Friday, March 14, 2008
What to Expect When You are Expecting...a Great Dane
I volunteer at the Great Dane Rescue of South Carolina and many animals have been found abadoned by their owners, surrendered b/c they "got too big", neglected, and/or, beaten. These dogs, as any dog, don't need heavy handed treatment! Great Danes are super sensitive to moods and tone of voice. Here is a candid yet serious look at some things to expect when owning a Great Dane. Expect....
1. Large puddles...not drops...of drool. Large jowls=large strings of drool. I have seen this mainly after drinking. I have witnessed my boys slime many other dogs at the dog park, too. Expect to do laundry alot. One of my cats lived with a permanant crusty spot on the back of his neck when Atlas was a puppy.
2. What I call "lip fling" on your walls, couch (use a coversheet!), sheets (if they sleep on the bed), clothes, counters..wherever their lips may come into contact with. Those lips hide some interesting things and you will find it all along the walls and other surfaces when they do their "doggy shake" or drag their lips along the counters in a moment of forgotten manners.
3. Large piles of poop. This needs no explanation.
4. Large vet bills. If I get out of the vet for less that $300/month I think, "I am doing good." Atlas was costing us at least $200 between the ages of 6-8 months due to skin problems. Now, he gets Percorten every month to control his Addison's..Percorten is $25/cc...he gets a little over 5cc...it's a guaranteed $250 per month plus the doctor exam and lately he's needed labs. We just got done with a $2600 surgery to remove bladder stones related to his Percorten. Can't not give it though!
5. Frequent home repairs. We have repaired many dents and holes in our dry wall from butts and feet as they race each other dow the stairs. This hole in the carpet is from Cole when he was new to our home and I took Atlas to the vet without him. He has sense calmed and understands if we leave without him (very, very rare) we will be back and it's all ok!
6. Invest in Windex. My storm door is in constant need of cleaning! The window in their room has got a nice spit film. BTW~~Cole licks windows.
7. Your couches and bed to be taken over. Cole has his love seat and Atlas shares the larger couch with Jaime. Cole sleeps at my feet and Atlas sleeps between us. Yes, we have a king size bed.
8. To be asked, "You got a saddle for that thing?", "How much does he/they eat?", "Who's walking who?", "How much do they weigh?", "Do you have a big house/yard?", and "They don't sleep with you, do they?"
9. Bruises, a busted lip perhaps, even chipped teeth. Their tails could be considered weapons, their paws are like anvils, and their heads..well, you've seen them. I've seen many men protect their Daddy parts from a wagging tail and I have received countless bruises from paws or a good whack with a tail. Protect your face from swinging heads! I have heard stories of busted lips and have a personal experience of a chipped tooth.
10. Lots of love, leans, and laughs. This is a very expressive, fragile, and sensitive breed. In my 5 years of parenting Atlas and my 3 years with Cole, I have learned that these dogs are so very sensitive and responsive to a person's mood and tone of voice. They are hilarious in the way they express themselves..groaning, grumbling, whining, head tilts, and those eyes!
If you think they are cool and just want one b/c they are a novelty breed, please do more research! Make sure that you know what you are getting into! While they are cool and get lots of attention, they still need love, gentle guidance, and lots of attention!
Understand that when a smaller dog can chew your shoe our of boredom, a Dane can also chew up your couch, door frames, and window sills!
Don't forget to research their medical issues too! These dogs are prone to bone problems (hip dysplasia, bone cancer, arthritis), heart issues (cardiomyopathy), bloat (stomach blows up with air/foam/fluid and unable to empty) with or without torsion (stomach turns over on itself blocking blood flow to abdomen)..both potentially fatal and need immediate medical attention.
Since 2006, I have invested over $10,000 in vet visits, meds (Percorten, Hydrocoritsone, L-Thyroxine) and supplements (MSM for joints, Digestive Enzymes, and amino acids for Atlas' heart that "doesn't beat as hard as it should"), and food. I can only imagine how many trips to Italy I could have taken on the money invested into Atlas since puppyhood! The joy and love that I receive from my boys and happiness I see in their faces is totally worth all my "sacrifices." I have been completely and forever changed by these creatures!
I love my animals and would never deny them the care that they need. All I want is to educate potential and/or present owners on what to expect or what to watch for in our best friends! This goes for anyone about to take on the responsibility of a four legged fur baby!
Thursday, March 08, 2007
What is Addison's again?
Monday, March 05, 2007
A bustling household
Saturday, May 20, 2006
It's all good....
I got my staples out of my leg yesterday and right as Dad and I got back to the beach house, my leg wound opened back up. We headed back to the vet and I got stapled back up!
As for the lady that hit me, the insurance company called Mom today and told her that the lady was really nice to work with (well, no kidding, wouldn't you be if someone was fixing your Infiniti without a fight?) and the check was being sent to her and it should be all over.
I think Mom is still pretty mad and gets all fired up when someone mentions it. Yeah, she wanted to say something..but she has her reasons for not stirring the pot and causing things to get heated. Like she says...Karma has a way of coming back to help you or haunt you.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
"Yeah, my husband is gonna want that dent fixed..."
The lady that hit Cole called our house. She stopped by Mom and Bonus Dad's house last night and Bonus Dad about got mad at her until she said "I cried and cried about hitting that dog" and then he gave our home number and said, "They are responsible pet owners you shouldn't have a problem." So when we stopped by our house today, this is the message we received on our machine:
"Hi, this is (insert name here), the lady that your dog ran out in front of. I got an estimate on the damages to my car and just wanted to get together so we could get this thing taken care of. My number is...thanks, bye."
So, I called her back (I figured this would be a good lesson in patience and humility for me). She answered:
Her: hello?
Me: Hi, Mrs. (insert her name here), This is Chana (I said my last name).
Her: (silence)
Me: This is Chana, the one with the dog...you hit.
Her: Oh yes...I'm glad your dog is doing ok, I was so upset, but he just ran out in front of me and there was nothing I could do. I would never want to hurt an animal. {Well, thank God she added that b/c I thought she may go around hitting dogs for fun.} I got home though and saw the dent in my car and got so angry b/c this car is new and only has 4,000 miles on it.{ok, it took all I had not to say are you f'ing kidding me??}
Me: Uh-huh...{silence}.....ok, well, whatever, you said something about an estimate.
Her: Yes, I have the estimate and just want to get together and show you guys so we can get this taken care of. I don't want to put it on my insurance b/c I don't want my insurance to go up b/c this wasn't my fault. {WTF??...it wasn't anyone's fault....it was an ACCIDENT...and YOU hit MY dog and I haven't asked for one cent for medical bills...had this been a child this would be completely different...might as well be a child though...he is MY child..my hubby and I=no kids}
Me: Uh huh...whatever....tell me the figure and i will get with insurance. We are on vacation until Sunday so we will have to get back to you.
Her: Ok, the damage was estimated at $998.72 from Norton-Richardson in Summerville. We have been taking our cars there for years and they are good {like I really care about the work they do} but if your insurance wants me to go somewhere else then I will {damn right you will..do you have choice if you want it paid for?}
Me: Uh-huh, ok well, we'll see. We may want Star Motor Service to look at it b/c my husband used to work there and we are tight with the owner and may be able to get a different estimate, but we'll see.
Her: Ok. This is a new Inifiniti (like I care?) and it's not going to be cheap to fix.
Me: {I was steaming by this point and calmly but in a very hard and slightly sarcastic tone said}..Well, Star works on Mercedes so I think that you'll be ok.
Her: ok.
Me: Ok then...we are on vacation so we'll talk to you when we get back.
Her: ok...look forward to hearing from you.
Yeah, it was a good lesson for me. I was a good girl..surprised??? Insurance is handling it from here. I so want and wanted to say something to her...but I'm not going to..I'm just going to let it be...but if I ever see her again...Lord help her and her car. New Infiniti...who cares? Why do you even throw that tidbit in there? Like I really care about the car...my dog is a living, breathing thing with staples in his leg, road rash, and a scraped up booty. I just said "uh-huh" alot and got off the phone..insurance said I did good. I am proud of me, too.
Monday, May 15, 2006
Life on The Edge
Hello all! Here we are at my favorite place in the world, Folly Beach (AKA The Edge of America)! I get two visits this year too! What lucky dogs my brother and I are (and my cousin Chaz...seen on the swing). We have been here since Saturday and are enjoying our A.M. and P.M. walks. It's been a bit rainy and overcast today but the screened in porch is perfect place for napping and watching the action on the beach. We are loving life and livin' it up! Grandma and Grandpaw are coming out to visit in a little while. My aunt (who kept me before my parents picked me up when I was a puppy) is coming with her dog too...she arrives tomorrow. I can't wait to see her! Mom and Dad have friends filtering in and out and we greet each and every one with leans and kisses! More reports and pics later I'm sure!
Visit Mom's site for more pics and updates!