got the zoomies as any normal pup or young dog would. He is currently 5.5 years of a age and it is beginning to show. I personally (with my limited experience) do not think that Harls in general are more high spirited. These days it takes quit a bit of effort on my part to work him up to a good play!

~Jessica

[2 Little Buddies]

I'm no expert and my results may not be typical, but here's what I see:

Winston (fawn) has never been the curious type. He likes to come and get his pets when he wants them; loves being included in activities, even if it's just to watch from a distance. He learned his obedience commands and picked up the human routine around the house. If given a chance he will wander off following his nose and he becomes deaf when out of arm's reach.

Pearl (harl) simply must have her face in everything that I'm doing. She does not want to miss anything. She is talkative, sometimes talking back when receiving a command she does not want to hear. She will stay close-by no matter what and sometimes even walks back and forth with me as I'm mowing the lawn. She never hesitates to come when called.

I love them both but I'd say that Pearl is considerably more of a "charactor".

Steve

[Amelia]

I have to agree with those posts that said thier Harls were much more energetic and inquisitive than the other colors. My Diesel (harl) has to have his nose in EVERYTHING all the time and we take seemingly endless walks together, but he is always up for more. When our friends house & dog sit for us while we were in the Caribbean, we asked when we could bring Diesel over to thier house to visit and they said, "when we want our furniture re-arranged!" :7

[Merlequin]

One of my dog books says that the harls are more clown~like and are phlegmatic (impassive).

I think it depends on the individual.

~Bonnie~

[Zoeys Mom]

>I have found harls (in general) to be more busy, energetic,
>inquisitive, and over all a higher activity level than
>fawns/brindles.

Except Zoey Carolyn!

[MiHi]

All I know is that the Mantle in my house is WAY more vocal and 'in your face' then any of my fawns.

I have a mentor/friend that breeds Harls just down the road from me, all her dogs are 'talkers' where as mine are quiet. This past week she was 'babysitting' two of my pups for socialization and made the comment that she thought they might be sick because they were so quiet compared to her Harls!!

I also find when I go to shows (no just around here but even when I was at the Nationals) that the Harls had 'more to say' then the Fawns.

I like both so the 'talking' never bothered me.

Michele

[Heather and Bishop]

I have 2 Mantles and , yep, they talk all the time!! I love it as I am used to my Schnauzer doing the same thing!! She even says Momma and Mmmm Hmmm which cracks people up when they hear her.:+

[jpy]

WHY is it, that every time this topic comes up people who live with Harlequin family dogs generally say they are just like other danes and people who do not have the color talk about how they are "different" (normally like they are somehow more squirrely and harder to live with)?

[Mom of a Stinker]

We had pick of the Harlequin's in the litter when we went to the breeders. When we picked them up all but one was really nervous like and not real concerned about what was going on. We thought we wanted the one that was not shy and not afraid to see what was going on. Sometime's I wonder now if that was the right thing to base our decision on. Our Spartacus is a very curious and energetic dog! He is only 10 months old so I just assume he is a puppy and what else should I expect but for him to act like one. I do hope as he gets older that he settle's down some. He has been trained by a Master Certified trainer so that helps to be able to be in control. (Except when I'm sleeping!:7 ) My daughter is 8 years old and she does pretty good with him.

[pongosmom]

We have a harl and a fawn my fawn is very prissy and calm except when she is outside then she is totally different dog. Pongo the harl is deaf and very affectionate but when he gets mad or something jsut isn't right then look out he will show out big time. I totally think it is the breeding and how they are handled from day one.

Beth Pongo and Cody's mom in Las Vegas