LJ Idol Season 7: Week 13; Inside Baseball
No one can resist her. She’s huge, she’s slobbery and she’s as lovable as they come.
Anywhere we go, people stop “What is she? She’s gorgeous!”
She’s a Great Dane, of course! She’s a tad bit small for a Great Dane, which often throws people off. And honestly, she’s a rescue and could be a mix, but most vets seem to think she’s all Dane and nothing else. It doesn’t matter to me either way, I love her to bits and pieces.
People often ask me “Why a Great Dane?!?”
My response is usually “Why not?”
I may only be 5’3 and rather small, but I have a lot of love for the massive dogs. Of course, they come with their own share of problems and I can spout of every single one of them.
People like to ask why on Earth does she eat from a bowl raised so high off the ground. My answer? To prevent bloat.
The one word that sends fear into the heart of any Dane owner is “bloat”. Say it and watch their eyes go wide as they freak out. I have had bloat scares myself that cost me over $600 in vet bills, only to discover that my poor dog suffered from nothing more than gas. But to me? It was absolutely worth it.
Bloat is just what it sounds like. The stomach bloats from gas. Because of their unique build and size, Dane’s can then suffer from torsion of the stomach. Meaning their stomach gets twisted around, cutting off blood flow to their organs and causing a very quick, painful death. When I mean quick, I mean like less than an hour after they bloat they could be lying in a pull of bloody vomit. Sometimes without warning.
Of course, this also makes people ask me why would I put up with it? Why do I want a dog that might live only 10 years at most? The always say how they couldn’t do it, they need their companions much longer than that....
But then you look at what an amazing creature she is and its no wonder why you would want something so big. After all, she’s going to be living those years somewhere....why not spend them with me, sharing the joy she gives me and me offering her the best possible care there is.
Yes, she eats everything in sight much like a mountain goat. Her bark is enough to make grown men shiver in their boots (which is a good thing, I think, but they don’t usually think so). She has been known to jump off the couch onto my poor boyfriend, hitting him in just the wrong spot in all her 100 pound glory. She wrestles a bit too hard sometimes and has made me bleed by hitting me in the mouth with her gargantuan head more times than I can count...
But I love her and honestly, she is by far the best dog I have ever owned.
I wake up every morning with a human-sized dog curled up next to me, ready for her morning cuddles. She kisses my face and rolls over so I can scratch her perfectly white belly. When I have been sad, she’s ben there to snuggle up to me and not ask any questions, just show me that she loves me. I can wrap my arms around her and hug her like a human, so I never feel too alone even when I am.
She’s very emotional for a dog. She understands certain words and knows when to get excited. A simple “You wanna GO?!?” will get her off and running circles around me. She knows when I put my tennis shoes on, it means fun and games. But if I put on my high heels, it means I’m going somewhere else. So then she pouts and tries to make me stay.
When the cat comes in the room, her tail wages happily as she comes closer and closer to her. Next thing I know, the kitty is kissing the big goof’s ears while Annabelle lies perfectly still (because if she moves, the cat slaps her), just her tail wagging. Before long, she can’t take it anymore and has to kiss the cat back. She just has to. So then they go back and forth on kissing and her getting slapped, the massive monster being oh so gentle with the fragile little kitty cat. They absolutely adore one another, and for the size difference, it’s too cute for words.
Trust me, most people simply don’t understand the love I have for my giant beast.
To my ex, she was just a dog, which often meant a burden of sorts. To me, she’s my baby. He wanted to go camping right this very minute, I wouldn’t leave her with just anyone. She can destroy a house in a matter of minutes when left alone, and God forbid we keep her crated the entire weekend (yes, the jerk suggested that).
It was an unspoken tension between us. I loved my dog more than he did. Hell, I loved my dog more than him and wasn’t afraid to show it. He just couldn’t get it.
Some people simply can’t fathom it, but I can. She’s a massive beast and oftentimes a complete terror, but I love her. She’s by far the best dog I have ever owned, and I promise, I will own more Great Danes in my lifetime. If I had my way, I’d have 2 or 3 more right now.
Because as most Dane owners know, once you have one, you really can’t imagine life without one. Though most seem to prefer half a dozen and I get it. I really do.
I mean, how can you not love this face?
Anywhere we go, people stop “What is she? She’s gorgeous!”
She’s a Great Dane, of course! She’s a tad bit small for a Great Dane, which often throws people off. And honestly, she’s a rescue and could be a mix, but most vets seem to think she’s all Dane and nothing else. It doesn’t matter to me either way, I love her to bits and pieces.
People often ask me “Why a Great Dane?!?”
My response is usually “Why not?”
I may only be 5’3 and rather small, but I have a lot of love for the massive dogs. Of course, they come with their own share of problems and I can spout of every single one of them.
People like to ask why on Earth does she eat from a bowl raised so high off the ground. My answer? To prevent bloat.
The one word that sends fear into the heart of any Dane owner is “bloat”. Say it and watch their eyes go wide as they freak out. I have had bloat scares myself that cost me over $600 in vet bills, only to discover that my poor dog suffered from nothing more than gas. But to me? It was absolutely worth it.
Bloat is just what it sounds like. The stomach bloats from gas. Because of their unique build and size, Dane’s can then suffer from torsion of the stomach. Meaning their stomach gets twisted around, cutting off blood flow to their organs and causing a very quick, painful death. When I mean quick, I mean like less than an hour after they bloat they could be lying in a pull of bloody vomit. Sometimes without warning.
Of course, this also makes people ask me why would I put up with it? Why do I want a dog that might live only 10 years at most? The always say how they couldn’t do it, they need their companions much longer than that....
But then you look at what an amazing creature she is and its no wonder why you would want something so big. After all, she’s going to be living those years somewhere....why not spend them with me, sharing the joy she gives me and me offering her the best possible care there is.
Yes, she eats everything in sight much like a mountain goat. Her bark is enough to make grown men shiver in their boots (which is a good thing, I think, but they don’t usually think so). She has been known to jump off the couch onto my poor boyfriend, hitting him in just the wrong spot in all her 100 pound glory. She wrestles a bit too hard sometimes and has made me bleed by hitting me in the mouth with her gargantuan head more times than I can count...
But I love her and honestly, she is by far the best dog I have ever owned.
I wake up every morning with a human-sized dog curled up next to me, ready for her morning cuddles. She kisses my face and rolls over so I can scratch her perfectly white belly. When I have been sad, she’s ben there to snuggle up to me and not ask any questions, just show me that she loves me. I can wrap my arms around her and hug her like a human, so I never feel too alone even when I am.
She’s very emotional for a dog. She understands certain words and knows when to get excited. A simple “You wanna GO?!?” will get her off and running circles around me. She knows when I put my tennis shoes on, it means fun and games. But if I put on my high heels, it means I’m going somewhere else. So then she pouts and tries to make me stay.
When the cat comes in the room, her tail wages happily as she comes closer and closer to her. Next thing I know, the kitty is kissing the big goof’s ears while Annabelle lies perfectly still (because if she moves, the cat slaps her), just her tail wagging. Before long, she can’t take it anymore and has to kiss the cat back. She just has to. So then they go back and forth on kissing and her getting slapped, the massive monster being oh so gentle with the fragile little kitty cat. They absolutely adore one another, and for the size difference, it’s too cute for words.
Trust me, most people simply don’t understand the love I have for my giant beast.
To my ex, she was just a dog, which often meant a burden of sorts. To me, she’s my baby. He wanted to go camping right this very minute, I wouldn’t leave her with just anyone. She can destroy a house in a matter of minutes when left alone, and God forbid we keep her crated the entire weekend (yes, the jerk suggested that).
It was an unspoken tension between us. I loved my dog more than he did. Hell, I loved my dog more than him and wasn’t afraid to show it. He just couldn’t get it.
Some people simply can’t fathom it, but I can. She’s a massive beast and oftentimes a complete terror, but I love her. She’s by far the best dog I have ever owned, and I promise, I will own more Great Danes in my lifetime. If I had my way, I’d have 2 or 3 more right now.
Because as most Dane owners know, once you have one, you really can’t imagine life without one. Though most seem to prefer half a dozen and I get it. I really do.
I mean, how can you not love this face?