tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37027199271203988942024-02-20T08:10:33.222-08:00My Great Dane PrincetonKChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-75758577248429545552018-04-24T22:07:00.000-07:002018-09-24T15:10:26.327-07:00RIP Princeton (Apr 24, 2008 - Oct 19, 2017)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5TJCuF4LRfXlEJwfibh7VRbjZSyQJC6a8dWk05O90oXzRIS3fkl15x2yD-HT_qoFmTSuP5CbVxsVas_g5hmmkpx57LF2GoQKjP8SskQ_wZEnsRt_Hhib_UzhPsClrQQ1W4XqQ1KLHrbc/s1600/Princeton+2010+%25289%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1223" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5TJCuF4LRfXlEJwfibh7VRbjZSyQJC6a8dWk05O90oXzRIS3fkl15x2yD-HT_qoFmTSuP5CbVxsVas_g5hmmkpx57LF2GoQKjP8SskQ_wZEnsRt_Hhib_UzhPsClrQQ1W4XqQ1KLHrbc/s400/Princeton+2010+%25289%2529.JPG" width="305" /></a></div>
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Our beloved Great Dane Princeton died peacefully on Oct. 19, 2017 after a long struggle with bone cancer. He was nine and a half years old. He is greatly missed. KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-53660129764755937202017-07-11T22:43:00.000-07:002017-07-11T22:43:53.591-07:00Princeton is now a 9-year-old Great Dane<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZOSb0Yok6z5ricx7TzUu7_Fqyt90NUR9g6pob9zYXeqVlFD7sC7vwEuJF4H7LkqFj9EXyzx5AoIzL-WW9GJqMOcXFU_K6VfVAdke3SaQhDS8jx1wT0C_pDDGvOz8d9ifK0eSIeDvro0s/s1600/APrinceton+Picasa+from+Rodney+-+500+px.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="501" data-original-width="564" height="353" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZOSb0Yok6z5ricx7TzUu7_Fqyt90NUR9g6pob9zYXeqVlFD7sC7vwEuJF4H7LkqFj9EXyzx5AoIzL-WW9GJqMOcXFU_K6VfVAdke3SaQhDS8jx1wT0C_pDDGvOz8d9ifK0eSIeDvro0s/s400/APrinceton+Picasa+from+Rodney+-+500+px.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Princeton on his 9th birthday</td></tr>
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I’m happy to report that our Princeton is now nine years old -- quite old for a Great Dane.<br />
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He has slowed down a lot and the fur on his face is all turning white, but he is still happy and fun-loving. I try to cherish every day that he is still with us.<br />
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The usual lifespan predicted for a Great Dane is six to eight years, so he has already lived a long life for his breed. He even outlived his wonderful champion show-dog littermate, <a href="http://www.danedreamin.com/cash">Shabrea’s Greatest Hits Cash’n the Ring of Fire</a>, who died not long after their ninth birthday. I was so sad when I heard that Cash had “gone to the Rainbow Bridge,” but his family loved him to the end.<br />
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Princeton used to have a streak of black fur like a permanent tear-drop under his right eye. It made him look like he was crying or his eye was watering. But now it is almost all white, as if all his tears have been wiped away by a lifetime of good care and good times.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1doMbsjTf5qpvxY_i_M-VKKCU4KoyLnJW9xHWbwDAM7qQH8fb4cpUXdyC4vbOZfQVpf8K00uaXblAXO0cvbholrAj6qshMP99dMQQHbU8Y_300JiNKEUeAdPIXJgrribclysfRRDyu_b6/s1600/APrinceton+20175-25+%25283%2529+-+500+px.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="600" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1doMbsjTf5qpvxY_i_M-VKKCU4KoyLnJW9xHWbwDAM7qQH8fb4cpUXdyC4vbOZfQVpf8K00uaXblAXO0cvbholrAj6qshMP99dMQQHbU8Y_300JiNKEUeAdPIXJgrribclysfRRDyu_b6/s400/APrinceton+20175-25+%25283%2529+-+500+px.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Princeton, age 9, still alert to dogs outside our fence</td></tr>
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<br />KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-28654904431915879132016-04-24T19:52:00.001-07:002016-04-24T19:52:22.299-07:00Princeton turns 8 years old<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_s6yXhOgcvWGr2-0uobgbRlayEPTRbJcsuaWjYi-cGU9pDCn6ZNsv3ahq8u6O-wOQzRP-u7bkNnbc4cflLGQxGkH0nA4khRjiEV260AaSuRdXXH1c1QlwpHS9mnfZscTukO7GF8mfYm2j/s1600/Princeton+4-24-2016+%25284%2529+-+500pxCropped.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_s6yXhOgcvWGr2-0uobgbRlayEPTRbJcsuaWjYi-cGU9pDCn6ZNsv3ahq8u6O-wOQzRP-u7bkNnbc4cflLGQxGkH0nA4khRjiEV260AaSuRdXXH1c1QlwpHS9mnfZscTukO7GF8mfYm2j/s400/Princeton+4-24-2016+%25284%2529+-+500pxCropped.JPG" /></a></div>
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Princeton turned eight years old today, and he's still going strong! I took this birthday portrait of him this morning.KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-85997877665219592462015-11-01T15:48:00.000-08:002016-04-24T20:02:05.797-07:00Princeton's happy 7th birthday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFe5461P9xD_VErtBuJXSCVKlKdwvCOB4IKDgXmuecW22Dqe5K5wSNXlVZMOjlyme7SZ8Ws7NqwDsG5NQ7_BhkuTQwh4jz3uawfg55-7ie3jKDDBMXXvz4h0M52-rsXzEOLnc0E0IRWe08/s1600/ADSC_0095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFe5461P9xD_VErtBuJXSCVKlKdwvCOB4IKDgXmuecW22Dqe5K5wSNXlVZMOjlyme7SZ8Ws7NqwDsG5NQ7_BhkuTQwh4jz3uawfg55-7ie3jKDDBMXXvz4h0M52-rsXzEOLnc0E0IRWe08/s400/ADSC_0095.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxZWI-xqbo8TKigNfASq0AzeOBWXscSh1h2nZ5M36XWa-veC0L7hLqiZ16AE8DmX7ni-ViOjFXotKtPkA21-FGrRL6N8bA2AoyZR6sRrFQifPVz0a-23F68QRNrKKSAt1qftA7FR710ma/s1600/ADSC_0101.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpxZWI-xqbo8TKigNfASq0AzeOBWXscSh1h2nZ5M36XWa-veC0L7hLqiZ16AE8DmX7ni-ViOjFXotKtPkA21-FGrRL6N8bA2AoyZR6sRrFQifPVz0a-23F68QRNrKKSAt1qftA7FR710ma/s400/ADSC_0101.JPG" /></a></div><br />
I got behind on blogging, but here are birthday photos from the day that Princeton turned seven years old. He's still doing great!<br />
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If you know his face well, you can see that some of the grey has turned white.<br />
KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-82255988437531345732014-04-24T10:22:00.000-07:002014-04-24T10:22:17.780-07:00Great Dane chews door knobs!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiriizHqhbhaUfgOBqQXuEeZbzfZtre_Qp8BN9xhIZ5B9sGVANOdL-sHJ5j7iqDr2ZBiM6RMOXAVBi-LH7K3dTB0zthKEw-3kGYby-zcdv2wZqIQ30SL1pp6U9cZ19sCP0QmgTVfjrYapnn/s1600/Copy+of+ADSC_0052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiriizHqhbhaUfgOBqQXuEeZbzfZtre_Qp8BN9xhIZ5B9sGVANOdL-sHJ5j7iqDr2ZBiM6RMOXAVBi-LH7K3dTB0zthKEw-3kGYby-zcdv2wZqIQ30SL1pp6U9cZ19sCP0QmgTVfjrYapnn/s1600/Copy+of+ADSC_0052.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><span id="goog_1593190299"></span><span id="goog_1593190300"></span><br />
Our Great Dane Princeton looked guilty when we came home and discovered that he had chewed up some door knobs while we were away. He totally destroyed the door knob to the closet!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZa00OMwgFREh2V0JnZdwmUJ_JdLswkzrCFarJZFcb0LV3C1ftP1wbX6sn9YTEWH1pBeWJhvdqkBVavhd1OwGCUrQ8Vl5eBjfGaRBslfGAQL-eB_Z8OS_hEC9dKDhmDZeT__sBMgyP-450/s1600/Copy+of+ADSC_0058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZa00OMwgFREh2V0JnZdwmUJ_JdLswkzrCFarJZFcb0LV3C1ftP1wbX6sn9YTEWH1pBeWJhvdqkBVavhd1OwGCUrQ8Vl5eBjfGaRBslfGAQL-eB_Z8OS_hEC9dKDhmDZeT__sBMgyP-450/s1600/Copy+of+ADSC_0058.JPG" height="311" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The guys at the hardware store thought it was hysterical when we took it in to find a replacement. They had never seen anything like it!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDDr0_G8qFASWLHGwfB_gLPqxlb-B8u5slMk0rmgnFIX0g_36yNXTjQij2rZnPwT6b0loM5zXCKEf51HIpsbFom8LPKeb1k4ju9B0p6m-F3G9JJvapJ7DZb9oAAA4TgceU6pHkN4CyXjs/s1600/Copy+of+ADSC_0083.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDDr0_G8qFASWLHGwfB_gLPqxlb-B8u5slMk0rmgnFIX0g_36yNXTjQij2rZnPwT6b0loM5zXCKEf51HIpsbFom8LPKeb1k4ju9B0p6m-F3G9JJvapJ7DZb9oAAA4TgceU6pHkN4CyXjs/s1600/Copy+of+ADSC_0083.JPG" height="400" width="266" /></a></div><br />
Princeton watched us replace it with a doleful look that seemed to say, "Sorry, I didn't know these door knobs were hard to fix."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7F-t-LpP96oH6Nc5yb_c0D-4gTyHRYyFiY_nt1FbtjPVZO0cYnhVN0Xast-CUBlExssB34IGu0I0Rb66yTiX7VcDVSJSCIXE-Ds_38BrJQhyphenhyphenxORR8gil2ydrq4ALFGRTL-UtWF2_P-Era/s1600/Copy+of+ADSC_0093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7F-t-LpP96oH6Nc5yb_c0D-4gTyHRYyFiY_nt1FbtjPVZO0cYnhVN0Xast-CUBlExssB34IGu0I0Rb66yTiX7VcDVSJSCIXE-Ds_38BrJQhyphenhyphenxORR8gil2ydrq4ALFGRTL-UtWF2_P-Era/s1600/Copy+of+ADSC_0093.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Why did he do it? And how can we stop our dog from chewing the door knobs in the future?<br />
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We used to keep Princeton in the crate or the backyard when we were out. But he got a pressure sore on his elbow from lying on hard surfaces, so we started leaving him in the house. Note: If we put a pillow or blankets with him in the crate, he shreds them.<br />
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Keeping him indoors where it’s carpeted seemed to work at first. Then we started noticing a few tooth marks on the door knobs. It seemed like a small price to pay. He had his favorite NylaBone chew toys with him, but he chomped on door knobs anyway.<br />
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Suddenly one day when we were gone longer than usual and he got less exercise than usual, Princeton escalated to full-scale war on door knobs!<br />
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The only solution we found so far is to keep him in the crate or the backyard again when he is home alone. (Thankfully the sore on his elbow has healed.) Any other ideas?<br />
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The good news is that Princeton had his sixth birthday today (April 24, 2014). Happy birthday, big boy! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs7lNc7LEigeeaxA-F_Z8VUOyR_CkGJE5rJE9NWBlrm1am6dPG7WVLWvn-xMQoL0rWHz_jfimgsy2rVnO3T3tLzY-q8ZqROGW3FTrUXxT1f9PCT047XBbzzrpf_lWL3uGHmVkLHUqFgNpc/s1600/Copy+of+AADSC_0111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs7lNc7LEigeeaxA-F_Z8VUOyR_CkGJE5rJE9NWBlrm1am6dPG7WVLWvn-xMQoL0rWHz_jfimgsy2rVnO3T3tLzY-q8ZqROGW3FTrUXxT1f9PCT047XBbzzrpf_lWL3uGHmVkLHUqFgNpc/s1600/Copy+of+AADSC_0111.JPG" height="266" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Princeton is still looking great on his sixth birthday, April 24, 2014 </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQPr8XjEOmYI1AwXSG-eAhAMsySa0Yw7-r2aWDmQnglqEDOEGubiEoO8DWA4LD2G1-54ELb6bWRcDT197qaZ0WuQCIse9amiECVMhG6tU3klIGMisxitA8MU6KfkR6D1Q0gZixCf-dVweg/s1600/Copy+of+AADSC_0121.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQPr8XjEOmYI1AwXSG-eAhAMsySa0Yw7-r2aWDmQnglqEDOEGubiEoO8DWA4LD2G1-54ELb6bWRcDT197qaZ0WuQCIse9amiECVMhG6tU3klIGMisxitA8MU6KfkR6D1Q0gZixCf-dVweg/s1600/Copy+of+AADSC_0121.JPG" height="290" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Princeton on his sixth birthday, April 24, 2014</div>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-39676319667940776232013-05-05T18:16:00.000-07:002013-05-05T18:16:21.870-07:00Happy 5th birthday, Princeton!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxmTvuXGLoUdGuLCFNI1SVF6UJC1xAnIc3G2WtO-SFenmBRXGsmcFHz3iewxbJ8E_m3UyYibmyeLTbfgc9VNlq5yluwsiAPzClFN90yrZyRLyh0T9PSnXz-X6Cn7_tghASSbKUpYZVpzXA/s1600/Copy+of+Cropped+A+DSC_0165.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxmTvuXGLoUdGuLCFNI1SVF6UJC1xAnIc3G2WtO-SFenmBRXGsmcFHz3iewxbJ8E_m3UyYibmyeLTbfgc9VNlq5yluwsiAPzClFN90yrZyRLyh0T9PSnXz-X6Cn7_tghASSbKUpYZVpzXA/s400/Copy+of+Cropped+A+DSC_0165.JPG" width="396" /></a><br />
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I took my Great Dane Princeton out in the backyard for a photo shoot on his 5th birthday (April 24).<br />
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Naturally the first thing he had to do was check out what was happening on the other side of our 6-foot fence. Looking over the top was no problem for our big boy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJp6HKY-0g6CezojgieuQYOWz794HnaWd79LYWtOQhXXGGlz7Ywd96PTjxRrVVXdqD1eL5rWn6f17kAbSSXmHEFyoIf4b0peBA0Ncly3T1uebhy178XX2EefukZj_UbgyxNAJ-KwY7i1uL/s1600/Copy+of+A+DSC_0151.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJp6HKY-0g6CezojgieuQYOWz794HnaWd79LYWtOQhXXGGlz7Ywd96PTjxRrVVXdqD1eL5rWn6f17kAbSSXmHEFyoIf4b0peBA0Ncly3T1uebhy178XX2EefukZj_UbgyxNAJ-KwY7i1uL/s400/Copy+of+A+DSC_0151.JPG" width="266" /></a><br />
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Princeton knows about cameras and has a show-dog style, so he struck a pose for his birthday photo. This is how he wanted to be remembered on his 5th birthday.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsysaZtYM3ayz6QinGRz4V7cimFUOVtPtI0ySTlOKTL5rLNHCDdZ08fucs6UTXAlhrK-s7IZNFD_-KnreTfar4M9yI9UfPmtqK73JJWyqmTuCz7Bozkpl-LLgFL1vGxDX1hjH8iG5Awdho/s1600/Copy+of+ADSC_0155.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsysaZtYM3ayz6QinGRz4V7cimFUOVtPtI0ySTlOKTL5rLNHCDdZ08fucs6UTXAlhrK-s7IZNFD_-KnreTfar4M9yI9UfPmtqK73JJWyqmTuCz7Bozkpl-LLgFL1vGxDX1hjH8iG5Awdho/s400/Copy+of+ADSC_0155.JPG" width="400" /></a>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-18779525249106675652012-12-21T19:28:00.000-08:002012-12-21T19:28:52.515-08:00Great Dane pulls lights off Christmas tree<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My Great Dane Princeton got into some big Christmas mischief this year. He thought the Christmas lights were really cool -- so he started pulling them off the tree and dragging them across the room! <br />
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Fortunately there was no damage done. I took a photo of the scene right after the dog unraveled the Christmas tree.<br />
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Actually I think he got the lights wrapped around his head when he was scratching his face on the Christmas tree. We caught him trying to use the tree as a scratching post to itch his face both before and after this incident. He was alone in the room with the tree when it happened, so we don’t know for sure.KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-8167095633058409232012-04-29T16:35:00.000-07:002016-04-24T19:55:04.305-07:00My Great Dane turns 4 years old!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-b6v1zgkWlFz0cySxrfbOy1nX-bHm3HLbzK8v7TP-K7W1J8Rna7YnwY3Zh97E1nOu8RHpyEnE6dxCKWnxh2Y8bOVx3JGdce1CeUvcRbzAgb0Q9rP4dM5PhxgmAFNedeablKCDX4phQ5JL/s1600/Copy+WL+of+AAADSC_0589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-b6v1zgkWlFz0cySxrfbOy1nX-bHm3HLbzK8v7TP-K7W1J8Rna7YnwY3Zh97E1nOu8RHpyEnE6dxCKWnxh2Y8bOVx3JGdce1CeUvcRbzAgb0Q9rP4dM5PhxgmAFNedeablKCDX4phQ5JL/s400/Copy+WL+of+AAADSC_0589.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Princeton on his 4th birthday</span></span></div><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span></span> My Great Dane Princeton celebrated his 4th birthday on April 24 with a new Nylabone and new photos posted here. He’s still playful, but Princeton finally seems grown up -- like he doesn’t bark at everything that moves anymore. He figures out if it’s a friend or a stranger and acts accordingly. Yay! He likes to spend more time in the house close to his humans now, although he still prefers to spend a few hours a day alone in the backyard sunning himself, ready to bark at dogs and deliverymen who pass our home.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_YSxbpNotq9ZhHUPE_sxVhwacL71YdXtFZOofr4O9evyzfT1qTJrld-IU3K0zXbevcQ-zruUkGzhCSZJkP7k6npMrCMe3iuEniCdY07oLt3v6mMyi6_OwPVshM0BYovhyphenhyphenTUvJ6SMTkln/s1600/Copy+of+AADSC_0577.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3_YSxbpNotq9ZhHUPE_sxVhwacL71YdXtFZOofr4O9evyzfT1qTJrld-IU3K0zXbevcQ-zruUkGzhCSZJkP7k6npMrCMe3iuEniCdY07oLt3v6mMyi6_OwPVshM0BYovhyphenhyphenTUvJ6SMTkln/s320/Copy+of+AADSC_0577.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Birthday boy looking cute for the camera </span></div><br />
A year ago our Dane was still recovering from his river accident, but you can see from the photos that he is looking stronger and happier now. His paws are all healed and he can walk and run perfectly, although some toenails never grew back. (It makes clipping his nails easier!) Princeton has been a lot healthier this year because we stopped walking him off-leash at dog parks, rivers or anywhere else. He only gets super-durable toys. Life is probably more boring from Princeton’s perspective, but at least he is alive and safe. We still have a lot of fun around the house, in the backyard and on the leash.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFLY4pQq0mT8Cp7dFjfD_PktR2zjZmDZTGvZCcP-MNd-4HMYmv1cQDUgmly5IdxEcL2l3m90cYlRH_WCwuN1NosHg4oKHZYsqkQbCyrVu4FRBXFxIPMrILpCkRtqLXXb6wAzMA01Dof8Hz/s1600/Copy+of+AADSC_0599.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFLY4pQq0mT8Cp7dFjfD_PktR2zjZmDZTGvZCcP-MNd-4HMYmv1cQDUgmly5IdxEcL2l3m90cYlRH_WCwuN1NosHg4oKHZYsqkQbCyrVu4FRBXFxIPMrILpCkRtqLXXb6wAzMA01Dof8Hz/s400/Copy+of+AADSC_0599.JPG" width="286" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Princeton on his 4th birthday, April 24,2012</span></div>Recommended by Princeton: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00201JENG/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=my-great-dane-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00201JENG">Nylabone Dura Chew Bone, Original Flavor, Souper</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=my-great-dane-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00201JENG" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> His favorite birthday present. <br />
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KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-84689504444100578412011-08-29T09:38:00.000-07:002011-08-29T09:38:59.945-07:00You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzRqHC72HX0BrNItOU3N0rLVGf5o90eNe7J71vRvjlxWrfzXH7NNGN5-IHW3JUC6Px5cSxJzJOjr6RXhY5sFvOv2Hca-4NHxhsBEyF-aVFduCBTVYw5h8ZLzZGZQ3GLJa79QlmXi7b48JZ/s1600/Copy+WL+of+You+Raise+Me+Up+DSC_0479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzRqHC72HX0BrNItOU3N0rLVGf5o90eNe7J71vRvjlxWrfzXH7NNGN5-IHW3JUC6Px5cSxJzJOjr6RXhY5sFvOv2Hca-4NHxhsBEyF-aVFduCBTVYw5h8ZLzZGZQ3GLJa79QlmXi7b48JZ/s400/Copy+WL+of+You+Raise+Me+Up+DSC_0479.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Princeton looks back to say, “You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains”</span></div><br />
When I say something that Princeton really likes, he stares intensely in my eyes as if to say, “Yes, yes, YES!” Usually he does it when I say words like “walk,” “go to,” or “park.” <br />
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But the other day we were listening to Josh Groban singing “You Raise Me Up,” and Princeton keyed in to the lyrics. (Yes, my dog is that smart!) It was the word “walk” that first caught Princeton’s attention. But he stared deep into my eyes through the whole song. I like to think that it expresses his feelings toward me:<br />
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<blockquote>You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;<br />
You raise me up, to WALK on stormy seas;<br />
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;<br />
You raise me up... To more than I can be.</blockquote><br />
Often I’ve been frustrated by Princeton’s strength pulling against me on the leash. But this song helped me see that my dog and I are strong together.<br />
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Until recently Princeton has been a giant dog who gave tiny, stingy little kisses. Usually he wouldn’t kiss at all. I trained him to kiss on command for a treat, but he would almost never kiss to show affection. Once in a great while he let the very tip of his tongue touch my skin for a split second.<br />
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For three years we kept trying to show him that we LIKE kisses. This week it was like he finally got it. One day I got seven kisses from Princeton! Every time he gives a kiss, he has a proud, happy look on his face, as if to say, “I finally figured out how to express love to humans!”<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpWfVDSsr4Pm69yHjDwM0mGST15fJIAKNch0xyaeYZViDAZvb6fqFuBoc7Ji2DTihjTi6rF6D9BwMUtHzMG-ZKAZ-GG0hk30i4LDKbq-4K7rbsywif6OlBv2alSOwqzBT0lZHGHIpirrF/s1600/Mountaintop+PrinceDSC_0198.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjpWfVDSsr4Pm69yHjDwM0mGST15fJIAKNch0xyaeYZViDAZvb6fqFuBoc7Ji2DTihjTi6rF6D9BwMUtHzMG-ZKAZ-GG0hk30i4LDKbq-4K7rbsywif6OlBv2alSOwqzBT0lZHGHIpirrF/s400/Mountaintop+PrinceDSC_0198.JPG" width="232" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Princeton stands on another "mountain" with a much smaller friend</span></div>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-18728527486208707382011-05-22T19:11:00.000-07:002011-05-22T19:11:43.853-07:00Happy birthday! Princeton is 3 years old<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoKJjmUVh5r5inB3jVd5AcmhF5kQS2xo5AlRO1cHw5h_jV6iNlTrdqcPM_noZSes_It_T8ECb7CgeSMB3u72qOec5Mtm-Gmf6H5gnaGYhECMpL4w4KQPDSAhi5dFe5TnvEcuh1rgz69K8s/s1600/Copy+WS+of+Princeton+on+3rd+Bday+4-24-11++-+DSC_0179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoKJjmUVh5r5inB3jVd5AcmhF5kQS2xo5AlRO1cHw5h_jV6iNlTrdqcPM_noZSes_It_T8ECb7CgeSMB3u72qOec5Mtm-Gmf6H5gnaGYhECMpL4w4KQPDSAhi5dFe5TnvEcuh1rgz69K8s/s400/Copy+WS+of+Princeton+on+3rd+Bday+4-24-11++-+DSC_0179.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Princeton struck a pose on his birthday. A real 3-year-old charmer!</span></div><br />
Our Great Dane Princeton celebrated his third birthday recently. He is doing great! <br />
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He still LOVES to play, but he is more mature about it. He stopped pulling pillows off the couch and hardly ever gets mouthy anymore. He seems to understand almost every word that we say!<br />
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This was a tough year for Princeton. There were times when we didn’t think he would make it to his third birthday. He slipped and fell in a cement-lined creek, and severely injured his toenails by clawing his way out. They got badly infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria. It took 3-1/2 months to nurse him back to health. I learned more than I ever thought I would about canine nail infections and osteomyletis. Now he’s finally healthy and frisky again, but it looks like some of his claws will never grow back. <br />
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Now that he’s all grown up, Princeton has an almost human look in his eyes sometimes. As one of our friends said, “I can see that there’s a beautiful spirit inside.”<br />
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I’m grateful to have Princeton in my life!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxbtG1etZIbKncBOzKt97KBQwVOAjSWQuhzlW3tt9mbmEWM15ZpV_KqulvJOU57E0x0dvCRsSXLFW0bb8x5jfl2zoP6eT5vBUM-ZHc48ZdT9nuKZWyncHFwawlSLUOO7hI8iT4wyp8vnBC/s1600/Copy+WS+of+Healed+paw+with+out+nail+5-17-11+DSC_0187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxbtG1etZIbKncBOzKt97KBQwVOAjSWQuhzlW3tt9mbmEWM15ZpV_KqulvJOU57E0x0dvCRsSXLFW0bb8x5jfl2zoP6eT5vBUM-ZHc48ZdT9nuKZWyncHFwawlSLUOO7hI8iT4wyp8vnBC/s320/Copy+WS+of+Healed+paw+with+out+nail+5-17-11+DSC_0187.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Princeton’s paw with missing toenail</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQvuzNmABABsZrJr7Esi3bVPIen0AncfhAQcopopKobvu-dkdOSWUWYndOJb7upzoe4jX-b1lVnUje49NvdTmMNyGb8OOqh0DzuoEwH9Eq8ZqVx8-O3aYC8sQY23BYpbJacJZgpyxv5Ehc/s1600/Copy+WS+of+Princeton+3rd+Bday+close-up+4-24-11+DSC_0181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQvuzNmABABsZrJr7Esi3bVPIen0AncfhAQcopopKobvu-dkdOSWUWYndOJb7upzoe4jX-b1lVnUje49NvdTmMNyGb8OOqh0DzuoEwH9Eq8ZqVx8-O3aYC8sQY23BYpbJacJZgpyxv5Ehc/s400/Copy+WS+of+Princeton+3rd+Bday+close-up+4-24-11+DSC_0181.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Princeton’s beautiful spirit shows in his eyes on his 3rd birthday</div>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-5478717283406537282010-06-16T15:23:00.000-07:002010-06-16T15:23:32.787-07:00Great Dane meets horse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPfxuOp-JzgofpTT1l7gl45g6VZmwexLLZTQYRrY1uLGDK_5spduDVhJFh8kR52MdgSwEpiFQJOaXiew2LwbdCsN-1X__bbK3U1t2b3YvcQZb08yqER1ikOCw7bbMvPu_hy3AxzK_q8BPE/s1600/horse+copy+400px++6-7-2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPfxuOp-JzgofpTT1l7gl45g6VZmwexLLZTQYRrY1uLGDK_5spduDVhJFh8kR52MdgSwEpiFQJOaXiew2LwbdCsN-1X__bbK3U1t2b3YvcQZb08yqER1ikOCw7bbMvPu_hy3AxzK_q8BPE/s320/horse+copy+400px++6-7-2010.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A horse stands next to Princeton</span></div><br />
When people see my Great Dane Princeton, they often say, “He’s as big as a horse!”<br />
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Well, a real live horse came to our local dog park recently, and guess what? The horse was a LOT bigger!<br />
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Princeton is used to being the biggest creature around, so at first he was scared to meet the horse. But both the horse and rider were very friendly. <br />
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They stopped right by the fence and the horse lowered her head to sniff the crowd of dogs that came to sniff at her. Later I took Princeton out on the leash so he could get "socialized" and learn to stay calm around a horse. <br />
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Everything that the horse owner said about training his horse was the same as how I trained Princeton. We both showed off how we can say the command "back" to make them step back, and “turn” to make them turn around.<br />
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A nice dog owner snapped a photo. As you can see, a Princeton is not really as big as a horse!KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-83219195375290840732010-04-24T14:44:00.001-07:002010-04-24T20:42:49.203-07:00Happy birthday, Princeton!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnFVXYn9DohjdKcm44dlKCAZ41UA42b5NdWkGzVUjwk9LvDWfbIikocjgBI1MxLzM3HSFba3HGJlDjkOcJAbPZIlRkb9sZp_dIM17l1-XomkztJybpGu6ep2IyMgclFEdZAFoMq_Xc_En/s1600/Copy+WS+of+Cropped+Princeton+and+flowers+4-3-10+DSC_0213.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463823433525666834" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQnFVXYn9DohjdKcm44dlKCAZ41UA42b5NdWkGzVUjwk9LvDWfbIikocjgBI1MxLzM3HSFba3HGJlDjkOcJAbPZIlRkb9sZp_dIM17l1-XomkztJybpGu6ep2IyMgclFEdZAFoMq_Xc_En/s400/Copy+WS+of+Cropped+Princeton+and+flowers+4-3-10+DSC_0213.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 305px;" /></a><br />
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My Great Dane Princeton turned two years old today!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgc7k2BINEzHxWsKrDgvKL1Dx0F-pslBvL2iBXV3wIzi3GKCjE675srrA2nRLlWXjE2gTyyO4M0mXoQ-JXAKRODuUyEz55WL7tqRYJR8b7uAjVamUvGTXRbQG-QFa7YAuM4gY3iJtSXyEM/s1600/spiney+pacifier+squeaker+toy.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5463825947423182034" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgc7k2BINEzHxWsKrDgvKL1Dx0F-pslBvL2iBXV3wIzi3GKCjE675srrA2nRLlWXjE2gTyyO4M0mXoQ-JXAKRODuUyEz55WL7tqRYJR8b7uAjVamUvGTXRbQG-QFa7YAuM4gY3iJtSXyEM/s200/spiney+pacifier+squeaker+toy.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; width: 200px;" /></a><br />
We got him **FOUR** of his favorite squeaker toys -- shaped like a spiney pacifier. Yes, he’s still a big baby who loves his pacifier, aka his “binky squeaker.” He doesn’t like any other toys as much, so we just got him lots of his favorite.<br />
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We also got him a kit for making an impression of his big old pawprint, now that he’s full grown (I hope). People often come up and tell me, “Wow, he’s big even for a Dane!” And it’s true -- at least 36 inches at the shoulder, with a super-long neck. Reminds me of a giraffe. The pawprint gift is really more for me. I’ll let you know how it goes when we try to press Princeton’s paw in the clay.<br />
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(Update: The putty was so stiff that it barely made an impression when 125-pound Princeton stood on it. Kind of a rip-off. I wouldn't recommend it. We're going to try making a plaster cast of his paw print on the beach someday.)<br />
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I can hardly believe it, but people at the dog park are starting to compliment me for having a dog that is "respectful" and "gentle"! The ones who know Princeton better just laugh when they hear that.<br />
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You can see Princeton in action in these new videos at the Arroyo Seco river and bike path in Los Angeles.<br />
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His favorite game is running in the river while carrying a big stick in his mouth…<br />
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Here he races on the bike path at top speed, stick in mouth. He zooms out of sight and back in 23 seconds What a racer!<br />
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You can get a better look at Princeton during one of those rare moments when he slows down to walk in the river…<br />
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<object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CKajI5zDhv0&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CKajI5zDhv0&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-47264084100500905892010-02-28T13:46:00.000-08:002016-04-26T15:33:03.258-07:00Giant dog, small car<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRDZwrKAjY1LmFXjuUwpMGzeCK7CnXEUh3Miu04knmpyzHU0eMc9OijxELHn60-6IKKn_s_pEkbcnznANZcmWc89kPXJyF-svwoKV2dqXGqu33PpWXRPRlFEONLsP3Fy3D6ZpHbNmvr8H/s1600-h/Copy+WS+of+Prince+in+car+DSC_0475.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px; display: block; height: 266px;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443414759741824658" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfRDZwrKAjY1LmFXjuUwpMGzeCK7CnXEUh3Miu04knmpyzHU0eMc9OijxELHn60-6IKKn_s_pEkbcnznANZcmWc89kPXJyF-svwoKV2dqXGqu33PpWXRPRlFEONLsP3Fy3D6ZpHbNmvr8H/s400/Copy+WS+of+Prince+in+car+DSC_0475.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />
<span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >Princeton fills the back seat of our compact car<br />
</span></div><div align="left">People are shocked when they see my giant Great Dane Princeton riding in my small Honda Civic.<br />
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“Get a bigger car!” is a common joke from people who see us coming and going from the dog park.<br />
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Princeton doesn’t seem to mind. He likes having the whole back seat. He seems to enjoy riding back there, hooked to the seat belt with a doggy car harness for safety.<br />
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He often rests his snout on my shoulder while I drive! </div><br />
***<br />
<br />
PS in 2016:<br />
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Even at 8 years old, Princeton tends to bark and lunge during car rides when we pass another dog or a skateboard. Car rides with our Great Dane are made possible by a <a href="http://amzn.to/1rgiXk1">car harness</a> that attaches to the seat belt for safety and a blindfold called a "<a href="http://amzn.to/1rgiv5h">Calming Cap</a>".<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?t=jesusinloveor-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000MCXXM8&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe><br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?t=jesusinloveor-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B0085JQDYA&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-45926296685140955162010-01-07T19:24:00.000-08:002010-01-07T19:36:36.002-08:00Great Dane loves furnace in winter<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF-pqpbPRz4goMT-TkwjL0tjfkMRVEc1Ezn5NN6wVqhi1KtjF8Sh6lxcY9Xo9qiIjj_OKkFZzK3NU1UECD0g62KOmtIMrAkVlbMdsZ56NTGD5E2O52VxT4qrI0g2SueAvY0KgYr6Lta1I-/s1600-h/Copy+WL+of+Prince+w+heater+12-7-09++DSC_0308.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 299px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF-pqpbPRz4goMT-TkwjL0tjfkMRVEc1Ezn5NN6wVqhi1KtjF8Sh6lxcY9Xo9qiIjj_OKkFZzK3NU1UECD0g62KOmtIMrAkVlbMdsZ56NTGD5E2O52VxT4qrI0g2SueAvY0KgYr6Lta1I-/s400/Copy+WL+of+Prince+w+heater+12-7-09++DSC_0308.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424205837682795762" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Princeton stretches out near the wall furnace for maximum warmth</span></span><br /></div><br />On these cold winter days my Great Dane Princeton spends as much time as possible lying near our wall furnace.<br /><br />Last winter he was a puppy and the cold didn’t seem to bother him. Now that he’s reached the ripe old age of one and a half years, he LOVES to stretch out and sleep near the heater all day.<br /><br />He especially likes the one in the hallway where the heat gets trapped. I snapped some photos of him stretching out to enjoy the warmth.<br /><br />My previous dog, a Dane mix, didn’t act like this until he was more than 10 years old! <br /><br />Princeton doesn’t like the noises that the furnace makes when it first starts heating up, though. The scary furnace sound make him bark. <br /><br />I’ve read that purebred Danes are very sensitive to the temperature (both hot and cold), and it’s certainly true for Princeton.<br /><br />He’s also mellowing out and being a lot more obedient in every way. What a good boy!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-QbtH__No3oacZB0vG7ELzJuY8gD1CDyergw961Oh6n_KhbBPmf9ogZQtqTr66PHrU15GPNq9BOyUCqaW8Rlh2So7EbeDV-Q7wa35JU7QvDsvlv0Wh5k7z8O3kD26ZFgj1e9KwOvN0Lq/s1600-h/Copy+WL+of+Prince+w+heater+12-7-09+DSC_0310.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU-QbtH__No3oacZB0vG7ELzJuY8gD1CDyergw961Oh6n_KhbBPmf9ogZQtqTr66PHrU15GPNq9BOyUCqaW8Rlh2So7EbeDV-Q7wa35JU7QvDsvlv0Wh5k7z8O3kD26ZFgj1e9KwOvN0Lq/s400/Copy+WL+of+Prince+w+heater+12-7-09+DSC_0310.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424205830672826226" border="0" /></a>“Don’t bother me -- can’t you see I’m trying to get warm?”<br /></div>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-71060191576662075042009-12-22T19:27:00.000-08:002009-12-22T19:31:38.026-08:00Merry Christmas from Princeton!<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTS5oivnglTLq2ykQ6RcLibn3thlemD6sTkbgxc45R8pCbHwvXDY2PfpUQQVQXUdC_Zwisk7Gyd3c-DfVwzJRcFTrHnPRsqruazjNYGo6FxRWYpHGz86nBUtqO9N7PwRSMAv5en6puj8Rf/s1600-h/Copy+WS++cropped++of+Bow+to+Nativity+12-20-09+DSC_0406.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 306px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTS5oivnglTLq2ykQ6RcLibn3thlemD6sTkbgxc45R8pCbHwvXDY2PfpUQQVQXUdC_Zwisk7Gyd3c-DfVwzJRcFTrHnPRsqruazjNYGo6FxRWYpHGz86nBUtqO9N7PwRSMAv5en6puj8Rf/s320/Copy+WS++cropped++of+Bow+to+Nativity+12-20-09+DSC_0406.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418268669523482898" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Great Dane Nativity Scene:</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Princeton bows to the baby Jesus</span></span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size:180%;">Merry Christmas and<br />happy new year to all<br />with love<br /> from Princeton</span></div>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-33884989245516953192009-11-25T14:23:00.000-08:002009-11-25T14:37:50.834-08:00Great Dane 2010 calendar on sale now<div style="text-align: center; line-height: 150%;"><a href="http://www.zazzle.com/real_pets_2010_calendar_revised-158436467529995195?rf=238458378105810898"><img src="http://rlv.zcache.com/real_pets_2010_calendar_revised-p1584364675299951952vqvs_325.jpg" alt="Real Pets 2010 Calendar (revised) calendar" style="border: 0pt none ;" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.zazzle.com/real_pets_2010_calendar_revised-158436467529995195?rf=238458378105810898">Real Pets 2010 Calendar</a> by <a href="http://www.zazzle.com/mydogmycat*">MyDogMyCat</a></div><br />I just finished the 2010 calendar with photos of my Great Dane Princeton and his dog (and cat) friends. Order it at <a href="http://www.zazzle.com/real_pets_2010_calendar_revised-158005528081359143">Zazzle.com</a> -- or make your own.<br /><br />My friends, family, dog trainers and vet all love the pet-photo calendar that I put together every year. It features some of the best photos from this blog -- and some shots of Princeton way back when he was still a little puppy.KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-37214757811267611822009-11-22T20:23:00.000-08:002009-11-22T20:28:58.402-08:00Great Dane breakthroughs<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmQRIv5zgQgzveIND9BNer2VelJB8Ck68XDibhxgp4b4u9VAmhGYViuGjHChHoWOIeXCH1Pr6U4Qbd_ngJQH_4zS5rg4sZ9FauLZNQ3RBu48EQ8MxlznFUqiIr-fDi5feGQoTve_LhLJBH/s1600/Copy+WS+of+Prince+bows+to+Dinkum,+11-7-09+DSC_0125.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmQRIv5zgQgzveIND9BNer2VelJB8Ck68XDibhxgp4b4u9VAmhGYViuGjHChHoWOIeXCH1Pr6U4Qbd_ngJQH_4zS5rg4sZ9FauLZNQ3RBu48EQ8MxlznFUqiIr-fDi5feGQoTve_LhLJBH/s320/Copy+WS+of+Prince+bows+to+Dinkum,+11-7-09+DSC_0125.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407150279472864466" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Princeton with one of his best friends, a Corgi/Border Collie mix</span></span><br /></div><br />My Great Dane Princeton has had some breakthroughs lately. At age 1-1/2 years, he finally got the message that mouthing is wrong! He was trying to get our food, so I was trying to make him to back off by holding my hand infront of him. In the midst of the conflict, he mouthed my arm -- and then he instantly looked guilty and crouched down, before we could even say, "Calm down." This is the first time ever that he seemed sorry for any misbehavior! He's really learning.<br /><br />He’s very smart -- so smart that he figured out how to open the gate to the backyard! Recently I let him out in the morning and went back to sleep as usual. Then my honey woke me up: “Princeton’s loose!” Fortunately our neighbors saw him on the street, rang the doorbell, and helped round him up. Now we have to keep the backyard gate locked with a padlock!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiDKDU43sTP642yH0phgAVWwspA5KAK6l-82B6ns92JiMnhjAeANoSJCnOd3jJdMRRqF3UTGVIERvnNl8bexiaiU7VQSiDwcCG8ylu-fdp3E82TgDDPri9VDFdHr6haUKsE-E6k0b-0mZb/s1600/Cropped+copy+WS+of+Prince+and+Dinkum+run+11-7-09+DSC_0095.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 234px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiDKDU43sTP642yH0phgAVWwspA5KAK6l-82B6ns92JiMnhjAeANoSJCnOd3jJdMRRqF3UTGVIERvnNl8bexiaiU7VQSiDwcCG8ylu-fdp3E82TgDDPri9VDFdHr6haUKsE-E6k0b-0mZb/s320/Cropped+copy+WS+of+Prince+and+Dinkum+run+11-7-09+DSC_0095.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407150360297229506" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">There they go! Princeton likes being “herded.” </span></span></div>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-39245579051520881362009-10-26T13:27:00.000-07:002009-10-26T13:32:34.546-07:00Dane learns respect and discipline<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDR1EsuE3oyhr6Oq5Fn-tEr6l9bOFp3c7iwqGF3Kc3Su4JylCt0yhoIMeRl4myrEq6Frtr-vNYva_IJr1crILwTtsjnEwgFnm99RZA-eG9CmYO8XAh48QUP-K_XKvGOefUwNPhDlqEW7o/s1600-h/Copy+WS+Best+Princeton+and+Maeve+9-2009+DSC_0115.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEDR1EsuE3oyhr6Oq5Fn-tEr6l9bOFp3c7iwqGF3Kc3Su4JylCt0yhoIMeRl4myrEq6Frtr-vNYva_IJr1crILwTtsjnEwgFnm99RZA-eG9CmYO8XAh48QUP-K_XKvGOefUwNPhDlqEW7o/s320/Copy+WS+Best+Princeton+and+Maeve+9-2009+DSC_0115.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397009105598075314" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Australian Shepherd looks up to her pal Princeton</span></span><br /></div><br />My Great Dane Princeton is learning respect and discipline now that he’s 18 months old.<br /><br />He saw his first horse when he was on a walk in a park with horse trails. Boy, was he scared to meet somebody bigger than he is! He flattened out on the ground and wouldn’t get up until the horse was almost out of sight. Then he was more obedient for several days!<br /><br />Lately I’ve had to get really TOUGH with Princeton. We went through a crisis, but now I finally feel like Princeton is living in MY world most of the time, whereas before I felt like I was living in Princeton’s world.<br /><br />It all started last week when my partner surprised us at the dog park and he went crazy jumping on her and mouthing her, just like he did 6 months ago. We’ve worked so HARD on training him not to do that! I felt very discouraged, like a failure. <br /><br />I got advice from our trainer and the “Danes gone wild meet-up message board.” I also thought back to the tough-love training tactics of the obedience class we took, and all the episodes of the “Dog Whisperer,” which is almost like a Bible to me.<br /><br />Here is one of the most helpful comments I got, from a Dane rescue place:<br />“There is always hope as long as you are willing to reach out, take advise and use it consistently. Be persistent and always follow thru with a command and if you need to manhandle your Dane, then do it. He needs to know who is in control and who will kick his butt when he doesn't listen.”<br /><br />In the last few days I have been determined that Princeton will obey me. I started taking him on an extra walk, and I stopped avoiding potential distractions (other dogs, kids, bikes, etc.) My new method is to yank his choke chain really hard as soon as he started to get distracted. If it’s too late and he goes wild, I make him lay down and calm down. I wasn’t strong enough to do this before, but Princeton has made me stronger. I started holding a broom horizontally to block him when he rushes our front door and window, barking at people walking by. (He has bitten my arms twice when I tried to stop him.)<br /><br />My partner and I are newly united in resisting all his efforts at what the trainer calls “passive dominance” -- coming to us for attention. No, all attention must be given on OUR terms, when WE initiate it. I used to shower him with affection for no reason, just because I enjoyed it. But on the trainer’s recommendation I am treating him more like a ghost. Most of the time it’s no touch, no talk, no eye contact for Princeton these days. <br /><br />Withholding affection is the hardest part. (I’m surviving this by petting our cat a lot more!) I’m able to keep going because it’s really working! There is a dramatic difference in Princeton’s attitude. He is much, much more respectful, watches me a lot more, etc. Until now, every single day he got into trouble by grabbing forbidden items (shoes, pillows, soap, etc) and running around with the house with them, trying to start a game. Now he has gone for a few days without doing that at all. He did grab my partner’s shoe last night, but he dropped it immediately when she walked in the room. He hardly even protests anymore when I clip his nails.<br /><br />I used to have a special name for the hour before, during and after dinner: Bad boy time. That’s when Princeton would go wild. Now he lays patiently waiting for his food while we eat, then he settles down right away after I feed him. There is no more bad boy time!<br /><br />We still have a lot of work ahead. But I do feel there’s hope.KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-27876969137208620222009-09-20T14:07:00.000-07:002009-09-20T14:20:45.407-07:00Great Dane plays football<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic6BPXVXxP_kz0dVjZqRxksECfMNMCChWOBZ_d_EO2VZaChIZX2ab6hUjxDi_e8NUtBTYjQkz_b0zGyBxX0xuhybEYEaSYI7bZHbKjIMPYHWFGJvXIdGyJT8nMq146ty4mdHp4OVRm4LDz/s1600-h/Copy+WS+of+AABest+ADSC_0200.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic6BPXVXxP_kz0dVjZqRxksECfMNMCChWOBZ_d_EO2VZaChIZX2ab6hUjxDi_e8NUtBTYjQkz_b0zGyBxX0xuhybEYEaSYI7bZHbKjIMPYHWFGJvXIdGyJT8nMq146ty4mdHp4OVRm4LDz/s320/Copy+WS+of+AABest+ADSC_0200.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383661562163756162" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Princeton loves his new football</span><br /></span></div><br />My Great Dane Princeton’s new favorite toy is a REAL football! He can actually fit it into his enormous mouth!<br /><br />Princeton loves mouthing things with his big old mouth. Finally we found a toy big enough for his huge mouth, and he LOVES it.<br /><br />Does anybody know where to get GIANT toys suitable for Great Danes? This football was not built to stand up against dog teeth.<br /><br />Now almost 17 months old, Princeton is getting A LOT better about not mouthing the many tempting things that he’s not supposed to mouth -- especially my arms and small children. When I say “Leave it,” he usually listens. If not, I get his attention with a squeaker toy that I carry at all times when we’re out -- a great tip from our new trainer.<br /><br />He’s also learned what it means to “CALM DOWN” -- although it often takes a while. I’m learning how to stay calm, too. We keep practicing.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgLwCEtKAZC4Mo-wJUjopRKB7EaEBgtSnPvfmD-ghbyBbXF9XDoaYfXjlww0-avaPYBF9IV8I1bYpSTVF6gSe_dhxf5HqABvheOhM-YOgyMcgxpJ22BIMTiVzQCWURdDHXnclmSeWbCnFd/s1600-h/Copy+WS+of+AADSC_0273.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgLwCEtKAZC4Mo-wJUjopRKB7EaEBgtSnPvfmD-ghbyBbXF9XDoaYfXjlww0-avaPYBF9IV8I1bYpSTVF6gSe_dhxf5HqABvheOhM-YOgyMcgxpJ22BIMTiVzQCWURdDHXnclmSeWbCnFd/s320/Copy+WS+of+AADSC_0273.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383661384962329058" border="0" /></a>Princeton opens wide to fit his football in his giant jaws<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKr2ChZB93ww4tL6JC-DIzMtCwPdJijBqb9GXByXWo8bewsHIiA-Uq960NlH14CDdfZ8TS_kcEPonlaHWFutuTuvTgA4Wi0JvfLHRBjWG0Q1qZGBdZgCHhsusv7mQeBysp4Y_XvJKm1TC/s1600-h/Copy+WS+of+ADSC_0227.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKr2ChZB93ww4tL6JC-DIzMtCwPdJijBqb9GXByXWo8bewsHIiA-Uq960NlH14CDdfZ8TS_kcEPonlaHWFutuTuvTgA4Wi0JvfLHRBjWG0Q1qZGBdZgCHhsusv7mQeBysp4Y_XvJKm1TC/s320/Copy+WS+of+ADSC_0227.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383661227676845330" border="0" /></a>“Let’s play football!”</div>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-15414534830196899412009-08-16T14:54:00.001-07:002009-08-16T14:59:42.457-07:00Dane pup’s weight levels off at 124 pounds<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjU83urK1Dc3Q77s44RcLgVKG5o0gcsypLDm-JdMNpafceyDMqsWOuCcu8siWdXj8fqy9KGoWNMlBSjK-a10gQEw2RqUduBFABt5yhDBCOhylr2gM47-jOxKNn6q_wqgcLfzbA135cCY7/s1600-h/Copy+WS+of+AAA+Show+dog+8-4-09+DSC_0057.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjU83urK1Dc3Q77s44RcLgVKG5o0gcsypLDm-JdMNpafceyDMqsWOuCcu8siWdXj8fqy9KGoWNMlBSjK-a10gQEw2RqUduBFABt5yhDBCOhylr2gM47-jOxKNn6q_wqgcLfzbA135cCY7/s320/Copy+WS+of+AAA+Show+dog+8-4-09+DSC_0057.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370683580064024498" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Princeton at 15 months</span></span><br /></div><br />Our 15-month-old Great Dane weighs 124 pounds -- the same as he did three months ago. And only one pound more than 4 months ago.<br /><br />I caught myself smiling a big grin when we saw the number 124 on the scale. I was happy at the thought that Princeton won’t get any bigger. He’s big enough! Hey, I even outweigh him by one pound still. Don’t worry, I’m feeding him plenty, but he doesn’t always finish his food.<br /><br />Princeton is also looking more mature. I love the photo above, taken when he struck a show-dog pose all on his own at the park. He’s looking so handsome and grown-up! His long front legs are incredibly straight.<br /><br />Princeton may not be getting bigger, but he IS getting stronger! He can pull a lot harder on the leash. Fortunately, he’s also growing up mentally. We’re working with a new trainer now called <a href="http://barkbusters.com/">BarkBusters.com</a> and it’s going the best ever for Princeton. His most important new command: “Leave it!!!” This works with his biggest behavior problem -- mouthiness. Yes, he’s STILL Mr. Mouth. The trainer predicts this will be a lifelong challenge for Princeton.<br /><br />Training is going well. I am becoming Princeton’s pack leader by using my mental strength, even though he is physically stronger. I try not to think about how big he is, but instead to stay CALM and focus on his energy and actions. Of course, people don’t let me forget Princeton’s size for long. I am learning to ignore the constant stream of people telling me, “That’s a BIG dog!” everywhere we go.<br /><br />Our trainer says that Princeton is “the most intuitive dog I know.” She means that he picks up the emotions of the people around him, and then mirrors them back and magnifies them. For example, if we meet a calm person who loves Great Danes, he is the best boy in the whole world. If we meet somebody who’s afraid of him, he jumps around like crazy. If somebody says something in anger, he instantly starts barking at them. Each of these emotions feeds on itself and escalates when the other person reacts to Princeton’s behavior.<br /><br />Of course, all of this happens based on my mood, too. Having Princeton reflect all my own emotions is one of the hardest parts about training. I have to stay calm, calm, CALM , or else!KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-17706329743295422322009-07-12T16:55:00.000-07:002009-07-12T17:41:47.092-07:00Our dog broke a window<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKiUPIcG-ggcIP0Z3CRkuMLr79tHQxkvvaEvdzTpnYOITeGdAaH2D0auQO4_0OljKGge9bcmLCBk-_UkkM_-7Bx-w0bQHlU6ld_p8Azx9fSlG3qgb_Y1xaS4agqqQIlzn8ouCb8uF8CIdE/s1600-h/Copy+WS+of+Broken+window+6-22-09+DSC_0011.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 249px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKiUPIcG-ggcIP0Z3CRkuMLr79tHQxkvvaEvdzTpnYOITeGdAaH2D0auQO4_0OljKGge9bcmLCBk-_UkkM_-7Bx-w0bQHlU6ld_p8Azx9fSlG3qgb_Y1xaS4agqqQIlzn8ouCb8uF8CIdE/s320/Copy+WS+of+Broken+window+6-22-09+DSC_0011.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357726721477565314" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:85%;" >Our window -- after our Dane broke it</span><br /></div><br />Princeton broke a window! I tried to keep my 14-month-old Great Dane Princeton out of the living room when deliveries were expected, but the UPS guy snuck up on both of us. <br /><br />Princeton rammed his snout right through the glass when the UPS delivery man put a package outside. It happened while I was standing between the window and Princeton, trying to get him to back off. But he lunged past me. <br /><br />Princeton is OK now, but a cut on his face was bleeding pretty bad at first. <br /><br />We got the window fixed and we’re working on “door manners” with a new dog trainer… from a place called <a href="http://www.barkbusters.com/">Bark Busters</a>. She’s the best of the many trainers that we’ve met. BarkBusters.com is an international company. They send a trainer to your house and guarantee to keep working with you for the life of the dog for one low price.<br /><br />However, teaching “door manners” to my Dane is a long, frustrating process.KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-26144462472831556752009-06-18T21:51:00.000-07:002009-06-18T21:55:27.394-07:00Great Dane gets new tooth -- at age 13 months!<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVkcu2nWFyHCGlz45bFFgyVnYdSs0PGMY4GTPGX5_1d_9IEwwYF4j6UcuWpWFj7yrXwzW4vG0EYIlgty-iFF8Rp-s9hMxHotxIy6VW-GJm-t2BqKlO18tKkCqUe-x_gzlRCTmD0ohO9jo/s1600-h/Copy+WS+cropped+of+Fight+DSC_0223.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 311px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVkcu2nWFyHCGlz45bFFgyVnYdSs0PGMY4GTPGX5_1d_9IEwwYF4j6UcuWpWFj7yrXwzW4vG0EYIlgty-iFF8Rp-s9hMxHotxIy6VW-GJm-t2BqKlO18tKkCqUe-x_gzlRCTmD0ohO9jo/s320/Copy+WS+cropped+of+Fight+DSC_0223.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348897569567935490" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Princeton is happy to be growing MORE teeth</span></span><br /></div><br />My Great Dane Princeton is STILL teething -- and he’s more than a year old! This week I felt his gums and he literally got a new tooth! <br /><br />He’s had an empty space for a “premolar” on his lower left gum for months, but I thought it meant he was born without that tooth. But no, he’s just sloooooooow to develop.<br /><br />Dog references say dogs are supposed to have all their teeth by the time they’re 6 or 7 months old. No wonder Princeton still acts like a baby and chews a lot -- he really is still a baby at almost 14 months old.<br /><br />OK, he’s not as young as the photo above, which was taken when he was 5 months old and his “fangs” were still coming in. But it’s a good shot of the teeth of the our boy, nicknamed “Little Sharkey” as a puppy for obvious reasons.KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-56446814382029308172009-05-18T11:09:00.000-07:002016-04-26T15:41:33.855-07:00Update: Collars and barking at mail carrier<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8jeP_dLhBJCVO5DOgV6enJxKhWfU74pPTIv70MwqCoOlXFtG1_JcFYRaAf42WluYgA8uADQ1Og2o-PGdgR-R-uHUkSeAfXYA0Z_1SDSJ1LbiABBxhhQst8TDhMbpOB5pnBmvOR8Jmwbh/s1600-h/Copy+WS+cropped+of+Princeton+Pet+ID+DSC_0131.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 244px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE8jeP_dLhBJCVO5DOgV6enJxKhWfU74pPTIv70MwqCoOlXFtG1_JcFYRaAf42WluYgA8uADQ1Og2o-PGdgR-R-uHUkSeAfXYA0Z_1SDSJ1LbiABBxhhQst8TDhMbpOB5pnBmvOR8Jmwbh/s320/Copy+WS+cropped+of+Princeton+Pet+ID+DSC_0131.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337229829194192546" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Princeton on a grassy path -- still wearing the old leather collar (taken before he ripped it apart!)</span></span><br />
</div><br />
Many thanks for all the great comments about collars on <a href="http://my-great-dane.blogspot.com/2009/05/urgent-leather-vs-nylon-dog-collar.html">my last post</a>. For now my Great Dane Princeton is following Hsin-Yi and Honey’s method -- just wearing the choke chain. We transferred his ID tags to the choke chain and he wears it all the time now.<br />
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It’s working out well because the leather collar used to get in the way when I walked Princeton -- because I use two collars to walk him, a Halti and a choke chain, with a leash in each hand to steer him. As Hsin-Yi noted, it also looks nice because it doesn’t interrupt the line of his neck. And it’s certainly strong and waterproof. However, it looks like he may outgrow his 24-inch choke chain soon!<br />
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Also thanks for the comments about training Princeton to stay calm when the mail arrives. I am keeping him in another room or outside when the mail comes, and it’s making life a lot more peaceful. I know that we need to set up practice sessions with other people dropping papers through the mail slot. But that will be in the future. For now, I’ve got all I can handle just with leash training and other basics.<br />
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Update on July 12, 2009<br />
This problem escalated and Princeton broke a window. <a href="http://my-great-dane.blogspot.com/2009/07/our-dog-broke-window.html ">Click here to get all the info in my new post “Our dog broke a window.”</a><br />
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Update in 2016:<br />
<br />
In the end we took the advice of readers here and just used a so-called "choke chain" or "<a href="http://amzn.to/1VR7cxE">slip chain</a>" as his permanent collar.<br />
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<iframe align="left" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?t=jesusinloveor-20&o=1&p=8&l=bpl&asins=B000N36L6G&fc1=000000&IS2=1&lt1=_blank&m=amazon&lc1=0000FF&bc1=000000&bg1=FFFFFF&f=ifr" style="height: 245px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; width: 131px;"></iframe>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-85288511697404635892009-05-04T17:38:00.000-07:002016-12-13T21:37:42.617-08:00Urgent: Leather vs. nylon dog collar?My Great Dane Princeton broke his leather collar today! <br />
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I was trying to train him not to attack the mail slot when the mail comes. I tied his leash to our entertainment center and told him to stay after I saw the mail carrier in the distance. Oops! Princeton couldn't control himself when the mail carrier reached our doorway. His desire to attack (protect?) was a lot stronger than his old leather collar, inherited from my previous Dane.<br />
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Does anyone have advice about the best kind of collar for a Dane? He plays in the water almost every day, so maybe that weakened the leather. Maybe nylon is more durable? <br />
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Let me know soon because we’re probably going shopping tomorrow to buy him a nice new dog collar.<br />
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Hey, maybe somebody has some ideas about how to stop him from going ballistic over the mail, too. <br />
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My big boy sure is getting strong!<br />
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***<br />
<br />
Update in 2016:<br />
<br />
In the end we took the advice of readers here and just used a so-called "choke chain" or "<a href="http://amzn.to/1VR7cxE">slip chain</a>" as his permanent collar.<br />
<br />
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Update in Dec 2016: Princeton is still using his collar and leash, but he's slowing down and seems achy when he gets in and out of bed. We just bought him the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009G9Y6B0/my-great-dane-20">Big Barker 7" Pillow Top Orthopedic Dog Bed for Large and Extra Large Breed Dogs (Sleek Edition)</a>. <br />
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I wish I bought it for him when he was younger because the foam has a 10-year guarantee. They even have a bigger <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009G9YCKK/my-great-dane-20">"giant size" Big Barker Orthopedic Dog Bed -- with a headrest</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Big-Barker-Pillow-Top-Orthopedic/dp/B009G9YCKK/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1481693251&sr=1-1&keywords=B009G9YCKK&linkCode=li3&tag=my-great-dane-20&linkId=05ed28291fca720eda4d32072a4fdc01" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=B009G9YCKK&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=my-great-dane-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=my-great-dane-20&l=li3&o=1&a=B009G9YCKK" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
<br />
<script src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US&adInstanceId=0a876420-8013-469e-96c1-37247d62b0cf&storeId=jesusinloveor-20"></script>KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3702719927120398894.post-80898742268048140222009-05-02T21:14:00.000-07:002009-05-03T14:18:04.944-07:00We’re fabulous!<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf2tiTRzCMxSz_cIL6LQw9VS0mzmmQOnNDn22nEWf9rwjmIxHSm3E5EW1ijtOcTk_envTjq4dH2EuaQ02M-3JSNGbX2RaowaZHUcF8-6CR5HG3E-n9f3alX6SFQERPdR0TSHKnHL2a-laD/s1600-h/Copy+WS+cropped+of+Princeton+jumps+2-7-09+DSC_0215.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 336px; height: 347px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf2tiTRzCMxSz_cIL6LQw9VS0mzmmQOnNDn22nEWf9rwjmIxHSm3E5EW1ijtOcTk_envTjq4dH2EuaQ02M-3JSNGbX2RaowaZHUcF8-6CR5HG3E-n9f3alX6SFQERPdR0TSHKnHL2a-laD/s400/Copy+WS+cropped+of+Princeton+jumps+2-7-09+DSC_0215.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331445686029322322" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Princeton jumps high to reach a branch</span></span> </div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqXxD5Uek28W1XHmEORxNqGulESZKVkSIhYXhzFgt04xfsfPfZoibzXiPg4lNWwPzXwPCjXOKNyGYw1LEan4PEVwtanD5t8HX6PAOvFiC5cO4SoHweUHofnLKwd3V8YEmO1zz-XUNMiHbd/s1600-h/fabulousblogaward.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqXxD5Uek28W1XHmEORxNqGulESZKVkSIhYXhzFgt04xfsfPfZoibzXiPg4lNWwPzXwPCjXOKNyGYw1LEan4PEVwtanD5t8HX6PAOvFiC5cO4SoHweUHofnLKwd3V8YEmO1zz-XUNMiHbd/s320/fabulousblogaward.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331444756795000610" border="0" /></a>This blog is honored to accept the “Your Blog is Fabulous!” Award from the <a href="http://danesview.blogspot.com/">Danes World Blog</a>. Many thanks (and dog kisses) to Mindy Lu and her beautiful Dane Sasha.<br /><br />I especially enjoy the Danes World Blog because it is written from the dog’s point of view. I have fun finding out what Sasha the Dane thinks about life. They make me laugh, too. I’ll sum it up with one of Sasha’s favorite words: “BARK!”<br /><br />In accepting this award, I am passing on the honor to some of my favorite blogs:<br /><br /><a href="http://danesdownunder.com/">Danes Down Under<br /></a>Abbey has tons of adventures with her Danes Chelsea and Shiloh. The photos and links are incredible. Abbey was the most devoted and enthusiastic of the earliest visitors to Princeton’s blog. Thanks, Abbey!<br /><br /><a href="http://reflectionsofadogmom.blogspot.com/">Reflections of a Dog Mom<br /></a><a href="http://reflectionsofadogmom.blogspot.com/"></a>Allison’s Merle Dane Waldo looks and acts a lot like my Princeton. What fun to follow his life. Allison leaves lots of great comments here, too. Thanks, Allison! Her blog already has lots of awards, and it deserves another.<br /><br /><a href="http://michalea.livejournal.com/">Isis Isis Ra Ra Ra<br /></a>Michalea has a witty blog that includes photos and stories about her Danes Reese and Merlin, as well as her chickens, her travels in Egypt, and much more. Michalea also happens to be one of my oldest and best friends in real life. We lost touch for a while, then discovered that we each had Great Danes in our lives! Michalea has even met Princeton in the flesh. She and her blog are truly fabulous. Thanks, Michalea!<br /><br /><a href="http://simonsaysdanes.blogspot.com/">Simon Says Great Danes<br /></a>A breeder of Harlequin and Mantle Great Danes does this fascinating blog with practical advice and lovely photos.<br /><br /><a href="http://supernotsominicooper.blogspot.com/">Super Not So Mini Cooper<br /></a>Janelle’s handsome Dane Cooper is like Princeton’s twin -- a Merle Mantle who is almost exactly the same age as Princeton. I enjoy comparing notes by visiting her blog full of photos, facts and stories.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.thatmutt.com/">That Mutt<br /></a>Lindsay’s That Mutt Blog offers many good challenges that inspire me, such as take your dog to “30 new places in 30 days.” It’s the only blog on this list that isn’t about Great Danes, but it’s too good to miss. Dogs of any breed are covered here.<br /><br /><a href="http://bighoneydog.com/honeys-blog/">Big Honey Dog Blog<br /></a>The Big Honey Dog Blog is truly impressive. Great Dane Honey and her human Hsin-Yi have amazing adventures including competing together in dance competitions. They also gave our blog an award recently. More about that in a post coming soon. Thanks, Hsin-Yi!<br /><br />For those receiving the awards, here are the rules:<br />1. Do a post naming (and linking to) the blog that gave you the award.<br />2. Pass on the award by naming and linking to 7 other blogs.<br />3. Go to these 7 other blogs, tell them that you are giving them the award, and invite them to visit your blog to pick it up.KChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01502688157991893168noreply@blogger.com8