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GASTON: 3-Year Old Great Dane

The Great Dane is often described as a “gentle giant” but according to the AKC this was not always the case. The Dane was originally bred to be a very aggressive hunter and fighter. Most recently, the Great Dane has been bred to be the perfect companion. Trustworthy, loyal and dependable, the Great Dane makes a marvelous family friend who loves children and adults alike. They are a sensitive breed that requires attention and human contact to be happy, otherwise they can be become depressed.

Typically this breed does not take well to strangers and it may take time for a Dane to warm up to people they don’t know. But Gaston is just the opposite. He is the definition of “social butterfly” – both with dogs and people. If you’ve been out and about in Berks County, there is a good chance you have seen Gaston. He is always out in public, from playgroup at Godfreys, to Level 4 training outings, to just running errands with the family. Some of his favorite places to visit have been the Reading Phillies, Bear Creek Ski Resort, HealthSouth Rehab Hospital, Reading Hospital Post-Acute Rehab Center, Christmas Village, and Pappy T’s bar.

Interesting facts about Great Danes

• The Great Dane is the state dog of Pennsylvania. It is believed that William Penn owned a Great Dane.
• The tallest dog in the world, according to Guinness World Records is a harlequin Great Dane.
• Great Danes grow incredibly fast. Within a span of one year, Great Danes go from just a handful of fluffy puppy to being able to standing over 6 feet tall on their hind legs.
• Great Danes come in six colors – fawn, black, blue, mantle, harlequin and brindle.
• Some famous (and fictional) Great Danes include Marmaduke, Scooby-Doo and Astro (the Jetson’s dog).

Interesting facts about Gaston

• He has come a long way. He can be a tad stubborn with a strong free will. This has been challenging for training. When a Great Dane doesn’t want to move, you really can’t move him.
• Gaston is not food motivated. We needed to be creative during training when it came to treats and rewards.
• Gaston’s persistence required us to be persistent. We spent many classes just watching everyone else progress. Many tears were shed on the drive home because we had the dog that didn’t respond.
• Playing with his doggy friends is his favorite thing to do. He loves to spend time with his friends Tater, Gussie, Garth and Max.
• Yes, he sleeps in bed with us. Somehow we all fit in a queen size bed.
• There is not a mean or aggressive bone in this dog’s body. He is the most patient dog with children and just wants everyone to love him.

We have had many challenging moments with Gaston (just ask Steve and Mary Jo about his first Christmas Village visit). However, for the most part he was a normal, inquisitive puppy. His behavior was just magnified by his size. We have tried to keep our persistence in check with his and we believe it has paid off. We now have a beautiful, loving family member.