Isn’t it funny? Little Great Dane, Napoleon, has been with us for a month now, and the more time I spend with him, the more I see the similarities between him and my toddler niece.
They always behave their best when they think they’ll get a treat. I’ve yet to witness that perfect “I’m sitting still and looking cute but not because you have cookies” behavior.
They’re stubborn. Even if they know they’re not supposed to do something, they’ll do it just because they want to. Like choosing the sofa to eat a bone instead of the floor.
Whenever you’re dressed in your best clothes, they’ll drool on them or stretch them out. Wearing white becomes a risky choice. They also love to eat your hair.
Even the most boring daily tasks fascinate them, and they follow you everywhere you go, dancing around your feet and making you dizzy. My parents solved that problem by having my little sister follow me instead, which was super annoying.
You want the best for them, but spoiling them isn’t always the solution. Sugar rush after licking cake batter? That only happens once.
They sleep all day and want your attention at night. What’s with them being on China’s time?
They love you unconditionally and see you as the most amazing person in the world. Napoleon is always cheerful and ready to lift your spirits when needed.
You can’t stop worrying about them. It’s crazy, right? I mean, he’s just a dog. After he arrived, I spent time reading all sorts of things online (note to new parents: don’t do that!). Now that he has hiccups almost daily, I worry. I worry about his fast growth because Great Danes can have bone problems if they grow too quickly. I worry that he might only live 6-8 years, while most dogs live much longer. The worry never ends.
They are masters of manipulation and crocodile tears. Napoleon starts crying even before I grab him to scold him for misbehaving.
You buy them fancy toys, and they prefer the packaging. Okay, maybe not so fancy. The dollar store toys get ignored in favor of Napoleon’s favorite things: the bottom half of a soda bottle and a $0.10 piece of orange duct tube.
They don’t need as much as you think. An $8 mini bottle of tearless dog shampoo? Napoleon is just fine with our regular Head & Shoulders. But it does take willpower to ignore marketers and their targeted products.
They can’t talk, but they sure can communicate. “Give me more cookies” couldn’t be clearer, even without words.
You quickly learn not to leave anything within their reach. After some trial and error—like chewed shoes and a chewed laptop charger—our house is now dog-proofed.
Potty training can be hazardous. Napoleon is getting used to the garden grass, but he occasionally still prefers the bed.
It’s true that dogs can look a lot like their owners. Just like in Disney’s 101 Dalmatians, I see similarities between us. Napoleon loves hikes, road trips (we brought him home on the first day in a motorcycle pannier, but he’s too big for that now), and cuddling in bed.
They are expensive! Though not as costly as kids, you can spend a lot if you go overboard with treats and gadgets. Napoleon has cost us $191 for initial expenses, plus a $5 leptospirosis shot, a $3 parvovirus shot (we go to the cattle shop where there’s no wait, while the vet charges $12), and a second $30 bag of Puppy Chow. Each bag lasts a month, so he’ll probably eat around $70 worth of food a month as an adult. Wow!
Fortunately, we have staff to take care of him if we go away, but if you don’t, you’ll need to factor in the cost of kennels and other expenses.