After we were married, Lisa and I discovered we were of one mind when it came to our dog-preferences. We both wanted really big dogs. Our preference was for a Great Dane. When we arrived in Jarratt, VA, we found out one of the members of the church bred them. In late spring, 1995, their old dame, Roxanne, had a litter from which three survived - two black males and a Harlequin female. We were fortunate enough not only to get the female - whom we named Gretchen - but to get the pick of the litter. For an idea of what a Harlequin Dane looks like and her size, here's a picture of a male who, while thicker in the chest than Gretchen (who, while hippie, was also quite dainty rather than bulky across the chest), was bout this size:
After Gretchen's passing in December of 2004, we mourned for about a year, then in February of '06, we found Dreyfus in a private animal shelter in downtown Rockford, IL. Here is a good approximation of Dreyfus today.
Now, Lisa thinks our big-dog days are over. Personally, there are a couple other breeds I would like to have. A Neopolitan Mastiff:
And an Irish Wolfhound:
What say you?
