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Giant dog comes with ‘big personality’
The Vindicator ( Youngstown)
Photo
Hillary Madeline of Howland Township sits with Schmooka, a 3-year-old Great Dane that she and her husband, Brian, have had since the dog was 7 months old. ÒSchmookaÓ is Danish for Òbeauty.Ó Hillary Madeline said SchmookaÕs personality is as big as she is. The dog claimed the bedroom as hers..
By LINDA M. LINONIS
HOWLAND
Hillary and Brian Madeline didn’t see “Marmaduke,” the cartoon turned into a movie featuring the adventures of one big dog. They have their own star, in house, with Schmooka, their 3-year-old Great Dane.
The Madelines have had their Dane, whose name means “beauty” in Danish, since she was 7 months old. Hillary Madeline said one of her sisters originally had the dog but couldn’t keep her. “By then, she was part of the family. I couldn’t let her go,” she said. “She has a big personality.”
The Great Dane is Hillary Madelines’s first dog. “I’m sold on the breed,” she said.
“I’ve had Labs all the time,” said her husband, “she’s Lab-size plus.” Schmooka weighs in at a sleek 150 pounds.
Brian Madeline said Schmooka is “all muscle” and “one big, solid dog to play with.” The Dane is not much for fetch, he said, but loves to play tug.
Schmooka seems oblivious to her size. Brian Madeline said the Dane tries to sit on his mother’s lap. Schmooka often positions her rear end on an ottoman in the Madelines’ family room and sits there looking like the queen of the manor.
“The chair and ottoman are basically hers,” Hillary Madeline said. “She’s mostly a couch potato.”
The Madelines don’t have children, and Schmooka laid claim to a guest room. When Hillary Madeline’s niece stayed over, Schmooka pawed at the door.
The Madelines said they knew training was paramount for a dog of Schmooka’s size and power. By then, the Dane was a year old, and the couple put her in the care of a professional dog trainer.
“He told us she had an ‘iron will,’” Hillary Madeline said. “I love her personalty ... she’s sassy, stubborn and sometimes stoic.”
That personality trait also led to very challenging times in house breaking. But persistence, love and crate-training finally did the trick.
The Madelines said training was important so that Schmooka obeyed commands. When the Dane is outdoors, she is leashed or on a run.
Brian Madeline said he’s 5 feet 7 inches, and when Schmooka gets up on her hind legs, she easily puts her front legs on his shoulders, and her head is above his. Hillary Madeline, who is 5 feet tall, said training was vital so she could control Schmooka on the leash. “People are mesmerized or terrified,” Hillary Madeline said of Schmooka’s size.
Hillary Madeline said living with a Great Dane means making certain adjustments. Leaving food out on the kitchen counter is foolish because Schmooka will help herself to it ... just like the two dozen bran muffins she ate.
Hillary Madeline said that incident happened when she was out of town, and her husband had to deal with the “pooping machine” that followed. Schmooka’s head is about even with the kitchen counter at their home.
“Now things get put away, put up high or pushed to the center of a table,” Hillary Madeline said.
Placing candy dishes or vases on tables in proximity to Schmooka’s whiplike tail are breakages waiting to happen. Many Christmas bulbs have been casualties of Schmooka’s wagging tail. Bruises on Hillary Madeline’s legs are from the Dane’s paws.
One of Schmooka’s favorite activities is going to Cooperation Station dog park at Mosquito Lake.
The Madelines also have a cat, Azrael. Hillary Madeline is manager of Robert Clark Funeral Chapel in Warren, owned by Lane Funeral Homes, and her husband works for the state of Ohio.
“Marmaduke,” the movie about a Great Dane, fizzled, but as far as Jean Matvey is concerned, that’s a good thing for dog rescuers. The founder of Pennsylvania Great Dane Rescue Inc. said dog rescuers have seen the results of successful movies featuring a certain dog breed. “Many Dalmatians ended up in shelters,” she said, noting people didn’t understand the training requirements of the active breed. People saw them in “101 Dalmatians,” and the cuteness factor won out. Matvey calls Moose, a 41/2-year-old Dane her own; an older dog she had recently died.
On screen: Dogs have stolen many a scene in movies, television and comic strips for decades. Dog breeds featured in movies and TV are highly trained animals that enthrall viewers who go out and get a dog before researching the breed. St. Bernards found themselves in the same position as Dalmatians after “Beethoven.” Jack Russells gained noteriety after Eddie became a star in “Frasier.” Collies were sought after because of “Lassie” movies and the TV series, and German shepherds had their turn with “Rin Tin Tin.” But before them, Asta, a wire fox terrier, shared billing with William Powell and Myrna Loy in “The Thin Man” murder-mystery movies, and Petey, a pit bull, accompanied the Little Rascals in the Our Gang comedies of the 1920s and 1930s.
Adoption: Matvey said the Great Dane breed may have eluded the spontaneous buy because its size makes people think twice. “We want people to take their lifestyle into account,” Matvey said. When a person applies to adopt a dog from her rescue group, they fill out an application. Checking their record with a veterinarian and a home visit are part of the process.
About Danes: Matvey cautioned people who think they want a Great Dane as a guard dog. “They’re the result of breeding a mastiff and greyhound ... they’re not bred as guard dogs,” she said. She said Danes are “great with kids.” They might play hard for 15 minutes or so, she said, and then they’re couch potatoes. It’s good to walk them twice a day, she advised. The Dane lifespan is from 7 to 10 years, sometimes longer depending on breeding and vet care.
In rescue: At any given time, Matvey said the Great Dane rescue has about 20 dogs in care. The ages are around 8 months, 2 and 5 years old. What are the reasons owners surrender dogs? “They didn’t know it would get this big,” is one comment, she said but finds that hard to understand. Females weigh between 120 and 140 pounds generally and males, 140 to 160. They mature at 3 years old. “The economy has forced some people into foreclosure, and they’ve lost their homes and can’t take their dogs to other places.” Matvey said those owners are struggling with the pain of giving up their dogs. Danes are “family dogs” who want to bond with you; the Great Dane is the state dog of Pennsylvania. They are not outdoor dogs, she emphasized; they have no undercoat. For the most part, she said, Danes are even-tempered.
Be cautious: People have to adjust their residences to the breed, Matvey said. “Their tails are like whips and will ruin a flat screen TV if it’s positioned too low,” she said. “Putting nonskid tread on steps helps them and prevents broken legs.”
Online: www.pennsylvania-dane-rescue.org or www.ohiogreatdanerescue.org.