It’s Monday morning. I have not finished my coffee. This morning I need to finish my coffee before I can do life. Muse has other ideas. This might be a very long day.

Muse waiting patiently...

This morning’s agenda has one item – look for a job.  In just over 4 weeks we’re moving to a new state with our Great Danes. That will be a new experience. But this morning Muse has other ideas about today’s agenda.

I like moving. I like experiencing new places, new cultures, new food.  Truth be told, I would probably move every few years just for fun. For Muse and Melody, my Dane girls, it will be an entirely new world. They’ve spent their lives in Michigan enjoying the cold, snowy winters and warm, sunny summers. Our new home in Tennessee will be significantly warmer year round. But today, Muse has other things on her mind.

I’ve taken a break from fostering Great Danes. That’s the biggest thing I dislike about the move. I enjoy fostering. Rescue work is hard. Rescue work is rewarding and heartbreaking. Already this morning I’ve read three emails looking for fosters. I want to say yes. Fortunately I have Muse and Melody to distract me. And clearly Muse has big plans for my morning.

I’m going out on a limb here, but I think Muse wants to go for a walk. First she brought the short leather leash and dropped it at my feet. I patted her on the head. She nudged me. Then she brought the long leather leash and dropped it in my lap.  She sat and waited patiently. I didn’t move. Muse sighed and went upstairs. A few minutes later she came back down, this time with my walking shoes. She dropped them by my chair. I still didn’t get up. She went back upstairs. Then she brought my socks down. She sat down and waited patiently. I still didn’t get up. She sat in my lap, making it nearly impossible for me to continue drinking my coffee without spilling it. Her tail started wagging. She woofed softly which woke Melody up from her morning nap.

Melody stretched and wandered into the office. Muse smelled her and wagged her tail faster. Melody wagged her tail. Muse woofed again. Melody poked Muse with her snout then took off to the back door. Muse followed. Then I followed. I opened the door. The girls zoomed out.

Back to my desk to finish the task I’d been working on all morning – finishing my coffee. When I’m finished I’ll take the girls for a walk. Muse was kind enough get everything ready for me.

Alaska. There I was sitting on an outcropping of massive rocks, surrounded on three sides by rugged snow-capped mountains, watching the bore tide moving rapidly into Turnagain Arm.   Family – hubby, kids, kids-in-law, and a grandchild, were with me. It was magical. Even in the mystical moment I missed my Danes. I love travelling. No matter where I am – Rome, London, Berlin, Anchorage, New York City – I MISS my Danes. They are constantly with me, invading my thoughts. Do they miss me? Do they think I abandoned them?  Are they being fed on time? The questions rattle around inside my head, leaving me feeling uneasy.

I never leave my Danes in the care of someone I don’t trust or that the Danes don’t accept. Usually I leave them with family members. Sometimes I leave them in the care of a dog sitter. A good dog sitter is hard to find and worth their weight in gold. And even when I find one I still worry. I still wonder. I still wake up uneasy.

This particular vacation included the entire family; eight of us travelled together to meet two more family members in Anchorage. Don’t ask about the flights. Really. The airlines say the trip takes about 8 ½ hours actual flight time from Detroit to Anchorage, but that doesn’t include layovers, boarding, waiting, and exiting the plane. The layover was in Phoenix, as usual, but not long enough to enjoy the scenery. Sometimes the layover is extended long enough to do some site seeing, but that’s usually unplanned.  And of course the layover was long this trip…coming and going!  But I digress. At least there was a Starbuck’s in the terminal.

No family in town left me searching for a dog sitter.  The dog sitter needed giant dog experience. And he or she needed to be comfortable caring for a blind and deaf Dane. And he or she needed to be accepted by my Danes, which required at least two meetings. And the dog sitter needed to be willing to drive to the rural community where I live twice every day, or better yet, stay at the house with the Danes for 6 days.

I happen to live near a large university with an excellent veterinary program. And I have a dear friend who happens to be a third year vet student. I was able to get a list of several vet students to interview. What could be better?

The first interview was on the phone. He met most of my qualifications, particularly the need for giant breed experience. We set up an interview at my house. Within minutes he was sitting on the sectional surrounded by my Danes, getting leans, slobbers and being sat on. Excellent! He was as comfortable with the Danes as they were with him.

A few days before we left he came back during feeding time to  see the Danes again. Even when I leave the Danes with family they have a tendency to refuse food for a day or two. Not knowing the new dog sitter very well, I had concerns about feeding. Again, no problem…they accepted food from him after the customary sniffs, leans and slobbers. I felt absolutely confident that my girls would be well cared for while I was away.

I called home almost daily to get updates. At first Melody wasn’t too excited to have the dog sitter at home. But he was patient and by day two they were curled up on the sectional watching TV together. All was well. Yet, I still worried. I still felt uneasy. I missed my girls.

While in Alaska we hiked, we explored, we saw amazing wildlife and scenery. I was in awe. Even submerged in the majesty of the Alaskan outdoors my heart was drawn back to my Danes. The trip home was long, not only because the flights were delayed, but also because I was eager to be with my girls, to be sniffed, to be leaned on, and to be sat on. I love travelling, but home is always where the Danes are.

No, not for the dogs, bath time for me. Yes, it was my turn to relax in a hot coconut milk bath. I was looking forward to having a bath alone – no dogs. A novel idea to be sure and today was my day.

For the past several months I haven’t taken a single bath without a big spotty pup sticking his big snout in the bath tub.  Actually, most baths ended with that spotty pup hopping right into the tub, usually before I was ready to get out. That boy loved coconut milk baths.

Today was my day. I was going to take an entire coconut milk bath without dog drool, dirty paws or dog fur added to my bath water. No yelps of surprise when the spotty pup jumped in, just peace and quiet.

There I was completely alone in the bathroom. I was relaxing, enjoying the quiet. It was taking a lot of concentration to enjoy the quiet. Honestly, quiet and calm are a little unnerving to me.  In the last week and half my pack decreased by half, so the house has been eerily quiet. I’ve felt out of sorts. I’m trying to learn to enjoy calm, to embrace peace. It’s a lot harder than I thought it would be. And then the door burst open.

And there she was…Muse, my delightful 3 year-old deaf and blind Great Dane princess.  In the blink of an eye she was standing at the side of the bathtub, her snout in the bath water. I was shocked. Muse had never, ever done anything like this. The mere mention of water and I swear I can see her melting. That she would stick her snout in the water…unthinkable. And then she started drinking my coconut milk bath water.

So there we were, just Muse and me enjoying the coconut milk bath. And then she left. She went to the bedroom, jumped on the bed, and then laid her head on my pillow. Her wet snout left a big wet spot on my pillow. Loki would have done the same thing.  I smiled.  Not quite the bath experience I expected, but then life with Danes is not ever what I expected…and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I’ve said a lot of good-byes in my life. It’s not very easy. But there are good-byes that are just right – the right amount of hurt and the right amount of happy. I’ve learned over the years that there are many different kinds of good-byes, some are good and some are bad. Today I said good-bye to Emmett. It was a very happy kind of hurt.

Part of the job of rescuing Great Danes, or any animal for that matter, is saying good-bye. The first one is the hardest, or so it seems at first. The questions that fill the mind:

             Is this a good fit?

            Will the dog adjust okay?

            Will the dog think I’m abandoning him or her?

            What if it doesn’t work?

            Will this family love the dog like I do?

There were people interested in Emmett. He’s a really cool dog, so who wouldn’t think it would be cool to have him? Emmett needed the right family. So, we waited. And then we met them…the right family. It was true love…true Dane love. In that moment I knew it was time to say good-bye.

So the prospective adopters arrived and Emmett, being a dog, barked at them. Normal. He wasn’t sure if they were allowed in the house, so he waited to see how he should react. Once he knew they were welcome, Big Em relaxed. He sniffed. He sat on each lap. He hopped on the couch for a snuggle. He wagged his tail. He smiled. This was his family. It was clear to me.

On the appointed day, I drove Big Em to meet his new mom. He greeted her affectionately. It made me feel better. Big Em’s new mom and I filled out paper work, put his bag of stuff in her car and I said good-bye. Emmett hesitated for a moment before hopping into his new car. Then he hopped up, had a treat, and lay down, another good sign. I said good-bye, again.  I got in my car. He looked at me briefly, confused. His new mom knew just what to do for him. He was in good hands.

I’ve shed my tears. I’ve brewed my espresso. I’m ignoring the empty crate. I’ve played a small part in helping a really “Great” Dane find his home. It’s been a very good day. Best wishes to you Big Em and to your family. 

The old saying that “April showers bring May flowers” doesn’t mean a thing to Emmett. On this rainy spring afternoon flowers were the last things on Emmett’s mind. I insisted that he go outside for a potty break. Going out into the rain was the last place he wanted to go.  You would have thought he was made of sugar.

The conversation went something like this. Yes, I do remember that Emmett is deaf. My Muse is deaf, too. I’ve had a few deaf fosters over the years. I treat them just like I do my hearing dogs, which means I talk to them. And frankly, the deaf dogs listen about as well as some of the puppies I’ve had. Deaf dogs are no different than hearing dogs, you just need to learn how to communicate with them.

“Emmett, outside.”

Emmett trotted happily to the back door, ears flopping and tail wagging. He put one foot out the door then did an immediate u-turn.

“Em…outside…now.”

Emmett sits and gives me the “you know, it’s wet out there” look.

I walk over and put my hand on his back, my signal for “follow me.”  He got up and followed me to the back door and sat down. He looked up at me, as if to say, “It is raining. It is wet. I will melt if I go outside. I’ll stay right here, thank you.”

By this time Melody had zoomed in and out about 50 times trying to get Emmett to go outside with her. Muse, who would normally go out with Melody, is under the misguided belief that she, too, will melt in the rain. Muse was in the living room, safe and sound, pretending to sleep on the couch. She knows that as long as she sleeps I won’t make her go out.

I stepped into the back yard and told Emmett to “come on.”

He stared back at me.

Melody snuck up behind Emmett and gave him a little nip, which sent him flying into the back yard.  I stepped into the house and shut the door.

Moments later Emmett was at the back door. He was slightly damp. By the time I got him out the door the rain had slowed to a mist. I opened the door. He flew in the house and went straight to the living room dog bed and gave me the look. “How dare you make me go outside in the rain! I could have melted. Now I’m going to lay right here for the rest of the day pouting.”  And he did.

"I'm a sensitive creature and I don't do rain." ~Emmett

My heart dog, my companion, my friend…good-bye. The hole you left in my heart and in my home cannot be filled.

I sat with Loki. I lay next to him. I cried. I petted. I talked. I cried. I said good-bye. My heart stopped; it stopped the moment his stopped. My heart is frozen, my mind filled with all that was you.

I left home with a handsome, goofy, fantastic spotty boy and came back with a paw print. It just hurts.

There is a hole in my heart – a gap that leaves me uneasy, restless. Last night I could not sleep. The room was too quiet. There wasn’t a big, spotty snout on my pillow breathing into my ear. No one leapt onto the bed, turned around precisely three times, then flumped down on top of me, squeezing the breath out of me. No one stole the blanket. Muse and Melody slept close to me, but they, too, were restless. How can we possibly fill the hole that Loki left?

Perhaps it’s not a hole. Perhaps the emptiness I feel is because my heart is bigger. Unlike the Grinch, whose heart was two sizes too small, maybe my heart expanded. Maybe the gift Loki left for me is the capacity to love more. Perhaps the hole is really a paw print, a bigger than life paw print, a Loki size paw print.  That would be just like Loki. He always did things in a big way. Why wouldn’t he leave me with a big gift…a heart big enough to love more?

There have been two heart dogs in my life – Lucy and Loki. And though they never met, they shared many similarities. I don’t know if I will be fortunate to ever have another heart dog. But the memories I have from Lucy and Loki are enough to last many life times. I do know that I will love many more Great Danes. My capacity to love and give hope to the gentle giants that have been abandoned and forsaken is greater now.

But, today, I will cry. I will sit in Loki’s crate and remember him. I will stare at his paw print and hurt. I will feel lonely when I get home and he doesn’t greet me with his “just where have you been” look, followed by a big lean and slobbery kiss. I won’t be run through as he and the girls rush out the back door to zoom around the yard. Tomorrow, well, that’s another day.

Lucy

Loki

This is the story of two friends…Emmett and Wesley. They met by chance, after being relinquished to Great Dane Rescue and being placed temporarily in the same foster home. Even though they enjoyed playing with their foster brothers and sisters, Big Em and Lil’ Wes preferred playing together. Maybe it was because they knew this was temporary or perhaps they both knew what it was like to lose your home, but whatever the reason the boys did enjoy each other’s company.

Big Em, aka Emmett

The boys especially liked playing jokes on each other. Wesley had a way of bringing out the “puppy” in Emmett, who was 2 years older than Wesley. Emmett taught Wesley how to play with dog toys. How lucky they were to meet, even under these circumstances.

Lil' Wes, aka Wesley

Today’s happy antics involve a red kong toy, a dog bed and two sneaky dogs…

Wesley found the red kong toy. This made him very happy.

Then, oh happy day, Wesley got the kong and the dog bed all to himself!

Alas, Big Em discovered that the red kong was missing. He went in search of the prized toy. Emmett caught Wesley with the toy while lounging on the dog bed. This would never do!

Emmett retrieved the kong safely and took his rightful spot on the dog bed!

Unfortunately for Emmett and Wesley there are other kong thieves lurking in the darkness. The kong disappeared, but the boys still have possession of the dog bed!

I’d had a rough day. Actually, the day started out wonderfully. Great weather, good day at work, fantastic lunch out; when I got home, the dogs were in good moods. We spent some time in the yard playing. They zoomed and zoomed and zoomed. And then it all fell apart. In an instant my day went from great to, well, not great. But that’s another story.

My husband volunteered to stay home with the pack while I got out of the house. It was shopping day, so off I went, black cloud hanging over me, frown firmly planted on my face.

By the time I got back home I felt a little better. When I opened the door to the house I smelled it…fresh popcorn. I don’t mean the microwave kind…no, real popcorn popped in a pan with salt and a little bit of butter. I couldn’t wait to unload the car, put the groceries away and have a big bowl of popcorn; I felt a smile spread across my face.

Imagine my annoyance when I glanced into an empty bowl. The popcorn was gone. The black cloud returned. At least I had a nice bottle of red wine. Okay, a little smile returned.

“You at ALL the popcorn?! You didn’t even save a small bowl for me?”

“No, I only had a small bowl myself. I wanted to have more. I made enough for you, too. “

“Loki?”

“Yes.”

“The dogs were all quiet, sleeping actually. Muse, Melody and Emmett were on the couch. Buddy was on the dog bed. Loki was on the chair. It was nice. I made some popcorn and got a small bowl to have in the living room while I watched TV with the dogs. When I got up to refill my bowl I suddenly realized that Loki wasn’t in the living room anymore.”

Loki is our almost 11 month-old Harlequin Great Dane puppy. He’s a handsome boy and weighs right at 140 pounds and stands almost 36 inches at the shoulder. He’s a big boy…big and sneaky and he LOVES popcorn.

The large stainless steel bowl of popcorn was sitting safely in the middle of the cabinet in the kitchen.

“When I walked into the kitchen there was Loki. There wasn’t a single piece of popcorn on the floor or on the cabinet. The bowl was completely empty.”

Loki managed to eat the entire bowl of popcorn without knocking the bowl onto the floor, moving the bowl or leaving popcorn pieces on the floor or cabinet. I’ll say this for him, he’s careful not to waste the popcorn!

"Nobody told me NOT to eat the popcorn!"~Loki

Sometimes I forget that Great Danes are giant dogs. Sometimes I forget that most people have never seen a Great Dane. Sometimes I forget that people just don’t know how to react to a Great Dane. When I do remember, sometimes I don’t take my Dane with me…

“Wow! That’s a really big Dalmatian!”

“No, he’s not a Dalmatian, he’s a Harlequin Great Dane.”

“Is that a cross with a Dalmatian?”

“No, they are not related at all. This little guy is just a 6 month old pup.”

“What?!! How much does he weigh?”

“About a hundred pounds.”

“That’s not a dog, it’s a small horse!”

(Honestly, I didn’t see the Dalmatian discussion coming. Dalmatians are medium sized dogs with black polka dots on a white background. Harlequin Great Danes are giant dogs with irregular black spots and patches on a white background. My pup was at the time larger than any adult Dalmatian. He’s even bigger now!)

“Look, mom, a cow! Can I pet the cow?”

“They don’t have cows in the pet store.”

“Yes they do…LOOK!”

“Oh my…can my son pet your dog?”

“Yes, just pet her side and let her sniff you.  She might drool on your hand. Would you like to give her a treat?”

(I don’t mind it when kids call my Danes cows or horses. From there perspective, a mantle Great Dane is about the size of a cow or horse. However, for the adults in the world my mantle Great Dane is nowhere near the size of a cow so stop asking if she’s a cow.)

“What kind of dog is that?”

“A Great Dane.”

“Does it live in your house?”

“Yes, Great Danes are house dogs.”

“How much does it eat?”

“About 6 cups of kibble a day.”

“I’ve always wanted a Great Dane.”

(I’ve found that many people have always wanted a Great Dane, even though they can’t identify a Great Dane when they see one.)

“That dog’s bigger than you!”

(Really? I hadn’t noticed. Maybe the fact that I’m 5 foot tall and my dog is well over 6 feet tall when he stands up on his hind legs should have been a clue for me.)

“Do you have a saddle for that thing? LOL”

(I smile and walk on by; my mom taught me that if I don’t have anything nice to say then keep my mouth shut.  I don’t know why that particular remark annoys me so much; maybe it’s because the man usually saying it thinks he’s being terribly creative and that I’ve never heard that one before. I’ve never heard that remark from a woman, though. Interesting.)

I love taking my Danes out and about with me. I grow tired of the saddle remarks, but I do love it when I get to talk to kids about my dogs. Most children that I’ve come across are in total awe of my Danes. They ask great questions:

Does he have his own bed? …Does he fit in your car? …Does he play fetch?

            How loud does he bark? (all this said without taking a breath – impressive)

I’m always careful and on guard when I take my Danes out, especially if I know there will be other dogs or the place we’re going might be crowded.  I’ve had experiences where other dog owners thought it was a great idea to let their small dog run up and jump in my dog’s face. As a result, I have one dog that freaks out when small dogs bark or come toward him. I’m terrified that my dog may defend himself and nip, or worse bite, a smaller dog. If someone comes toward me with a dog, I step in between my dog and the approaching dog and human. Paranoid? Maybe, but the consequence of my not being diligent is too great to take any risk.

When new people approach any of my dogs I instruct them to pet the dog’s side first, not their head. And I give the person a treat to offer the dog. That gives me a chance  to watch my dog’s body language (calm, relaxed or fearful, guarded), then I can make the decision to stay and chat or make a quick get away if my dog is not comfortable with the situation. People often make the mistake of thinking that dogs like everyone they meet – human or animal. That’s simply not true. Safety first is my rule of thumb and if my dog is tense or guarded, the safe thing to do is make a quick exit.

Great Danes get a lot of attention when they are in public. Some dogs like that, some dogs don’t. Muse, my deaf/blind girl, is absolutely fantastic no matter where I take her. Melody enjoys going out in public, but not as much as Muse, and if she’s out for too long she gets cranky. Loki, our monster pup, likes going to the park when there are no other people around. He’s really a homebody at heart and that’s fine with me. The point is, know your Dane before you decide to take her to the dog park or the county fair. If he doesn’t like extra attention from strangers, why put him through the extra stress and anxiety? Just like people, some dogs are homebodies and some are socialites. Knowing your dog and her preference should be the deciding factor in when and how often you and your dog go out in public.

"Honestly, do I really look like a Dalmatian?!" ~Loki, the incredible Harlequin puppy monster

Most of the time Great Danes require normal medical care – yearly check ups, heartworm preventative, good food and exercise. But, when a Great Dane gets sick or injured the cost of care is greater than for an average sized dog. It simply costs more for medication due to their size.

Darla - happy and healthy

Darla was our first foster failure. She was a BIG beautiful brindle girl. When we brought home as a foster, she was terrified of almost everything, including men. Darla really was a big girl, too big actually, and she had a few bald spots and her fur was oily and smelly.  A simple blood test revealed the cause of her fur problems and some of her fear – low thyroid. Darla took thyroxin everyday for the remainder of her life. Her fur grew back and softened. She overcame most of her fears. Fortunately, the cure for Darla was inexpensive. For less than $10 a month Darla lived a normal, happy life with us.

Muse's first cast

When we brought Muse home Darla immediately took the new pup under her wing, mothering her like Muse was her own. Darla reminded me of Nanna from Peter Pan.  One Saturday afternoon Darla and Muse were playing in the next room. Then I heard a loud thud followed by the most horrific sounds coming from our 4-month-old pup. Apparently, Darla had stumbled and fallen on top of Muse. My husband and I sped to MSU Vet Hospital with our deaf/blind pup. Muse had a broken leg. Six weeks and $2000 dollars later, Muse was as good as new. Since she was growing so fast, Muse needed a cast change every week, which meant time off of work so I could take her to the vet every week. She had two bright pink casts, a neon green cast, and three purple casts. I thought she was very stylish.

Lucy

Lucy, our first Great Dane, was very healthy all her life. As she entered her senior years she slowed down and developed arthritis and finally renal failure. Our daily walks were shortened and she was very uncomfortable. A trip to the vet for an exam, blood work and x-rays was in order. Finding the right meds to keep Lucy comfortable took several weeks. In the end, we spent about $100 a month just on medication to keep our senior girl comfortable during her the end of her life.

Loki - lounging on mom's pillows...the only way to recuperate!

When illness strikes very young dogs, time is of the essence. When Loki was only 6 months old he developed aspiration pneumonia. When he first got sick we took him to our family vet. He stayed overnight for IV fluids and antibiotics. The next day he had improved, so we brought him home along with antibiotics to finish recuperating. Two days later he took a turn for the worse. I called my vet. She told me he needed hospital care. I sped him to the MSU Vet Hospital. I feared for his life. He stayed in the hospital for three days. He was put on oxygen and an IV drip with two antibiotics. I went to visit him. My heart broke. I cried. And I cried some more. A three-day stay at the hospital, with blood work, x-rays, sonogram, oxygen and IV antibiotics came to $3000.  At the two-week check, more tests were done. He still wasn’t back to normal. Another two weeks of antibiotics were needed. The second trip to the hospital was less expensive – $300 for tests and antibiotics. Today, he’s happy and healthy…and still growing!

And of course, there was the time that all three Great Danes got sick at the same time – vet visit and antibiotics for three! Under normal circumstances medical care for Great Danes tends to be around $1200 a year. In extreme circumstances and old age, medical care can increase significantly.

Whenever we’ve added a Dane to the pack we have the “what-if” discussion. Right now I have a very young pack – my Danes are all 3 years old and younger. That means in a few years I’ll also have a senior pack, which will increase our vet bill significantly. So for now, I need to start planning and saving up for the senior years, I know it won’t be cheap!

Next…taking your dane out in public