Hooray for Harvey

Harvey was adopted today. He's one of very few dogs that I thought really should, as opposed to "could," go to a home with children. Harvey had grown up with children in his former home and I think he missed them. His new home has two, a boy and a girl, at great ages to enjoy a dog like Harvey.

We will miss him, of course. You don't have a dog as big and as personable as Harvey and not miss him when he's not around. But now it's Beau's time to shine, and then Clyde, and then . . . Harvey occupied a big spot.

Mercedes - adopted!

Mercedes was abandoned by her family at 10 years of age when they moved to Texas. She was lucky not to move to Texas, I guess, but mostly she was lucky when a friend of a friend took her in and eventually got her to me. Mercedes is the closest thing I've seen to the perfect dog in terms of behavior and temperament. I couldn't find a single fault with anything she did around here at least. She could have slipped into Vince's role easily and remained here, but she deserved a home where she will get more time and attention.

A nice young couple drove up here today and took her home. Mercedes ran out to greet them when they arrived, wasting no time getting acquainted. She liked them and they liked her, of course. She hopped in their vehicle and left with them happily, ready for a new adventure.

The Three Dane Dance (with Shepherds)

Finally a sunny day.

I took three Danes (Harvey, Clyde, and Beauregard) and three shepherds (Theo, Max, and Mercedes) to the pasture for a nice afternoon romp.

Clyde seems to be finished with his cough so there was no longer a reason to keep him separate from the others. He will get neutered next Wednesday.

Mercedes and Harvey should get adopted this weekend. We're at 12 dogs right now, so a couple less would help, especially since there are always others waiting in the wings.

Theo, with Beau on his tail.

Max and Harvey

Max, Harvey, Beau, and Mercedes
Look at the tongue and jowls flapping on Beau.

Beau, Clyde, and Harvey

Harvey (with ball) and Beau

Beau and Clyde
Out in the sun like this you can really tell that Clyde is actually
black, not blue like Beau. He still has some old sunburned coat
to shed out, but he's going to be a beautiful, sleek, black Dane.

Left to right is Harvey, Beau, and Clyde. Their colors and bodies sort of blend together because
they were in the shade; all you can see is a lot of legs.

Mercedes, Beau, Clyde, and Max

Harvey

Beau has the biggest ears I've seen on a Dane.

Front: Beau, Clyde, and Theo
Rear: Max and Mercedes

Clyde was so happy to get out to the pasture to run.
He is putting on some weight and will be a very
good looking dog quite soon I think. 

Mercedes and Clyde

Clyde, Beau, Harvey, Max, Mercedes, and Theo

I think Beau was crated a lot and didn't get much exercise.
He doesn't have a well developed musculature. 

Beau does have some very nice lines, however, and when he
puts on some muscle he's going to be very impressive dog.

I played ball with Theo for a while and then hopped on the
mower and ran around the pasture with the dogs. Theo then
found a spot in the shade to watch and wait.

Clyde just needs a few more weeks of good food
and some indoor experience to find out what his
house manners are like, if he has any.

Mercedes was the oldest dog out there today, but she followed
me every where I went. Beau followed me on the mower in
a "heel" position. He may have had some training. Clyde just
ran and ran and ran, happy to be out of the kennel and no
longer living on a chain.

Clyde and Beau

Another break in the shade.

Theo chasing Harvey chasing Clyde.
Theo eventually tackled Clyde a couple times, just to assert himself because this was the
first time they had been together. Clyde didn't seem to mind.

Beauregard

We are stocking up on Danes around here to help with the impending flood. The rain will not stop and the ground can't absorb any more water. I am so happy that I built the boardwalk from the house to the dog yard a few years back. It used to be muddy, but now we would be wading through water. What everyone needs in these times is a long legged dog, and we seem to be developing a dominant market share of Great Danes.

His (new) name is Beauregard. He's a 10 month old Dane puppy, but he's vaccinated, neutered, and ready to deliver messages through flood waters or to bring in supplies. He's house trained and crate trained, or seems to be so far. He's fine with other dogs and came out of a home with kids (although one child was apparently scared of him). He met the Green Dogs children with interest and was fine with them.

Beau makes three foster Danes in our household--Harvey, Clyde, and now Beau. Harvey is going to a new home on Sunday, but I still feel guilty for having more than our share. He came in today on an emergency basis to prevent him from being dumped at a shelter.

Beau is also available through GDU, which needs to change its name from Green Dogs Unleashed to Great Danes Unlimited.

Beauregard being greeted by Mercedes and
Theo before he even gets out of the car.

Maya and Harvey having their first look at
Beau through the kitchen door.

That's Trooper and Harvey checking out
Beau who is in the big crate.

Colin joins the indoor pack

Colin as been here since last Wednesday, actually, but he's been chilling in the kennel with Clyde until today. I'm glad to say that he has not picked up Clyde's cough. I took him to the vet today for an initial exam, vaccines, tests, etc. He tested negative for heart worms and all the tick diseases, yay! He was a good patient other than being squirmy. He weighed just over 51 pounds and the vet thinks he's about 9-10 months old. He's underweight still, but he's been wormed now and he's being fed three times a day. His weight has some catching up to do, and he still has some growing to do, but I don't think he will be a really large shepherd.

His fur is still fine and soft like a puppy's,
but I realized here how dirty he was.

Colin is a completely blank slate. He's never been taught to sit, or anything else from what I can tell. When we got home from the vet I gave him a bath in the tub and he was actually pretty good about that. Then I put him together with Coco. I think they will play well together when Colin learns how to play.

I asked for the first available neuter appointment and it's tomorrow, Thursday, so Colin will be taking another big step towards adoption tomorrow. I've got him in a crate next to Coco in my office this evening and so far he seems content. Colin is available for adoption through Promises Animal Rescue, see the website for the application form and information about adoption.

He was a squirmy, but good patient. I'm
sure he had never seen a vet before.

Meeting Mercedes getting out of the van when
we got back home.

A shepherd sandwich,
Colin between Trooper and Mercedes.

The folks who brought him to me had given him a bath, so
it wasn't his first, but he needed another.

I had to lift him in of course, but he didn't fight
to get out and he even sat down.

I've certainly had more difficult first baths.

Coco is the closest to his age so I really hope
they will play well together. It would be good
for both of them.

Another shepherd sandwich.
Colin between Maya and TJ.

There's nothing wrong with Colin that some time, love, training, and
good food can't fix, but make no mistake, he will need all these things.