When I lost my Old Dane I was so sad & couldn.t imagine feeling better, the house was so empty I just couldn’t bear it. So I trawled through all the Danes for sale ads in newspapers & online. I know too well the dangers of not getting from a reputable breeder but anyway …. There was one advert that was just everywhere I looked.. 2x black Great Dane puppies both boys ready to go, It was an area not far from me which was a plus so I rang & went to see the pups that day. All the way there I was telling myself to be careful & use my head etc. etc. Yeh right!!!!
When we arrived the people showed us the mum she was a fawn bitch, lovely natured, not the biggest bitch I’ve ever seen but nicely put together! The Dog was a black Very big & very beautiful!!!! Also nice nature, there were 4 pups 1 fawn bitch 1 fawn dog by far the biggest of the pups & the 2 blacks, all were leaping about & playing most of them were jumping up for attention but one black pup went around behind me & just lay cuddled up to my feet. He whined when I tried to move so I picked him up & he has been my baby ever since! My Mum helped me pay for Neo & loved me to take him to visit her, sadly I lost her last year & somehow that made Neo even more precious to me.
The people who bred him weren’t very knowledgeable & were feeding him badly but it took no time to sort out his food & get him looking good & healthy. I almost felt sorry for him wandering around my house all little with the smells of a great big dog all around him, he was always cautious & it took him a while to get confident enough to bound about house & garden but he has never looked back. Not once did he cry for his mum he just seemed to know he lived here & slept on my bed.
He had his share of chewing accidents etc. but nothing terrible & he was house trained as soon as he found the garden! He grew & grew into a fine looking chap & is the sweetest natured dog ever.
My kids are all grown up & at that time were in the throes of moving out one by one, Neo didn’t like that process much & missed each one in turn, but it didn’t take him long to realize that it meant I had more time for him! He follows me everywhere & is so inquisitive he has to stick his nose in everything; a Great Dane I have discovered is no help with housework! Decorating is even worse & leaves him looking like a crazy Harlequin!
Last year he was bitten by a snake & I honestly thought I would lose him but thankfully he pulled through. He makes me laugh every day with his goofy ways & I make no apologies for spoiling him rotten!
He is now two & a half (I can’t believe the time has flown by so fast!) just as silly &, to me, absolutely beautiful. He is being a bit of a teenager at the moment, I hate to tell him off nearly as much as he hates me doing so, the so sad look he gives me is heart-breaking!
It was almost like fate when I found him & I’m so glad I answered that Ad. He is my best friend in the world & I can’t imagine life without my Neo.
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DECEMBER 2010 DANE OF THE MONTH
Alex Duke of Banyan Realm
Wow! Has it really been 5 years! It truly is amazing how fast time flies. 5 years ago, almost to the day we brought home our very first Great Dane puppy. He was quite tiny, as I remember, but oh was he cute! At 8 weeks old he only weighed a whopping 12 pounds. He was precious and his black on white was ever so crisp, it went along great with his flawless pink toes. My daughter, being a fan of anything lion related, named him after the lion character of Madagascar, Alex.
We searched for many months to find the perfect breeder. One who took their breeding and conformation shows very seriously. We found a great breeder within a reasonable distance, only being one state away. One who bred to really better the breed, one who health tested, showed and who simply loved their dogs. We locked in a request for a puppy of a soon to be bred bitch. Alex was going to be a beautiful fawn boy.
A few weeks had gone by and sadly were contacted, advising us that the breeding would not be taking place due to a move. This breeder ‘helped’ in finding another reputable breeder that may have a litter ready. We ended up working with her recommendation, within the same state as the original. She wasn’t planning anything anytime soon, as her bitch just littered and all were spoken for. She asked “Would you be interested in a Harlequin puppy?”. Of course we were!! That’s what I wanted all along, but had no luck in finding one within a reasonable distance, and price. She had the breeder contact me shortly after with information on the pups available and their photos. Being that the first two breeders health tested, showed etc… it was a given that this one did too. Bad assumption! By the time I found this out, I was in love with this puppy and he was what I wanted. No changing my mind at this point. He was perfect.
I consider Alex to be from a BYB and though they were ‘under the wing’ of this reputable breeder, the parents of these dogs looked awful. None were health tested, none showed… and as far as I know they were all outside dogs that lived in barn type housing. I was willing to drive to the location, but wasn’t invited to do so. I was asked to meet ½ way. My heart still gave in at this point and it really didn’t matter. Remember those pink toes, oh they were to die for!
Soon after we got him he was enrolled into puppy kindergarten and over the next year he completed several more training classes, including basic obedience and clicker training. He was also in training to become a certified therapy dog. Which sadly depleted due to his aggression issues with other dogs.
We decided to have gastropexy done when he was about a year of age. This is something that I am so thankful we did, though it was never really an option. Over the past two years, Alex has bloated twice. Even though a dog has this pexy done they can still suffer server conditions in result of the bloat. Thankfully there was no torsion but complications did arise.
After he bloated the second time an x-ray was done to ensure things were passing normally and they found that he had a mass on his spleen. It was decided that the best outcome was to remove the spleen to prevent it from rupturing. After the spleen was removed the diagnosed him with a necrotic spleen due to bloat.
Increased pressure inside the stomach causes blood flow there to slow and eventually stop. Severe torsion can tear the short branches of the artery between the spleen and the stomach, thus increasing the potential for necrosis (death of cells) of the stomach wall. Displacement of the spleen can cause blood clots in the blood vessels there or even torsion of the spleen.
With all of these conditions, it caused him to lose weight fairly fast. His pre-surgery start weight was approximately 120 pounds, and within a two week period of time he was down to 104 (post surgery). Later to find out, Alex’s mom passed away after her second bloat.
Needless to say, Alex is doing fantastic now. He has recovered nicely and has put on all of his lost weight.
I look at him every day and remember the days when he was little and we watched as he ‘grew’ new spots. Starting as tiny black specks on his nose and growing larger every week. I now watch those spots as they slowing diminish and fade to white. 5 years is young for most dogs, but with the precious breed we choose, it’s almost considered old. I take every day as it might be the last. These dogs are so special, in their own unique ways and knowing that their life may be short means every day of theirs should be filled with love. I take the time to hug, pat and kiss his head… even on the days I feel down, or in a hurry or just too busy. It only takes a few seconds and the look in their eye when you share this love is the memory you’ll have forever.
NOVEMBER 2010
DANE OF THE MONTH
Ghosty is 18 months old.He became a part of my family 7 months ago.I have always been an animal lover, and wanted a Dane my whole life.Growing up we always had an assortment of dogs, cats, hamsters, snakes, etc.
I finally got to the point in life where I feel I am financially stable enough and in a good position to own a Dane.So I started lookingGrowing up we always got our dogs as strays, or they were given to us by someone else who did not want them.So I did not really know the right way to go about looking for a breeder.I got Ghosty from a breeder who I now know was less than ethical.
He was kept outside at the breeder’s house since he was about 6 months old.When I got him, he was 11 months old, and was afraid of everything.But little by little, he has come out of his shell.He is now a giant goofball.He fits in perfectly with my family, and adores my four children.Even though he was an outside dog, he has adjusted to living inside with us quickly.Housebreaking (or the refresher version) consisted of telling him no a couple of times when he tried to go inside, and then taking him outside.
Having been around dogs all my life, I was completely unprepared for how fast I would fall for the giant clown.He goes everywhere with me that I can take him, and there are places I have given up going becase he can't go.The kids and I have always liked swimming, and during previous summers we were at the city pool 4 or 5 times a week.But now we don't go swimming there, because Ghosty can't go.So we take weekend trips to the lake when it is warm enough!And I don't travel anywhere he is not welcome!
Ghosty is typical Dane.He loves snoozing on the couch, or the bed, or any soft fluffy place he can find.He sits in my lap, and snuggles with me when I am sad.He loves water more than any dog I have ever owned. My husband bought this crazy water sprinkler on a stand, and Ghosty is convinced it is his personal watering fountain when he is outside and it is on.He will even get into the bathtub and stand there looking at me, wanting a bath!
I can't imagine my life without him now.He is truly my heart dog.He has made every bit of the wait for a Dane worth it!
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OCTOBER'S DANE OF THE MONTH
In October, Odin will be 7 months old. He'll put on his Service Dog In Training vest and start going out with me. He's the only boy in a house of five dog sisters who spoil him crazy. My favorite comments from people are how huge he's going to be and his blue eyes. He's our first Dane and we're in love with the breed. We got him from a breeder. His favorite thing to do is wrestle with the other dogs.
SEPTEMBER'S DANE OF THE MONTH
Action Jackson
Jackson is our second dane.We love our Miss Lucy with all our hearts, but wanted a companion for her and a typical goofy loving guy that would take to therapy work and possibly even agility to round out the family.After becoming more knowledgeable about breeders from being around forums like this one, I started my search.
We decided on a black (hubby’s choice) and a male to cut down on the persnickety factor.After polling lots of dane people and going to shows, I found a breeder that seemed to have what I wanted.Athletic and good natured danes with good health and almost no congenital defects in the lines.I went and met with the breeder few times, spending a couple of hours each visit.I picked out a puppy and met his mom, dad, grandmother, and 12 yr old great grandmother!He was pet quality so the price was standard for the area.
He was from a new breeding, but everything seemed great.He was a fabulous puppy! He loved and still loves everyone he meets.Lucy thought that he was the best invention since cheese.So we thought we would live happily ever after.
A few months after getting him home we noticed a problem.He was not just tripping over his way too big feet, but his legs would just crumble under him.After trips to vets and the breeder, we decided to treat it like an injury to the nerves.He was put on steroids and crate rest.We watched him carefully and he improved.He was never quite right though.Hindsight is 20/20 and I see now that it was the first warning sign.He continued to grow and grow.He was active and happy.Jackson is almost ALWAYS happy if his people are around.He did have a horrible looking walk.It was politely described as a walk that would do Mae West proud.He definitely had a swish.
Just before he turned 1, it started to get even worse.He would fall over when he tried to turn quickly.He could be knocked over easily.He was defensive around other big dogs.We were hoping that a neuter might help him with the behavior and give him less to have to walk around.
He was fixed at the end of December and there was no improvement.The trainer believed that the behavior was due to him being in pain and thinking of the other dogs as a threat.The best defense is a big offense so to speak.
We took him to a specialist in January.We were immediately referred to a special hospital outside of NYC.They got us an appointment that day.He had an MRI done and was given the diagnosis of Wobbler’s syndrome.The first shot shows how cord is pinched from the side view and the second shows the cord and the flattened oval with a dot in the middle.That oval should be the size and shape of a dime.
It was devastating news of course.We spent weeks trying to figure out the best course of action.We talked to doctors, dane owners, the breeder……anyone who would listen.The surgery was going to be costly, possibly non-effective or even fatal and the recuperation was going to be months of crate rest and restricted activity.The other alternative was to let him live until the pain and paralysis was too great and euthanize him.The rate he was going, it would probably have been a few months at the most.
We decided on the surgery.He did wonderfully through the surgery and the first week home.We had a set back when an opportunistic infection took hold.He had to be rushed to local ER and then back down to the hospital during one of the worst storms of the winter.A small surgery and 5 day hospital stay later he was back home and on the road to recovery.He hasn’t looked back since.
Today, he is a happy boy full of mischief.He loves his family and his best girl Edie.There is absolutely NOTHING that slows this boy down anymore!
We are working on focusing his energy and increasing his self-control, but with a zest and love of life so enormous, I feel this will be a lifelong endeavor.We hope it will be a long long journey.
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SUMMER DANE 2010
JUNE, JULY & AUGUST
Pinkie Lu aka Gracie
In June of 2007 I lost my best friend Tisha, my first Great Dane, she was 11 years old. She had been my shadow, and even though I still had my Dane Thorn and wolfhound Morgayne, it wasn’t the same. I volunteer at the local Humane Society and Animal Shelter, and in August of that same year, a friend called to tell me a woman had a white/deaf 6 month old female Dane that she was going to take to the pound. I immediately called her. Unfortunately she had already “given” the dog to an elderly wheelchair bound man on a farm (great choice of home). We talked a bit and she gave me the back story on the dog. Her name was Gracie, the woman’s brother lived in VA. and had several Schnauzers. He got Gracie from a breeder there as a puppy. He now was having kidney failure and was very ill and couldn’t care for all the dogs, so she went to see him and took Gracie and 1 Schnauzer off his hands and brought them to Ohio. She had no clue how to handle a large deaf puppy so she gave her to the first person that said they would take her. I told her my knowledge of Danes, and gave her my number just incase. I believe that was a Friday, on Monday I got a call… “I have the dog in my car and I am driving to the pound, can you meet me there?” So I jump in the van and go to get the dog. I cried when I saw her across the parking lot… I knew I needed her as much as she needed me. As I walked up to her I could see fleas everywhere on her white fur. The woman said she went to visit the man that took her and didn’t like how he was caring for her. I couldn’t get her in the car fast enough.
On the way home we stopped by my vets office, I got cap star to give her to kill the bulk of the fleas. She got 2 baths after we got home too. We live next to my parents, long story, they still own the property, and they live in an “inlaw suite” next door… we pay them a house payment, and the place is in a trust so it will be ours… Anyway they weren’t at all happy with another Dane being here. They are from the old school and cant see “wasting” money on animals. Then my husband wasn’t totally on board either. So against my better judgment, a good friend and neighbor of our had just lost her old dog. I offered her Gracie. She took her home. She the returned her at 6 am the next morning. LOL Her stupid husband had left his breakfast on the counter and she ate it!!!! Haha I was so happy to see her, I got hubby to agree to keeping her, and my parents… well, I pay my bills, and my dogs are all taken care of… so I really didn’t care about their reaction.
“Gracie” soon became “Pinkie Lu” because of her pink skin and nose. J She turned out to be a small Dane, only about 30 inches at her shoulder and 95 pounds. Even though I still miss Tisha so bad, she did help heal the hole in my heart. She is my new shadow. She has to be with her mommy. She is smart, knows hand signals, and is the clown of the house. I can’t imagine life without her now.
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Dane of the month
MAY 2010
I met Rockers on a routine trip to PetsMart for dog food for Whybu and Bandit. After only a few minutes with him I asked if he was available and learned that he had come to the rescue group only 24 hours prior and that he was not even offically "adoptable" as he was not neutred. We talked about him for a good half hour and I agreed to wait for him. A quick call to my wife and a photo of him was all it took to make him part of our family. The recue group came for a house visit, then brought him to meet our other pets and he was great so he was off to the vet knowing he already had a forver home waiting for him when he got out.
He was a bit of a "project" when we got him as he had "happy tail" that required two tail docking to fix as the first one got infected, he pulled on his leash, would run away if he had a chance and had very few manners. During the pre-op x-rays we found he had a BB lodged in his ribs and another in his tail (of course beteween the only two vertebra he has left there). Seems he had a tough go of it with his previous family.
Now he is a happy dog that loves to go for walks without pulling, does not bolt anymore and loves to be with kids. If allowed he is a couch potato and a lap dog. I have wanted a Dane for several years and Rockers had been wonderful and has my wife and I totally hooked on the breed.
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Dane of the month
April 2010
About 4 years ago my wife and I were eating breakfast and I was browsing the classifieds looking at dogs and more specifically Great Danes! I saw an add for a "last one left" Great Dane puppy! So I called to find out if they still had the puppy and they did so I got directions and we headed out to see this puppy! When we got there the puppy was just as pretty as he'd described on the phone. I asked if the puppy had any papers and he said no but the parents were in the back. So we asked to take a look at them! There was 3 large males and one lone female in the back. The female was way under nourished and had fight marks on her head where she'd obviously been bullied. As pretty as the puppy was my wife whispered I think we should get the mom. So I asked if we could buy the mom and he said "no way she's my money maker!" I then told a small lie and said I was with the Great Dane Rescue and his dogs had been reported to us by a neighbor. I told him if he didn't release the mom to us so we could get her back into good health I was going to get the police involved. He refused and asked us to leave! I figured he'd probably move the dog somewhere else when I threatened with the police. I still to this day don't know why I didn't really call the police. Ok confession time!! I went back that night and took possession of Princess by the cover of darkness! I know it wasn't the smartest idea ever but I didn't really think it through at the time. After all we did call him from our cell phone earlier that day. I left the gate open to make it look like she'd escaped. That night we kept her outside in our back yard because we didn't want to introduce her to the kids and Abbey without getting the Vets to look her over.
The next morning we called our Veterinarian and they had an opening that afternoon so we booked it. While sitting at the vets office we noticed she was covered with fleas and we just knew she was going to be heartworm positive and all kinds of issues! Luckily the check-up went well and besides being under-weight she was in pretty good health and he estimated she was getting close to 6yrs old based on dental exams. So we got all her shots and the vet said he'd spay her as soon as she put on some weight. So we happily left and brought our new family member home! We already had a Great Dane/Irish Wolfhound mix (Abbey) at home and this dog was the queen of the house so we knew the introduction was going to be FUN.... Believe it or not besides some early growls and some snarls they didn't do much else. Within a few minutes they tolerated each other. It was clear Abby was the boss and Princess was the submissive one from the beginning but they actually complimented each other very well! We also had 5 cats and Princess wasn't bothered at all by them! She had no issues with house training and to this day has never had an accident in the house! We got her spayed and teeth cleaned at the same time a few weeks later.
It was about 2 years after we got Princess that we noticed a lump on one of Abbey's legs in the knee area. She wasn't bothered by it but it felt warm to the touch. Princess spent a lot of time "Mothering" Abbey so we figured something was wrong. We took Abbey in and it was determined through x-rays and biopsies that she had cancer and it was very aggressive. The Vet recommended not to do surgery and remove the leg due to her size and the fact it had already spread to another leg. So we did pain management and a couple of months later it was time... We took her to the vets on a Thursday morning and helped her cross the rainbow bridge. We were devastated but it seemed to affect Princess more than it did us. She would lie on the floor beside Abbey's bed and whimper. She barely ate or drank anything for a few weeks. We could tell Princess was hurting inside, in the two years together they had become best friends! So we called the vets and asked for advice and he said, "Danes are pack animals" she needs a pack/companion. So we began looking for another Dane to give Princess another friend! We searched but didn't find anything until one day we looked on Craigslist and saw another add for a 4 month old female Dane! I called and the lady said she didn't want any money it was her husband's dog and he had left her for another women so she was giving his dog away. So my wife and I drove out to see this dog (her name was Roslynn) she was beautiful so we agreed to take her. On the way home we changed her name to Bailey. We went straight to the vets and got her checked out she was perfect in every way. So now we get to introduce her to Princess. It was the funniest thing I'd ever seen Princess was lethargic, and depressed but when Bailey walked into the house it gave Princess a new lease on life, here was an 8-9 yr old Dane running around the garden like a puppy with a puppy! Princess took to Bailey very well.
So as most of you know Danes usually have some medical issues and Princess developed a lump in her abdomen area. My wife being in the medical field realized something wasn't right so we took her in and the Vet said we need to remove it because it's a large tumor. After the surgery he told us the tumor was very large inside and it was almost the size of a football. He also said she had several more but he didn't want to chop her up and only took the one out. The Pathologist determined it was a benign mammary gland tumor. They told us that she was probably going to have to get more removed down the road.
One day I was browsing the internet looking for a some information on Great Danes and I found the site "For the love of Danes." I saw a picture of Karen (Dane)'s house and I realized it was on Randolph AFB and I had seen her Danes before! SMALL WORLD! Anyway it was then that I found the Great Dane Rescue and over the next year began fostering and transporting Danes. During this time I must have had 10 or more Danes in and out of my house. Bailey was temperamental with them but Princess was always accepting and her motherly instincts would come into play! Not one Dane came to our house without getting a lick bath from Princess. She is our old Dane but no one ever tries to bully her or get in her way. It's understood that she is in charge and even though we took in females, males some big some small Princess has always let it be known she's in charge and she demands respect! Last Summer while my wife was away (military) I attended a rescue event and fell in love with Charlie! He's a very large male and he's Princess's body guard! When we walk around the block if any dog comes near Princess Charlie is right there to protect her! It's amazing the effect Princess has on the other dogs. If they are on the couch and Princess walks up she just stands by them and looks at them and no matter what dog it is they get down and let her have the spot! It's like she has mind control over them! Princess is getting close to 10 yrs old now and we figured the big move to Virginia was going to really affect her in a bad way but we could hardly leave her behind. However the joke was on us! She has handled the move much better than us or any of the other dogs! It's like she's gotten another lease on life! Princess is an amazing dog and the most lucky stolen dog there ever has been!
Order a new collar and leash, an "Udder tug", or a "rescue ribbon" for your car - and 10-50% of your purchase will go to SASPCA - San Antonio Great Dane Rescue.
IMPORTANT: You must indicate "S.A.S.P.C.A" in the message section of the check out process.
Dane of the month
March 2010
Roxy
Roxy was born in August of 2005 in Comerio, PR and came home with us in October. Of course she was adorable and we were all smitten. We hadn’t had a Great Dane for almost 20 years and were so excited.
She grew quickly, as they all do and soon became quite a tall and lanky girl. Sophie was not too sure about this large intruder and laid the ground rules quickly. Don’t mess with my food and it’s all good!
We attended a puppy obedience class and Roxy made quite an impression. Not only was she huge compared to everyone else but she was very clever and a quick learner. She definitely believes that she’s a Working breed and is more than ready to just “do” something...anything. Not that she doesn’t enjoy just hanging about but if we’re busy doing something, she wants to help. We’ve taught her to carry things upstairs and she’s not happy if you don’t give her something. She lives for packages!
Living in a tropical climate means lots of beach time. Roxy surprised us all one day by just walking in to the water and swimming right out to us. She’ll spend hours in the water if you let her and is an excellent retriever. Recently she’s also become a bit of a Frisbee maniac and is really good at catching it in the air at amazing heights and sometimes scary twists.
Though she has her flaws and we’ve had to work diligently through some difficult behavioural issues, at home with us she’s the sweetest dog ever. She’s silly, loving, extremely tactile, funny, smart and very determined. Loving and being loved by a Great Dane is truly GREAT.
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Dane of the month
February 2010
From a young girl I always wanted a dane.The first time I saw a great dane was a harle great dane, the dog took my breath away.So when it was time I was on the hunt.I had emailed a number of breeders and no one had any harles available, one breeder emailed me back said no harles but I have a litter of blues with only one female, she sent us a photo….Bryan saw the photo and the deal was sealed.We went to pick up Montana Blue from her breeder, we were 1 ½ hours early to pick her up, what can we say we were a tad keen.I had spoken to a lady from the great dane club in the UK she armed me with a fist full of questions to make sure we were getting the right type of dog, walk around the kennels, met their dogs, that I sure did.I was in awe of the danes. I met the mother and the father, her dad is from Finland and was totally huge, her mother was very calm considering her pups were in the next kennel to her.All the brothers ran out towards us, Montana stayed back under cover didn’t want to get wet…nothing has really changed there at all.8 ½ weeks old my little princess came home with us and with out Montana and her brother it wouldn’t be the same.
Montana is an amazing girl, she is beautiful, she is smart, sneaky, knows how to work the kitchen system even when you pop to the bathroom..she is in there and knows what to do, worked out at the early age how to work a Tupperware container, now that’s no joke there.
The small time I did rescue and had dogs coming in and out of my house she was so very tolerant with them all of all ages, she just wanted to play as she still is a puppy at heart but she plays on her terms and only her terms.
Montana is an amazing dog so very loving and caring even when she is wanting treats, food or what ever she wants, she loves her baby brother Wrath and both of them are very protective of each other.She misses her boy friend Biggio in Texas as she loved to wrestle with him when they saw each other and run and play.
Thanks for listening and looking at her pics I tried to keep it to a few but sadly i couldnt.
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Dane of the month
January 2010
I am Johann! In keeping with my human mom's tendency to christen her animals with lofty names, I am named after the composer Bach (although I have yet to get my paws on the ivories!). I am my human Mom's first Great Dane. I came from a rescue situation. A friend of Mom's rescued a pregnant Dane (my furry mom) and adopted the litter out. I was lucky in that two of my human mom's good friends adopted some of my littermates, so I got to grow up seeing three of my brothers. I am two years old now, and my human mom says I am like a coin because I have two sides: sometimes very sensitive, sometimes a complete goofball!
My very favorite thing to do is go on hikes with Mom and my Dane "brother" Thoreau (a one year old Harlequin boy) and our little "sister" Rudy, a five year old Coonhound. A close second when it comes to favorites would be herding our Miniature horses around the pasture. If I'm not hiking or herding, I'm probably engaged in a burst of infamous Dane zoomies!
My human Mom says I am a great example of how wonderful rescues are, and how they are a great resource for first-time Dane owners.
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December 2009 we recognized all danes as danes of the month.
Have a great year everyone
Idea politely taken from The Hawaii meet up group
Hosted by Selena
Dane of the month November 2009
Happy birthday Biggio
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We are very excited that Biggio was named November Dane of the Month. His birthday is 11/20th, what a great present for a 4 year old who has everything. Ha Ha!
Richard and I first became Dane owners back in 1989, when we acquired our first fawn boy “Brutus” out of a litter of 5 brindle girls born on Halloween. You can imagine how he stood out. His daddy, Cesar, was this awesome, regal Dane, before we knew it Brutus came to live with us. He was our first dog as a married couple, but truth be told, he was Richard’s dog, as I was a cat person back in those days. It wasn’t long before Brutus stole my heart, so much so that when he passed away, we found ourselves wanting to get another Dane right away. We searched for a breeder and met a wonderful family who’d had a litter of fawn pups, which were to go to show and pet homes. Lucky for us Richard knew how to blink his baby blue eyes and stole the heart of a dear lady named Sandra, thus “Garth” our fawn boy came to live with us. We had great times during his life, learning about dog shows, breed clubs, meeting other Dane owners, Garth was my guardian angel, protector of the grounds and stealer of our hearts. After he went to the Bridge, it was a few months before we found our next Dane, a fawn boy “Tiger”. Early in Tiger’s life we found that he was a special needs pup, but we didn’t care , we loved him deeply and cared for him, he taught me many things about life and love, when he passed away at the age of 2 and a half, I nearly lost my mind. We waited several months, before Biggio came into the picture.
Biggio is my heart doggy and Richard fondly greets him every morning…..”Mornin doggy” J. It is so heartwarming to see a full grown 6.2 man, say the word doggy like a little kid. Makes me smile every time. From the time I met his breeder Penny, who was planning her litter, to the day we learned the his mum was expecting, to sonograms and delivery date….it was like I was giving birth myself to this wonderful boy. Richard thought that if I could find a brindle , natural eared male Dane, he would like to have another go at Dane parenting! My friend Sandra taught me that good things come to those who wait. And so wait we did. Sandra was right. Little did we know the gods were smiling and blessed us with our boy Biggio. From the moment we got him , to this day, he’s been nothing but a pure joy to us, our family, our friends. He goes everywhere with me and takes trips with Richard and I to the Hill Country and is my companion by the fire on those colder hunting trips. He makes friends with kids and grownups, cats, rabbits, deer, cows, long horns, horses…..he’s your all around load and go doggy. He makes me smile even on the dreariest day. Raising Biggio brought many blessings and friends into my life with the forum and the play group. He’s planted huge paw prints on everyone’s hearts. He’s tattooed my heart. Yes God was smiling on us the day he came home. Happy Fourth Birthday, my big beautiful stripey boy and many more to come. Love your mum and daddy. XOXO
Idea politely taken from The Hawaii meet up group
Hosted by Selena
Dane of the month October 2009
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Our Nova was born on March 5, 2006. Nova’s story with us starts on May 19th, when she was just 11 weeks old. It was my husband, Rusty’s, birthday and I wanted to get him something special so after some talking we decided on a puppy. I wanted a great dane, he wanted a brindle pit bull…we met in the middle and settled on a brindle great dane lol Not knowing any better, and knowing nothing about the breed, we went straight for the classifieds and found a “breeder” who had two brindle puppies left. Once we got to her house, we were greeted by a big lightly marked brindle male (dad) and immediately thought “oh boy, do we really want to do this?”. He was HUGE and outside but we knew we wanted an inside dog. Then we got to meet the two puppies, a lightly marked girl and a little reverse brindle girl, and couldn’t resist. Since it was Rusty’s birthday, he got to choose and he picked the lightly marked girl because she was the bigger of the two...men! lol Little did we know that she’d later become more my dog than his.
We immediately fell in love with our girl as well as the breed. She fit right in with our two terriers, Axel and Rose, and although she was their size when we brought her home we were amazed at how quickly she started to tower over them. It took us a week or two to come up with a name for her but we finally settled on Nova. Although Rusty thinks we named her after a super sexy car, I like the name more for it’s meaning which is “bright star”. Nova attended her first great dane gathering at 15 weeks old and, naturally, everyone loved the puppy. It was here that we met some folks with a local dane rescue and chose to get involved. Although we hadn’t planned on fostering we soon caved in and picked up our first foster. Nova took to him immediately. We’ve since had more than 20 fosters, mostly danes, and Nova made each and every one of them feel at home…especially her new brother, Kano. She was absolutely amazing with him considering his aggression issues and I think she knew way before we did that he was with us to stay. Nova has continued to volunteer for two different rescues over the last three years and she currently volunteers for Great Dane Friends of Ruff Love (www.greatdanefriends.com).
Nova is the most amazing, gentle girl I’ve ever known. On our first house check for rescue the couple had two chihuahuas who were less than impressed to have Nova in her home. They yapped and nipped at her ankles for at least the first 10 minutes that we were there. Instead of showing them how tiny they really were, she chose to lay down to get to their level and patiently wait for them to come to her. By the time we left, they had a new friend. Her best friend was our rat terrier, Axel. She would walk over to him and put her head down just so he could clean her face and ears. She also loved to snuggle with him. When we lost him a couple of months ago I was sure she would be devastated. We let her see him resting peacefully, hoping she would understand. After mourning for a couple of days she decided she'd put more energy into playing with her jack russell sister, Rose, who had also known Axel her whole life. Now they play more than ever before and have become great friends where before they, for the most part, ignored each other...only playing from time to time. She also has a parrot friend named Ozzie who attends some of our rescue events and rides on her miniature saddle. She loves sniffing babies, getting hugs form little kids, getting scratches from everyone and leans like a pro to get attention. She can also be a big goofball and you rarely catch her without a stuffy in her mouth.
In May of 2009, at just over three years old, we almost lost our girl to bloat/torsion. Thanks to her daddy’s quick actions…and fast truck lol…she was at the e-vet in no time and sent in to surgery. We weren’t sure if she would make it or what to expect with her recovery if she did but she showed us what a fighter she is!! She quickly recovered and in less than a month she was back to helping rescue and hanging with her doggie pals at events and play dates. A little over a month after her bloat experience she went on to complete her registration as a therapy dog with Therapy Dogs Inc (www.therapydogs.com). She loves the scratches and loving she gets from her patients and making them smile!!
When I’m down, she brings me back up and when I need a laugh she’s always there to give me one. She is my heart and I truly do not know where I would be without this sweet girl in my life!! Thank you FTLOD for recognizing her for the fantastic girl that she is!
Idea politely taken from The Hawaii meet up group
Hosted by Selena
Dane of the month September 2009
In 2006 my husband and I bought our first house. A week later we got Autumn. The funny thing is a great dane wasn’t my choice of dog. I had been looking for several months for a Dalmatian puppy and after no luck I gave up in finding a spotty friend. My husband has never owned a dog before and wanted something big and impressive and that is where the great dane came in. We located a very nice breeder 8 hours from here and when she was 10 weeks old we made the trip to pick her. I’ll never forget that day. Her registered name is LV Avanti but we chose to call her Autumn because we picked her up on the first day of Fall. September 23rdwill be 3 years since we’ve been together.
She is the best thing that ever happened to me. She’s my best friend, my walking partner, my cuddle buddy and most recently after my husband left me, a warm shoulder to cry on. She seems to know exactly what I need. A snuggle on the couch watching a movie or being goofy and making me laugh.
We have graduated from puppy class, beginner and intermediate obedience. She is trained in both verbal and hand signals. But she is far from perfect and never fails to test my patience or determination.
Most people would think her best friend is my other dog Blaze (I finally got my Dalmatian) J but it’s really my cat Ginger. He’s very petite at 7 lbs and it never ceases to amaze me how she can be so gentle with him. When she was a puppy she used to carry him around in her mouth and he would let her. Most days she’s very lazy and when he wants to play he’ll run up and bite her hard enough to wake her up and play and she’s very happy to oblige. Her favourite toy is a stuffed, fuzzy, faceless doll and when I tell her “Where’s your baby?” , she gets so excited and goes to retrieve her baby and proudly brings it to me.
I love her dearly and cherish every day we spend together. I couldn’t imagine my life without her.
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Idea politely taken from The Hawaii meet up group
Hosted by Selena
Dane of the month August 2009
In fall 2006, after 7 years of discussion my husband and I finally agreed on a dog breed to join our family. I quickly found online resources and forums to learn as much as I could about great danes before we brought one into the house. That’s how I connected with some of the original folks here and this forum came to be. I was looking at petfinder every day for the “perfect” dane to join our family. That’s when I saw these pictures of “Marley”
I knew right then he was the ONE! I contacted the rescue to learn that “Marley would need to have double cherry eye surgery prior to being homed. His background was that he was 7 months old owner surrender. Apparently his former owner tried to euthanize “Marley” after he apparently bit a 3 year old in the home. Luckily there is a 10 day waiting period in Michigan and the rescue was able to get him. We don’t have children and I knew that there had to be more to the story and we could work on the rest. After his surgery we were able to pick him up in mid-February 2007, an early valentine’s day present. On the drive home we decided that his name would be “Diego”. A lot of people think he’s named after the Dora Explorer character….but it’s actually after the painter Diego Rivera as we have several of his prints and I really like his work.
The first four months were VERY trying as he was learning the pack order and getting through his puppy period. He learned to play in the snow, run on the beach, and dig enormous holes in the backyard
We got him a sister, Bella, in June of 2007 and they have been inseparable ever since!
We have had lots of trying times with Diego…I am thankful that we have been able to help him through these issues as many families may not be so fortunate to do so.He has had several eye surgeries, a mystery illness, several accidents and injuries, and most recently a torn ACL with an underlying bacterial infection that almost took his life.
I am so thankful that he joined our family!! I wouldn’t give up my “puppy” for the world.
Idea politely taken from The Hawaii meet up group
Hosted by Selena
Dane of the month July 2009
He is my Dream Dane Come True… and his name is Callahan <3
I came to life on January 28th 2008, the day my “Heart” was born. After years of being a Great Dane lover and admirer… my dad gave me the greatest surprise anyone could give another. He kept his promise after so long and my dream finally came true.
I was lucky enough to witness my “Heart” come into this world… he was the first one in the litter… and such a fighter! I was blessed to be able to visit him every week and watch his transformation from a helpless little soul into a little fireball of life and love. Callahan, after mine and my dad’s favorite Clint Eastwood movie, ‘Dirty Harry’- “Tall, Lean… and Mean” hehe we were sure about the Tall and Lean part… but knew the Mean part wouldn’t be an everyday factor, unless the situation called upon him to do so.
(As I type this… he lay on my lap… and I cry tears of joy… the amount of love I have for him is endless and indescribable.)
From the day he was born till this day, the bond that we have is something completely out of this world. I am always watched… always followed… always looked at with google-ly lovey eyes… I am the Beef Rib of his Eye, LoL… I am Queen Mommy! Loved and protected… and he is always admired. It’s hard to explain to people why Callahan is with me most, why I have ‘more’ pictures of him or why he has all the toys! I love all my dogs and each one gets my love and devotion… but the connection with my boy is something different and treasured… I just wish all people would understand it instead of scrutinize me for it.
Callahan is something else hehe. “Callahany the Hammy” as he is called by his Gramma… boyyeee is he sure a HAM! He’s a cutie and he knows it… he parades around with his toy(s) in his mouth scooting his pawsies on the floor, back and forth, back and forth as if to say “Look at meeee, look at my toys! Aren’t we GREAT?!” Uggh such a show-off! Haha! Pushing his toys in our faces or dropping them in our laps… Roooo Rooo “Okay, I’ll play now.” Oh and he is always sure to keep us warm! He loves to cover a lap or two a day! He loves his stuffies and is so gentle with them! He loves to jump straight up for his toys! And loves to be in front of the camera… gosh he is so photogenic! Such a camera hog.
He LOVES the beach!!! I couldn’t have been blessed with a better beach buddy, he is so much like James and I, we’re total Beach Bums! I don’t know what I would do without him, I don’t know how I would go on without my heart. I was so close to having to face that nightmare the week of June 15th, 2009… but Thanks to the prayers of many Dane Loving friends, my family, and the work of our wonderful Animal Medical Clinic… we will have many more happy times together… and many more memories to make!!!
I want to end this Dane of the Month tribute with a THANK YOU to my FTLOD family for helping me get through the scariest week of my life… and for rooting for Callahan to pull through. God heard our prayers. I also would love to add my favorite poem by Gene Hill, that basically describes all of what I said in a nutshell… <3
“He is my other eyes that can see above the clouds; my other ears that hear above the winds. He is the part of me that can reach out into the sea. He has told me a thousand times over that I am his reason for being; by the way he rests against my leg; by the way he thumps his tail at my smallest smile; by the way he shows his hurt when I leave without taking him. (I think it makes him sick with worry when he is not along to care for me.) When I am wrong, he is delighted to forgive. When I am angry, he clowns to make me smile. When I am happy, he is joy unbounded. When I am a fool, he ignores it. When I succeed, he brags. Without him, I am only another (wo)man. With him, I am all-powerful. He is loyalty itself. He has taught me the meaning of devotion. With him, I know a secret comfort and a private peace. He has brought me understanding where before I was ignorant. His head on my knee can heal my human hurts. His presence by my side is protection against my fears of dark and unknown things. He has promised to wait for me... whenever... wherever - in case I need him. And I expect I will - as I always have. He is just my dog.”
Idea politely taken from The Hawaii meet up group
Hosted by Selena
Dane of the month June 2009
Inca was born 25/11/06 in Bristol UK, bred by Debbie Arbery, her father was res best dog at Crufts 2009, her Aunt was best Bitch at Crufts 2007.
She flew from London to Edinburgh to save 20hour round trip driving, Neil my partner had been looking for a Dane for a few years, as we had booked a bitch, but unfortuantley the bitch did not take.
She has done well in the rind, due to the limited shows we do, living so far north.
Her first show she took Best Puppy in Show at 6mths 2 days, she has been shown in Ireland also, where she could hold her own against the lovely Irish lot!
She is terribly spoilt, and can be quite demanding at times, she's very much top bitch, and loves her toys, and our king size bed!
She is extremely fit and can run for 5 miles after a horse and trap, she's a big girl being 33 inches to the shoulder, she's a lovely girl and we all adore her, she has a very soft mouth and loves to carry things especially my wallet, and can carry eggs in a carton without breaking them.
We hope to show her more this year, but most of all she's our big baby!
She and her sidekick Kenya play, run, sleep together 24 hours a day, and hate being parted.
Her nick name typical Scottish is "the big coo", meaning big cow, and she see's you wash the kitchen worktops or glass doors, then decides to lick them or stick her nose on them!
Idea politely taken from The Hawaii meet up group
Hosted by Selena
Dane of the month May 2009
My name is "Raudane's Scrabble", but my human mom calls me "Thoreau", after her favorite writer, Henry David Thoreau. My daddy is CH Michaeldane JB Drag-N-Spots, and my mommy is Raudane's Once Upon a Time. I was born in late May of 2008, so I will be one year old this month!
My human mommy and I made our show-ring debut in April, where we took second in our class. We are both novices, but once mommy learns how to handle me better in the ring, I know we will go far and have lots of fun!
Showing is fun (there are lots of good smells at those dog-show places!), but I really like bugging my buddy Johann, mommy's other Dane. Our little "sister" Rudy, a Coonhound, keeps us big boys in line! I also like drinking out of the bathroom and kitchen sinks, pestering the barn kitties, playing "tag" with our miniature horses ('cause they're my size!). A good snooze on the couch always hits the spot, too. Most of all, I love to go on walks and hikes with my buddies Rudy and Johann and our mommy.
Thoreau
here i am at 7.5 weeks...adorable I know
Here I am at 7 months old..
At 8 months old in this photo
me at 9 months old
Getting more and more handsome at 10 months, don'tcha think?
One of my favorite activities! 8.5 months olds here
Another favorite activity: pestering my buddy Johann! 10 months old here.
Nova attended her first great dane gathering at 15 weeks old and, naturally, everyone loved the puppy. It was here that we met some folks with a local dane rescue and chose to get involved. Although we hadn’t planned on fostering we soon caved in and picked up our first foster. Nova took to him immediately. We’ve since had more than 20 fosters, mostly danes, and Nova made each and every one of them feel at home…especially her new brother, Kano. She was absolutely amazing with him considering his aggression issues and I think she knew way before we did that he was with us to stay. Nova has continued to volunteer for two different rescues over the last three years and she currently volunteers for Great Dane Friends of Ruff Love (www.greatdanefriends.com).
