The Learning Curve

Lessons I have learned in the past 24 hours about living with a Great Dane

1. Do not make a bowl of popcorn and set it on the coffee table and then go to the bathroom. When you come back it will be ENTIRELY gone.


2. Keep a towel on the floor by the water dish. Big tongue = Big mess.


3. Apparently the closet is a better place to sleep than the nice soft dog bed.


4. Letting a great dane on the couch even once is probably not a good idea because then he will think he can get up on the bed and even your lap when you are in a chair. You know 'if you give a mouse a cookie' syndrome?


5. A walk to the barn that should take 2 minutes in freezing cold weather will take 20 because he needs to stop and sniff EVERYTHING so please dress in lots of layers.


6. It IS funny when he gets really excited and races around the breakfast bar only to see a cat and try to so a sliding stop on a rug and knock over 2 dining room chairs.


7. Do not straddle him to put on his collar. When he stands up your feet will not touch the floor and you will fall over backwards.


8. Chance is SMART. He already knows he is not allowed in the U part of the kitchen at all (a great ground rule because he would be able to take things off the counter). If he tries I just say "Chance back up" and he backs out and sits down.
9. Danes are 'leaners' which I think loosely translates into 'lovers' as they just always want a cuddle!
   
10. When Chance thinks he has done something wrong he lays down and puts his head flat on its side without laying his body over at all. It is a strange position.

This is Chance's "I think I did something naughty" position.

I am totally loving this dog. He is fitting in perfectly and loving the attention. I am trying to pay Tess a lot of attention too because Chance automatically gets pet a lot because he is at hand level and I don't want Tess feeling left out.

PS I called the shelter today and told them that I was keeping him. He is all mine now!