Not sure if I am doing the right thing here, the 3 of us are going to meet a 9 year old Great Dane on Friday, owners have to go back to England now and again for a couple of weeks due to rapidly failing mother (in law), but the Dane seems to be little better. I can just about make enough room for him here and he can’t manage walks but can be left on his own while we do, but.
It does mean that I would have to turn down any dog journeys that came up but I suppose the prospect of a dead Dane is what worries me most.
Anyway we’ll see how it goes Friday and, whatever happens I’ll probably have a picture or 2 for the Dog Photo thread.
Good luck! Our nearest neighbour has one - 3 years old now I think. She’s a beautiful dog, but still a bit slobbery and could easily knock you over with her boisterous play.
I have 2 settees both of which are used by my two, but I also have a large mobile cage, big enough for 2 Dobermanns to overnight in and that is all it has been used for since a very long time.
It measures 110cms x 70cms with a liftable roof and a half length side door. It contains a large plastic dog bed with room enough for a water bowl but I would leave it open all the time and I can just about move it from its present location in the rear veranda to a space at the end of the settee that Galys usually uses.
After one recent illness Lenny was recommended by the vet to be put down, but, obviously his hearing is ok because he instantly sprang back to apparently healthy life, so it was cancelled. I will need some clear instructions if he comes here and an arrangement with their vet.
Nine years is already a good age for a Great Dane.
Our neighbour on the other side of the valley had a GD pup some years back and the (full male) pup decided we were to be corralled as part of his pack. We had a spayed Airedale and a neutered mutt who decided to take on the GD who towered over him. From then on it was war, so every time the GD appeared the mutt and the Airedale had to be locked indoors.
One early morning OH out walking the dogs (fortunately) me still in my dressing gown and bare feet and GD is at the kitchen door. I grabbed his collar and in bare feet and dressing gown walked down through our garden and across the muddy field at the bottom. Part way across, he decided to “play” and jumped up at my back (paws on my shoulders), knocked me flying and tore my dressing gown. Fortunately by this stage the dog’s owner was the far side of the field and came to my rescue. When the GD didn’t want to get in the neighbour’s van it was all the young, fit farmer could do to get him in. The farmer couldn’t see why I was less than thrilled by his dog’s behaviour.
I think you’ll be alright David - I doubt that a 9 year old is jumping up but he may be a challenge to get in your car if you need to take him anywhere.
Yes, I have thought of that but he doesn’t need to be in the car once here as he is too old to come walking with us down by the river. That happens more often now as I go to water Fran’s flowers if there has been no rain for 24 hours. Otherwise we go in the woods and I think from what I have been told that he won’t want to come with us.
So that only leaves emergencies and I could probably enlist local help or call the vet to come here. However the Partner has a sliding side door to the space alongside the cage which is more of a step up rather than a jump as it is through the back door directly into the cage.
The owner of the dog has just phoned to say that Lenny is very weak today and had to be helped to his feet as his back legs did not seem able to complete the task. They know what they have to do but he doesn’t seem to be in pain which, though they are pleased with that, only makes the decision so much harder.
The upshot is that there is no point in him coming to us and he was asking for my recommendation for a good vet as the one they have used before was ‘awfull’. So I gave him the name of mine and I think that will be that as soon as they can organise it.
I feel for them even though, as a lover of older dogs, I have been through it many times, and I can’t help feeling a slight relief as I suspected that this would have fallen to me before long.
So sad, but Lenny is already doing well 7-10 years average age and we have a friend who lost one of his at only 6 years old.
It is our last great kindness to our dogs. There is a wonderful paragraph from TH White’s The Sword in the Stone.
“He said, ‘Good dog, Beaumont the valiant, sleep now, old friend Beaumont, good old dog.’ Then Robin’s falchion let Beaumont out of this world, to run free with Orion and roll among the stars.”
