Coz you can never have too much Great Dane
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Now I know I shall have lots of responses from cat-lovers after my next statement. There have been cats in our family home – but I don’t think cats are pets really. (Oooooohhhh, them’s fightin’ words). Cats aren’t pets. There, I’ve said it.
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Now dogs are pets. And as my last post was so forlorn, I thought I should share some of the wondrous, amazing, heart-filling joy that my first REAL PET brought into my life.
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His name was Cosmo. Well, actually, he was completely unnamed when SSB spotted him at the pet store that fateful day. SSB had decided that, as we had moved in together, and as he would be away a lot with work, I needed a dog. I went along with the plan – I had never had an animal COMPANION before, and was still adjusting to the idea of having a full-time human companion. I could take it or leave it… whatever.
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Friends who had heard of SSB’s plan nodded knowingly. “Surrogate child” they murmured behind their hands. “Trial run for the Real Thing,” said one encouragingly to me. Jeez… a lot of pressure on one little pooch, thought I. And on me too, said a little voice inside my head.
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And then SSB fell in love. With a tiny bundle of loose sleek fur, whose sisters were picking on him mercilessly. I went along to see what had transformed my Strong Silent Bloke into such a gooey mess. We had discussed Staffordshire Terriers and Alsatians and I wondered if the canine in question would perhaps be a Rottweiler. And then he picked up a small, squirming blue-and-black-and-silver puppy. The sign said: ‘Great Dane puppies – $400’…. GREAT DANES.
“Do you have ANY clue how big a Great Dane is?” I asked, aghast. “They are bloody ENORMOUS.”
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“But LOOK at him”, SSB insisted. And then he passed him to me. Now I am an animal person. I am just wired that way – in general, I love most things warm-blooded and furry (except for the absolute exception of rats). And usually I am practical soul… but I am here to tell you I was absolutely NO match for the adoring pale grey-green eyes that gazed into mine, the desperate little pink tongue trying to lick whatever bit of human skin he could reach. He snuggled into my shoulder and I was lost. Dear God, a Great Dane. He was definitely our unplanned “child”.
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We called into a friends baby shower on the way home from the pet store. I think he probably stole the limelight completely from the mum-to-be (who was luckily a dog-lover and unfazed by being upstaged). He posed and looked cute until the effort wore him out and he fell asleep curled in my lap – and they “oohing” started all over again. He was seriously, seriously cute.
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We doted and snuggled with him, and took him to puppy school where the instructor warned us that a Dane’s attention span was kinda short. No kidding. He was all legs and enthusiasm and no intent or direction. He would bowl into the little house SSB and I shared in the Brisbane suburbs, desperate to find us after a good five minutes without our company. Legs flailing, paws and little claws grappling and skidding on the polished floors, tail wagging furiously in anticipation. We laughed til we cried at his floor skating antics and christened him after Cosmo Kramer (think: Seinfeld).
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We would swear that he grew an inch a day while we were away at work in the city; such was the incredible growth spurt he put on. His complete and utter adoration for us never wavered, and too quickly I grew accustomed to seeing his great boof-head peering joyously over the fence as we arrived home. He would leap and bound and gallop in furious circles of disbelief that we had not abandoned him. It’s hard to resist that kind of love. Impossible.
Over the following years he would feature as a special guest at our wedding, survive the intrusion of not one but two little humans into his domain with hardly a murmur. He would let them hang off his ears and gleefully ride on his back as he lay still and quiet for them on the floor.
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He would also provide the kind of silent, steady support his mum desperately needed when her “real” firstborn was chronically ill, pushing his great head under my hand every time I left Dash’s room, and leaning against my leg in support. He would shadow me to the clothesline and back each time I hung out another load of cleaned, vomited-on bed sheets and grow suits. And he never minded a moment of my crying into the top of his shiny, spotted head. He thought I was a great mum even when I was sure I was the biggest imposter of all-time.
He was also incredibly, incredibly gentle with Dash, and endlessly patient with most kids who (at first) freaked out and then cuddled and played with him. Not all were gentle with him but he looked at me with long-suffering eyes to assure me he would be good with whatever kid-torture was to be bestowed today.
I have a million Cosmo stories – and most have watermelon-sized smiles attached. He was BLOODY big but the gentlest dog alive, and we never EVER had to worry about security with him around. He only ever barked one-at-a-time but it came from his boots. No-one ever looked like trying the locks at our house.
He also made a pretty amazing reindeer for numerous annual Christmas card.
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So even now, a year after Cosmo left our lives for the great backyard in the sky, when I ache thinking of him; I remember his goofy grin, his loving eyes and the joy he took in us. And I smile through my silly tears.
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I was the luckiest pet owner in the world. But as Dash says: Mummy, we need another Cozzie Dog in our lives.
Yes indeed. I’m very nearly ready.
Bush Babe
9 Comments
debby
*sniffle* Oh, I’m glad you’re going to get another friend dog. Glad for you, glad for your family, glad for the dog.
PS I love the B/W picture of Cosmo looking at Dash. That picture just sums up all the attributes of a REALLY good dog.
Bush Babe (of Granite Glen)
Darn it all… I was trying to be more upbeat tonight but clearly failed miserably! I cried writing the damned thing… will keep you posted on developments in this field over the next few weeks… Hope it’s warmer where you are Deb.
BB
jeanie
Might I just suggest a few other lines of Cosmo lore? – macadamia nuts? Washing on the line? Walks on the beach? Wagging tails at toddler head height? Scaring the carp out of tradesmen? The bloddy great “woof” if he thought he heard a burglar? Howling with the sirens (when you live near the ambulance station)? Lessons in not being a human? Overboard scraps in the front dining room? Wanting to be friends with the locals at Granite Glen?
We loved Cosi so much too – ‘Salina saw his picture today and her first reaction was “Oh, Cosi!” with such joy in her voice, and then she was sad for a moment (darn it, I have the tears at that, woman) but we all adored the big hulking hound.
Pencil Writer
Thank God for the miraculous critters who are so filled with love and compassion as your Coz. They are truly gifts to us and I’m grateful for those gifts. One of these days I may post about one of those incredible stories of a dog we once had. I’m one of those people who love dogs–other peoples’ (yes, of course, I loved ours too, but I’ve always been lazy and don’t like the “cleaning up after” doggies, and the bathing them exercise) but I think there are those dogs–like your Coz–who are simply gifts from our Creator. I can only imagine the grief you and your family struggle with. God bless.
Andrea
He is so handsome! What a good boy! I think he has to be the most handsome great dane I have ever seen! I have two dogs and could not imagine having to loose one. It’s tuff. Beautiful pictures of him and the kids!! What a wonderful dog!!
A
He certainly has that gentle giant look about him.
Losing a family member is always hard, but eventually the sadness fades and the joyful memories don’t make you cry (as much!).
Jen at Semantically driven
What a beautiful looking dog. I agree with you about the cats too.
Rhubarb Whine
Yep, us animal lovers are good at sticking together.
(Sniffle)
BOSSY
Awwwwwwwww. They really are amazing, aren’t they?