Hemi is my newest fawn, I've
decided that I really love the Fawn lines. I decided to search high and low for a Fawn that could be shown in Conformation
and still could capture my heart like Rebel. My heart is set on a European Dane, and I will own one, one day. But after looking
at the price tags on that style of Dane, I had to ask myself some really tough questions:
#1. Do I feel comfortable paying that much for a dog?
#2. How will I
know if I even really like showing in conformation? Because if I don't like conformation then any Dane would be sufficient
for me as I'm a big advocate on Spaying and Neutering! Any AKC registered dog can be altered and still compete in Obedience,
Rally, Agility - and all other AKC sanctioned events except for Conformation! You can even rescue a purebred and register
him through AKC by obtaining an ILP number with proof of spay or neuter. So did I want to spend that much money
if I wasn't 100% sure I wanted to do Conformation?
Well, my answer was No... at least for right now. So I decided to look for a nice show potential pup in a
lower price range to try out Conformation. I knew getting a lower price range puppy could result in a non-conforming dog,
as well as potential health problems down the road if the Breeder was breeding unhealthy dogs. I found the perfect pup for
me. He has a really nice pedigree... and his Dam's parents... happened to be my Rebel's Mom and Dad! That's right, I stumbled
across a puppy that shared my Rebel's lines! Luckily this puppy has a lot more Champions and good quality dogs to over-ride
Rebel's line's faults... hopefully! So I decided to meet this puppy. (Well, really I met 2 male pups and a female) This
little guy chose me! And I tell you, I knew in an instant, just like with Rebel, that he was the one!
Since
I'm not sure if we'll like conformation, I've decided to leave his ears natural, as I have every Dane I've owned. (Duke was
already cropped when I rescued him) I thought long and hard about cropping his ears, but I just couldn't bring myself to do
it. I couldn't put him through that sort of pain, and the guilt I would feel as I had to tape and untape his ears. OW! I do
agree that a cropped eared Dane looks more stunning, more regal, more impressive... and let's face it, that is how everyone
pictures a Dane to look! And I know it's harder to Champion out with a Natural eared Dane. But there's a lot
to consider before running off and cropping ears.
#1. Can you afford it? A good crop job costs about
$250-$450 depending on the vet.
#2. Will you do the research required to find a good vet that knows how
to do a SHOW crop? (HUGE difference between a Show crop and a Pet crop. Make sure your vet can show you examples of ears he's
cropped... hopefully standing.)
#3. And the most important: Are you going to be able to faithfully tape this puppy's ears? Sometimes you
only have to tape for a few months... but some people are still taping when the dogs reach 2 years old! Keep in mind
that even puppies whose ears stand after the first few weeks will normally need their ears retaped during teething periods. You
must tape those ears correctly or they will not stand. (Note: if you crop a Dane's ears and they don't stand, they
can't be shown! So you've ruined their show career before it even started)
I
had to think about all of the above and also... If he or I don't like Conformation, have I cut his ears for no reason besides
looks?
I finally decided to leave my baby natural... But I will say, you just can't beat the look of a nicely cropped
Dane. ;)
Look
for Hemi in the Conformation ring Feb 2008. We'll also be getting his CGC and hopefully competing in Rally and Obedience!
Hemi
didn't seem to like showing too much, so after getting his International Puppy Title, we retired him! lol I thought he would
be able to compete in obedience, but look at this face! He's adorable, but walks on a short leash, bless his heart! He steals
everyone's heart and is the biggest love bug I've ever met! He reminds me so much of my Rebel. We've decided not to stress
this boy out with having to remember commands. lol He knows Sit, Shake, Down, Come, Heel and Hug. Then we realized that he's
either REALLY stubborn, or just "special" so he's done with all training... he'll be a loving companion for the
rest of his life, what more could you ask for?
