DOL Great Dane Forum

Happy Birthday Luke!

i love great danes — Sat, 19 May 2012 04:43:22 GMT

Luke turned one today! Happy Birthday sweetie yayyayYour cheeseburgers and cake are waiting :D

Dealing with guests

bek74 — Sat, 19 May 2012 04:17:30 GMT

My mother came over last night and was sitting on my lounge when Bella jumped up on her to say hello.
My mother started screaming and carrying on and we got Bella off her.
The rest of the night Bella didn't bother her at all, just wondered about or slept.
Well then when Max ( my malt ) woke, Bella went couch surfing and they were running about playing ( my mum was well away in the dining area ) making growling, barky, puppy play sounds.
Well my mum got up and grabbed her bag and said " I'm leaving, this dog is dangerous, it's savage and will probably end up eating your babies ( I have twin toddlers ) and I won't stay around to watch that, what kind of mother are u, getting a savage dog like that?"
I explained they were playing and she is only a puppy, just a large one. She replied as she was walking down the stairs, that she won't be returning as long as I have that savage dog.
I said " well I'm hoping to have her for at least 10+ years ".

Well I got an email and she wants me to lock Bella downstairs on a Friday night when she over, because she is scared of her. Downstairs is a rompus, laundry, double garage with yard access and when I'm bathing the twins or feeding them I do pop her down because I can't watch her and I don't want any toilet accidents or her getting into the twins toys and choking on something. Once that's done, she is straight back up with us.

I don't want her locked down, but my kids love Nanny time. I do think my mum needs to get to know Bella and have even suggested keeping her on lead, but nope she won't have it.

Maybe make Friday night ( when mum is over ) bone and treat night. Maybe getting my mum to read up on Great Danes.
I know she is scared of her but I also don't wanna punish Bella.

Any ideas ???

Sooooo sensitive!

Tylerthegiant — Sat, 19 May 2012 04:09:58 GMT

Recently the danes put a hole in my wall when they were playing in the bedroom unattended so I decided if the two of them were together in my room I had to be there too to referee the play.

So tonight after the walk they are in the bedroom with me and they start to play, several times when the play resulted in running a crossed the room I stopped it, put them in down stays, and would release after a couple of minuets and they'd start playing again. Normal practice for me when multiple dogs play.

So while this is going on something happens (long story probably no one is interested in) that TICKS me off, royally. Now you guys don't know me in person but I am practically unflappable, easy going, very even tempered, patient, logical, I never yell or lose it. Well this cool veneer actually hides a BAAAAD temper, but it takes so much to make me lose it that most people can know me for years and never see it.

So I'm on the phone and I've lost my temper over this certain something and I've exploded. I'm yelling, I'm cussing, my face is red, I'm pacing. I finally hang up the phone and look at the bed and both of the danes are lying there, staring at me with whale eyes, worried expressions and their faces.

I realize I have terrified my dogs! I think they thought I was yelling because of them or that I'd lost my mind, they are totally confused. So I utter a little laugh at the ridiculousness of this scene, and give them pats on the head to try and convince them it wasn't them. I scared the crap out of my dogs. :( Calmed me down right quick though.

Magnus Ears Standing 9.5wks!

megan19 — Sat, 19 May 2012 02:06:36 GMT

I just love my pretty boy. This was just after removing his tape at 9.5 weeks - his first taping after the original taping with his hat. His ears were done by Dr. Schauffer.

9.5wks:

Taped at 8.5wks:

Blockage Surgery Tomorrow? I am SO SAD.

megan19 — Sat, 19 May 2012 01:56:35 GMT

The past 24hrs have been a nightmare. Let me start off with the fact that Mag eats EVERYTHING and I watch him like a hawk! He is never in a room without me watching his every move.

Last weekend I posted this thread: http://www.dolforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=71342

Magnus was better all week. Last night he started throwing up his kibble and GRASS around 7pm. We assumed him eating random plants and dirt upset his stomach, because he had a NORMAL poop directly after throwing up and was acting totally fine. He went on to throw up every 30mins to an hour and we did not give him dinner or water all night. Pepto bismol and to bed!

...ALL NIGHT he woke up hacking and trying to throw up (there wasn't anything left in his little tummy!) every 30 minutes. So I was up with him just about all night.

Today I called the vet office before they even opened. The vet wanted me to bring him in at 2:15pm and by then he threw up his tiny sip of WATER and his few bites of kibble we offered after giving him pepto bismol again. Definitely took him to the vet!

The vet's x-ray machine was broken, and they assumed he had a blockage/obstruction. We went to another vet office and got his x-rays. They took him away and I could see him on the table down the hall. I have NEVER heard him scream like that, ever. And I have a very vocal puppy! They were stretching him out on his back by all four legs and it was so awful I left the building in tears. They gave him back to my boyfriend and I and then ended up bringing him back again for another x-ray because they didn't get it good enough the first time! Then back to the original vet...

Evidently they see something that "may" be an obstruction but they aren't sure enough to open him up immediately. They recommended he stay at the vets office overnight tonight, much to my dismay, and they will be watching him overnight every 2-3hrs. He had an anti-nausea shot before I left to settle his stomach. In the morning they are going to give him barium (sp?) and take multiple x-rays (assuming x-ray machine is working!) to see if the barium passes, or where it stops. If it stops they plan on opening him up. If it passes, I don't know what to think...They will call me in the morning.

Do you think tomorrow morning is too soon to open him up? Some people suggest letting it run its course longer. The vet is hoping he improves and they don't have to perform surgery. It's a last resort. Have any of you dealt with this surgery before? What is the recovery? Any thoughts?

I'm a wreck! I've been searching through old threads on everything I can find about this. Thanks everyone,

Megan & Magnus

Body shot, finally

mnmouse — Sat, 19 May 2012 01:30:42 GMT

Here's Mouse in a decent body shot finally. It only took a stray peacock (?) in the pasture to get him to hold still enough, far enough away, for a pic.

I see all his BYB physical faults, but I wouldn't trade him for anything in the world :)

And here's his Rockstar pose!

New Baby!

Beckiw — Sat, 19 May 2012 00:47:01 GMT

I sincerely hope this works! :)

Kizmit, my darling senior.

Kizmitlove — Fri, 18 May 2012 23:49:05 GMT

Hi! wave2

I'm Tiffany, and I recently adopted a GORGEOUS Senior (7 yrs old) DG from a local shelter. She is quite the girl. She is a katrina survivor, has survived having 6 litters, all before the age of 3, AND being attacked by a group of dogs. She is also AKC registered, which doesn't really matter to me, just kinda a bonus! She has quite the history. She is underweight, but a week has made a HUGE difference. You can't see her ribs anymore, but her shoulder bones and her pelvic bones are still protruding.

Her name is Kizmit because it means "meant to be" in swedish. I did not go there looking to adopt her. I went to rescue a husky (who has found a furever home already!) and saw her. She looked at me with those big brown eyes, and when I bent down to talk to her, planted a huge kiss on my nose. It was over, at that point. My girlfriend and I took her home with us.

It has not affected her loving attitude at all though! She is the sweetest baby, and even though I have a large pack (2 huskies, 2 poms, and her..and a cat, and foster dog) she wiggled her way into my heart, and I couldn't imagine it any other way!

I've only had her for a week, yesterday made a week.

Here are a few pics of the lovely lady!

On the way home from the shelter:

Watching TV in her favorite spot on the couch (That's where she sleeps every night):

First day home, walking around the backyard (Don't mind the holes, our huskies like to diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig) :

Cuddled up with her pillow and blanket! (She sleeps with them every night, and when I get up in the morning, she is either still under the blanket, or standing over my bed staring at me LOL):

I am literally ESTATIC! I have always wanted a Dane, and never thought I would have one, because I always heard they would eat you out of house and home! :D! And I didn't ever think a senior would be my rescue, BUT, she is the complete package!

Fromm or Acna.....looking for info...Please

mistified247 — Fri, 18 May 2012 22:44:39 GMT

Any one who has had any experience with either of these foods please let me know which you think is best and why. I'm doing a little research into these 2 foods and would like to hear/see comments (good or bad). I"m not sure about the Fromm's but from what I can find Acana has only had 1 recall back in 2007 for a peanut butter treat.

I would appreciate all discussion: price, quality, how the dogs did on it health wise, coat, ect...,the companies that make these 2 foods, recalls....everything will be helpful.

Thanks in advance.

Targeting with the Clicker

LoveMyJax — Fri, 18 May 2012 21:08:04 GMT

Jax and I are doing the clicker training. I am surprised at how well it works! So amazing! Today I started targeting to the hand. I was wondering, does anyone who has clicker trained to target feel like this isn't a good idea? To target to the hand? I'm wondering if later on, Jax is going to be constantly nudging my hand...which will drive me crazy :)

Puppy Collar & Crate Question

Fri, 18 May 2012 20:50:15 GMT

I am trying to get everything ready for our new puppy, what size collars do I need to buy? I don't want to spend a lot of money on them because I know we will go through them fast.

What is the cheapest crate I can buy online? I looked at my local Petsmart & they don't have one big enough. Is this one about as cheap as they come? http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...mdn=Crate+Size

puppy food or dog food

Solivas1dane — Fri, 18 May 2012 20:36:07 GMT

Hi I already asked this question in a different part of the forum but I didn't get the answer i was searching for..I want to know when I get my Great Dane, Thor (he will be 10 weeks), what do I feed him?..different people say different answers which one is best for my Thor?? I feed my 3 dogs outside Blue buffalo wilderness, high protein- grain free duck flavor, this dog brand is suppose to be for either dog or puppy...idk but for GD aren't you suppose to stay away from high protein??...and how much protein should the food have?

The buffalo brand puppy food has 27% protein is that too much?

Can someone please help me and I asked my breeder and she likes diamond brand but my husband doesn't think it's as good as Blue buffalo brand..so im coming here for advice and help..

ANY BRANDS YALL FED YALLS PUPPIES WILL HELP..and pics of them :)

Meat huffing

Thoenix — Fri, 18 May 2012 20:08:51 GMT

Once every week or two, we go and get Castiel's meat. Partner stands in the kitchen and packs it all into meals and then it goes in the freezer. All packaging goes into a grocery bag to be thrown down the garbage chute immediately thereafter.

Cas likes to steal the bag of packaging.

He doesn't shred it. He doesn't lick it. He doesn't do anything to it.

He just sticks his nose in and, loudly, INHALES. Over and over again. He huffs meat juice.

Weird dog.

Need guidance pretty quick!!!

myboy — Fri, 18 May 2012 19:12:57 GMT

Long story short, Mabel with BUN of 85 (3-30 normal) creat 2.8 (.5-2.0 normal) low albumin at 1.7 (2.6-4.0) T-protein 3.8 (5.0-8.3). slightly below normal Mono's and Slightly elevated eos's

Presents to vet with non productive harsh cough. Onset 2 days ago, initally moderate in frequency, now to mild frequency- cough remains harsh. She sounded mildly wheezy last night, and again this am with slight increase respirations non labored, DH says loose stools but no diarrhea. No temp, no resp yuck. No evidence UTI, r/t cbc and frequency, green vaginal discharge.
Vet started with antibiotics and bring in first am urine, possible ultrasound and biopsy depending on urine studies.
I am not kidney girl, but would assume bun 85 warrants fluids? Does slightly elevated creat mean low protein food?

Other food for thought, recently out of crate, nothing missing in house ie: toxicity, just NOW vomited antibiotic and partial q tip?

Why a low albumin? Low protein?
Partial obstruction? GI absorption issues?

DO I NEED TO GO TO STATE? STARTING over think it!

Sort of odd behavior?

Rule12b — Fri, 18 May 2012 17:55:32 GMT

So lately, Bentley has a habit of taking this giant soft bone toy into his mouth and just sitting there with it, motionless, for 10 minutes (sometimes longer). It's so odd. He's not chewing on it. He just puts it in his chops and sits there like a statue. I've no idea why, and it seems so odd to me. Do your danes have a certain toy that they just lock up with like that?

This is a pic: