An introduction...

From left: Milo (hiding), Michael, Claire, Emily, and Charley (trying desperately to escape)

This blog is for:

• Anyone considering adding a Great Dane to the family.
• Those who have Great Danes and those who have loved them.
• Those whose grocery bills are at least four times that of a normal person with a dog under 120 pounds.
• Those who run to the internet to type in "Great Dane ate [insert appropriate food product/building material/wildlife/etc.]" to see if the dog needs to be rushed to the emergency vet.
• Those who just want to know what Great Danes eat. I can't tell you how many times people have asked me that question. Evidently it is fascinating.
• Those who have a dog who feels kind of bad that he or she isn't as big as the Great Danes in the house.

I can't be sure, but I am guessing that topics of discussion may deviate from those things allegedly comestible by large canines.

About the dogs:

Claire came to us from southeast Kansas. Iola to be precise. I do not remember where Iola is or the roads I drove to get there. But I'm glad I went. Claire left us recently, but she pretty much sits her 130-pound self on my right shoulder at all times, or so I have been told by Terri O'Hara, our animal communicator.

All of our veterinarians have said the Milo is the biggest Dane they have ever seen. Clearly they haven't heard of Gibson: http://www.bigpawsonly.com/worlds-tallest-dog-features.htm

Milo is definitely a big dog. As you can see, he has alien eyes. And he slouches.

Our Rhodesian Ridgeback, Charley, has his own slogan, created by friend Dan: "I'm not gonna bite ya, but I don't like ya." It's true, he won't bite you, but he won't exactly make you feel confident of that fact either. Charley is sweet, but he was abused as a young puppy, which has kind of formed his worldview.

Ivy is our newest addition. She is half sweetheart, half demon Dane from the underworld. We love her. She is 13 weeks old and 40 pounds in this picture. Ivy eats rocks, flagstone benches, tile, wood, and rubber, that we know of.


*By Smiley Blanton