Strong as an Ox

And brave as a bull, my boy is getting H-uge! Weighing in at 50kgs now Braise is well on his weigh(!) to tipping the scales as the biggest creature at our house...if Husband can keep his weight in check (a beautiful blossoming vegie garden helps) our Braisel may pip him at the post as the biggest male in our hood.

Husband tries to keep a firm grip on Alpha Male Status by displaying chest pumping feats of strength and endurance( well ride on mowing IS hard work and DOES take ALL day). But I wonder if there is a sense of competition with the other male of the household. Braise is feeling more secure with his sense of, well, security?

He has undergone pretty intensive guarding (guard dog) training from his big sister Pede who has a thunderous and quite intimidating bark, or so I've been told. Braise's bark is something like this "ARRR ROOOF" and he seems to work on it daily, with plenty of practise, the council workers who have been doing roadworks in our street, the electricity company repairng the lines out the front of our house all last week, our poor new neighbour Mark, random birds, bats and any car that dare enter our driveway ALL cop and earfull of my boy trying out his new trick.

Hes very proud of this new feat and you should SEE Pede's head held high with pride when she watches him bark. He hehe:)

Anyway hope we can get out and about this weekend, a bit of park time or beach time for Braise and Pede. Will keep you posted.

P.S Heres a pic of Braisey one day old...awwwwww

~tanianni

Dear Aunty Em Aunty Em

Firstly, my amazing mother has been very pre occupied this last week, attending to the needs of the little people. One in particular who has been totting around wearing a sling which looks so chewable, I am holding my baited (beefy) breath in high hopes that it will be mine to chew to unrecognisability once they are done with it. The sling, not the little person.

Secondly I am happy to play second fiddle to these little humans as I have the capacity to understand the concept of BIRTH ORDER and the way it affects a family as a whole. I will make room in the shed and save a space on the floor for if my mother ever brings home another small person. Pede will just have to shove over.

Thirdly, I recall MS Holla's blog was in abandonment status for over a month just recently. So HA! Double HA HA!

With all that unplesentness out of the way, I hope you are looking after my cousin Bella like the princess she is....damn shame we are related cause I think she is very beautiful. Id like to share a bowl of spaghetti with her( in a Lady and the Tramp kind of way) MWAH Bella!

Check.

~Braise

Its Valentines, LOve.

I don't think Braise realised it was Valentines Day yesterday, however he has showing all signs than cupid had launched an arrow right into his a*#!

We had a day filled with sloppy big kisses and some would call it "underfoot" but he really was my shadow from am to pm. Adorable big hunk and Braisey I love you to pieces!!

Just have to add that the photo qualitly of any pic that I happen to be in may not be fantastic as they are usually taken by my 3year old friend who is an keen photog. just not very experienced yet. "Its too late to pologize...........

Swimming Lessons

Hmmm....Braise is starting to become rather curious about swimming. His big sister Pede is so graceful in the water( once the inital belly flop is over) and he has had many opportunities over the Summer to attempt to swim. I have spent time waist deep coercing him to come play with me by waving a ball or parading his hideous 'row of sausages' toy only a metre away. Yet he remains stedfastlty with four paws on the solid ground. Now Im unaware of any traumatic experience that may have scared him when he was still a baby puppy and living with the lovely Leanne at Arndane http://www.arndanegreatdanes.com/ so all I can assume is he's just not ready to swim.

Well as Braise's Nanee has gone on a mini vactaion for the weekend, Pede and I have decided it's time. Tomorrow our boy is going to get his first swimming lesson. In his Nanee's POOL!

I must mention that its not like Braise hasn't got his paws wet because he LOVES baths and once tried to rescue me in the pool (I was fine but don't tell him that) and when I turned my back he lept in on top of me NOT TRYING TO SWIM.....will post some pix tomorrow. Go Brasiey Go!

~tanianni

Such a tired boy today

The funny thing about Great Dane's is because of their size one would expect such a giant requires a tremendous amount of exercise. This is not the case. Unlike his Mummy ( ah, yes that would be me) who is 5'10 and a bit and NEEDS lots of exercise, or I would be 5'10 and a bit WIDE!

Let me remind you (have I even told you?) Braise is only just 6 months, so he's still a pup and will be youthfullish (a real word I'm sure) until he is about 1 and a half years old. I'm told that Dane's then rapidly enter old age as their life expectancy is not much greater than 8. With this in mind, I feel slightly panicked that I want to get outside and spend every waking second with my baby boy. Instead, I will calmly go now and create a gourmet delight to satisfy his (rapidly) growing body and then I'll persue my after dinner canoodle with my dog. Then maybe my husband. Hmmm maybe if he prepares me a gourmet dinner there would be more after dinner canoodling for him too. "Hey! Husband! You should read Braisey's blog...I'm hungry, you're hungry, its a win win, really."

~tanianni

And hello to you too...

Since I will be writing primarily about my deliciously devoted dane, I do think its best to address the fact that someone may question the reason I'd choose to blog my dogs life?

Well, first of all this is no ordinary dog. I plan on introducing you slowly to Braise as (and this is true to word for if you ever have the pleasure of meeting him) he IS special. Not in a handicapped or "errrrrrrr" kind of way; However he sometimes exhibits odd traits that leaves me wondering if he was dropped on his head at birth or ate some funky mushrooms somewhere along the way. Oh No. Braise has so many endering human like qualities that add to his naturally charming & cheeky canine qualities it is impossible not to fall head over heels in love with him.
I should really acknowledge the fact that I have named the blog....obviously. I mean obviously because I hate to repeat it (ok I like to repeat it), my dog is in love with me.

As crazy as it sounds, it's the most humbling experience to know that this massive beast's entire life is devoted to you. I guess something I read once really stuck with me and sums up the whole Dane thing. "Other dogs love you but a Dane is IN love with you."

~Tanianni