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Which black one? Ted or Darcy? Oh I'm not sure about names but the one with the candy cane headdress. He just looks SO enthusiastic :) That's Darcy. The orignal dog of very little brain. I maintain to this day that his breeder dropped him on his head as a baby. His breeder (JAG, member here) swears she didn't but she would wouldn't she. :cool: Haha! Maybe it's the name... My boy who was named Mr Darcy (god bless him) was most certainly a dog of little brain also

Haha omg I laughed so much at this and the above comments! I love how varied the breed is. It's so good to hear all the warnings though, it definitely helps to prepare me for anything and everything! It's funny you should say about finding durable bedding etc for the dog bc my hubby and I have actually saved our old queen bed (the whole thing, not just the matress) plus 2 sofas for when we finally get our GD! Haha! Perfect! He or she will love that

Which black one? Ted or Darcy? Oh I'm not sure about names but the one with the candy cane headdress. He just looks SO enthusiastic :)

Oh one more important thing... You will never wear nice clothes again :laugh: Ok not really... But since Dane ownership all my clothes are divided into two very distinct categories: those to be covered in hair and slobber, and those that I put on five minutes before I need to be seen by the general public.

Awww they are a gorgeous bunch HW! The expression on the little black poodle is hilarious in that photo too :laugh:

Oh you've got some great advice so far Danelover123 :) You can't research breeders enough I reckon. And I want to reiterate what everyone else has said regarding finding a good breeder. As GDG said, it is also good to go and visit the breeder and their dogs if at all possible. This allows you to see things for yourself, such as how the dogs respond to visitors, as well as their living conditions and all that important stuff. I don't have a huge amount of experience, as I am only onto my second Dane. But from what I can see there is a fair amount of variation in the breed when it comes to prey drive, energy levels, and aloofness. So you may wish to ask breeders about these things also. My first Dane had fairly low prey drive, very low energy and was very aloof. My second Dane is pretty much the opposite of that! Some are also a lot more destructo than others. My girl went through a brief destructo phase when she was about 16 months but has been good ever since really. But I've heard of Danes eating whole couches and that sort of thing! They also vary in how much guarding instinct they have. My girl never even barks when someone knocks on the door :) that suits me really well, I like that. They love their stuffed toys soooo much! They do love being on your bed and lounge. Although I am a meany and they are not allowed. Del is only allowed on the bed if she brings me presents, which she does at least once a day haha. You will end up with a preoccupation with finding good quality dog beds that are durable, comfortable, affordable... And big enough! They shed a lot unfortunately. They are usually fairly retarded when it comes to swimming. It's a good idea to teach them to lie down when greeting small dogs :) They often love just hanging out with you, and joining in with what you're doing. Because of their reach, a 'leave that alone command' will be one of the best things you teach them :)

Congratulations on your ten years HW But you know, I have to wonder... Do you even have poodles and whippets? I've never seen a photo Just sayin' :)

Do you think she may have been guarding her ball?

Exactly, it's just about feeding them appropriate bones. I think sometimes the vets advise against them because they see the problems caused when dogs are fed inappropriate bones such as chop bones.

Well only a couple of weeks in... and I'm already on hiatus. Mum and Dad came to visit me and I accidentally left the camera in their car and they live 500km away

Puppy is very cute :) He will grow to be a very athletic dog and four foot fences will just not be adequate to contain him. I would think six foot would be a minimum. There was a dog living next door to us who was a very similar size and shape to an ambull and could easily get over six foot fences. Having better fences will then also eliminate the problem of other dogs getting in, and those children as well. Containing your dog is one of the most fundamental basics of being a responsible owner, so it is good you are taking it very seriously.

You may simply be feeding him too much. Don't go off what the packet tells you. The last of his ribs should be clearly visible to you if he's a good weight. You want him lean, lean, lean. Protruding hips and spine is too lean, but visible ribs are fine.

Isn't that great that he has made a friend! Even if it doesn't change much about the way he thinks about dogs when he's out and about on lead, having a doggy friend is a very valuable thing in itself IMO. It must definitely improve his understanding and use of body language too :) Welcome Canetoad!!!

3/52.

Thanks for the link T, and you're not wrong, she is gorgeous!!! I agree as well, you have to be flexible about the amount you feed your dog as their needs can vary quite a bit.

Great work MUP :) And that article in itself is a fantastic piece of education for the general public :)

My advice is to follow Danois's advice, she knows what she's talking about when it comes to Danes that's for sure! Although she is a mix, and therefore you won't know how big she will get,I wouldn't want to assume that she will be small and run into problems because of it. I would grow her as if she was a Dane. In regards to your concern about over-feeding her, this is definitely something you have to watch. Don't go off the feeding guide on the packet, go off her condition. You want her skinny, you should be able to see the last rib or two (assuming she is short coated). Have you got a pic of her for us? I'd like to see her :)

naawww! She sure is a gorgeous girl from everything you've said about her :) It's a bummer having to be the fun police, but she is so lucky to have someone like you who cares, and puts in all that effort and energy to ensure her well being :)

You're not derailing the thread at all! I really hope that she doesn't have more (or at least not many more) seizures. That certainly makes it a bit hard on all involved that she can be triggered by heat, stress or being tired. But it made me wonder whether it might help her to be on quite a tight routine? I dunno, it was just a feeling... that maybe the added security of a tight routine may help reduce any stress she has :) Of course you may already have her on a routine like this! In which case just ignore :) I have some idea where you're coming from with trying to keep quiet a dog who is '100 miles an hour', a little while a go I had to put Del on crate rest after she hurt her elbow. We would walk her to the backyard for a toilet break and in that short distance she would manage to move as much as possible by bouncing and spinning in the short walk from the crate to the backyard anyway, give her a tummy rub from me :) ETA: I had a really good win yesterday :D Made me very, very happy :D Just Del walking really well past another dog, but it made me soooo happy!

what a handsome boy!

2/52 Delta in one of her favourite places

Oh I'm sorry to hear about Stella's epilepsy BC Crazy. That would definitely have shaken you up Will it be controlled with medication?

Oh No Ziggy! Not Mr.Collins!!!! Heh heh. Although Em's breeder doesn't think she's exactly an "elegant female" lol haha, Maybe Em is more like Lydia than Lizzy? Now that I think about it, Delta might be a Lydia, and I'm trying to make her more like Jane :laugh:

Oh No Ziggy! Not Mr.Collins!!!!

I'm not sure what Del would sounds like. But Digby would definitely sound like the bearded guy in this: