The Great Dame of the Bay

THE size of one’s ears, is not directly equivalent to the ability to hear, interpret and obey. In fact, big ears, can be solely ornamental.

Mandy Neville, owner of Cola the Great Dane puppy, says Cola is a gas and constantly bubbling over with sheer enthusiasm and boisterousness, but despite being blessed with a large pair of auricles, Cola lacks some listening skills.

‘Cola is the naughtiest dog in dog obedience class,’ she sighs. ‘One time, I wanted to take a photo of her and she pinned me to the ground. She was so heavy, I could not get up and I had to call my mom to take her off. She just refused to move and so I was flattened until help arrived.’

‘If she is not skidding on the floors, she jumps like a rabbit and sleeps on the couch, best side up.’
Mandy, a Grade R teacher, is skilled in the art of capturing attention and teaching skills, but Cola, already outweighing her tiny mistress, is currently majoring in disobedience, although everybody hopes she will outgrow the phase.

And grow she will.

The Great Dane is a giant breed, originally bred to hunt European wild boar. They are indeed gigantic in proportion and comes with built in speed, endurance and courage, mixed with some ‘goofiness’ and a love for humans.

During their teenage years, Danes are prone to having ‘zoomies’ a word which pet lovers use to describe wild abandon, galloping, leaping, spinning and jumping on or over objects to express jubilance and joy.

Cola is also part of a proud breed of Guinness World Record Holders, with Zeus of Otsego Michigan measuring 44 inches from foot to shoulder and 7 foot 4 inches standing on his hind legs, just an inch higher than his predecessor, Giant George.

Good luck with obedience training, Mandy. Have a Cola and a smile.