Cold morning

It was below zero again this morning. We have to shorten down our walks when the temps drop this low. Like kids my danes loves to eat the snow.

When it is this cold the snow that gathers in their paws really bother them. They eventually stop and start tripping their looking at me for help.

Winter has arrived

Winter is here.... and my Danes really enjoy the snow. Even Rex seems to move quicker when it's cold.

Camelot is just have a grand time running in the white stuff. The picture is from yesterday, before a blizzard arrived. The temp dropped from 30F to 0 overnight.
The walk this morning will be very short. When the temp drops below 10, the snow that gather in Rex's paws are too cold for his comfort. He will stop and try to lift all legs.... tripping, waiting for me to dig it out. The interesting thing is that when he  starts walking again the new snow that gathers in his paws does not bother him as much.

Rex did not make it to the acupuncture sessions we had scheduled.   I completely messed up my back and was not able to move much the last few days. Feeling much better today, so we will make a new appointment.

Another good day for Rex

Rex had another good walk to today. Close to a mile. His paw is healed and I'll take of the boot tomorrow.

P.S. Somone asked me if that's his ribs showing. No... that's shadows from some bushes. 

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.

Rex made the morning walk again.

Once again Rex championed through our morning walk and made it to the end of the trail. He is definitely walking faster these days.  I guess dogs like humans have good days and not so good days. For me keeping an eye on Rex and adjust to his days is what I have to do.

Booty time

The cold frozen ground is wearing on Rex's dragging leg so I fitted him with a boot.

Monday morning walk

Rex is doing pretty good today. This guy keeps impressing me. A couple of weeks ago I thought he was near the end. This morning he made it to the end of the trail. That's a solid one plus mile walk. The limping and dragging of his right leg seem to be something that does not bother him too much. The booty I put on him appears to benefit him.

Dealing with an aging dog

Rex will be 12 this month. His health is increasingly becoming an issue with him. I'm know I'm entering into the area of what is best for him. I keep telling myslef that this is about him not me.

His main health concern is his hips. They have become very weak over the last years. He frequently falls back on his butt and is unable to get up. The look on his face when this happens kills me. He just looks so sad and helpless. "It sucks getting old daddy"

I will write a detailed report on his last days on this earth with focus on what is best for him.

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.

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.