Layla
When we moved here to Germany, we were already seriously thinking about getting a dog. We both love dogs, & I really liked the idea of having a companion in the house where Don was away. We first thought about Boxers, then Don said that he liked German Shepherds, & finally, after seeing a Great Dane in a family run store in my hometown in Colorado, I decided that I wanted a Great Dane for myself.People post items that they have for sale in the Post Office here, & so we checked that from time to time to a} buy a car so that we could get around Europe!, & b} hopefully find a dog! Lots of military families have to sell or give away a pet when they move due to not having enough money to ship them or finding out that there's a pet limit on their new post, etc.
Well, last June we found an ad saying that a couple was moving back to the States & had to sell their 10 month old Great Dane girl. The Army Post that they were going to be living on allowed only 2 pets per family, & Layla was their third... Oh my goodness, I though! It's meant to be! This was the first dog that we scheduled to meet, & we loved her from the beginning!
I think back on the day we first met Layla & how enormous she seemed to me! Now, she's even bigger {120 gentle girlie pounds} & I don't even notice it anymore. You can get used to anything, can't you?!
Lucius
Now, this guy was a completely different story! We were happy here in our little government home with our big Dane girl, content with what life had given us. Then, lo & behold, I received a phone call from our lovely dog boarder saying that she had a question for me. She had been contacted by a military lady whose husband was also a soldier, asking for help to find a new owner for her 5 month old male Great Dane. Since they were both military & would be deploying together in the future, they realized that there was no way that they could care for a dog. Ooh, boy, I thought! Is this really happening?! Our boarder said she thought of Don & me instantly, knowing that we'd adopted Layla & that she was happy in her new home. We went to meet the little guy & his owner, & we loved him from the beginning too! He was so tiny, just five months old! He was well behaved, too, & completely potty trained. But two Great Danes? You've got to be kidding me.
We said we needed some time to think about it. Don told me it was pretty much my decision since I am the one at home most of the time. Well, I am a softie for things like this, especially knowing that he really needed a good home! I figured he & Layla would become best pals {which they have!} & I would be in even better company when home alone!
We took him :) And his owners were so thankful that he was going to a good home so soon that they didn't even ask for a penny. They spent €1,500 to buy him & at least another $1,000 on beds, food, crates, toys & medicine! We drove home that night with the car maxed out!
Layla & Lucius are now two peas in a pod. They are very good dogs, so smart & sweet. I've never known more cuddly animals than them, & we're so thankful to have them in our lives! Although there are days when they misbehave a bit, they are few & far between! And when I'm out walking them, I know there's no chance I'll be messed with! And no one would dare stand a chance if they decided to brake into the house either! My sweet protectors :)As I'm sure it is with any adopted dogs, Layla & Lucius have little tendencies once in a while that lead me to believe that they had rough beginnings... Layla especially.
Layla is very nervous around new men. She gets so scared & terrified that she backs away quickly & barks like there's no tomorrow. It takes her a very long time to begin to trust men, which makes me think that she was maybe beaten by a man when she was a puppy. We are her third owners, so she has been passed around a lot. Poor girl.
Lucius has a patch of hair missing on his tail, & it doesn't seem to be growing back. While his previous owners were at work, they would leave him at various kennels for the day. They told us a bad story about one of these places, & I think this bare patch has something to do with how he was treated there...
Layla will turn two in July & Lucius will be one during the same month! Currently, they both weigh about 120 pounds. They're just little dogs, aren't they?! :) We sure do love them, & I'm pretty sure that they love us too!
Layla will turn two in July & Lucius will be one during the same month! Currently, they both weigh about 120 pounds. They're just little dogs, aren't they?! :) We sure do love them, & I'm pretty sure that they love us too!
