Hawaiian Danes

snuggle-pus

2010-10-07T09:14:00.000-10:00

My baby Higgies decided to snuggle up with me on the chaise lounge and he was crashed out hard!

What started out like this....

ended up like this....

memories

2010-09-09T07:32:00.003-10:00

My aunt Debbie emailed me this picture the other day. She told me she keeps the email pictures I send to her.

This was during puppy kindergarten class. Leia gave her brother Higgins a kiss. So cute. Amazing how time flies.....they were 6 months in this picture....and just turned 2 on Friday!

Labor Day weekend dog show

2010-09-08T07:40:00.001-10:00

This past weekend was a dog show, held by the Hawaiian Kennel Club and Valley Isle Kennel Club. We had a Great Dane entry of 2-3 (0-1), which was 2 class male dogs, 3 class females, and one Champion female. It was a long but very fun weekend!! Higgins had fun in the ring and gave it his all. With the 'puppies' birthday this past Friday we even held a little birthday party on Sunday with pup-cakes and human-food. Congratulations to the winners. Curious to what the results were??

BOB

on Saturday & Sunday

BOS

Monday

CH ANADANE'S UPTOWN GIRL V NAPLES

"Christy"

BOB/BOW

on Monday (2 points)

WD/BOS

on Saturday & Sunday (2 points each day)

ANADANE'S WORTH THE WAIT PBJS

"Mo"

RWD

on all 3 days

ANADANE'S XTREME XPOSURE V PI

"Higgins"

Saturday & Sunday (2 points each day)

DAHOMEY SWEET CAROLINE

"Leia"

Monday (1 point)

RWB

Saturday & Sunday

ANADANE'S XOTIC XPOSE V PI

"Purdy"

RWB

on Monday

ANADANE'S XPONENTIAL XPRESSION V PI

"Leia"

Angels in the light

2010-09-06T21:41:00.000-10:00

I love this picture of Cheryl talking to Leia (Higgins' sister) at the show this past weekend. The way the light is hitting her she looks likes a beautiful angel! It was the most adorable picture out of all of the shots I captured.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Higgins!

2010-09-03T20:26:00.003-10:00

Today is the Squeeze x PI litter 2nd birthday!! I cannot believe how fast time flies by! It has been 2 years since my baby Higgins was born! He is growing up and is a BIG boy now standing at over 38" tall already!

BIG HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Higgins

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Purdy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Leia

and a big birthday hug goes out to the two that live in California and Arizona:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Peanut and Tiki!!!!

Rain and more rain

2010-08-25T07:12:00.004-10:00

The rain we have had in the mornings makes the dogs silly! Huey loves going out in the rain but it makes him want to zoom around and the roll on his dog bed or carpet or our BED!! I have been curtailing Huey's activity because I don't want him to pull another muscle, like he did a few weeks ago. He has been doing really well walking around and definitely not limping anymore. The more I keep him cooped up it seems he is going to burst! LOL Huey is a big bundle of energy!

On the other hand Higgins does NOT like the rain at all! He refuses to go potty if it is raining. If he does manage to go outside when the rain stops he does not like coming in with wet feet. We have tile that can be very slippery when it is wet and he knows it. He will stand at the door until you bring him a towel to stand on. Higgins will then wait for you to dry off each and every foot before stepping off that towel!!

I am enjoying the rain - we need it. The rain brings us beautiful rainbows! But I hope it stops before the weekend play time!

Dog show

2010-08-24T06:51:00.000-10:00

This past weekend was the West Oahu Kennel Club dog show held in Ewa Beach, HI. There were 3 Great Danes entered; a small number compared to what is usually entered. I did not enter Higgins as we had just got back from vacation. However, I still went to the show to take a few candid shots before ring time.

The entries were 1-2 (0-0), which means 1 male class dog, 2 female class dogs, and no champions. The male dog was Mo, Higgins half-brother. He won BOB (best of breed) for 1 point on both days. Mo only needs one more major to finish his AKC championship. In Hawaii we have a hard time with the number of Great Danes entered, which makes it difficult to get major wins. Check out the AKC website to learn how to count points at a dog show. Purdy and Leia, Higgins' sisters were both entered. Purdy, the brindle, won BOS (Best of Opposite Sex) and WB (Winners Bitch) for 1 point on both days. Her first two points!

Dog Shows are a great place to go if you are looking for a purebred dog. You can see many different breeds of dogs at the show. You can meet the exhibitors and breeders to ask questions about particular traits of the dog you are interested in, and also get leads on where to find well bred dogs from reputable breeders. Many of the "breed clubs" will be there at the show too, so if you are interested in a particular breed you can more information that way too.

The AKC website has a "beginners guide to dog shows" to help better explain what is entailed in a dog show.

Acupuncture Session #1

2010-08-23T08:20:00.003-10:00

It went very well! Huey did a lot better than what I thought he would do. The vet had a yoga-type mat on the floor, where Huey had to lay on his side. The vet was down at the end, I up by his his and a vet tech at his back.

The first needle goes in, right at the base of his head, "for relaxation and calming" Dr. Asato says. Huey is relaxed and calm, only looking up to see what she is doing behind him.

She is opening multiple packages of needles, and I am not sure if my stomach can handle it. But Dr. Asato puts them into his skin so easily and Huey just lies there. This is really not as bad as I thought!

Once Dr. Asato has the needles in specific areas along Huey's back and rear leg, maybe about 30 all together. She grabs this little 'electronic' box and starts to hook him up. She turns on the power, Huey looks up, then lies his head back down, as it must be a comforting feeling. We do this for about 30 minutes, and then it is done. The needles come out and Huey stands up.

Getting in the car he immediately fell asleep, which Dr. Asato had told us he probably would, as acupuncture releases endorphins. He slept very well that night and late into the next morning, which is unusual for him! Upon waking up and got out of bed and didn't have any sort of limp at all! I was so shocked, surprised and extremely happy that Huey was getting around like he used to!

Session #2 is scheduled for this Friday. I am definitely telling Dr. Asato the news, as if she doesn't already know! :)

Acupunture for dogs?

2010-08-20T09:16:00.004-10:00

Upon returning home from our summer vacation Huey had a 'limp' on his back 'jiggy' leg. Huey has had a 'jiggy' leg for about a year or so, but has never really hurt him; it just quivers. A lot of older Great Danes get 'jiggy' leg. I am having a hard time admitting to myself that Huey is getting older, he is a veteran now, at 6 1/2 years old. However, he still wants to run and play like a young puppy!

I took Huey into the vet last night to have them check over to see what might be the cause of him limping. They were not really sure. He has full extension of his leg and doesn't really have any direct pain anywhere. The vet put him on a week course of Rimadyl to see if that will help, as it is a pain reliever and anti-inflammatory.

I have heard a lot of good things recently about accupunture (for both humans and pets), so thought I would give it a try. I am taking Huey in to go see Dr. Asato today for his first accupuncture treatment and I sure hope that it helps alleviate the pain or stiffness.....or whatever is causing his limp. Never hurts to try something new!

Happy Birthday Kobe & Mo

2010-07-26T07:54:00.004-10:00

Yesterday was the 3rd birthday of Kobe & Mo, who are Higgins' half-brothers. Kobe resides in California, while mighty Mo lives here in Hawaii.

For a fun birthday outing yesterday, Mo got to go for a fun walk up at the north shore of Oahu on a hike called Peacock Flats. We joined in on the fun as I brought Higgins and Huey along too! We actually had a few of us there, as Mike brought along his 4 Danes and Kathy brought her Dane Cash.

While on the hike we came across a pasture full of cows, which grabbed their attention, along with a few Mongoose. Peacock Flats is also known to have wild Peacocks, although we did not come across any. Three miles later, they were all wiped out. Sending birthday wishes to the boys. It was a fun day yesterday - hope to do it again soon - birthday or not!!

birthday boy MO

birthday boy KOBE

it runs in the family

2010-07-25T06:10:00.005-10:00

While the Devine's were visiting Hawaii, they took a few pics of the "kids" and have composed a family portrait of sorts. Gene put together this picture, which features "Mama Squeeze" (Huey's sister) and all of her litter, which were around 20 months at the time. Higgins, Purdy and Leia are the only ones from the litter that currently live in Hawaii. Peanut is in California and Tiki is owned by the Devines in Arizona. I personally thought it was pretty cool to have it all put together like this. And once again, thanks to Gene Devine for the cool picture of all of the "kiddos" and "mama"!!

our comeback!!!

2010-07-22T21:06:00.003-10:00

Well it has officially been about a year since I have updated our blog!! WOW time slips by way too fast!! Thank you Susan for emailing me to light a fire under me to get something up.

Higgins has grown all up into a BIG boy now!! He will be 22 months. Higgins is always by my side - following me around the house everywhere!

Huey is still my main man. He turned six years old back in March! He doesn't even act like it! Huey loves to go for hike and long walks!

The Devines, who have Higgins' brother Tiki, came to Hawaii to visit. We had a chance to have a small 'reunion' while they were here in Hawaii visiting. Susan brought along Higgins' sister, Purdie, the only other brindle out of the litter of 5, and I brought along my two boys. It was a wonderful outing at the park on a beautiful day. Thank you Gene for the lovely picture you captured of the Danes! You do some amazing photography work! It is always wonderful to get nice pictures of my boys, as I always have my hands full! LOL

Summer's Over

2009-08-19T06:38:00.000-10:00

The summer went by way too quickly. Kids are in school. People back in the malls shopping for clothes & school supplies. Traffic!

We had a busy summer. We just got back from a wonderful vacation to Vancouver, BC & Alaska. It is such a beautiful place!

Higgins is coming up on one year next month already! My how does time fly by so quickly?!! My little baby puppy will no longer be a baby.

Both boys are doing great! Huey's still chasing the lizards and keeping an eye out for the birds. Higgins had his show debut this past weekend. He behaved very well in the ring, considering it was his first time in the ring. He just needs to mature a little more. I will have a post up soon with show pictures!

I missed all of my Blogger friends. And sorry for not posting in such a VERY LONG time!

Here are a few pictures of the boys....

Higgins resting his head on his friend, Hunter, while in the car

Huey doing what he does best...chillin

Higgins fell asleep with a ball in his mouth!

And our humane society kitty, Mr. Bigglesworth

Flying Ears

2009-07-14T11:07:00.001-10:00

Huey has the silliest ears - they fly out to the sides. Today I caught a funny picture of him while he was sunning outside.

10 months

2009-07-12T09:09:00.001-10:00

Higgins is 10 months old this month. His show debut will be in August. They grow up way too fast!!

Diving & Dolphins is Devine

2009-06-23T07:16:00.000-10:00

Today my post is totally not dog related, but wanted to share with those who do not get to experience the beauty of an entirely different world, underwater.

My husband and I, along with our friends, go SCUBA diving every weekend. The beauty of the sea is indescribable. We see many creatures here in Hawaii including, White Tip sharks, Eels, Octopus, Honu (tutrles), and many colorful fish.

from left to right:

Eric, John, Pete, me, Jennifer, & Steve

We like being out on the water too - not just under it! Our friends, Pete & Sandy, have a 36' sailboat that we got to take a ride out on.

Pete, Mark & John

me at the helm

We anchor the boat at a popular dive spot to cool off and jump into the water. We then see a pod of Spinner Dolphins come toward us. They come into more shallow water with a sandy bottom to be safe from predators. In Hawaii Spinner Dolphins are called Nai'a. The native Hawaiians work cooperatively with them to fish to this day.

Here is some more information about Spinner Dolphins from the

Wild Dolphin Foundation.

Air Sniffers

2009-06-19T04:57:00.000-10:00

I find it quite amusing that Huey & Higgins like to 'sniff' the air. They will just be standing outside and raise their noses into the air and just sniff.

I looked up some info about the dog's sniffer - and found that a dogs sense of smell is 1000 times more sensitive than a humans! Dogs have over 220 million olfactory receptors, whereas us humans only have 5 million! With this keen sense of smell, dogs are able to locate everything from drugs, to cadavers, to even bed bugs; like our Beagle-friend here in Hawaii!

Huey & Higgins breeder at Anadane Kennels, Susan, now is doing scent detection work with a rescue Beagle named Scout. They go to the local hotels here in Hawaii and scope out the bedbugs. Scout is a real cutie! Here is a link featuring Scout and his handler Susan.

Lazy Weekend

2009-06-01T05:37:00.004-10:00

Other than Higgins' Conformation Handling class on Saturday morning, we didn't do much. It has been so hot & humid. We have not had any of our 'trade winds' for the past few weeks, so it keeps things around here pretty muggy. We melt inside the house, so the dogs resort to the lanai to keep cool. Took a few pics of the boys while they were lazing around!

Growing

2009-05-30T05:40:00.003-10:00

Coming back from Texas, I couldn't believe how much Higgins had grow. He dwarfs Huey. At one time, we always thought Huey was a big boy, but now we laugh because we say Huey is like our Lab, cause he really makes him look that small. Huey is within the AKC standard for a male Great Dane height......it's just Higgins' LONG legs that are making him look small!

Higgins is now as tall as our kitchen counter - which is not the best thing right now......as he has just recently developed the nerve to start stealing food off the counters. The other morning my husband was making him breakfast, a roll with butter & jelly, when he turned around to grab the jelly, Higgins took off with the roll! And a few days ago Higgins took off with a few cookies that were cooling on the counter.

At almost 9 months old (as of June 5), he still has a lot of learning to do....and growing too!!

Had to share a pic of their size comparison!

Back from the Lone Star state

2009-05-28T10:23:00.006-10:00

Sorry for no posts in a long time; I have been in Texas with my family. My baby sister got married on May 16 and I was honored to be the matron of honor. The wedding was beautiful and I am happy to have Zach a new member of our family.

The husband and dogs missed me while I was away. He did a GREAT job taking care of the dogs while I gone, and from what I've heard they were pretty good for him (although they got away with a lot).

Within the next week I will be catching up on some awards that we were given, posting new updated pics and some stories.

Higgins will be 9 months old already!! Time is going by FAST!

a few pictures from the trip......

me with the Longhorns @ Wildcatter Ranch

me with my brother & sister

my beautiful sister on her wedding day

my sister, Shannan with my new brother in law, Zach

Honest Scrap Award

2009-04-09T06:52:00.013-10:00

Our blog was awarded the "Honest Scrap Award" by Honey the Great Dane. Receiving this award we have to tell you 10 things about ourselves. And then pass it on to other blogs.

1. Huey & Higgins enjoy going for car rides - even if it's just for a short trip.

2. They know their manners and know how to SHARE! Even with the kitty, Mr. Bigglesworth and small doggies, like Koa!

3. They love 'grandma' (my mom)

4. Huey & Higgins LOVE ice cream & milk shakes. They BEG for them when we walk through the door after a visit to Jack in the Box or Dairy Queen. They take the remainder of the cup or bowl and go indulge themselves!

5. Starbucks is another favorite!

6. Huey also LOVES popsicles - just like dad. He knows mom doesn't like them much so everytime he sees dad with this plastic thingy sticking out of his mouth - he wants to share too!

7. Huey doesn't like to blocked away from his humans. He will cry, groan, woo, and do anything to get to them. Here he is blocked by a bench at my mom's house in Texas. He actually CRAWLED UNDER the bench so he could hang out with us!!

8. Huey always tries to help mom workout. If mom is dancing or doing aerobics he helps by jumping up and barking too. Here on the weight machine he helps by making sure I go all the way and making sure I am breathing properly!!

9. Huey enjoys doing zoomies through the yard with his friends. He is pretty agile and never runs into anything.

10. Huey likes to suck on his favorite toys.....it puts him to sleep

SO....who am I passing it on to??

Back Online!

2009-04-08T05:57:00.002-10:00

I have been without internet for about 2 weeks now! Just got it back up and running today! Everything goes on island time around here. Sorry for the hiatus.

Should be back to normal with my posts coming up!

For now I just have a few pictures of Huey & Higgins playing on their gigantic doggie bed. They always 'fight' over it. Huey thinks it is always his so he will roll all over and not share with Higgins!

Call this a Doggie-pretzel??!!

Mardi Gras Petstravanganza

2009-03-29T10:43:00.005-10:00

Last night "Pets Events Hawaii" hosted an evening for the dogs. It was held at the Waterfront, an outdoor nightclub at the Aloha Tower in Honolulu. I took Huey along for a night of fun at the Mardi Gras Petstravanganza. They had a runway, in which dogs modeled clothing lines, door prizes, lots of dog related vendors, obedience contests, and a costume contest.

The night started off a little rough as we were coming onto the red carpet through the door, a Cane Corso tried to jump Huey, and Huey didnt want any part of that. He growled back, but we moved far away from him and went through the door. I think the dog was jealous of Huey's costume!

As soon as we walked in there were tons of booths. One training booth had a fun game in which it was a plate-like apparatus with about 10 bone covers on top, which hid treats underneath it. (it was something similar to this but was plastic) Huey quickly discovered he could step on it and get ALL of the treats!

We moved onto the next booth to sign up for the Costume Contest. Since it was a Mardi Gras theme party, I made Huey an outfit with bright colors & sequins & feathers in Mardi Gras colors! Huey was a little embarrassed at first but once we were at the party he didnt seem to mind since he fit in with a lot of the other doggies!

The costume was not on until 10:45 PM so we had a long wait, so we decided to move on to other vendors. We came up to the Cocojour booth, which was searching for a new pet model. So they had a photographer set set up, for all of the doggies participating. I know Huey had to be the biggest one there! We had our picture made and Huey was great sitting and posing for the camera in his Mardi Gras costume.

As the night proceeded, on stage they had a few pet-games, and of course Huey participated! The 1st game was how fast could you dress the dog in a t-shirt, scarf, & shorts and then walk down the runway. Huey only made it to the t-short, as there were no shorts to fit his Great Dane sized bum!

The 2nd game was Musical Chairs. As the person sits, the dog has to sit too. We made it up to the last 3!

And the last game was Ring Around the Rosies. Every time we got to the part of the song "we all fall down" - the dog had to do an immediate down. We were so close and made it to the finalists, but an itty bitty Schnauzer did his down first before the other remaining dogs. Huey did really well, he can be just a little slow!

Then came the COSTUME CONTEST! There were around 30 contestants. We had to walk the runway with the music and strut our stuff. I too dressed up in a sequin type shirt and had a lot of mardi gras beads on. Huey ended up WINNING! I was so surprised and elated. Huey won a $55 gift certificate to 55 Pawsh Place! We will definitely be visiting them soon! He also won a lot of treats and toys. I won a 1 hour massage!

No pictures from the night itself - sorry! Too hard to carry the camera around and the dog! BUT we should be featured in the Hawaii Pet Magazine! So when the new issue is published I will definitely post it here!

The night was very eventful and a lot of fun! I would love to do it again sometime!

Snuggle Bug 2

2009-03-28T07:53:00.005-10:00

Well, I guess Huey is taking into sharing the bed with Higgins. Found them again crashed out on the bed!!

But I don't think that Mr. Bigglesworth, the kitty, is too keen on the closeness!!

Snuggle Bug

2009-03-27T07:58:00.004-10:00

The picture quality is definitely not the best - taken with my camera phone. But it was an adorable shot. My two boys were sleeping on top of our bed....so busted! But so cute too! Higgins & Huey dont snuggle that often!

AKC puppy S.T.A.R. program

2009-03-22T09:33:00.007-10:00

Higgins and his 2 sisters passed the Puppy S.T.A.R. (Canine Good Citizen) test and received their AKC certifications & Gold medal!

The puppy STAR program is a new test that is very similar to the regular CGC test, but designed for puppies. It gives you a lead into the CGC testing program.

We are so darn proud of them! I believe that the entire litter of 5 (those on the mainland too) have all received their puppy STAR certification! :)

So, what does the test involve?

OWNER BEHAVIORS:

1. Maintains puppy's health (vaccines, exams, appears healthy)

2. Owner receives Responsible Dog Owner's Pledge

3. Owner describes adequate daily play and exercise plan

4. Owner and puppy attend at least 6 classes by an AKC Approved CGC E

valuator

5. Owner brings bags to classes for cleaning up after puppy

6. Owner has obtained some form of ID for puppy-collar tag, etc.

PUPPY BEHAVIORS:

7. Free of aggression toward people during at least 6 weeks of class

8. Free of aggression toward other puppies in class

9. Tolerates collar or body harness of owner’s choice

10. Owner can hug or hold puppy (depending on size)

11. Puppy allows owner to take away a treat or toy

PRE-CANINE GOOD CITIZEN® TEST BEHAVIORS

12. Allows (in any position) petting by a person other than the owner

13. Grooming: Allows owner handling and brief exam (ears, feet, mouth, etc.)

14. Walks on a Leash-Follows owner on lead in a straight line (15 steps)

15. Walks by other people: Walks on leash past other people 5-ft away

16. Sits on command: Owner may use a food lure

17. Down on command: Owner may use a food lure

18. Comes to owner from 5-ft when name is called

19. Reaction to Distractions-distractions are presented 15-ft away

Today they used umbrellas, opening & closing them and shaking them

And this is what Higgins thought of the distraction....he could care less and just peed

20. Stay on leash with another person (owner walks 10 steps and returns)

We've been tagged!

2009-03-21T16:53:00.003-10:00

One of our blogger friends, Jennifer, tagged us! It is called the FOURTH PICTURE GAME. You have to go to the 4th file in your picture folder. Then choose the 4th picture and post it on your blog. So what was mine?

This is my sister Shannan. This picture is from April 22, 2008. I had gone to visit my family in Texas and took this picture of my sister her baby kitty. She is getting married this May!

So, now since I was tagged, I now have to tag 2 other people.

I choose

Paula (Story of Savage)

and

Jackson's Quest for the UD

I figured since we are a Great Dane blog, and I was tagged by a Dane owner - thought it would be fun to see it keep going on. Cant wait to see the pictures!

Honeymoon Beach

2009-03-20T18:18:00.004-10:00

Susan (owned by Purdy), Cheryl (owned by Leah) & I all took Higgins & his litter sisters out to Honeymoon Beach today. It was a nice & sunny day. We practiced our show moves and of course had a ton of fun!

Cheryl & Leah running the beach - ZOOMIES!

Susan holding my boy. He was watching the jets take off.

Susan & Purdy running up to me & Higgins

can we say t-r-o-u-b-l-e?!

Higgins, Leah & Purdy

Susan & Cheryl taking the girls to the water

Legs

2009-03-19T22:21:00.002-10:00

Higgins is all legs right now. Just hanging off the couch! He is 6 months old now.

Rest in Peace, Sweet Caroline

2009-03-14T13:12:00.006-10:00

With a heavy heart I post today that Caroline, at the age of 11 passed away earlier this week. She is owned by Susan & Putt @ Anadane Kennels.

Sweet Caroline was Huey's mom & Higgins' grandma. Caroline was the 1st Great Dane I met and she loved to greet everyone. She knew no stranger. She was still going strong at 11 years. She is now at the Rainbow Bridge running free.

REST IN PEACE SWEET CAROLINE

we will all miss you

at 11 years

at 6 years

Starbucks

2009-03-13T09:05:00.004-10:00

Higgins enjoys Starbucks as much as mom does!!

Happy Birthday Huey!

2009-03-07T06:31:00.000-10:00

My 'baby' boy is 5 years old as of March 5. He went for a romp in the park & then slept it off for the rest of the day! Here's to many more!!

Hawaiian Kennel Club dog show

2009-03-02T07:08:00.006-10:00

This weekend the Hawaiian Kennel Club hosted a show at the Blaisdell Arena.

On Saturday Anadane's Transpac Pyewacket went Best of Breed/Best of Winners for 2 points under Judge Mr. Hartinger.

"Squeeze" is Huey's sister & Higgins' dam.

On Sunday Anadane's Uptown Girl V Naples went Winners Bitch/Best Opposite Sex for 2 points under Judge Mrs. Paula Hartinger.

I handled "Christy" both days. Saturday she won Reserve Winners.

Summit Danes Don Diego won Best of Breed/Best of Winners on Sunday for 2 points under Judge Mrs. Paula Hartinger.

Congratulations to all of the winners! Thank you to the judges for the placements. It was a fun-filled day!

A few more pictures from the show...

This is Lea - it was her 1st time at this indoor show.

Here is "Mo" - he is an 18 month old puppy; half-brother to Higgins.

I also handled "Mac" the English Mastiff both days.

Dogs are good nurses

2009-02-24T16:01:00.004-10:00

John has been sick the past week and now I have whatever he had.

No fun being sick....but it sure does make you feel better when you got your best pal there to take care of you!!

Checking out the view

2009-02-20T08:04:00.005-10:00

Checking out the view

Higgins has to go check it out too

Huey is obsessed with guarding our front door!

Higgins got bored so ran into the room with a bone - that got Huey interested!

Project 12 : Play time

2009-02-12T10:39:00.007-10:00

Car ride

2009-02-06T15:22:00.003-10:00

Once again - in the car - Higgins crashed. It really does not take him long. He is REALLY excited when he knows we go for a ride, and as soon as the wheels start to spin he crashes! ha ha

Makapuu walk

2009-02-03T18:52:00.004-10:00

This weekend I brought Huey & Higgins to the Oahu Great Dane meet up at Makapuu Lighthouse, on the east side of the island. The hike was very nice, with perfect weather and a nice breeze. No whale sightings, but the view was still amazing. Both of the boys did very well, as I walked both at the same time. There were about 15 - 20 other people who showed up. It was a sight to see! Since I had 2 dogs I couldnt bring my camera - so thanks to the members who took the pictures! They turned out GREAT!

West Oahu Kennel Club show

2009-02-02T06:50:00.005-10:00

There was a local show here the weekend of Jan 17 & 18, hosted by the West Oahu Kennel Club. Higgins was not entered since he was too young.

But I did handle a female from Anadane Kennels (same breeder Huey & Higgins are from), Christy, both days. Christy took Reserve Winners Bitch on Satuday and Best of Breed/Winners Bitch on Sunday for 2 points!

Huey's sister/Higgins' mom, Squeeze, was shown in Bred-By Exhibitor and won Best of Breed on Saturday for 2 points!

For the males dogs, Zorro, a black male won Winners Dog that day

to take 2 points.

CONGRATULATIONS to Squeeze, Christy, & Zorro!

Here are a few pictures from the day.

waiting for the Danes' turn in the ring

The line up (Coco, Christy, & Squeeze)

Squeeze, BOB/WB (2 pts.) on Saturday

Christy, BOB/WB (2pts.) on Sunday

Zorro, WD on Sat. & Sun. (2 pts.)

What??!!

2009-02-01T14:43:00.002-10:00

"oooh What's that?!"

"Moooom - give me the cookie!"

"Fine then.....I will sit here and pout"

long hiatus

2009-01-30T06:53:00.003-10:00

It has been almost 2 weeks since my last post. We had family in town, my mother in law and her friend. We have had a grand time prodding around Oahu & Maui. Hawaii is a beautiful place.

We saw lots of Humpback Whales, as this is whale season for us.

Will be back to posting on a regular basis! Higgins has GROWN quite a bit! Pictures coming soon!

Smile

2009-01-16T15:02:00.001-10:00

Higgins is teething and lots of his teeth are just hanging in the gums. So while he is asleep I wiggle them to help them fall out a little easier. John always rolls his eyes and said nature will run it's course & they will fall out on their own. I think they are ugly and want them out!

....So one night while watching TV John comes over to play around with Higgins' lips & mouth. He was making some silly faces!

Working hard

2009-01-14T19:17:00.003-10:00

I am lucky enough to bring Higgins to work with me. When Huey was a puupy I got to do the same thing until he was fully potty trained.

Higgins finds that work can be awfully boring at times. So he sits by the customer counter waiting for someone to walk by the window so he can bark at them.

"What?!"

"Are you talking to me?!"

"I think something is more interesting...."

"When do I get to go home to see my big brother Huey?!"

Project 12

2009-01-12T06:59:00.007-10:00

12 pictures * on the 12th day * for 12 months

Sunning

2009-01-11T11:40:00.002-10:00

Not even the dogs can resist the sunny days in Hawaii. Huey has always loved going outside until he gets really hot then comes back in to sleep. Higgins used to bug him while he was sunning, but now as you can see Higgins has now jumped on the bandwagon. He now knows how lazy the sun can make you!

Ying Yang

2009-01-08T08:03:00.004-10:00

Ying Yang is used to describe how seemingly disjunct or opposing forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world.

That was the boy'z this morning up on the couch. They were on complete opposite sides, each on one cushion curled up into a ball, in similar positions, but yet opposite.

For those who have Danes then you know how small they can make themselves!

Traffic is so...boring

2009-01-05T19:15:00.000-10:00

Ugh, the traffic coming home tonight was HORRID. It usually takes me only 15 - 20 minutes to get home, while tonight it took me 1 hour and 10 minutes!

We have a 'zipper' lane on our main highway and it was still open, which caused traffic to back up....BAD.

Higgins was not so thrilled with just sitting around either. He looked bored to death which was so funny I had to take a picture with my camera phone!

"mom....what's taking soooo long?!"

"are we there yet?"

"puuleeez get me home...i'm ready to play"

Ears

2009-01-05T05:58:00.000-10:00

I took the tape off of Higgins' ears so they could 'rest'. So I took a few pictures of him without tape on. We keep the ears taped while he is teething so they stay down & don't 'pop' out like his big brother Huey.

I think they grew! Wonder when that head will grow into those huge ears!

I love this picture. He has a crinkle face....when his lips get stuck in his mouth! He was barking at Huey and then when I took his picture he had this cute expression!

Missing 'grandma'

2009-01-04T06:21:00.001-10:00

My mom & dad left almost 3 weeks ago. I was going through all of our pictures and had to post this one. I thought it was adorable. My mom leaned over and Huey was giving her his 'love sniffs'. The pupsters do miss them being here & so do we!

Bird watching

2009-01-03T18:21:00.002-10:00

Hau'oli Makahiki Hou

2009-01-01T06:15:00.000-10:00

or in other words, Happy New Year!!

Welcoming the new year of 2009 we wish you all peace & happiness.

Huey & Higgins starting off the new year

Relaxing on the lanai

2008-12-27T17:56:00.001-10:00

The weather cooled down with the storm blowing in. It was breezy so we went outside to relax on the lanai. Mr. Bigglesworth, the kitty, thinks the couch outside is hers. Even when the dogs decide to jump on it - she will hold her ground!

"What are you doing taking up the couch...me & Huey want to chill too!"

"Mom, she's NOT sharing the couch and I want to lay down!!"

"I guess this will have to do"

Christmas Surprises

2008-12-27T07:58:00.003-10:00

A surprise from our friends Lilly, Roxy & Sophie (Ready for Rally blog)

She sent us 2 beautiful Christmas stockings with Huey & Higgins' names on it! Picture to uploaded soon..

Wohoo - a present for us?!!

Higgins & Huey also had secret santa gifts from our local Great Dane group here in Hawaii and from 2 people from our Great Dane forum on the mainland

Higgins had a wonderful 1st Christmas and Huey had fun tearing open all of the pressies (even ours!)

Mele Kalikimaka

2008-12-25T17:47:00.002-10:00

Wishing all of our blogger friends a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

In the Jungle, the Quiet Jungle....

2008-12-21T08:41:00.003-10:00

A baby Dane comes peeking through...

We had had so much rain these past few weeks the side of my house has gotten so over-grown. I thought it was pretty funny the dogs want to run all in it and pull the palm fronds off!

Huey looking through the clearing

Higgins caught himself a rascally tree leave

Oh Dear, it got away and it is sooo far away!

Watching the boob tube

2008-12-20T18:05:00.002-10:00

I always whistle to the dogs while fixing their food. This Christmas commercial came on that has whistling on it - and Higgins was REALLY watching it! Wonder if he thought food was going to come with it?!

Project 12: Vacation

2008-12-17T18:06:00.004-10:00

My mom & dad have been visiting us here in Hawaii. We have taken a TON of pictures. So the Project 12 for this month will be easy....

Diamond Head Crater

East coast of Oahu

Makapuu Lighthouse

My dad & I in the helicopter

Sacred Falls

Hanauma Bay

Waikiki

Ala Moana Beach Park

"Magnum P.I." estate

Mokulea Islands

USS Missouri "Mighty Mo"

Arizona Memorial

Playing with Dad

2008-12-16T20:25:00.006-10:00

Huey went out with Dad on Monday morning. We have had a week of rain so he had a LOT of energy! He ran around with John and wore himself out. My mom captured some great shots of them running around.

Secret Santa shopping

2008-12-14T20:37:00.004-10:00

We needed to go shopping for the 'kiddos' secret santa gift exchange. Huey & Higgins rode in the car together for the first time. They did really great!

Higgins rode in the buggy since he is getting his last vaccination this week.

Huey picked out a few toys for his doggie friends. Once we got home Huey didn't understand that the toys were not for him - and were for the gift exchange!

Flower Child

2008-12-13T20:50:00.002-10:00

My mom got the new Nikon D90 this week - she was playing around with it and got this great shot of Higgins out on "his" couch on the lanai....

Sleepy car rides

2008-12-12T17:19:00.003-10:00

Taking Higgins to work....he fell asleep in the car. This was his first time to ride outside of his kennel - and in the front seat!

Comfy on the furniture

2008-12-11T06:27:00.004-10:00

I cannot get him to stay off of the chaise lounge!! I have told him SO MANY times! I just draped a big futon cover over it! I think he thinks it is HIS since his brother Huey has the couch in the other room!

week 14

2008-12-10T05:13:00.005-10:00

Today Higgins is 14 weeks old. He has definitely grown quite a bit. His last set of shots will be next week and then he will be able to explore the outside world with Huey! For right now, he has been playing with Huey & Mr. Bigglesworth at the house.

Rescue Me Tugz

2008-12-06T08:47:00.002-10:00

Higgins loves this fleece rope. It is a pretty big & durable toy, made for Great Danes.

There is a shop called RESCUE ME TUGZ that sells handmade fleece toys. She has Fleece Tugs (like the one Higgins has), fleece balls, & Tugs with Tennis Balls. They are great for a teething puppy or even an older dog that just likes to play!

And as an added bonus she donates ALL PROCEEDS to Great Dane Rescues throughout the country!!

Cats Rule the Roost

2008-12-04T18:52:00.004-10:00

What is THAT??!!!

Huey investigating - "oh it's just Mr. Bigglesworth"

Higgins is not too sure about the furry thing that has taken control over the couch

We have decided on a name

2008-12-02T19:30:00.001-10:00

HIGGINS

After changing several times we have finally decided that HIGGINS fits him perfectly! So now we have HUEY & HIGGINS!

Thanksgiving Day FOOTBALL!!

2008-11-27T11:42:00.004-10:00

Introducing....

2008-11-26T20:25:00.004-10:00

Huey's new brother!!

He is actually Huey's nephew; a breeding from his sister

"Squeeze" (Anadane's Transpac Pyewacket)

and

"Pi" (BISS Ch Bridane's Pi in the Sky)

"Pi" was in the Top 20 Danes in 1998. We are very excited about this boy. He will be starting his show career next year. Right now he is settling in and has made close friends with Huey.

Project 12: Craft Fair

2008-11-15T16:31:00.010-10:00

I am working FT time now, so I have been posting my project 12 pictures a little late. It happened again!

However, I toted my camera along with me today at a craft show. It was a pretty good one, with lots of people, 'ono' food, and interesting craft projects.

They hosted

a 'dog show' which was not a beauty contest, but rather a contest of 'cutest outfit', 'waggiest tail', and 'best trick'.

I also got to capture a few on a side trip later in the day of a couple 'paddle surfing' WITH their dog. It was adorable!

What an exhausting weekend!

2008-11-11T07:15:00.002-10:00

This weekend was a fun weekend for Huey! He attended his first CGC class.

CGC stands for Canine Good Citizen. CGC is a certification program that is designed to reward dogs who have good manners at home and in the community. There are 10 test items that you have to go through before receiving the certificate. They include:

Test 1: Accepting a friendly stranger

Test 2: Sitting politely for petting

Test 3: Appearance and grooming

Test 4: Out for a walk (walking on a loose lead)

Test 5: Walking through a crowd

Test 6: Sit and down on command and Staying in place

Test 7: Coming when called

Test 8: Reaction to another dog

Test 9: Reaction to distraction

Test 10: Supervised separation

This weekend was only the class. But the instructor said we are ready for the test! Hopefully he can do the test successfully soon!!

After the class, Huey was totally echausted! He had such a fun day with all of the other dogs. Huey was a good boy and received lots of treats for doing so well!

Hawaiian Nights

2008-10-24T05:39:00.004-10:00

A couple of friends & I meet up once a week to take the dogs for a walk after work. We walk at Hickam Airforce Base along Pearl Harbor. The evenings don't last so long any more since the winter is here; it gets dark very early now. The dogs enjoys playing in the sand, and we get to enjoy the beautiful Hawaiian sunsets.

Huey enjoys chasing the crabs in the sand. This time he found a big one , chased it into the water, dug his HEAD into the water and came out with a crab on his lip! He slung his head and it went flying! It was the funniest thing!

Great Dane hammock

2008-10-14T19:52:00.003-10:00

Who knew there was a hammock for dogs?!!

With Huey getting older I wanted to get him some sort of bed for moe comfort and support. Most of the dog beds loose their fluffiness after a few months use. I was on the search...

I came across this guy here in Hawaii that makes beds for hunting dogs. He use PVC pipe and stretches a codura material to make a sling or hammock for the dog. I asked him if he could make one 'great dane size'! He agreed.

I just got it and Huey thought it was a bouncy trampoline at first! He jumped on and off of it! But after a few days of rewarding him when he sat or layed down on it, he finally got the idea that he was supposed to lay down on it!

I took a few snapshots of Huey on his crash pad....

Project 12: Pet Walk

2008-10-12T15:08:00.004-10:00

It's that time of the month again: 12 pictures on the 12th day for 12 months.

It just happened that today was the Pet Walk. The Pet Walk is a fundraiser for the Hawaiian Humane Society shelter. At least 2,000 people attended. Not all dogs though.....there were cats, rabbits, birds, and reptiles!! This was our 3rd year to attend, and had a lot of fun like we always have!!

Thank You PRGang

2008-09-20T06:41:00.004-10:00

.....for awarding my blog! Be sure to stop by PRGang's blog. She has 2 Great Danes & a 'coconut retriever'. They live in Puerto Rico. When we lived in Puerto Rico we used to hang out together. One of her Danes is working in Rally right now. The other one is living the life of a princess!

Here are the rules for this award:

The winner can put the logo on his/her blog. Link to the person you received your award from..then nominate seven OTHER blogs! Put links of those blogs on yours and leave a message on those blogs you've nominated! So basically...keep passing it on!!

Now I have the honor of passing the award on! Be sure to check out the REALLY GREAT blogs!!

Chelsea the Dane

Danes World

Dane-amic

Great Dane Service Dog

Our Girl Blue

Behr Rake

Chad the Great Dane

Puppy-sitting

2008-09-17T20:14:00.004-10:00

I got a chance to puppy-sit this past weekend

Susan at Anadane Kennels had a litter of pups and she needed some much needed rest. I volunteered my time and couldn't of had more fun doing anything else!

I learned A LOT while taking care of the pups. I realized that raising a litter of puppies is a LOT of work!

I got in a few snapshots of the cute pups too!

They were 12 days this past Sunday. They are doing all very well.

There are 2 females and 3 males.

The breeding was done between BISS CH Bridane's Pi in the Sky and Anadane's Transpac Pyewacket (whom is Huey's sister).

I am getting a show-quality boy from this litter. I cant wait to get back in the show ring with a Dane! Wohoo!

Hawaii Great Dane Specialty '08 results

2008-09-11T23:00:00.001-10:00

There were 4 Great Danes at the Hawaii specialty this year.

Maile won Best of Breed

Zorro (the black male) won Winners Dog. He is one of Maile's offspring.

Coco won Winners Bitch

And here is Luke, who is already an AKC Champion.

HKC dog show

2008-08-27T18:58:00.002-10:00

This upcoming weekend is the Hawaiian Kennel Club All-Breed Dog show. On Saturday it is the Great Dane Club Specialty show. There will be 5 entries. One male, 2 females, and 2 champions. I will be there snapping some pictures of course!

Bark Park

2008-08-24T14:18:00.003-10:00

Last evening the Oahu Great Dane meet-up group got together at the Bark Park in Hawaii Kai. It was a small meet up compared to some of our other get-togethers, but still FUN none the less! Here are a few pictures from last nights meetup!

Project 12

2008-08-17T10:46:00.001-10:00

Ok, I have been SO behind on posting! I started back at work and have been working 6 days a week! ouch. Hurts my computer time! Anyways I have FINALLY gotten to uploading my pictures for my Project 12.....12 pictures, on the 12th day for 12 months. All from my new camera!! wohoo!

Milk Shakes

2008-08-10T07:39:00.004-10:00

Who doesn't enjoy them?!!

Oahu Great Dane meetup

2008-08-05T15:59:00.003-10:00

Come join us at the next Great Dane meet up! No need to have a Great Dane. Any large breed dog can join us! We have owners with Mastiffs & Dobermans there too! The more the merrier.

Sunday August 10
530 pm
Moanalua Dog Park

Check out our group:

Click here to check out
The Oahu Great Dane Meetup Group!

Want a dog? How to choose the right breed

2008-07-11T08:20:00.004-10:00

Seems like everyone comes across this huge event in their life where they want a dog. Some people go on impulse buys and buy whatever is cute or available now. Others do research and spend months looking for a breed that is right for them.

So what is the right way to find the dog that suits you?

1. Make sure you are ready for a dog.

Be sure that you have the time to care for a dog. Dogs are not 'yard art'; they need companionship. You will need to devote enough time to care for the dog properly, involving feeding twice a day, walking at least one a day, & training obedience.

Dogs can be expensive too. You will need to take the dog to the vet at least once a year for its yearly checkup. Also, what if the dog injures itself and needs immediate vet attention?

Make sure you are allowed to have a dog in your building or home area. I see way too many dogs that need to be re-homed due to landlords not allowing dogs.

Do your research first. It is not fair to the dog to be re-homed after you get him. The dog will become a loving member of your family, and will become attached.

2. Picking the right breed for your personality

This is where a lot of people mess up with their first dog. Lots of people buy on impulse and end up with a dog that is totally different than them. For example, if you are a laid back college student with not a lot of extra time on your hands, the last thing you want is an energetic dog like a Lab or Weimerwaner. There are several books and several websites that will help identify each breed's personalities. Get a dog that matches your personality. If you are laid back - get a dog that is not energetic. If you love to run - get a larger dog that has lots of energy. If you have kids - make sure that the dog is not a 'one person' dog.

A few good websites you can visit to help determine the breed that is right for you:

http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/dogselector.do

http://www.selectsmart.com/DOG/

http://www.glowdog.com/bestdog/

3. Evaluate your living arrangements

How much space do you have?

If you live in an apartment, you will need to have a smaller dog, or one that require little exercise. Dogs like a Border Colly would not do well in an apartment unless you were wiling to commit LOTS of running and playtime for the dog. However a laid back dog like a Bulldog would do well in an apartment, since they do not run around often.

How often are you home?

Some dogs are very dependent. If you work often then a dependent dog would NOT be a good choice for you. You will need to devote time to play and walk the dog EVERYDAY. If you are unable to do this, then getting a dog may not be a right choice at this point in your life. Dogs that don't get enough exercise or play can become very destructive or develop very bad habits, such a urinating in the house.

4. Make sure you can afford it

This was mentioned earlier, but I cant stress it enough. There is more than just the initial purchase of the dog. You will need to buy several supplies, such as a good quality dog food, bed, crate, grooming supplies, leash & collar. Dogs will also need vet care yearly, and may need it if they become ill or injured. Make sure your pocketbook can handle it.

5. How to decide where to get a dog

Animal Shelter:

There are ALWAYS a lot of dogs in pounds and shelters that need a new home. A lot of times they have already been evaluated so you know how the dog is. They will also help you by trying to identify the breed. Another advantage to shelters is that you can get a dog that is out of the puppy stage. That means, no potty training or puppy teething problems. Of course, shelters do occasionally have puppies but they will often not know what breed mix they are.

Breed Rescues:

Rescues are similar to shelters, but they specialize in a particular breed. For example, if you are looking for a Maltese, there are several Maltese breed rescues throughout the country. Breed Rescues pull dogs from shelters, or have people who can no longer care for their animals surrender them. This is a good outlet for finding a pure breed that suits you.

Breeder:

If you are wanting to purchase the dog as a puppy, you can also look for reputable breeders in your area. To find a reputable breeder, contact the local breed club. For Great Danes, there is a Great Dane Club of America. Every breed has a national breed club. They will usually have a list of reputable breeders in your local area, or can direct you in the right direction. You will want to make sure NOT to buy the dog from a newspaper or online ads. This is bad news, as many of the people who sell this way are backyard breeders. Make sure that proper health testing has been done on both parents of the dog. I will discuss more at length in a later blog post.

Pet Stores - STAY AWAY:

Most pet stores get their puppies from puppy mills. It has bad news written all over it!! These dogs are in cramped tiny cages and breed litter after litter until they can breed no more, and then are disposed of. They receive no care and many of them are debilitated or injured and receive no care. Oprah Winfrey recently had a show discussing the Puppy Mill trade. It is a very sad story. PLEASE DO NOT buy a dog from a Pet Store!!!

5. Preparing yourself for Training

To create a wonderful companion and a happy, healthy dog, you have to put some time into obedience training. You will want to housebreak your pooch. Teaching commands like "sit" and "stay" will make your life a LOT easier. Obedience training is how you get the best from your dog. A well-trained dog is a happy dog. They're secure. They know that you're the boss and that you've got a plan. So keep training in mind when you get a pup.

Great Dane Club - Why Join?

2008-07-09T06:29:00.008-10:00

The Great Dane Club of Hawaii had a meeting last night. It was my first one to attend in over 2 years, since transfering. Now that I am back I plan to rejoin the club and become an active member.

Why join?

Well, I thought this would be a good discussion since not many people even know there are breed specific clubs. I didn't know there was a club for Great Danes. I actually stumbled across the GDCA website by accident while looking for a Great Dane.

Breed Clubs are basically a support system. They offer an abundance of knowledge, and are there to help when your breeder does not know the answer to your questions. It is also a forum for others who share the same interest that you do about your dog. They promote the welfare of the breed, and usually work in conjunction with the local shelter in re-homing dogs of a particular breed.

How do you go about finding your local breed club?

Go to http://www.akc.org/clubs/search/index.cfm?action=national&display=on

Once you find your local club, attend a few meetings. You will find that the people there share similar interests as you. Discussions at the meetings revolve around upcoming shows, results from past shows, rescues, upcoming events, etc.

How do you join?

It is a simple process to join. You fil out an application, turn in your dues, and at the next meeting, you will need at least 2 (or more depending on the club) members to 'vote' you in. This is why it is also important to attend a few meetings first to get to know people.

Being a member of my local Great Dane Club is a rewarding experience. Not only do I get to meet new people that also share my appreciation for the breed, but I also gain a wealth of knowledge about the Great Dane. I am looking forward to furture meetings.

Welcome Home Huey

2008-07-07T06:58:00.003-10:00

What a busy few weeks! We moved here to Hawaii on June 16 and have been in chaos since! We have been up to our neck in boxes, and now have finally gotten things unpacked and put away, thanks to my mom who came from Texas to help.

Huey flew in shortly after we arrived, and took a few days to get the new routines down. It was really hard since there is a 5 hour time difference. He had to readjust to the climate change, but is now doing great!

WELCOME HOME HUEY!!

the morning after he flew in

Huey's last days in TX

2008-06-20T23:24:00.000-10:00

Huey will be flying to Hawaii today, and is arriving at 245. I cant wait to see him as it has been several months! My mom has been really good about taking pictures of my baby boy. Here are a few of his last few days in Texas.

"I will miss grandma cause she feeds me table scraps with a fork!"

"I had a good nights sleep before flying out"

"I will see you soon mom!"

"Ready to go!"

Project 12 : Doors of San Juan

2008-06-12T16:35:00.002-10:00

Today is the day for the 12 pictures, on the 12th day, for 12 months. Since this is my last "12th day" here on the island of Puerto Rico (I am leaving on Monday) - I thought I would shoot pictures to show the beauty of Old San Juan.

The colors & architecture here in this historic town are amazing. I walked through San Juan today and took pictures of the houses. As you will see, they are bright in colors and very eye catching. I hope you enjoy them as much as I.

Rabies Quarantine

2008-06-10T23:59:00.001-10:00

Several places in this world are still Rabies free, such as Guam, Australia, New Zealand, the British Isles, Ireland, and Hawaii. It is quite a tedious process if you want to bring a pet into a country/state that is Rabies free, as they require lots of tests to make sure your pet is protected against the disease, and if the appropriate tests have not been done, then undergo quarantine. By quarantine, I mean cages/kennels where the animal stays for an extended period of time, usually quite lengthy.

Hawaii's required quarantine period is 120 days. However, new laws have recently come into effect that now allow a "5 day" quarantine period, and most recently "direct airport release". These new laws have made it much easier for people to bring in pets, especially military members that are constantly transfering from one place to another.

Not only is quarantine a lengthy process, it is expense, costing $1080 for the 120 period.

What does the Quarantine Facilities look like? Anadane Kennels has dedicated a page about Hawaii Quarantine, which is a very useful read:

www.anadanekennel.com/danesinquarantine.html

Since I have recently gone through this entire process to prepare both Huey and Mr. Bigglesworth for shipping them to Hawaii, I wanted to share what I have learned to help others prepare in advance what to expect and to hopefully avoid the long and expense quarantine!

In order for an animal to qualify for either the "5 Day Release" or "Direct Airport Release":

Must have had 2 Rabies vaccinations in its lifetime. The 2nd vaccination must be administered no less than 90 days after the 1st vaccination. And the most recent vaccination must have been administered no less than 90 days and no more than 12 months (if a 1 yr. vaccine).
Must be micro chipped
Blood test (OIE-FAVN) must be sent off to an approved lab to test for the adequate response to the rabies vaccine. Results MUST be >0.5 IU/ml or higher.
Once the lab receives the test results, there is a required waiting period of 120 days BEFORE the pet can arrive into Hawaii
Health Certificate within 10 days of arriving to Hawaii

So what were are the costs for "Direct Airport Release"? Other than my basic expenses for the airline approved kennel & airfare, there is a $165 charge for Hawaii Agriculture to process the papers. I paid $50 for the OIE-FAVN tests. My vet expenses for the tests, shots & health certificate ran about $200.

It is a time consuming process and involves a lot of paperwork. But, it is much more humane (and cheaper) if you get everything in order BEFORE you come to Hawaii.

I will be shipping our cat, Mr. Bigglesworth from Puerto Rico to Hawaii this Sunday, June 15. Huey will be coming to Hawaii from Texas the following weekend, on Saturday, June 21. This will be my first time to ever go through this process and I am hoping it is a smooth one!

Sightseeing Texas

2008-06-05T11:33:00.002-10:00

What dog doesn't like to stick his head out of a window?!

Lickin the beaters

2008-05-31T05:33:00.003-10:00

My mom was making some dessert for my family while Huey was so keenly observing her. She let Huey lick the beaters (like we used to do when we were kids). She said once the cupcakes were done he was eyeballing those too!

That's what they say grandma's do - spoil 'em rotten!

San Juan Beach Meet Up TODAY

2008-05-30T00:49:00.002-10:00

Just wanted to spread the word that a few of us Dane owners are meeting up today at the beach in front of the capitol building around 10 am. We will have our regulars in attendance, including Lilly, Roxy & Sophie, and our hunk Herman. But today we are also planning on having a new addition to our group, Lazar.

Lazar is a Black Dane, from Puerto Rico. His mom, Ivana, is from Serbia. We are all very excited to meet Lazar today and maybe we can get him in the water!

Pictures will be posted soon, so keep your eyes open!

sunning

2008-05-29T01:19:00.002-10:00

Huey loves to lay out in the sun. First thing in the morning when he wakes up he will go outside and just lay out. He will sometimes stay out there for hours. He gets really hot, and then will come inside to sleep.

I guess he learned it from me, when he was a pup I used to go outside to lay out, and he would just lay right next to me in the sun. He is such a goofy boy. His tummy is getting so dark.....check out the picture below! wow!

Me & Mr. Bigglesworth

2008-05-23T10:03:00.002-10:00

I know I have been posting a lot of my kitty lately, but since I dont have my main subject here, it will have to do.

Our BIG move to Hawaii is coming up in 3 weeks and 3 days! So very soon! We have been staying in a vacation rental in Old San Juan and I absolutely love it. Mr. Bigglesworth seems to like it too. Not only that - I am only a few blocks away from my friend Leslie, along with her Great Danes; so I get my Dane-fix in!

I'm All Ears

2008-05-19T07:53:00.002-10:00

Huey gets these goofy looking flopped back ears after a good run. They will lay in all sorts of different ways, and can look quite funny. He had just come in from a good zoomies run!

Project 12

2008-05-12T06:23:00.008-10:00

Here are my 12 pictures from today. Mr. Bigglesworth is in most of my shots from today since my Huester is in Texas. I dont have much else to take pictures of today since all of our household goods have been shipped and we are living in an empty house! Only 1 month and 4 days remaining until we move to Hawaii!

John Deere Green

2008-05-08T04:42:00.002-10:00

Huey got a new collar. Went to the local Tractor Supply store, filled with all sorts of western wear, livestock and animal supplies. I came across their selection of dog collars and found a John Deere collar! For those of you who are unfamiliar with the brand - it is a manufacturer of tractors & lawnmowers. I found the collar to be very fitting for him while he is staying Texas!

I thought this picture was really cute - we were driving in the truck and he was riding in the back seat. He stuck his head through to get a better look of where we have been!

Country Dog

2008-05-04T03:32:00.003-10:00

Huey has been staying at my mom & dad's house in Texas for the past 3 weeks. They will be watching him for a few months while we PCS to Hawaii. My parents live on 3 acres out in the country and Huey really enjoys running through the huge backyard! He has also made friends with the neighbor's horses.

We went to visit my family for 2 weeks, so I got to take a few shots of my Huester. Here is Huey in the backyard by the tractor.....my little country dog.

Project 12....just a little behind

2008-04-30T07:31:00.002-10:00

Here is the collection of 12:

12 pictures on the 12th day in 12 months.....but I am a little behind this time. I have been in Texas for 2 weeks visiting my family. So most of the collection is from that trip. Enjoy.

Riding in the Car

2008-04-17T03:06:00.004-10:00

On our way back from the Great Dane meet on Saturday, Huey rode in the front seat of the car. He was so tired from all of the playing, he fell asleep with his head on the dashboard. Huey wanted to be up front where the AC was blasting since he was hot from playing, but with the cool air blowing on him it must of made him lethargic. I thought it was really cute with him sitting next to me, like a human passenger!

Caribbean Great Dane club April Meet

2008-04-15T01:52:00.007-10:00

The CGDC had another meet & greet this past Saturday. We had a total of 10 Danes in attendance; 7 of which were new to the group. The weather was beautiful, and they all had a great time interacting with one another. A few tried out the horse jumps, several went off leash in the arena to have a good romp, Huey attacked a palm frond, a few rolled around in the grass.....it could of not been better! It was Huey's last meet-up here in Puerto Rico, since he flew out the following day. We will miss all of our friends here.

Lined up on a bunker

Roxy made friends with a little merle puppy at the meet. She would lay on the ground to let the puppy crawl all over her. It was really cute. Look at that smile on her face!

Huey attacked a palm frond

Talking amongst friends

Huey & Sam

Stunt Dog at the Playground

2008-04-12T05:23:00.002-10:00

I just had to post this picture. I can't believe I even got it on camera.

Here is the story behind it....

Yesterday Leslie came over with her 2 Danes and her mix dog, Sohpie. They were all having a blast playing on the Jungle Gym. Huey is a pro at running through the tunnel and then down the straight slide. Leslie was trying to get the girls to go through the tunnel and Huey, the showoff, would barge through and do it. Leslie's dogs soon got the hang of it and all 4 dogs were jumping around and running all over it.

Well, then Mr. Hu-dog thought he would give the swirly slide a try. Leslie was up on the top deck of the Jungle Gym and here comes Huey right behind her & Sophie and went down the slide! Well, I think he thought it was a straight slide but it was a swirly one, so he decided to bail out and JUMPED OFF! My heart skipped a beat when I saw him jump over! I could of swore he was going to land on his head and I would be having to take my dog to the vet. Well, he landed on his feet and then took off running to go chase the lizards. Oh my goodness. I couldnt believe what I just saw!! I was so very thankful he was not injured!

Huey just has that type of personality where he is not afraid of anything.....and as instances like this, could potentially be dangerous. He doesn't have what I would call 'street smarts', as he would be the dog to just dart across the street without looking.

AGH - and then I cant believe I even caught this on camera. Guess it was the shock of the moment of my finger pushing the button. Wow.

Anyways, I just HAD to share a picture of my stunt dog!!