Waking up on a cold morning

Both my dogs know when there is a cold windy storm outside, somehow they feel it and just want to sleep in. Rex always digs is nose under a pillow or blanked. When he is comfortable he makes purring noises.

Camelot likes part of his body covered under a blanket in the winter. He shares the king size bed with me at night these days so Rex can have the space he needs. He gets up and changes position a few times during the night.

I normally would not have a dog in my bed, but Rex sort of takes priority these days. I don't mind since Camelot is very quiet and hardly moves all night.

Camelot craving a little attention

"Hey, not to be selfish here but what's up with all the attention to Rex? I know he's the old guy and may not have much time left with us, but could you throw in a pic of me now and then?" Camelot II has for the last couple of years gotten so much attention due to his severe timidness. After working all that off he has become such a delightful and easy-to-have dog, that little or no special care is needed.

Water breaks - keeping Camelot cool

Ahhh this is great stuff!

It's hot here and Camelot's black coat is cooking! I''m amazed how hot Camelot's body gets when he is exposed to the sun! I can't image feeling that intense heat on my body. So, to help him cool off I bring several bottles of cold water. I hose his body down often, I can tell he likes it since he stands all still and let me soak him. He's not a fan of water and will not go swimming, so this is the only way I can get him wet. He also drinks from a bottle. First time I tried this he had no clue what I was trying to make him do. Rex has been drinking from a bottle since I got him, so by seeing this Camelot quickly picked it up too.

Long time no post

It's been a long time since my last post. I had to put everything on hold in order to secure my finances. The bad economy hit me real hard. But, I'm not complaining, many got hit worse than I did.

I still have a roof over my head (my RV) and my two Great Danes. Rex is still holding up pretty good. He has good days and not so good days. But, that is expected considering his high age. He is approaching 12 now.

Camelot my young Dane has become a total sweetheart. He has such a great attitude towards everyone, dogs and humans. I think he will become my oldest Dane.

I'm thinking of getting more involved in informing people about big dogs and their expected life span. I truly believe big dogs can live much longer than many do today.  The key is the food. Commercial dog food is the main problem dogs face. Large dogs need more nutrients, much more than found in so called "dog food" sold in stores. I hope to educate dog owners about the right food to feed their dogs. The right food is the type of food a dog's digestive system is designed for.

Rex's age of almost 12 is considered high for a large breed like Great Danes. I will monitor Rex very carefully and document everything I give him on a daily basis and share is here.  His diet is very simple and easy to implement. I consist of raw natural food including bones plus supplements. I have tested a lot of supplements over the last 4-5 years and narrowed it down to a few that seem very helpful to Rex and his old age.

Resting like a Dane on the couch

I got Rex when he was 4 and already at that time he showed signs of joint problems. This is definitely his biggest challenge. His hips and rear legs are weak and uncoordinated. He often falls backward and have a hard time getting up and sometimes he can't. He also trips himself and falls down that way.
When I walk him I have to make sure I know where he is at all times. He loves being off leash and explore the terrain by himself. It's bushy here and he can easily get lost if he falls down. In the evening I use a collar that is lit bright red to prevent him from getting lost.

One year a since Camelot passed

One year ago today I lost my dear Camelot to cancer. One of the worst days of my life. This gentle giant was such an ambassador for the Great Dane breed. I had never before been able to archive such a close connection with a dog.  I could read his mind based on his body language and was able to predict his next move. And he could pretty much do the same with me.I never understood how we were able to have this connection. He always had such a calming effect on me. Most dogs has this effect on me, but Camelot was able to create a stronger feeling of calmness and peace than any other dog I ever had.
I think about you every day my friend and I miss you very much. The picture above was taken the day I found out he had a large tumor inside his chest. He died a week later.

Recover from illness

Rex my old buddy, got into some horse manure three days ago. That resulted in a really bad diarrhea that lasted until today. Every three hours he had to go so the last few nights I did not get much sleep. I fed him chicken wings only for the last two meals and his stool is now nice and firm again. Thank god.

This happens once or twice a year and I blame myself for not watching them closer. Deer dropping is their favorite and I really have to watch them when we are in areas where deer hang out.

The picture is from today's morning hike at sunrise.

Return to a favorite trail

This morning i decided it was time to return to a trail that I have not been to since Camelot l died. This was his favorite trail, we have walked this trail during fall, winter, spring and summer and it has a lot of fond memories. It was just to hard walking here without Camelot l. I know all his favorite spots he used to check out on every hike.

But, this morning it felt right to introduce Camelot ll to this trail. He loved it, so many smells to investigate and he was running back and forth the entire time with his tail wagging. It warms my heart to see him so happy.

This is a challenging trail and I was concerned that Rex would not make it all the way. This little trooper did so well and I'm so proud of him. He got so much stamina, not the fastest dog around but he throttle along at an even pace. We have to wait for him now and then when he come across something interesting to smell. Sometimes he stands and smell for several minutes. I'm being patient and wait for him. He does not have much time left on this earth so I want him to enjoy every minute of it. It gives me such pleasure just seeing him back on this trail that we have walked hundreds of times.

This trail is located at Canyon Ski Resort and has a great variety of vegetation. It goes from grassy ski slopes through thick aspen and pine forests which provides lots of shade and protection from the sun. Clear cold brooks with water from melting ice ensures plenty of clean water for the dogs.