tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-190392992012-01-25T21:12:35.011-06:00This is the story of a Great Dane named Savage, detailing my experiences with researching, buying, feeding, training, and living with my big puppy. I want to share what I've learned about the breed, and my week-to-week struggles and joys of Dane ownership, as well as lots of pictures of Savage from puppy-hood to adult.Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.comBlogger1821100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-23238498727992748052011-11-24T10:44:00.002-06:002011-11-24T11:28:10.062-06:00

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-88346319855858820932011-06-29T16:18:00.002-05:002011-06-29T16:19:40.562-05:00

I know, it's been awhile since I've posted. Our little family has been very busy; we have recently started a new business venture - our own marine engine service and repair shop (my boyfriend is a marine mechanic).This is turning out to be a great opportunity for all of us. It allows Randy and I to work for ourselves (I'm also keeping my full time job) and it allows Savage to be with Randy and/or

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-59209714967767063212011-04-08T14:54:00.002-05:002011-04-08T15:00:14.837-05:00

This pretty girl is my brother's new 9 month old puppy, and Savage seems to like her quite a bit. They spent a whole day together, chasing each other around and generally acting like little puppies. Both slept like logs that night. Since Tula is a rescue we're not quite sure what her pedigree is. There's surely some Brittany involved, and possibly golden retriever?

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-86186435759651989932011-03-30T19:47:00.002-05:002011-03-30T19:55:24.394-05:00

...And Savvy is squinting his eyes against the sun! What a beautiful day.

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-73479459633857205862011-02-25T17:08:00.002-06:002011-02-25T17:11:17.314-06:00

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-58375376880628971032011-01-25T17:03:00.002-06:002011-01-25T17:52:23.721-06:00

My boy with snows on his nose!

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-75294445103308002392011-01-03T14:38:00.002-06:002011-01-03T14:50:13.071-06:00

With an eye toward the coming -0 degree weather I ordered Savage this expandable foal blanket from Schneider Saddlery. I chose to buy a foal blanket as opposed to their dog blankets (which do seem really nice) because as usual, the dog jackets don't take into account the size of a Great Dane. Also, this one sounded very well-made, with 420 denier nylon, fiberfill insulation, and soft nylon lining

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-23990506817682625572010-12-16T08:14:00.004-06:002010-12-16T08:25:26.897-06:00

In November we spent a week or so deer hunting in southern Minnesota with Randy's daughter and son-in-law. Of course I brought my Great Dane with us, and hoped he'd get along fine with their three dogs.Both older dogs (a neutered male yellow lab and a female cocker spaniel) have been introduced to Savage before, and they really don't pay much attention to him. For his part, Sav pretty much

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-89174052295101708282010-10-20T08:08:00.002-05:002010-10-20T09:00:43.352-05:00

September and October are generally the times of the year when Savage and I get outdoors the most. There are lots of things to do, cooler weather, beautiful fall colors, and less tourists and visitors on the hiking trails. Of course, lounging on the couch with Eva during football games is an enjoyable part of the season, too.This year my puppy looks forward to my arrival after work, when we take

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-64297292238835852362010-09-08T18:39:00.002-05:002010-09-08T18:40:48.347-05:00

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-591498087216935282010-08-21T11:04:00.002-05:002010-08-21T11:08:31.637-05:00

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-82390455303752914262010-08-15T09:41:00.002-05:002010-08-15T09:48:19.494-05:00

Savvy gets a drink of water with a little help from Randy's 3 1/2 year old granddaughter, Eva, at a softball game.Despite my initial anxiety over my big dog being around children, (he wasn't really socialized with many kids from a young age) Sav has surprised me considerably by being a perfect gentleman around Eva. I still get nervous when he's zooming around acting crazy, but Eva has learned to

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-27577297471550506122010-07-26T21:31:00.006-05:002010-07-26T21:59:05.113-05:00

The "dog days of summer" are what ancient civilizations called the hottest, most humid days when the "dog star" of the constellation Canis Major rose and set with the sun. It was believed that the star Sirius added it's heat to the heat of the sun and caused a stretch of hot, sultry days.My Canis Major (big dog) is spending his days while we're at work stretched on the couch in front of the fan.

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-9229111015383888512010-07-07T16:26:00.002-05:002010-07-07T16:34:02.412-05:00

Having just drank a big dish of water on a hot day, Savvy is having some trouble getting his big, slobbery lips back in position, and is looking a little rumpled.Incidentally, if you look closely at his bottom lip you can see a light pink spot of scar tissue - a souvenir from his run-in with a trap back in 2006.

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-25533559583453787472010-06-15T13:42:00.003-05:002010-06-15T13:44:45.917-05:00

This is how Savage reacts to the beeping noises from the depth finder in the fishing boat....

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-14267997064532251572010-05-20T10:13:00.003-05:002010-05-20T10:17:26.513-05:00

Last weekend I took Savage camping with some friends. Of course he loves being outdoors, and spent a lot of time laying in the grass in the sun. He circled the campfire at our tent site, begging for fried fish. He rested on his dog bed in the front of the boat while I fished, and barked at loons calling out on the lake late into the night.It was very warm during the day, and I forced Savvy to

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-19776953665667291542010-04-29T07:37:00.003-05:002010-04-29T07:41:51.230-05:00

Savage lost a good friend last week. My parents' springer spaniel/husky mix, Brisco, passed away after a long and happy life with them. Brisco, or "Biscuit", was a quiet, good-natured boy whom my mom called "a perfect gentleman". In his younger days he loved nothing better than leaping off their dock and paddling around in the lake, biting at the waves. He followed my parents when they went

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-44016066457783444622010-04-09T07:14:00.003-05:002010-04-09T07:19:25.044-05:00

This was once a pillow...

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-45831684376268666412010-04-06T06:43:00.002-05:002010-04-06T06:45:49.126-05:00

My mom sent me this photo from last summer. When I visit my parent's lake cabin, Savage spends a lot of time exploring the island and running wild. But as soon as I start the boat motor he's right on the dock begging to go with me.In this case my dad and I dared to go out fishing without poor Savvy, and my mom said he stood on the dock and howled for a good five minutes. At home he hardly has any

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-70214276966411211552010-03-22T19:29:00.003-05:002010-03-22T20:46:19.794-05:00

Spring has sprung! It's been a mild winter and an early spring in Northeastern Minnesota. The snow has all but completely disappeared, and the ice on the area lakes is getting thinner every day. Still, we are finding opportunities to go ice-fishing, and Savage finds it fun to run alongside the snowmobile, though the fishing itself doesn't impress him much. He licks the freshly caught trout and

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-80272265735617772112010-02-12T20:16:00.002-06:002010-02-12T20:51:10.681-06:00

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-53085878895639935682010-02-10T09:06:00.004-06:002010-02-10T11:21:44.602-06:00

It's been a lazy couple of months for Savage. Between his owner being quite busy at work, and the occasional below freezing temperatures, he hasn't gotten as much exercise and attention as I intended. On days when the temps are above 10 degrees we go for walks along our road, but when it gets colder than that we are both content to stay inside. I try to keep him entertained with his stuffed

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-25643169745776126702009-12-18T19:59:00.000-06:002009-12-18T20:01:37.396-06:00

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-47053384617338196992009-11-23T10:31:00.002-06:002009-11-23T10:34:11.550-06:00

Generally when I take him grouse hunting, it's just an excuse to walk around with my doggy in the woods. He is usually off-leash, and it's difficult to calm him down if I were to raise the shotgun to actually shoot something. When Randy is with us it's easier because one of us can hold his collar while the other shoots. He'll go in the brush to retrieve the bird, but instead of bringing it to us,

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-7257325193099730982009-11-17T18:13:00.004-06:002009-11-17T18:31:47.855-06:00

originally uploaded by Paula.A little grayer around the muzzle, one less tooth, many more hugs received, countless cases of raw chicken devoured, a few more pounds added (162lb right now), and he still acts like a silly little puppy. Here's to another year, my beautiful Baby Dog.

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-16020761281165214522009-11-15T19:46:00.002-06:002009-11-15T19:58:52.254-06:00

Savage received his new log bed as a gift from Randy's daughter and her husband. It was custom-made to fit in a corner of the living room in the new house by an Amish furniture maker from southern Minnesota. The only problem is that my puppy's old twin-size mattress didn't fit in the frame, so we got him a new mattress and then split open the end, cut and twisted the wire springs to fit, and then

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-53710996319974459752009-09-30T20:30:00.002-05:002009-09-30T20:57:50.249-05:00

Savage's blue truck has come a long way from when we bought it in 2006. Not only has he completely destroyed the back seats to the point where we actually removed them, the back doors are pretty well permanently covered in dog slobber. Much to the disgust of any passengers who dare to ride with me and Baby Dog, they will find their headrests stiff with dried drool, and their seats covered in dog

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-81742541955342234352009-09-09T17:32:00.006-05:002009-09-09T18:42:33.442-05:00

Savage has been struggling with allergies all season. It started with an ear infection and continued with itchy red skin on his tummy and inside of his back legs. Now we are trying something new. Temaril-P is an antipruritic medication; it's used to treat itching, skin disorders, and complications from allergies. It contains prednisolone, which worried me because of the side effects associated

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-77032756662825499092009-08-23T18:45:00.003-05:002009-09-04T17:22:30.758-05:00

Just for fun; head on over to Honey's blog and check out the great photos entered in the Slobber Contest. For dane owners it will all seem quite familiar and laughable, and it will definitely give prospective owners something to think about. Savage himself is not normally an excessive drooler, but when he is excited, anxious, or hungry, he really turns on the "face faucets". After a drink of

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-31771728349413047652009-08-10T15:14:00.000-05:002009-08-10T15:16:35.071-05:00

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-17905763219887287122009-07-13T18:16:00.004-05:002009-07-13T19:08:38.168-05:00

This summer has brought with it a host of bugs (blackflies, ticks, mosquitos, etc.), and therefore neverending frustration for Savage and me. Each year he gets insect bites all over his groin area and the insides of his back legs, but this year it seems worse. Each bug bite gets red and raised and extremely itchy, so he licks the area a lot, which eventually causes more irritation. I've not

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-22887220044219605092009-06-25T16:48:00.003-05:002009-06-25T16:56:19.491-05:00

"You ask of my companions. Hills, sir, and the sundown, and a dog as large as myself." ~Emily Dickinson

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-1846861855045570962009-06-16T16:25:00.003-05:002009-06-16T17:04:13.592-05:00

It started a couple weeks ago with Savage shaking his head a lot and scratching excessively at his left ear. And then in a couple days he actually couldn't (or wouldn't) hold that ear up at all. His right ear stood up smartly, while the left hung out to the side, reminiscent of when he was little and I would take his ear tape off for a day before taping them upright again. It's been quite awhile

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-52043533653919381652009-06-02T19:55:00.001-05:002009-06-02T20:02:02.691-05:00

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-65235838237575774292009-05-13T13:27:00.002-05:002009-05-13T13:33:27.973-05:00

Savage and I are having some problems with our satellite internet equipment, and have not been able to update the website for the last few weeks. I'm working with my internet provider to correct the problems, but it may be a while before I can devote any quality time to The Story Of Savage. In the meantime, my boy is doing well and enjoying the warmer weather (ticks and all!). Please check back

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-47785093376380064872009-04-09T14:34:00.003-05:002009-04-09T14:45:08.468-05:00

Here's Savvy's new "Rodeo" brand dog collar I ordered online from Hot Dog Collars. It's a full 2" wide with two stitched layers of black leather and rows of metal spikes and studs. I got it to replace the old spiked collar, which was only 1" wide, and this one seems to be better quality. At the wearable length of 21" to 25" it's a bit large on my dane, but looks fantastic and cost me under $30.00

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-7388222725881294462009-03-31T13:14:00.003-05:002009-03-31T13:32:38.780-05:00

A candid "family portrait" of sorts: Paula, Savage, and Randy.I put the pillow on the console of the truck so Sava can rest his big head on it while we're driving. The back seat in the Dodge is getting even more uncomfortable, even though I've covered it with blankets and pillows since my puppy destroyed it back when he was a little guy. The upholstery keeps ripping even more, and the stuffing is

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-1896294323232559322009-03-20T20:36:00.007-05:002009-03-20T21:29:04.214-05:00

Changes are coming to The Story Of Savage website! Starting soon I will be working to convert the blog to an entirely new layout, and it may take some time before I get everything in order. This post is just a note to let Savvy's loyal site visitors know that during the transition there may be some broken links, missing content, and no doubt other problems I haven't even anticipated yet! The

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-20094464469325943382009-03-06T15:55:00.009-06:002009-03-06T16:54:39.020-06:00

Yesterday I bought Savage another (!) pair of booties, foolishly hoping that they would fit. In the package they looked pretty big, and they were the largest size the company made (XXL) so I figured we'd give them a try. The weather is significantly warmer up here now, but I'd like to find warm, durable booties with good traction for next winter's below zero weather. These ones seemed like the

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-91685269508807471182009-02-26T11:07:00.007-06:002009-03-06T16:33:39.908-06:00

Dane toenails are extremely thick and tough to cut, and I've been using a scissor style Miller's Forge "Large Dog Nail Clip" on Savage for years. He's always been a little uncomfortable with getting his manicures, but lately he's gotten a lot more sensitive about it. I have to assume it's because after a couple years, the blades have just gotten dull. When I first started seeing television ads

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-60324151304477037842009-02-10T10:17:00.005-06:002009-02-10T10:35:07.069-06:00

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-38893025344703494082009-01-20T20:04:00.005-06:002009-01-20T20:31:33.681-06:00

For the morbidly curious, here is a picture of poor Savage's extracted canine tooth. Because it was so damaged already, the tooth broke in half during the beginning of the surgery. Dr. Hanson said it was badly infected and probably the worst case he's seen. On a lighter note: Savvy's swollen nose returned to normal soon after I started giving him more aspirin, and is now acting like himself again

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-64376780304664822382009-01-17T12:40:00.004-06:002009-01-17T13:02:43.117-06:00

Yesterday morning we noticed right away that Savvy's entire right cheek and muzzle had become very swollen overnight. Prior to having the tooth extraction done, Savage was on a 7 day course of an antibiotic called Clavamox, and then cephalexin (500mg 3x per day). He finished the cephalexin yesterday morning, so I was advised to switch to another antibiotic (!) because the first two might not have

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-22452720873027891252009-01-16T11:45:00.007-06:002009-01-20T20:28:03.060-06:00

Savage and I picked possibly the coldest day of the winter to drive 2 1/2 hours to the vet so his tooth extraction could be done. On the way I periodically let him out of the truck, hoping he would go to the bathroom before his appointment, but at -35 degrees Savvy hit the ground, turned around, and immediately leaped back in. Savvy went into surgery shortly after we arrived at the clinic so I

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-71647286446845934842009-01-05T08:44:00.002-06:002009-01-05T08:48:09.209-06:00

My puppy looks like he has my sister's german shepherd "in his sights". Photo credit: Laura Marxen.

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-3528740109613352612008-12-29T13:57:00.009-06:002008-12-30T18:03:54.173-06:00

About a month ago I noticed a swelling on Savage's gum above his teeth. I originally guessed it was from a sliver of bone that got stuck between tooth and gum, or a chunk of wood from the sticks he's always chewing on. In any case, I assumed it was a foreign object that would work it's way out in time. Only a week ago did I realize it was infected and leaking pus, and I took him to the local vet.

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-85820909059276029142008-12-25T17:32:00.000-06:002008-12-25T17:34:56.254-06:00

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-65459842069466728942008-12-18T12:19:00.007-06:002008-12-18T18:24:23.242-06:00

The last few days have been bitterly cold, and my dane can't stand to be outside for more than a few minutes. His paws get cold so quickly that even eliminating outside in the snow is uncomfortable. Regular readers of my blog will remember my previous attempts to find Savage sufficient exercise in the really cold months, namely the treadmill I bought that he refuses to walk on, and the booties I

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-45800603466511846302008-12-02T17:08:00.001-06:002008-12-02T17:17:40.395-06:00

"DOG, n. A subsidiary Deity designed to catch the overflow and surplus of the world's worship . . . . [H]is master works for the means wherewith to purchase the idle wag of the Solomonic tail, seasoned with a look of tolerant recognition." - Ambrose Bierce The Devil's Dictionary, 1911

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-20151364164245909902008-11-17T22:38:00.009-06:002008-11-18T12:17:54.062-06:00

No cake, no singing, no silly party hat this year. Just Savage, Randy, and me hanging out and relaxing in our new house. Because we are pretty much living in the guest bedroom and most of our things are stored there while the rest of the house comes together, Savvy's bed (an old twin mattress) is set up out in the empty living room area. Which is not to say that Savvy actually spends much time

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-44405604496026544192008-10-22T12:00:00.000-05:002008-10-22T12:04:05.680-05:00

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-40039626584031029262008-09-29T13:07:00.006-05:002008-09-29T14:49:03.252-05:00

As September nears it's end I've had quite a few great photo opportunities involving my favorite subject, my amazing Savage. However, having just gotten a new digital SLR camera, I'm a little overwhelmed and pretty much just experimenting at this point. In any case, I feel that Savvy's beauty comes through even with an amateur behind the lensThis fall has been packed full of activity for our

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-67780870935366172272008-09-02T13:40:00.000-05:002008-09-02T13:51:20.143-05:00

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-7909564892533420362008-08-15T09:40:00.002-05:002008-08-15T09:45:42.041-05:00

"Dogs don't know about beginnings, and they don't speculate on matters that occurred before their time. Dogs also don't know — or at least don't accept — the concept of death. With no concept of beginnings or endings dogs probably don't know that for people having a dog as a life companion provides a streak of light between two eternities of darkness." ~Stanley Coren

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-25493269925637281672008-08-06T10:27:00.003-05:002008-08-11T13:52:44.278-05:00

In the process of making our new house livable by the coming fall, Randy and I have been very busy working on the construction, plumbing, electrical work, etc. This partially explains why I haven't posted anything on the blog, but during this time I also haven't had Internet access in the the trailer I'm temporarily living in, either. Additionally, during the move from the old house I somehow

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-23773739601527178962008-06-21T21:12:00.009-05:002008-06-25T10:55:50.758-05:00

During my recent 5-day bout with food poisoning (from an unknown source), I was understandably suspecting my dog's raw chicken backs as the cause. My symptoms, which I won't go into detail about (!) absolutely matched the lists of salmonella enterocolitis symptoms I found on numerous websites, so I decided to do a little research into the chances of improper handling of Savage's raw food being

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-49407009606422971672008-06-11T17:45:00.003-05:002008-06-11T18:31:11.614-05:00

Well, it's official. My great dane is fat. At his veterinarian visit yesterday I was absolutely shocked by the read-out on the scale: 180.5lbs! While he is a true giant breed dog, he is overweight. I blame this on lack of regular exercise this winter, as well as not cutting back on his food during that time. Savage also has a way of convincing everyone around him that he's starving at all times,

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-21998368123567072602008-06-06T11:29:00.007-05:002008-06-06T12:30:13.084-05:00

Tick season is here again in Northeastern Minnesota, and Savage has been doing his best to collect as many as possible. For as long as I can remember, ticks weren't seen here often, but in the past two years the dog tick population seems to have exploded, probably due to mild winter weather. Because of the scarcity of true deer ticks in our immediate area, Lyme's disease is not one of my main

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-14915704333609033542008-05-20T08:50:00.003-05:002008-05-20T08:57:17.387-05:00

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-21268981214025329082008-05-19T10:36:00.011-05:002008-05-19T12:22:03.976-05:00

This morning Savage and I took a quick 15 minute bike ride in order to get rid of some excess energy, and then attempted a walk with the Halti. The Halti Headcollar by Coastal is looks similar to a horse halter, and is designed to discourage dogs from pulling or lunging ahead by transferring the forward motion into turning the head sideways. The idea is that where the dog's head goes his body

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-25192613012165500072008-05-14T18:17:00.007-05:002008-05-17T10:10:26.313-05:00

Last weekend was fishing opener, and of course I brought Sav's bed along in the boat and his fleece jacket in case it got a little too chilly. Just as he has the last two summers, he enjoyed boating immensely, and loved eating the minnows we used as bait. Afterwards he got a meal of rainbow trout and mashed sweet potatos. During the week we have all been working to get things done in the new

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-22197944894697357942008-04-30T13:58:00.001-05:002008-04-30T14:04:41.825-05:00

Here are Savvy and his friend Nala at Lace Lake, one of our favorite hang-outs. Even though temperatures are still cool, the ice on the lakes is slowly melting, allowing the pups to do some splashing around and giving me some nice photo opportunities.

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-82196309620920192772008-04-22T10:23:00.004-05:002008-04-22T10:46:43.237-05:00

My boyfriend and I have been working this spring on making our new house livable. The floor plan is roughly 2000 square feet, with a big attached garage, dog door, and fenced-in yard for the pup. Savvy absolutely loves being at the property, because he has lots of room to run, and no busy roads nearby. He follows us all around the house, supervising our work, tearing up rolls of house-wrap and

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-78538437856028033812008-04-18T10:45:00.003-05:002008-04-18T11:31:03.495-05:00

When Savage was younger I bought him the Dog Training Kit from ClickerTraining.com because I had heard so many good things about this method. Initially it worked well for us, but somewhere along the way we stopped practicing with the clicker. The other day I decided it was time for some training, refreshers for the basics: sit, stay, etc., and decided to use the old clicker. Well, this time

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-76542681942011501812008-04-08T12:45:00.004-05:002008-04-08T14:35:24.921-05:00

I spend so much time taking pictures for, editing, and reorganizing The Story Of Savage that I rarely check in with my other favorite dog blogs, a few of which have been gracious enough to link back to this site. Imagine my surprise when I was presented with the online "Excellent Blog Award" by a regular visitor to this site (a black dane girl named Behr). In order for me to accept this fun award

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-27934338924197204062008-04-02T09:57:00.002-05:002008-04-02T10:03:06.460-05:00

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-37691777935053852172008-03-25T17:46:00.005-05:002008-03-25T18:11:05.410-05:00

Savage never stops surprising me. Today I realized that he recognizes just about every word or phrase his humans use when referring to food. First it was "are you hungry?", which was a given since I used those words every time I fed him. Then I taught him "food" almost as a command because it helped so much when I was attempting to teach him recall. Now it's gotten to the point where Randy and I

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-37297250066611704252008-03-22T09:06:00.006-05:002008-03-23T10:39:50.987-05:00

Recently a visitor to this blog contacted me asking about Savage's hypertrophic osteodystrophy, and if I truly believe that diagnosis. First of all, based on his symptoms and clinical signs, I have no reason to believe that this "disease" is anything more than another episode of panosteitis (also known as "wandering lameness"), which my dane was diagnosed with last summer. On August 15th of 2007

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-75722378589261483742008-03-20T16:22:00.004-05:002008-03-20T17:14:00.618-05:00

Due to internet access problems I haven't posted to the blog in a month or so. I'm glad some of you are still checking in and looking for updates on my baby dane. So here you go:Savvy has only had a couple of head tremor episodes since the last post, and none at all (that I have noticed) in the last three weeks. His limping is still intermittant, but goes away quickly with a day of rest. I now

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-71861553556445550512008-02-19T21:22:00.000-06:002008-02-19T21:24:00.482-06:00

I'm shamelessly asking everyone I know to vote for Savvy's photo on www.Bissell.com. The vacuum cleaner manufacturer is sponsoring a contest to find a new pet model to represent their Pet Hair Eraser vacuum, and I've entered a picture of Savage. The weekly winner receives a free vacuum, and the grand prize winner gets their pet's photo on the actual vacuum, and a $10000 donation to the pet cause

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-61055589154902659112008-02-11T10:58:00.000-06:002008-02-11T11:42:58.138-06:00

In the last few previous posts I've mentioned Savage having incidences of side-to-side head-shaking which generally last 1 to 2 minutes. From doing a lot of searches on the internet I'm inclined to attribute these episodes to a condition known as idiopathic head tremors. This condition seems to be seen more often in dobermans, boxers, and bulldogs, from what I've read. Enter "idiopathic head

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-299638396240641722008-02-10T08:53:00.000-06:002008-02-10T09:39:04.135-06:00

The day after we got back from Savage's vet visit I started him on 1/2 a buffered aspirin twice a day - for both his breakfast and dinner I crushed the aspirin and sprinkled it over his food. I used buffered (coated) aspirin because it is generally gentler on the stomach, and only gave his such a low dose because he has never been on any drugs before, and I hoped a small amount would effect him

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-36773379596678351492008-02-06T18:54:00.001-06:002008-02-10T09:38:20.406-06:00

Savage has been limping very noticeably in the past week, to the point where he refuses to put any weight at all on his right front leg. At first I thought he had slipped on ice or fallen (though I had not seen him do so, and we've been relaxing at home for a few days because I've been sick with a cold). I waited for the limp to correct itself, but 4 days ago he began exhibiting a weird

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-71716901006351824802008-02-02T18:20:00.000-06:002008-02-03T13:25:11.000-06:00

This is only the second time Savage has been out ice-fishing with us, but this time I remembered to bring a camera. My big puppy doesn't exactly LOVE riding on the snowmobile with my boyfriend, but he tolerates it in order to get to our favorite fishing spot. There he spends time wandering around the lake, eating minnows, and singeing his tail on the heater in the fish house. Every time one of

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-11618366337552864682008-01-11T16:44:00.000-06:002008-01-11T17:15:42.272-06:00

Savvy and I have a New Year's resolution to tackle in 2008; we both need to lose a little weight. At 160+ lbs, my 26-month-old puppy is not really fat, but inactivity on colder days, and me being out of shape and motivation, has added some extra pounds on him. We are now walking absolutely every morning (snow or shine) for at least 30 minutes, and making time to play catch with the tennis ball.

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-61883726824184925002007-12-30T14:30:00.000-06:002007-12-30T14:39:41.516-06:00

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-15547347810947206042007-12-19T09:29:00.000-06:002007-12-19T10:05:56.931-06:00

I recently ordered Savage fleece-lined dog booties online from Muttluks.com. You're probably wondering why I haven't posted a picture of him looking handsome and warm in his new shoes. What happened was that as soon as I put them on him and we walked outside he slipped and fell. And then fell again. And then ran right into the side of my parked truck because he couldn't stop. The bottoms of the

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-76730252529831294382007-12-02T10:20:00.000-06:002007-12-02T11:49:18.018-06:00

After a few very cold and windy days we finally got more snow, and lots of it: about 18 inches as of this morning. After being cooped up in the house during the really low temperatures, Savvy was ecstatic to take a walk with me today during the 20 degree "heat wave". He adores deep snow, and we both wallowed around in it like puppies.I've decided to buy him a set of dog booties because the past

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-44220103462252694332007-11-18T19:36:00.001-06:002007-11-19T08:31:09.629-06:00

Name: Savage Age: 2 years Weight: 160 lbs.Height: 36" at shoulderGirth: 42"Length: 33" from base of neck to tailNeck: 24"

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-76311707831594873402007-11-17T22:09:00.000-06:002007-11-18T19:52:48.217-06:00

We didn't do anything out of the ordinary for Savvy's birthday, but I couldn't resist making him wear a silly hat. Which he absolutely hated, and suffered through only with the help of a couple chunks of prime rib. Even in the pictures he looks completely depressed. Hee hee.At 2 years old my handsome boy is really filling out and putting on weight. He's still in good shape, but I really need to

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-75703874230965647702007-11-09T09:57:00.000-06:002007-11-09T10:05:26.019-06:00

We just started getting snow here in Northeastern Minnesota a few days ago, and of course the Great Danes are really excited about it. Here Nala and Savage are doing what they do best - chasing eachother around in circles.

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-24772232439401826472007-11-08T11:31:00.000-06:002007-11-08T12:05:38.961-06:00

Meet Mason! He is a small, sweet-tempered and obediant pit bull (or possibly pit bull mix). He is about 6 years old, neutered, with no health problems. This boy gets along well with most other dogs (he has been living with a male Brittany Spaniel for the last two years), and children, but should probably not be in a home with cats or small animals or very aggressive adult male dogs. He and my

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-39295678828812789652007-10-22T16:15:00.000-05:002007-10-22T16:29:16.243-05:00

Every day we make time to hang out with Savage's friends, and usually we go walking at a few of our favorite spots around the area. Here Nala and Savvy are crammed in the back of my truck waiting patiently (?) to head over to Lace Lake to run wild in the grass.

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-28864752939430506132007-10-13T10:59:00.000-05:002007-10-13T11:49:36.025-05:00

Savvy is aquiring quite the collar collection. This is his new "tough guy" collar, which is 1" black leather with alternating spikes and studs. Again, I got this one (and another for our doggie friend Nala) from Morrco, and feel I was pretty lucky in getting all the collars the right sizes.

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-89769654904741578902007-10-12T15:22:00.000-05:002007-10-12T15:38:34.574-05:00

Savage's new blaze orange collar is designed for hunting dogs, but I just want him to be visible to hunters who could mistake him for a deer during the upcoming hunting season. This nylon SunGlo collar is 2" wide and coated with polyurethane to resist dirt and odor. It's also water repellent, though Savvy doesn't spend much time in the water this time of year. I spent only $9.99 on it through

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-34298742786383466632007-10-07T10:22:00.000-05:002007-10-07T11:06:51.235-05:00

To everyone who wished Savage well after his neuter surgery; thank you very much. It was quite an emotional experience for me, though my puppy still doesn't seem to realize anything is different. I've talked to dog owners who said their neutered dogs spent a lot of time licking the area and worrying over it, but Savvy never seemed to even notice. I took the stitches out about 10 days after the

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-67924343529785147892007-09-10T12:28:00.001-05:002007-09-10T12:53:07.206-05:00

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-58774098874108309252007-09-06T10:26:00.000-05:002007-09-06T12:19:37.074-05:00

On Tuesday, September 4th I took my boy (22 months old) to the vet's office for his neuter surgery. This is the first time we've been to this particular vet, but I was referred to him many times by family and friends. Dr. Hanson was very knowledgeable and reassuring, since I was really anxious about the operation. We also talked about my pup's panosteitis, which has returned and is affecting his

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-83478758842036581622007-08-18T08:38:00.000-05:002007-08-23T23:33:04.651-05:00

Look at my silly puppy! He's searching for a stick that sunk after I threw it for him to fetch.

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-68411683070320849242007-08-15T10:14:00.000-05:002007-08-15T10:44:06.706-05:00

Lately we've been dealing with a couple of health issues, which thankfully don't seem too serious, but they bear mentioning.First of all, soon after Savvy's fall in the boat (see previous posts) he began holding his tail in a strange position, arched up and then tucked back under at the end. This concerned me, but I rationalized it by assuming he was still a bit scared. Then about a 4 days later,

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-45010981861303382242007-08-01T09:49:00.000-05:002007-08-08T00:28:43.272-05:00

Randy, Savvy, and I recently took a trip down to southern Minnesota to pick up our new boat. Having finally got it on the water last weekend, we introduced Savage to it. He was a little wary of it, since the only boats he's been on so far have been 14' or 16', while the new one is 26' long. He explored the cabin, and seemed frustrated that moving around down below is a little difficult for a

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-34816308509196276342007-07-16T23:56:00.000-05:002007-07-17T00:13:38.091-05:00

This is my 20-month-old dane watching over Randy's daughter's 3-month-old baby girl. This is Savvy's first real experience being around a baby, and while he generally ignores her, it's still very sweet to see them together. Little Eva seems very amused by him.

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-69535505499684902712007-07-03T22:44:00.000-05:002007-07-03T22:59:52.024-05:00

This is what happens when my boss goes on vacation: the bar goes straight to the dogs! Savvy has been playing pool since last October, though his strategy has changed, and his partners have gotten more furry...

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-38014463689787660332007-06-20T09:50:00.000-05:002007-06-20T11:49:58.258-05:00

Rep. John Lesch, DFL-St. Paul, has announced that he plans to introduce legislation next year that will ban five breeds in Minnesota. Under the proposed law, anyone owning, housing, training, or breeding Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, Chow Chows, Akitas, or wolf hybrids (or any mixed breed with any of the above traits) would be committing a crime subject to fines and jail time. Apparently, Rep. Lesch

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-90164017554196684932007-06-17T09:58:00.000-05:002007-06-20T12:02:55.510-05:00

Whenever Savvy and I need to rent a motel room I always get one with two double beds so he has his own to sleep on. I particularly like Days Inns because many don't charge extra for pets, and there is no weight limit on dogs.

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-68350778323920212892007-06-03T12:31:00.000-05:002007-06-03T13:06:45.246-05:00

Savage's hospital visit went well, and the doctor gave him a prescription for 20mg prednisone in case he got into any more hornet or bee situations. Her directions to me were to give him a dose of Benadryl as soon as he got stung and then the prednisone if symptoms presented themselves. So now we are well prepared. Also at the vet's office, he received his rabies booster, and seems to be doing

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-62678169058407660362007-05-30T19:09:00.000-05:002007-05-31T09:34:37.733-05:00

Here are Savage's specifications, for anyone interested:Age: 18 monthsWeight: 149 lbs.Height: 36" at shoulderGirth: 39 1/2"Length: 33" from base of neck to tailNeck: 24"This is why I'm finding it so hard to buy clothes for him. Most so-called "great dane" sizes fall short of his measurements, and custom sized clothes are way too expensive to even consider. Looks like I may have to dust off the

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-28559253152467826442007-05-22T08:42:00.000-05:002007-05-22T15:31:28.404-05:00

Savage is happy and healthy again, after a scary hornet-sting episode a couple days ago. After giving it a lot of thought and retracing our activities I think I've established exactly what happened.Saturday around noon I was outside talking on the phone when I spotted a hornet just resting on Savvy's leg, so I brushed it off without thinking much more about it. Saturday night I worked at the bar

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-53157578732676686952007-05-21T12:06:00.000-05:002007-05-21T13:16:45.412-05:00

Bayshek 10/13/98 - 5/3/07This post is a tribute to Bayshek, my twin sister's German Shepherd. My sister, Laura, has always been in love with the GSD breed, just as I have with Great Danes. Bayshek arrived as a Christmas gift from her husband in 1998 as a tiny, fuzzy 8 1/2 week old puppy, and has been a big part of our family's life from that moment on. Laura chose the name "Bayshek", which

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19039299.post-13984865484369935582007-05-04T23:31:00.000-05:002007-05-04T23:53:44.159-05:00

Here's 18 month old Savage and 11 month old Nala enjoying a day at Poplar Lake. They are very good friends that love exploring the outdoors with their humans. By the way, you can get a cute, dorky collar like Nala's at Dork Clothing Company, which is owned by her mom, Sarah.

Paulahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07547637264760728047noreply@blogger.com0