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Patch's Diary (May 2006) Photographs Food History Contact Us
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Patch
is a Great Dane. He was born and raised in Northern California, where
sadly he was taken to a shelter to be adopted out at the age of
eighteen months. Deanne and I were looking for a dog in Christmas
1999 and she picked him ! I've never had a dog before, so to go
straight to an 18 month old Great Dane who weighed 112 lbs (he was
badly underweight) was pretty daunting. But she kept me awake till
5AM, looking at web sites that praised these wonderful dogs. Through
a combination of strong evidence and sleep deprivation I agreed to
adopt Patch.
Patch is a wonderful companion and if I've learned anything, it's that owning a Great Dane gets you noticed ! It is rare that we'll walk him without somebody wanting to meet him, ask what its like to raise a Great Dane etc. We're always glad to answer and spread the good word about what lovely dogs they are, if you're prepared to put in the time to be good friends to them.
When we lived on the west coast, he came with us on several road trips to San Francisco and one to Washington state. It seems the people of those cities don't often see Great Danes, because we got so much attention from people. One man even stopped his car in city traffic and double parked so he could meet Patch and tell about his time growing up with Great Danes! Patch enjoyed these trips a lot, getting a lot of new experiences and practice in meeting people. At night in one SF hotel, he lay down in front of their fire place and looked so noble, like he was the king's dog!
We moved to Jupiter, Florida in March 2002 where Patch and his two kitty siblings, Aura and Garibaldi, settled into their exciting new home. Patch went to the dog park on most days and also went with Brian or Deanne to their workplace, DSS Inc., on most afternoons. The socialization he got at these places was invaluable and played a big part in teaching him how to get along so well with everyone he met.
In May 2006 I was featured in our local newspaper's Meet Your Neighbour section because I'd been taking pictures at our local dog park and giving the best shots to the dog's owners as a gift. You can read it below, or with some commentary in Patch's Diary (see above)
As Patch reached his final years, his back legs got weaker and he had a hard time getting up and out of bed, or getting into the car to be driven around. We got him a conductor's podium as a step-up box (don't bother with the folding ramps, they bend too much) and that helped for many months, but eventually he couldn't be put into the car without a lot of help, and the possibility of injury was too great, so he stayed home and went for brief walks. This is something to consider: when a 160 lb dog can't get up, you can't just easily pick him up and move him around.
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We all come to the end of our road eventually, and Patch slipped away quietly in February 2010. He was surrounded by his extended family and friends, five wonderful people who all loved him and wanted the best for him. Although he will be missed greatly, it is a great comfort to us knowing that he had so many friends and had made such a good impression on people. Between his many days at the dog park, and uncountable afternoons at Brian's and Deanne's workplace, Patch leaves behind many fond memories.
