Soulful Great Danes Primed with Puppy Culture

01/01/2024

It's Higgins (from our Harry Potter Litter Luke/Karma) and his little ringing in the New Year. He is our keeper puppy Zoey's brother

01/01/2024

Wishing all who read this a Happy, Prosperous, Fun Filled, Joyful, and Fortunate New Year Ahead.

29/12/2023

So I have kinda been avoiding Facebooger for a bit. So much going on but so I can keep track of this in the coming years, I'm sharing what has been going on with our beloved Aowyn (Reign/Luke Baby from our Lord of the Rings litter).

The short version is I discovered she's highly highly allergic to poultry... We have had her entirely off of all poultry (food and treats) for 30 days and she has improved dramatically, but we still have a long way to go.

She was bright red, ye**ty, her entire underside is "naked" (hairless), she's tubby, ravenous, but has a good appetite and normal otherwise. We had her bloodwork and especially her thyroid recently checked as I thought she might be having issues with her thyroid. I'm happy that everything from that came back normal.

I realized that especially if it is a food allergy, it can actually take 8-12 WEEKS off of the allergin before you see improvement!

Today, when brushing her, for the first time in a very long time there was NO SHEDDING. This isn't because she is bald (hahahaha), as she still has hair and usually is shedding pretty bad. So, I have hope that with time she will continue to improve and get all of her hair back.

Not looking for advice or suggestions (thank you though), I've done TONS of research and continue to do tons of research on her symptoms and have tried more things than I feel like mentioning.

23/12/2023

From our house to yours, wishing you a very Merry Christmas 🎄

19/12/2023

A long video with some updates on Reign and Karma our older ladies ❤️❤️

06/12/2023

Our beloved Littlehorse Reign is doing great. Today was her rabies booster. She was giving everyone at the vet love❤️😊❤️

05/12/2023

Update: At this time she is no longer available. I appreciate everyone who has reached out and shared the post.

I don't have anymore information in regards to her. I have just been trying to help spread the word for the family. Thank you again.

26/11/2023

Karma and Luke enjoying the first snow of the season 💕

26/11/2023

Reign (Eeyore), Zoey and Aowyn enjoying our first snow of the season ❤️❤️❤️

Reign is doing okay and clearly still wants to be with us, but we are enjoying every moment with her.

24/11/2023

We've been doing everything we can to help Reign build up the muscles in her rear end but I think it's getting uncomfortably close to letting her go before it becomes an emergency in the ice/snow😭

I'm not ready for this but I refuse to make her suffer. Sigh...

She's been doing good walking with us several times daily on small walks but I just had to literally carry her up the stairs 😭

Please just keep us all in your thoughts and prayers while we navigate her quality of life and make sure we aren't making her suffer or be in pain...

Zoey wanted to be in the picture with our beloved Reign ❤

23/11/2023

Today being Thanksgiving... I have sooo much to be thankful for. First and foremost I am thankful for each and every one of you. I could not have gotten through all my trials and tribulations without all of the love, support and encouragement from all of you! May you all have a very amazing day! Hugs and love from me!

19/11/2023

Veterinary laboratories in several states are investigating an unusual respiratory illness in dogs, and encouraging people to take basic precautions to keep their pets healthy as veterinarians try …

31/10/2023

Happy Halloween from Aowyn! Stay spooky 👻

24/10/2023

Zoey the heat hog😂🔥😂

23/10/2023

Happy 6 month birthday to Princess. Her parents say she is the sweetest puppy they've ever had ❤ I couldn't be more proud! Raising a single puppy was harder than a litter of 13! 😂

15/10/2023

Love you all ~ Zoey

10/10/2023

We are looking for SERIOUS inquires for a 10 1/2 Year Old Harlequin Female Great Dane. She is spayed and her owner (and a very dear friend) unexpectedly passed away recently. Her age is a testament to the amazing breeding program and pedigree. She is good with other dogs (big and small) and just wants love! This girl DEMANDS you give her back scratches or she'll just push you over leaning on you!

We are not going to just give her to anyone, we are looking for a family or even a single person that will love her and pamper her as she deserves.

Located in Clarkston Michigan area. MUST be able to meet her and transport her yourself, we will NOT have her transported by a company. If you don't live locally but feel that you are still a good fit, reach out to me and we can chat. There is an application that will need to be completed before we will consider you and your family.

Feel free to share this post so we can find her the best home.

If you want more details on her, you can pm me or email me through my website here: https://soulfulgreatdanes.com/adult-danes-for-adoption

05/10/2023

In regards to the passing of Sabre Stodgell-Randall, this is a message from a friend who is helping immensely:

This whole devastating occurrence is very overwhelming, please be kind and think before you press for details that are none of anyone’s business.

The bird and the 5 month old Dane have found new homes. There are still 4 more Danes to re-home. I have had approximately 40 people message me showing interest.

NOTE: these are NOT puppies. If you want a puppy, don’t message me or Chrystal Bopp.

Moxie (female harlequin) is almost 11yrs old
Gidget (Gigi) (female mantle) is about 6.5yrs old
Nero (male mantle) is about to turn 6yrs old
Octavian (male harlequin) is 3.5yrs old

I will not message people that are asking me to. If you are interested, you need to message me. There is a required questionnaire for all interested applicants.

If you are interested specifically in one of the dogs over the others, let me know and I’ll send a photo.

NONE of the dogs are to be bred. This will be a legal requirement.
The males are fully in tact and will not be put in homes with other in tact males to avoid dominance fights.

I am still working to get a copy of all up-date vet records for each of the dogs, so please be patient.

Thanks to all who have sent love and condolences, this whole ordeal has been a nightmare and all that loved Sabre are working to help Bill however we can. Just remember, we love her too and this is also hard for us. 💙

Please feel free to message me if you are interesting in adopting or fostering any of the Danes. Thank you!

01/10/2023

28/09/2023

There's still time to join the raffle, support an amazing Great Dane rescue AND possibly win this soft cozy blanket! Details in post attached:

Congratulations to Alina Avalos the winner of the raffle!!!!

So, Soulful Danes Graphics (Chrystal Bopp) donated this amazing soft 100% Polyester 50"x60" Dane Blanket as a prize for donations made from today through September 30th! It is SOOOOO soft and the saying is spot on for any Dane owner/lover! Every $5 will get you an entry (so, $20 gets you 4 entries and so on and so forth).

Winner will be announced Sun, October 1st.

💵Entries are $5 each
🎫No limit
🐾Ends at midnight EST 9/30
📥Entries can be made via

****PLEASE NOTE**** To alleviate the work for Erika, I am using MY accounts for this raffle. IF YOU DONATED TO ERIKA/ODDAT TODAY, PLEASE PM ME (CHRYSTAL BOPP) screenshots of your donation to Erika's account and I will enter you ;) Sorry for the confusion, just trying to help ODAAT!!!!

PayPal: [email protected]
Venmo:

I literally support 2 rescues because I know they are legit, THIS IS ONE OF THEM. If you aren't familiar with One Dane at a Time, you can visit them here: https://www.facebook.com/onedaneatatime

If you can't donate, please at least like, comment and share this post so we can try to get some donations for this amazing Dane Rescue. I know that not all rescues are made the same, I can personally vouch that this rescue IS FOR THE DANES, they take on the worst cases ever!!!!

26/09/2023

If you can't donate, please at least like, comment and share this post so we can try to get some donations for this amazing Dane Rescue. I know that not all rescues are made the same, I can personally vouch that this rescue IS FOR THE DANES, they take on the worst cases ever!!!! Please help if you can:

Congratulations to Alina Avalos the winner of the raffle!!!!

So, Soulful Danes Graphics (Chrystal Bopp) donated this amazing soft 100% Polyester 50"x60" Dane Blanket as a prize for donations made from today through September 30th! It is SOOOOO soft and the saying is spot on for any Dane owner/lover! Every $5 will get you an entry (so, $20 gets you 4 entries and so on and so forth).

Winner will be announced Sun, October 1st.

💵Entries are $5 each
🎫No limit
🐾Ends at midnight EST 9/30
📥Entries can be made via

****PLEASE NOTE**** To alleviate the work for Erika, I am using MY accounts for this raffle. IF YOU DONATED TO ERIKA/ODDAT TODAY, PLEASE PM ME (CHRYSTAL BOPP) screenshots of your donation to Erika's account and I will enter you ;) Sorry for the confusion, just trying to help ODAAT!!!!

PayPal: [email protected]
Venmo:

I literally support 2 rescues because I know they are legit, THIS IS ONE OF THEM. If you aren't familiar with One Dane at a Time, you can visit them here: https://www.facebook.com/onedaneatatime

If you can't donate, please at least like, comment and share this post so we can try to get some donations for this amazing Dane Rescue. I know that not all rescues are made the same, I can personally vouch that this rescue IS FOR THE DANES, they take on the worst cases ever!!!!

25/09/2023

Happy birthday Aowyn ❤️❤️❤️

25/09/2023

Happy Birthday to our Lord of the Rings Litter~Love Grammie

25/09/2023

This has been what I have been working on as my health has allowed, this is my "soft launch". Official launch is hopefully October 1st!

I will still be breeding, this is just something to occupy me between litters!

Please visit/follow us: Web: https://www.soulfuldanesgraphics.com FB: https://www.facebook.com/soulfuldanesgraphics IG: https://www.instagram.com/sou...

22/09/2023

FDA fact sheet about potential neurologic adverse events in dogs and cats when treated with the flea and tick drugs Bravecto, Credelio, Nexgard, or Simparica.

20/09/2023

Presenting some of my past puppies! This post includes mostly Roxy's First year (Hostess Snack Litter) and Loki (Scientist & Inventor Litter) as well as Luna (Spice Litter). Yes, my Danes are addictive LOL As well as their fur siblings and human family members. Shout out to the Carrolls' for being amazing with their pack!!!!

&inventorlitter

20/09/2023

Good night from Zoey ❤️

17/09/2023

I apologize for the huge delay.... I never finished sharing all of the Hostess Snack Litter! So without further delay, here is Fang:

06/09/2023

Please take a moment to read this, I feel we all need to educate ourselves properly when it comes to dog behavior.

Judging by my clients over the years, there are a LOT of myths circulating about veterinary behaviorists, when you need one, and what they do and don't do etc. So let's talk about it!

Myth 1: Veterinary Behaviorists are a LAST Resort.

The time to take your dog to a veterinary behaviorist is BEFORE you are at your wits end and your dog's behavior has escalated to a point where you feel you can't live with them anymore. Psych meds are a process, and they take time and trial and error. You and your dog don't need to suffer to this level before seeking this kind of help. I'll talk about when you might want to consider a VB in a moment.

Myth 2: The veterinary behaviorist is going to drug the liveliness and joy out of my dog.

Nope! The VB is going to seek to alleviate your dog's psychiatric symptoms with their quality of life in mind. That means they are going to want your dog to be able to do things that make them happy and fulfilled. Sometimes psych meds have side effects, these can be short term as your dog adjusts to a medication or long term. When there are long term side effects that are impacting your dog's quality of life your VB will explore options to alleviate that wherever possible.

Myth 3: If these meds aren't working fast, they're never going to work!

MANY psychiatric medications require time to build up in your dog's body and have their full impact. That means you have to be patient and wait it out. Always ask your VB when you can expect to see an impact, if there's going to be one. That way you're not bailing on medication before it can even get a chance to work.

Myth 4: My trainer/veterinarian is just suggesting a veterinary behaviorist because they want them to tell me to euthanize my pet.

I'm actually unsure where this one comes from. Yes, sometimes a veterinary behaviorist can make a recommendation of euthanasia. However that is never done lightly and it comes when there are severe quality of life concerns and serious safety concerns that cannot be mitigated. Usually animal professionals are sending you to a veterinary behaviorist to get help for your dog and to create a situation where your dog can feel better, begin to thrive and learn new behavior that will make life together better for all.

Myth 5: Medicating my dog is lazy.

No folks, it's kind. Dogs can suffer from chemical imbalances in their brain just like people do. They can go through traumas that impact how they function. They can have medical issues that impact their behavior in big ways. In these dogs we can train and provide enrichment until it has turned into a full time job and get little to no progress. You're not lazy if you're seeking help for your dog. And don't forget, seeing a veterinary behaviorist is typically done in conjunction with a team. That team has your regular veterinarian, your veterinary behaviorist, and a trainer. You're not just giving meds to make behavior stop, you're using the new ability to relax and think to teach your dog things that will make their life better and fuller. That's as opposite of lazy as I can imagine.

Myth 6: My dog isn't bad enough for a veterinary behaviorist, they're not Cujo!

Not every dog that could use a trip to a veterinary behaviorist is aggressive. Here are some basic guidelines that I use when I think about sending you to the veterinary behaviorist with your dog.

1. Have you tried a LOT of good and skilled things to change this behavior with credentialed professionals with no progress?
2. Is this behavior intense?
3. Does your dog require a truly prolonged recovery period after a trigger?
4. Is your dog having difficulties sleeping and relaxing throughout their daily life despite having needs that are well met?
5. Does your dog have a WIDE variety of triggers such that they are difficult or impossible to manage and create an environment where they can exist with low stress?
6. Does your dog physically injure themselves when they are panicked or afraid?
7. Does your dog have compulsive behavior?
8. Does your dog have a complex web of medical issues alongside challenging behavior?
9. Has your dog experienced trauma?
10. Your dog cannot focus enough to learn, despite good training mechanics, clear criteria, and short sessions.
11. Is this behavior potentially dangerous?
12: Does the behavior escalate rapidly (zero to 60, no communication or signaling)
13. Fear, panic, or anxiety that impacts quality of life on a daily basis.
14. Atypical and extreme behavior is popping up in a young dog under 4 months old.
MORE....

Obviously I can't put my entire dog trainer brain on display for you here, but these are some of the factors I consider when recommending you go to a Veterinary Behaviorist. Usually if I recommend it if you have some combination of these factors at baseline that send up red flags in my head. Typically those things, taken together with a thorough history of your dog have shown me that your dog might need medical help to be successful at a behavior modification plan. Or we work together for a bit, and despite hard and skillful work, things are not changing for the better.

Myth 7: If I go to the veterinary behaviorist I don't need to work with a trainer anymore.

Wrong again. Your dog still needs help, the meds are just there to help ensure that help can actually take hold in your dogs' brain and to make that training process easier on you too.

Myth 8: If I put my dog on meds now, they will have to be on them FOREVER.

This is true for SOME dogs. Other dogs who respond well to their behavior modification plans can sometimes have their meds changed, doses lowered, or titrated off meds under the care of their veterinary behaviorist.

Myth 9: The veterinary behaviorist doesn't know anything more than my vet does.

Veterinary behaviorists are specialists in dog behavior. Just like a human psychiatrist. They are experts in what they do. Some general veterinarians will work with you on psychiatric meds for your dog. Some will want you to go to the veterinary behaviorist and will not prescribe meds. Others will just bridge you and your dog with a trial of meds until a VB can take over. Ultimately this depend on what the veterinarian thinks is going on with your dog and whether they think they can help you with their individual knowledge and expertise. General veterinarians can help, but sometimes, you really need that specialist.

Myth 10: I've failed if my dog needs a veterinary behaviorist.

You haven't. Some dogs just have complex behavior. It's really not all in how you raise them. Even dog trainers find themselves in need of a veterinary behaviorist for their personal dogs sometimes. Myself included. You're a kick-ass dog parent if you care enough about your dog's mental well being to make the investment in a veterinary behaviorist and do the hard work of helping your dog feel better. Don't let anyone tell you any different. This is TOUGH stuff, and you deserve to have compassion and kindness for yourself.

ID: Text on the image reads "Myth-Busting: Veterinary Behaviorist Edition". The image has a cartoon person with purple hair in a bun. They are wearing scrubs and reaching with a stethoscope toward a small cartoon dog with a paw on the person's knee. The Wise Mind Canine logo is on the image.

03/09/2023

Guess who gets to go to work today? Yup, Moose from our Soulful Lord of the Rings litter gets to go spread his love, joy and slobber at work today! Grammie is so proud of you buddy!!!!

31/08/2023

Important message from Roxy (our Hostess Snack Litter). She's not missing an ear, it's just not the best picture LOL:

28/08/2023

Not sure who to credit for the picture. In honor of them all❤️

26/08/2023

Give your dog a hug from me for National Dog Day. Let's see your dog(s), past and present are all welcome here:

20/08/2023

Truer words have never been spoken:

15/08/2023

Microchips are tiny, life-saving devices that provide permanent identification for our furry friends. They are like a guardian angel, ensuring a higher chance of reuniting lost pets with their families.

We encourage all pet owners to take a moment and verify their pet's microchip information. Is it up to date? Have you moved or changed phone numbers? Let's make sure our contact details are current, so we can act swiftly if our fur babies ever go missing.

11/08/2023

Went to pick up Karma's Dementia meds from the pharmacy today.

Pharmacist: Were you expecting a really large co pay for this medication?

Me: Sigh... Yup around $100.

Pharmacist: It's $80 and change... You must really love your dog.

Me: Thanks 😂😊😂

10/08/2023

I've been feeling under the weather but today was much better!

Can you find Luke in these pictures? 😂😂😂

05/08/2023

Feeling under the weather. Hopefully cuddling with Aowyn will help ♥️♥️♥️

27/07/2023

How to deal with roots when digging ~ Littlehorse Karma 🤣