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 lens
This fall has been packed full of activity for our little family. While keeping busy with my new job, Randy's longer commute to his new job site, and working evenings on the construction of our house before winter sets in, I have had to consciously set aside time to spend with my great dane. Thankfully, he revels in our walks, and is becoming in much better shape than a couple months ago. At his last vet visit he weighed in at 162 lbs, and I vow never to let him get overweight again, even though the winter weather is nowhere near as enjoyable to exercise in. I continue to keep his food portions smaller, since I have come to the conclusion that I have been over-feeding him from the very beginning. I remind myself that he is my first dog and that with the raw diet it's somewhat difficult to measure portions and judge how much is needed. In spite of his humans' mistakes, Savage is healthy and active.
He did visit his vet earlier this month because I had concerns about an area of red, irritated skin on the insides of his upper back legs and groin. After a visual inspection and skin-scraping (nowhere near as scary as it sounds), the lab results came back normal except for a small increase in white blood cells, and the vet could only guess that the problem was possibly a mild allergy. I began applying a triple antibiotic ointment to the affected area daily, and the irritation disappeared in a few days. I can't help but suspect that it was a case of heat rash where his fur is very, very short, and the skin is hot and moist. General opinion holds that dogs can only sweat through their footpads, but I've read that dogs also have something called apocrine glands that (while not used for thermoregulation) produce secretions, probably including scents and pheromones for the purposes of communication with other canines. This is something I'll need to research a bit more, and I'd like to hear the opinions of this blog's readers on the subject.
It's amazing how much I still have to learn about dogs. Even now I find myself puzzled over Savage's behavior as he makes the long transition from overgrown puppy to adult male great dane. For example, during his first two summers I've encouraged him to swim every time we have been near a lake, and each time he'd bounce around near the shore, splashing and acting silly, but he would never actually swim unless I was in the water myself, coaxing and shouting encouragement. Suddenly this summer he decided to take the plunge, literally, and for a couple months now he has joined Randy and I in the lake, paddling around us and racing me through the water. Savvy will even retrieve sticks from deep water with only a shout of "Get it, get it!". Actually bringing them back and dropping them at my feet is another thing. He'd rather play keep-away, but at those moments he's having so much fun, I can't help but laugh at my giant "retriever".
A month ago he also got in a fight with another large breed dog which surprised me. Savage has been in a few dog fights in his life, and with only one exception, they have all involved (and been initiated by) an intact male. All have ended, or been broken up, without injury. The above-mentioned fight was a shock only because the opponent was a neutered dog Savvy has known since puppy-hood, and he ended up with 3 or 4 small wounds around his neck. He also came away from the brawl with a whole mouthful of black fur. The circumstances preceding the fight were not really normal for Savage: lots of people laughing and yelling, dogs barking and running wild, everyone confined to a small space and full of energy. Minutes before, he had already been growled at and challenged by a smaller dog when they were both on-leash and more easily controlled. I don't know which dog actually started things since I had my back to both when the fight began, but there is no doubt that it was a more serious altercation than my dog has been involved in before this. Because I have been a big believer in socialization and have tried to acclimate Sav to many varied animals, people, and situations, Before, and even after that episode, Savage has had no problems with other dogs, providing they don't attack him. He has displayed reserve and sometimes even avoidance when another growls or snaps at him. I can only wonder what caused him and this familiar dog to become aggressive toward each other. It's something I don't understand, but I have a tendency to over-analyze and would probably do better to move on.
As my puppy nears his 3rd birthday on November 17th, I hope our relationship always remains strong and trusting, our time spent together light-hearted, and our future with each other long and full of promise.

"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

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 misplaced my digital camera (!), which is devastating to me, considering how many photos I regularly take of Savage on a daily basis.
Now for the good news: Savage is really thriving this summer. I've been making it a point to get him in the water as much as possible, and now, at 2 years and 9 months old, my boy is finally getting more comfortable swimming. Maybe the hot weather is weakening his inhibitions in that area. We've been exploring our new neighborhood and finding good, safe trails to walk, and we are trying to spend as much time as possible at my parents' lake home in Canada. In a funny turn of events, Savvy has decided that as soon as we get out of the boat at my parents' place, my dad suddenly becomes his new master. Baby Dog follows him everywhere, oblivious to my cajoling and commands, and cries when we leave him.
And now the great news: Savage has lost weight! Along with moderately increased exercise, I've been feeding him smaller portions at each meal and cutting down drastically on high-fat treats (no more Slim Jims!). No longer my "Fat Boy", Savvy is now down to 167lbs, and I'm very proud of him for enduring his diet and not complaining (too much). I will continue to regulate his food intake and commit to exercising him frequently in hopes that he can reach and maintain a healthy weight.
I will do my best to continue updating The Story Of Savage when I get Internet access at home, and share more pictures as soon as I get a new camera. In the meantime I'm hoping all Sav's loyal blog visitors are having a spectacular summer!

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 the source. What I found is that the bacteria Salmonella can be present in any food, depending on the right conditions and unsanitary preparation. Because I'm generally careful about where and how I feed my dog, I'm inclined to think that this illness could have been caused by pretty much anything, but specifically (and probably) a certain pre-packaged "convenience" food I consumed the day before the onset.
In any case, I decided that this experience was a good opportunity to learn more about food poisoning in general, Salmonella in particular, and because of my immediate suspicions: the various myths about raw feeding that make pet owners wary. I gathered a few links containing some relevant, interesting information, so please visit the websites and judge for yourself.

Myths About Raw Feeding - check out the myth about raw feeding making dogs "bloodthirsty"! I have gotten this comment more times than I can count.
The Salmonella Myth (requires Abobe Acrobat Reader)
Raw Feeding FAQ -This one is very aggressive and anti-kibble, but also explains the many benefits of feeding raw, for those who have never considered it.
Medline Plus Encyclopedia food poisoning information, including steps to prevent infection.
The Raw Diet: Getting Started 101 - Last but not least, Eastwood Danes' recommendations for beginning the transition to raw.

There is a lot to learn on these sites, though the tone of some may make people who feed commercial dog food upset. I personally don't try to force my opinions on the raw diet onto other dog owners, but I respect people with enough of an open mind to explore different options than kibble.
Savvy was weaned on raw, and I've fed him raw for over 2 and a half years without any bacterial or digestive problems, and I am thrilled with his overall condition. Obviously Savage himself is quite enthusiastic about the raw diet (see the previous post)! I've recovered from my food poisoning episode, but it has made me more aware of the way I package, handle, and prepare both Savage's and my food. Which is a good thing.

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, so he can get treats from anyone. Great danes are known to be susceptible to bone and joint problems even at a healthy weight, so any gain at all just adds to the risk of health problems. In addition, excess weight can lead to arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, hip dysplasia, etc.
Therefore, I need to get him back in shape as soon as possible. This means increasing his exercise and endurance, while at the same time reducing his calorie intake. Sounds simple, but I know it will be tough for me to commit to getting him out running, rain or shine, and for Randy to resist his sad, droopy puppy-dog eyes when he's eating his dinner.
Lately we have been doing more biking and walking, and I did put him on a diet, but I have to admit that I have to get more aggressive about this. His nickname is still "Fat Boy", after all. 180.5! It boggles the mind...

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 concerns, though the entire state's Lyme's infections hit record numbers last year. Just the experience of plucking a tick off of Savage or (heaven forbid!) finding one crawling on myself is enough to make me shudder.
We have around 13 species of ticks in Minnesota, but the most encountered ones are American Dog Ticks (or Wood Ticks), Brown Dog Ticks (or Kennel Ticks), and Deer Ticks (or Black-Legged Ticks). In any instance, I try not to examine them that carefully, but I'm positive that the ones that we are dealing with on an almost daily basis are American Dog Ticks. They are found in fields and underbrush, using carbon dioxide, scent, body heat, vibrations,etc. to locate a suitable host. They are known as "three-host ticks" because each stage of their lives: larva, nymph, and adult: uses a different host and their life cycle usually takes two years to complete. According to my research, American Dog Ticks are carriers of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (a bacterial illness), and tuleremia (also known as "rabbit fever"), but apparently these diseases are very rare in Minnesota.
I have never treated Savage with any commercially available tick/flea preventative such as Frontline or K9 Advantix, or any sprays, dusts, or flea collars, because of the possible adverse reactions. The Evironmental Protection Agency oversees the sale of all pesticides in the United States and their website has a fact sheet on flea and tick control products if you would like more information.
I have always believed that a poison designed to kill a living organism, no matter how small, cannot be good for dogs, either. Therefore, Savage and I will be experimenting with natural tick prevention this summer. Last year I boiled lemon slices and fresh rosemary to spray on him to control black flies, and it seemed to work pretty well. I've read that apparently this is helpful for repelling ticks, also. The only problem we have with the lemon/rosemary mixture is that he wouldn't tolerate the spraying, so I had to rub it on him with my hands.
American Dog Ticks are considered generally active between April and June, so maybe we will be lucky and get through the next month without encountering too many of the disgusting little parasites.

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 will follow. I spent about $20.00 at PetCo on Savvy's black Halti. According to the advertisements, the Halti calms boisterous dogs, simplifies training, restrains biters, reduces fears, reforms fighters, assists with restraining dog during veterinarian or grooming visits, and calms hysterical car travelers. I simply want Savvy to walk nicely and respond to "heel".
After the first introduction to the headcollar, he seemed very apathetic about it. The instruction booklet it came with made it clear that the fit was important, so I tightened the adjustable collar around his upper neck and silently thanked Randy for making me buy the largest size (5 - designed for bloodhounds, large danes, mastiffs, St. Bernards, and similarly sized dogs). Today I put it on him and quickly took off for a walk up the hill behind our house. About 6 steps into it, Savage started pawing at his nose, so I said his name and when he lifted his head I offered a small piece of cheese. This went on for about 8 times before he got resigned to the collar. It obviously bothered him, but after about 10 minutes he started sniffing the ground, looking around, and getting involved in his surroundings, instead of being focused on the Halti
The strange thing is that during the whole walk he stuck like glue to my side, even though I intentionally left the leash slack to minimize his anxiety. I think what bothered him most was the band over his nose because he kept his head lowered. Maybe his confusion over this different sensation was what actually kept him right next to me. Whenever he is scared or uncomfortable he wants to be as near as possible to his mama. I kept offering him treats during this time but he wasn't extremely interested in them. They seemed almost an afterthought, and I ended up actually placing them in his mouth while walking. It was very, very weird to see my boisterous, energetic puppy walking slowly next to me with his head hanging down. While this is what I wanted to accomplish with the Halti, I would ultimately like him to be more comfortable and content with it.
I've read some online reviews on the Halti and most are overwhelmingly positive. There are a few concerns I have based on the more negative reviews, including my dog wrenching his neck if he got too excited and started jumping ahead, and the nose strap cutting into his nose (though I think this is a matter of incorrect sizing). According to some of those reviews, the Halti headcollar appears to not be suitable for some dogs. Overly energetic dogs seem to go crazy over it, pawing and scratching at the collar, and it is possible to slip it by backing out if the fit isn't perfect. (The newer design has a safety strap that connects the headcollar to the dog's regular collar so the leash will still be attached in that situation). Some owners of short- or pug-nosed breeds say the fit doesn't work at all for their dogs, making the Halti unusable. On a side note, I've personally noticed when I'm around other dogs wearing headcollars that strangers tend to assume it's a muzzle and get frightened. Especially with a huge dog this reaction could be a small disadvantage of the Halti, but the avantages no doubt outweigh it. Just one more question we dane owners will have to answer.
Savage and I will keep training with it, and I'm very interested to know how the Halti is working for other great danes and giant breeds.

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 house, and I brought an old twin mattress up to the property so Savage has a comfy place to relax in the yard.
Yesterday we drove 140 miles to the nearest big city to buy more construction materials and I also finally got my dog a Halti headcollar. I've been considering the benefits of one for awhile, and this morning I put it on briefly and he didn't seem to mind after a couple minutes. I'll be working with him on his acceptance of the Halti, and also the heel command using it as a training tool. When I get some more time I will be posting more about the Halti, it's specifications, uses, and how my great dane is doing with his. I've heard good things from other dog owners and I'm really optimistic about this.