Life With A Great Dane

Many of you may remember that we adopted our Great Dane a few months ago from NaNook & NaKoda’s Big Paws Rescue. I’ve had several people ask for an update on him since then.

Reis is doing amazing. He not only has filled out to where he should be but he now has muscles! He is a straight up cuddle bug and sometimes, mistakes himself for a small lap dog.

Our big guy has been a great addition to our family. If he is not cuddled up next to me, he can be found stretched out and sleeping in Kiera’s floor while she plays.

When we first brought him in our home, he would not look us in the eye, play or let you touch his face. Now, he is happy, has two stuffed animals that he attacks on a regular basis and he loves to get kisses on his nose.

Sloane and Ziggy have adapted well to having Reis around. At first, Ziggy was a little territorial but now they are often found cuddled up to each other. Most of the time Reis is using Ziggy as a pillow… and Sloane… well, if Reis gets in her way, she just walks under him.

Great Danes are well known for being nosey as well as ‘counter surfers’. Thankfully, Reis doesn’t really do any counter surfing; although, I did almost lose a stick of butter to him the other day. Managed to catch him with his tongue sticking out and head tilted to the side for maximum butter inhalation.

He does have the nosey thing down pat though. We laugh constantly at him as he wanders around different rooms, sticking his nose up to something to smell it. In fact, the other day, Kiera and I were sitting on her bed when he galloped in.

“Ummm… Mom?” Kiera started, “Is he smelling my Barbies?”

I turned in time to see Reis with his head stuck in the third story of the Barbie mansion inhaling Barbie. Once he was satisfied, he moved on to the second story before lying in the floor and going to sleep.

Apparently, there was no threat detected from the Barbie mansion.

A couple of weeks ago, I walked in the house after doing a little grocery shopping. Aaron was outside mowing so the dogs were in the house. I had all the grocery bags in my left hand and my purse in my right.

Reis, Ziggy and Sloane greeted me at the door as if I had been lost for months at sea. I talked to each of them and then headed for the kitchen. Now, the kitchen is not that far away. Literally, you walk from the living room into the kitchen.

As I walked, I felt a pull on the grocery bags. I looked down to see Reis smelling the bags. “Buddy! Stop!” I said, tugging on the bags to dislodge his head.

I crossed the threshold into the kitchen and set the bags on the counter. Grabbing my keys from the top of my purse, I turned and headed back to the front door to check the mail. As I reached the kitchen threshold again, I heard a sucking noise and then a “POP”.

Stepping into the living room, I see Reis standing over my boneless pork chops. As the floor creaked he swung his head around to me. His eyes were twinkling and his tail was wagging.

“Reis!” I exclaimed leaning down to snatch the flat of pork chops off the floor. I carried them back into the kitchen where I studied the evidence.

There was not a single bite mark in the plastic, meat or Styrofoam. There was one pork chop missing. The best part was the pork chop that measured approximately as big as your hand had managed to be sucked out of a two-inch diameter hole in the plastic wrap… without any damage to the rest of the packaging.

I still have no idea how he managed to do it, especially in the small, tiny window of time he was alone with the chops. I do know he was exceptionally proud of himself.

I can guarantee you this. If Kiera is not keeping us on our toes, Reis will.

Check out ways to assist NaNook and NaKoda’s Big Paws Rescue by going to their website nanooknakodasbigpawrescue.org or find them on Facebook @NaNookNaKodasBigPawsRescue.

Rowonna McNeely works with her husband, Aaron, at Willie’s T’s in the Art Department, regularly volunteers in the community, and has her hands full with her daughter, Kiera, along with three dogs, one cat and one hamster.

Thank you for sharing in our weekly journeys. If you have missed any of our past stories, check out our blog page at www.lifea2k.net or drop us a line at lifea2k@yahoo.com.