Lindsay Young (@eatyoungnutrition) is a Holistic Nutritionist, who Flora has been working with for the last couple of years. When Lindsay welcomed Rosy, a Great Dane puppy to her family in May, we were excited to introduce her to our BiologicVET line of pet care products. Join us as we follow Rosy’s growth, development, and of course her puppy antics over the next 6 months. If you are one of the many people who added a fur-friend to your family during the COVID-19 quarantine, you can probably relate to Lindsay’s experiences with Rosy… so follow along!
Six Things I Didn’t Know About Great Danes by Lindsay Young
1. Their ancestors were bred to hunt boar as early as the 16th century, when they were considered to be part of the Mastiff family. Traditionally hunters would clip their ears to prevent injury. The formal breed name ‘Great Dane’ came about in the late 1800’s. Watching how clumsy Rosy is, it surprises me that Danes were ever hunters!
2. TMI alert: they have a bum that you might have to wipe. Yeah. So if that’s a deal breaker, at least you know. We have to wipe her bum at least a few times a week and we always check before she climbs up on any furniture!
3. They are Velcro dogs! I obviously can’t speak for all Danes but Rosy certainly is! If you’re in the bathroom, that’s where she wants to be. If you’re in the kitchen, guess who’s there too! Doing laundry? Add an extra obstacle walking over your dog!
4. Even as a 5 month old puppy she’s pretty chilled out most of the time! But Great Danes are lazy in hilarious ways. For example, she can climb on the bed by herself, but she nearly always hops her two front paws up and then looks back as if to ask for help for the rest. She also has the funniest sleeping positions. I call it the “dead bug” sleep because she’ll lay on her back with all four paws sticking up in the air, fast asleep.
5. Their ears are constantly flipping up and back! I think this depends on the type of Great Dane (there is an American and European variety), but as she’s an American Great Dane and therefore a little less droopy, her ears flip up every two minutes on a walk.
6. Puppy food isn’t necessarily best for Great Dane puppies. I’ve heard this from several owners, breeders and veterinarians. It depends on the brand, but typically puppy food is higher in fat to accommodate a growing pup. Great Danes grow so rapidly though, that too much fat may actually be detrimental to their early joint health. Of course always ask your veterinarian for advice on your specific situation, but we give Rosy food with about 12% fat and add in BioFATS to her morning meal for a little extra.
Stay tuned as we follow @mybestfriendrosy’s journey over the next 6 months – we’ll be posting monthly updates!
Lindsay Young @eatyoungnutrition is a nutritionist and lover of food from around the world. She’s passionate about making healthy, home cooked food accessible and approachable for everyone. She hosts workshops in her home town, Kelowna, sees clients and works as a recipe developer and food photographer.
