DEREK - MY GENTLE GIANT
I believe I am honoured to have had the privilege of being owned by Derek.
June called me about a Dane who needed a home; he was bought from a pet shop & grew quickly and ate lots!! After 6 months the owners decided he wasn't for them! They were going to get him put to sleep, but friends offered to re-home him. They named him 'Eric' and kept him for a year, until deciding to get a new puppy, so contacted Dane Rescue to find him a new family.
I arrived and met Derek (as I called him) who was very tall, spindly and had a thick chain done up with a D-shackle as a collar and who promptly checked me out then came over, leaned on me and stuck his head under my armpit!!! The owners gaped - he was never affectionate! At this point I knew he was the dog for me and would be going home with me that night!!
Derek had never ridden in a car so imagine the fun of loading him, his bed and me into a Toyota Seca. I let him sniff around then he got in the back , bum on the seat and a foot either side behind the front seats. When he extended his head, he could touch the rearview mirror.
At home, we were greeted by 'Jaimie' a Rottie who was visiting us - she took one look at Derek and tried to sink through the garage floor. No dog could be THAT BIG! Derek looked at her, walked straight past and went to check out the backyard. He didn't have a mean bone in his body, & they became best friends. He also met my cats (never seen them before!) and they got used to him but they would hiss and spit every now and again, to remind him who really ran the household.
It was sad to realize that Derek didn't know what a happy voice meant, nor a stern voice. He didn't know what a ball was or how to play. After he explored, I put his bed in the garage and enticed him to lie on it, but he decided the papasan lounge in the pergola was much more to his liking, hence his bed from then on (who was I to argue?) The next day, I got him a new collar (had to cut the chain off it was so rusted), new bowls, lead etc. He also decided his old diet (raw chicken mince & large dog food) - not on - so I cooked his mince, added vegies, garlic, pasta and eggs (Yum) and had to buy dry food with little insignificant pieces, which he found much tastier. Derek had a fetish for nice smells; he loved perfume, powder, flowers and anything that smelt pretty. Another dog would smell your crotch, Derek would sniff under your arms or between your boobs. He would stand inhaling for ages with a real twinkle in his eyes. (Bit poofy if you ask me). After a couple of weeks settling in, I took him to obedience. We had now bonded fairly well and he knew praise & some basics of obedience. That night everyone wanted to make a fuss of him and how he loved all the attention. We completed first night & were promoted to Class 2 - a star in the making. While waiting the next week, a young woman wearing shorts & a crop top, asked to pat Derek. The first thing he did was to stick his nose up under her top, between her boobs to smell her perfume & her top ended up around her neck, exposing everything. I apologised profusely but she laughed. As we were walking away some young guys asked if they could pay Derek to do it again! Derek completed classes 1-5 in 16 weeks. He was very smart, but had no papers so had limited opportunities to compete. Then I became an instructor so he got to socialize more than train which suited him especially as there was always people at the clubhouse wanting to look after (cuddle) him while I took a class. He liked to think he could do agility too - reality was he like to jump 3-4 times then socialize with people again - cant be doing too much of that dog stuff - someone might think he was a dog!! Derek was my first Dane & when he was 3, I acquired my second Dane. Lochie is now 5 and has his Obedience Sweepstakes & competes in Agility and Jumpers.
Lochie and Derek were inseparable. I couldn't go out with Derek and leave Lochie at home - you would swear someone was bashing him. I tried a couple of times, but my husband threatened me with divorce if I left Lochie at home with him alone again.
Derek had to be put to sleep at the young age of 7 - he was riddled with cancer. Lochie fretted for weeks - I think I still am. Lynelle Delaney.
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