It was February 2010 and a very special foster had just been adopted two weeks prior, Kincade aka "Kadie" and my heart was aching....I got a phone call from Terri about a puppy that was being kept in a crate in someone's garage and they were going to surrender the puppy to us and a foster home was needed. Having a house full of dogs already, I generally stick to fostering puppies since Roxy and Molly were funny around larger dogs but something really grabbed me about this one. (Ginger will tell you that *any* dog would grab me!) I decided to go for it and was headed to Fayetteville to help introduce a new foster to a Dane that another family was surrendering. He was a gorgeous harlequin Dane that was the most emaciated dog I think I have ever seen and he smelled awful. Luckily he was cleaned up and later adopted. Kelli and Andrew pulled up and I saw this tiny little puppy with the goofiest ears. Kelli immediately handed her over and said, "she's all yours!" Piper quickly got the nickname, "Pisser" as she had already peed in Kelli's lap and I think she peed on me too! Piper had been living with a school teacher of all people and had been banished to the garage away from everyone and everything and was kept in a crate. She was only about 15lbs and around 7-8 weeks old and very very smelly. We let her wander around(on a leash of course) for a few minutes before I headed home. She peed a few more times in the car and was doing everything she could to try and jump in the front seat with me. Everytime she climbed over, I promptly put her back until she finally gave up.
We got home and she peed again. LOL Once we got inside and she met everyone, I but her right in the bathtub as she had poop under all her nails and I wasn't sure if she was ever allowed to go potty outside of her crate. As she was running around I noticed her front legs were growing at a curved angle, luckily I think we got her in time and now they are completely straight. I quickly learned Piper was going to be more of a work in progress and might be around for a few weeks. As I showed Piper the water bowls, she drank like she never had water before in her life. I proceeded to reach my hand and pet her while she was drinking....I saw a new side of her, viscious Piper! She growled and turned her head so quick and I knew she was going to need a bit of work. Same thing happened when it was time to feed her. I placed a small amount of food in a bowl and just got close with no contact and she was growling, the closer I got the more tense and angry she got. I hand fed her every piece of food for a while and she is no longer food aggressive with me. I also made it a point to praise her and rub her when she drinks water as well. To this day she has no problems with me but is still very food and water aggressive with other dogs. Piper is now 13 months old and maybe weighs around 100lbs, a very petite Dane. I took her to quite a few events to try and get her socialized, although today she doesn't attend events because she still has behavior problems. As time went by, I realized how different Piper was and honestly was nervous to let her go as I knew all her weird quirks and wasn't sure how she would do with someone else. By the time July rolled around I had pretty much decided she was home to stay and her adoption became official! Piper is the first Great Dane I have owned and I don't regret it one bit, she has taught me a lot and as all my other dogs, she holds a special place in my heart. I had always said I would never own a hearing Dane, I wanted a deaf Dane but I am pretty sure we don't get to choose, they choose us....
